Reloading when it's raining

[onelastshot]

It's an overcast rainy day here in Connecticut, so I'm spending the afternoon trying to use up a bag of 500 lead bullets I've got for my 38 Special. Just finished reading an article, in it they claim that you should not reload on humid days, not good for the reloads. Is this just talk or is there some truth to this? I've never had a problem with reloads or humidity problems regardless of when they were made.

 

[topclass2017]

I hope reloading on humid days is not an issue...here in central Texas humid day are the norm for the next...well, until the late Fall. I reload every week and have yet to experience problems.

 

[K22]

It's another myth like "bullet weld".

 

[dstoenner]

My understanding is that powder is mildly hydroscopic but not like it absorbs a whole bunch on one day and lets it go another. I also don't think pistol loads would know much one way or the other.

Load on

David

 

[onelastshot]

I've loaded just over three hundred so far today, but with a single stage press I don't think I'm going to finish the bag tonight. These lead cast bullets leave your hands filthy.

 

[Webster]

It's an overcast rainy day here in Connecticut, so I'm spending the afternoon trying to use up a bag of 500 lead bullets I've got for my 38 Special. Just finished reading an article, in it they claim that you should not reload on humid days, not good for the reloads. Is this just talk or is there some truth to this? I've never had a problem with reloads or humidity problems regardless of when they were made.

I wouldn’t worry about humidity. Millions if not billions of rounds have been reloaded in peoples basements. I never heard of a problem. Many serious comp shooters reload at the range no matter what the weather is. I was in basic training at Ft. Knox in 1964. The ammo boxes we took to the range were dated. We were shooting ammo made around the time of the Korean War. My guess is the current runs go to the troops overseas and for training we used up the older stuff. It always went off.

1st. Infantry Division Viet Nam 1965-66.

 

[odie]

I have shot benchrest matches in the rain loading under an overhang.
So no do not worry

 

[Liven The Dream]

It's an overcast rainy day here in Connecticut, so I'm spending the afternoon trying to use up a bag of 500 lead bullets I've got for my 38 Special. Just finished reading an article, in it they claim that you should not reload on humid days, not good for the reloads. Is this just talk or is there some truth to this? I've never had a problem with reloads or humidity problems regardless of when they were made.

 

[Capt. Oblivious]

Powder will absorb moisture and will also dry out if left out long enough but it takes a couples days, we use a chemical to "control" the humidity that we keep powder at (powder container is open in a sealed container with the chemical) to maintain the humidity in the container and also then the powder at around 43-45%. It usually takes around 4 days to settle. For general pistol loads I would really not worry about it

 

[NorCalMikie]

If the roof's not leaking, no worries.

 

[jackson1]

Like to spend my cold dark winters, working on my equipment. My only worry is running out of stuff to do. Yesterday was the first day of the year I got out to the range and was comfortable in a T shirt.

 

[wildfowler]

I told my wife humidity was a problem so that I could move my reloading equipment from the garage into a spare bedroom into a more friendly climate controlled environment.

An uninsulated garage in Mississippi in the summertime is a brutal reloading environment.

 

[Bill K]

I guess I have been doing it all wrong then, as I reload many rounds during rain or snowy afternoons and evenings then I can not get out to shoot. Never had a issue..believe it is a old wife's tale, what you heard. Of course I do it in a nice warm house and not sitting out in the precip.

 

[Milo 2.0]

I told my wife humidity was a problem so that I could move my reloading equipment from the garage into a spare bedroom into a more friendly climate controlled environment.

An uninsulated garage in Mississippi in the summertime is a brutal reloading environment.

I bet so, lol
I moved my reloading stuff to the garage, it is heated. In the summer, I quit loading at 87-88 deg as the humidity really climes when the doors are closed. I have no factual data to say it has a negative effect, but powder gets somewhat sticky, plus it is miserable just being out there. It is rare I have ammo on hand, shoot it right away after loading, so I doubt I would see a problem.

OP, what is the humidity levels in your house? I can't see where it would be a issue.

 

[dsculley]

Did you have the windows open or were they closed with the HVAC system on? Most of us live in controlled environments where the HVAC keeps the humidity fairly constant.

I doubt that commercial ammo plants shut down when it rains.

 

[blastit37]

The higher the temp, the lower the R.H. As it cools off, the R.H. goes up and when it reaches the Dew Point temp, the R.H. is 100%. The best time to dry reload in a uncontrolled atmos. is at the heat of the day.

 

[pirate ammo]

The best time to dry reload in a uncontrolled atmos. is at the heat of the day.

not in central Texas summer when it's 102 in the shade.

 

[Rsadams]

That's a cool day....

 

[Sandstorm]

Sounds like Phoenix...lol

 

[Daddymac]

An uninsulated garage in Mississippi in the summertime is a brutal reloading environment.[/QUOTE]

I'll second that!