Submerged Silencer=Destroyed?

[Max]

Hello everyone

So, in my novel-project, one of the protagonists carries two H&K USP45Cs as sidearms, one of which with a threaded barrel and a suppressor, which, when not mounted, is transported by stuffing it into a pocket.
Now, during the final shootout, the protagonist is forced to take cover by 1jumping into a pond/lake, taking guns and everything with her.
I know that the bullets would most likely be unshootable, but I'll book that as creative license.

But, after she resurfaces, could she just let the water run out, or would the suppressor be rendered useless after having been filled with water?


Thanks in advance,

Max

 

[Jo6pak]

Suppressor would be fine, as would the ammunition.

 

[kwo51]

Ammo works well at contact distance.

 

[Rusty Shackleford]

Suppressors actually work better with wet baffles.

 

[ViperJeff]

Can't rember the guys name, however, he makes videos of shoot handguns underwater and sells the bullets as art. Gun operates well, just not to much distance on the shot. Can't see where a wet handgun would be an issue

 

[Max]

@Viper Jeff:
I thought that the water, even if the contact lasted only about a minute, could've soaked the propellant, keeping it from igniting when the hammer strikes the primer.

About the supressor, as far as I know it is "made up" of several smaller chambers, which would fill with water.
I didn't know if the water would jsut come back out, or stay and "block" those chambers, turning the supressor into a thick-wanded barrel.

Max

 

[ViperJeff]

I'm sure if submerged for days it might be a problem. Think of war in winter and wet, guns still work, bullets still fire. I know it's a book, but faced with fight or die, it really doesn't matter if the suppression works, the opening for the bullet still works


Sent from my iPhone

 

[Arckadian]

The only problem would be if the powder got wet, and that was a more serious problem in the early days of firearms. With today's technology and how the powered in protected inside the shell the water is much less of an issue. I was talking with a US Army Ranger buddy of mine, and as long as the weapon is not submerged for extended periods of time the weapon will still fire as though it was never under water. Water only hurts the weapon as far as rust potential, a through cleaning after a dip will fix that though. The weapons as they are designed in this day and age, they can go through a great deal of abuse before they will have issues and finally die.

 

[Max]

Thanks for the answers.
The gun is really in the water for mere seconds (character jumps into water, dives a few yards distance while she waits for enemy to stop shooting (30 rounds on full auto out of an AKM doesn't take long), and resurfaces).
So it seems like the water really shouldn't be a problem.
Thanks, again.

Max

 

[kwo51]

Hollow points don't work well under water and gun may not cycle fully if it is auto. Then again it may work well if pushed up against a shark. All the air needs to be out of the gun for it to work well.

 

[SilvrSRT10]

Gotta ask this question. If she's being shot at and only has time to jump in the lake, would she really take the time to take the suppressor out of her pocket and screw the it back onto the gun before she returns fire? Since the AK just rattled off 30 rounds at full auto, she really doesn't need to be covert in her return fire. She'd just surface and blast away. Or do I need more to the story to understand what's going on?

 

[Max]

She doesn't need the supressor in that situation of course, she'd let the water run out and then she'd put it back in her pocket.
This was just about wether or not the supressor would still work afterwards, or if it'd be destroyed/damaged.

Max

 

[SilvrSRT10]

She doesn't need the supressor in that situation of course, she'd let the water run out and then she'd put it back in her pocket.
This was just about wether or not the supressor would still work afterwards, or if it'd be destroyed/damaged.

Max

10-4. From your question I thought you were wanting her to use it immediately.

As mentioned above, water won't have any effect on it's use. She might want to spray some WD40 into it to keep it from rusting unless the internals are stainless steel. But that doesn't need to be part of the storyline. Lol.