Doesn't matter. A small arms cartridge that's not in a barrel won't do more than superficial damage. When the powder or primer ignites, either the bullet pops out and the powder gases vent (sending the case farther than the bullet) or it doesn't budge due to a heavy crimp or corrosion and then the case wall ruptures. Sometimes the primer will fly out of its pocket, but it's too small to do any damage unless it hits an unprotected eye.
Can underwater ammo explode?
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Okay, watching that melon, which is mostly water with some solids and some air, I'm now wondering if this experiment were done underwater, what would be the result?
"...Water has a density of 1000 kg/m^3. If you had a meter cubed of water it would weight about 1000 kg. Air that is near sea level has a density that averages 1.275 kg/m^3..."
Everyone above who states that the bullet would not travel very far is looking at the bullet being fired in air, and unconfined. But what about being fired underwater?
SeaRat
"...Water has a density of 1000 kg/m^3. If you had a meter cubed of water it would weight about 1000 kg. Air that is near sea level has a density that averages 1.275 kg/m^3..."
Everyone above who states that the bullet would not travel very far is looking at the bullet being fired in air, and unconfined. But what about being fired underwater?
SeaRat
The bullet isn't doing the damage to the melon. The damage is from the expanding gases which are created as the powder burns. Since the pressure drops as the cube of the distance from the point of highest pressure, you don't need to be very far away to avoid getting hurt. We are talking a couple of inches if you are wearing gloves and a foot or two if not.
Getting back to the bullet and case, they will move much less underwater compared to air. The fragments have only so much energy and it is very quickly dissipated by imparting that energy to the surrounding matter.
They use water or analogues with a very high water content such as soaked newsprint or ballistic gel when testing bullets. Even solid bullets, which are designed to not deform (they are used for certain situations when hunting large dangerous game), will travel only a few meters after entering the water or test medium as opposed to up to 2 miles when fired through the air.
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