In, the primer ( ) is a component of and and, and is responsible for initiating the that will push the out of the. Early primers were simply the same used to fire but poured into an external, where it could be ignited by an ignition source such as a or a. This external powder was connected through a small opening at the rear of the gun barrel that led to the main charge within the barrel. As gunpowder will not burn when wet, this made it difficult (or even impossible) to fire these types of weapons in rainy or humid conditions. Modern primers are made of chemicals. In the primer is usually integrated into the base of a cartridge. In the larger, the primer is a separate component placed inside the barrel to the rear of the main propellant charge. ![]() ![]() 223 Rem + 223 AI Cartridge Guide. And most small rifle primers. Important if you are going to use military brass is to remove the primer crimp. Problems chambering and light primer strikes. A unreliable rifle is no differant from a heavy. Neither one would activate the bolt stop. 180 gr Remington works. These non-corrosive, all weather primers deliver fast, dependable ignition under any shooting condition. Primers are constantly and. ![]() Upon being struck with sufficient force generated by the, or typically electrically ignited in larger weapons, these primers react chemically to produce heat, which gets transferred to the main propellant charge and ignites it, and in turn propels the projectile. Due to their small size, these primers themselves lack the power to shoot the projectile, but still have enough energy to drive a bullet partway into the barrel — a dangerous condition called a, which was instrumental in of actor. Contents • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Priming methods [ ] The first step to firing a firearm of any sort is igniting the propellant. The earliest firearms were, which were simple closed tubes. There was a small aperture, the 'touchhole', drilled in the closed end of the tube, leading to the main charge. ![]() This hole was filled with finely ground powder, which was then ignited with a hot. With the advent of hand-held firearms, this became an undesirable way of firing a gun. Holding a burning stick while trying to pour a charge of black powder carefully down a barrel is dangerous, and trying to hold the gun with one hand while simultaneously aiming at the target and looking for the touchhole makes it very difficult to fire accurately. External priming [ ] Matchlock [ ]. Main article: The first attempt to make the process of firing a small arm easier was the 'matchlock'. The matchlock incorporated a 'lock' (so called because of its resemblance to door locks of the day) that was actuated by a, originally called a 'tricker.' The lock was a simple lever which pivoted when pulled, and lowered the down to the touchhole. The match was a slow burning made of plant fibers that were soaked in a solution of,, and, and dried. This 'slow-match' was ignited before the was needed, and it would slowly burn, keeping a hot ember at the burning end. After the gun was loaded and the touchhole primed with powder, the burning tip of the match was positioned so that the lock would bring it into contact with the touchhole. To fire the gun, it was aimed and the trigger pulled. This brought the match down to the touchhole, igniting the powder. With careful attention the slow-burning match could be kept burning for long periods of time, and the use of the lock mechanism made fairly accurate fire possible. Wheel-lock [ ]. Main article: The next revolution in ignition technology was the 'wheel-lock'. It used a spring-loaded, which rubbed against a piece of, similar to a modern. A key was used to wind the wheel and put the spring under tension. Once tensioned, the wheel was held in place by a trigger. When the trigger was pulled, the serrated edge of the steel rubbed against the pyrite, generating. These sparks were directed into a pan, called the ', filled with loose powder which led into the touchhole. The flashpan usually was protected by a spring-loaded cover that would slide out of the way when the trigger was pulled, exposing the powder to the sparks. The wheel-lock was a major — since it did not rely on burning material as a source of, it could be kept ready for extended periods of time. The covered flashpan also provided some ability to withstand bad weather. Wind, rain, and wet weather would render a matchlock useless, but a wheel-lock that was loaded and waterproofed with a bit of around the flashpan could be fired under most conditions. Flintlock [ ]. Main article: The wheel-lock enjoyed only a brief period of popularity before being superseded by a simpler, more robust design. The 'flintlock', like the wheel-lock, used a flashpan and a spark to ignite the powder. As the name implies, the flintlock used rather than iron pyrite. The flint was held in a spring-loaded arm, called the 'cock' from the resemblance of its motion to a pecking chicken. The cock rotated through approximately a 90 degree arc, and was held in the tensioned, or 'cocked' position by a trigger. Usually, flintlocks could lock the cock in two positions. The 'half-cock' position held the cock halfway back, and used a deep notch, so that pulling the trigger would not release the cock. Half-cock was a safety position, used when loading, storing or carrying a loaded flintlock. The 'full-cock' position held the cock all the way back, and was the position from which the gun was fired. The L-shaped 'frizzen' was the other half of the flintlock's ignition system. It served as both a flashpan cover and a steel striking surface for the flint. The frizzen was hinged and spring-loaded so that it would lock in the open or closed position. When closed, the striking surface was positioned so that the flint would strike at the proper angle to generate a spark. The striking flint would also open the, exposing the flashpan to the spark. The flintlock mechanism was simpler and stronger than the wheel-lock, and the flint and steel provided a good, reliable source of ignition. The flintlock remained in military service for over 200 years, and flintlocks are still made today for historical re-enactments and muzzle-loading target competition, and for hunters who enjoy the additional challenge that the flintlock provides. Percussion caps The next major leap in ignition technology was the invention of the chemical primer, or 'cap', and the mechanism which used it, called the 'caplock'. Percussion ignition was invented by Scottish clergyman in 1807 but needed further refinements before it was gradually accepted in the 1820s to 1830s. By the middle of the 19th century the percussion or caplock system was well established. It was adopted by both sides in the, as it was simpler and more reliable than the flintlock. The main reason the caplock was so quickly adopted was its similarity to the flintlock and the ease of converting older arms to use percussion-cap ignition; usually the same lock and barrel could be used with minor changes. The flashpan and frizzen were removed and replaced by a small, hollow horizontal cylinder (drum) screwed into the bored-out and tapped flash hole and carrying a 'nipple' over which the cap could be fitted. A 'hammer' which also had half-cock (for loading and applying the cap) and full-cock positions replaced the cock. When released by pulling the trigger, the hammer would strike the cap, crushing it against the nipple. The was a thin metal cup that contained a small quantity of pressure-sensitive explosive. When crushed, the explosive would detonate, sending a stream of hot down through a hole in the nipple and into the touchhole of the gun to ignite the powder charge. In the process of firing, the cap generally split open and would fall off when the hammer was moved to half-cock position for loading. The caplock system worked well, and is still the preferred method of ignition for and recreational shooters who use arms. Electric-fired [ ] A small number of cartidges use no primer at all, but the primary propellant is ignited using an externally provided electric charge, such as with the and the O'Dwyer VLe. This is not to be confused with an electrically ignited internal primer (see below). Internal priming [ ]. Fired rimfire and centerfire casings Chemical primers, advanced and techniques all came together in the 19th century to create an entirely new class of firearm — the cartridge arm. Flintlock and caplock shooters had long carried their in, which served to hold a measured charge of powder and a in one convenient package; the paper also served to seal the bullet in the bore. Still, the source of ignition was handled separately from the cartridge. With the advent of chemical primers, it was not long before several systems were invented with many different ways of combining bullet, powder, and primer into a single package which could be loaded quickly from the of the firearm. This greatly streamlined the reloading procedure and paved the way for semi- and fully automatic firearms. This big leap forward came at a price. It introduced an extra component into each round – the cartridge case - which had to be removed before the gun could be reloaded. While a flintlock, for example, is immediately ready to be reloaded once it has been fired, adopting brass cartridge cases brought in the problems of extraction and ejection. The mechanism of a modern gun not only must load and fire the piece, but also must remove the spent case, which may require just as many moving parts. Probably most involve this process, either through failure to extract a case properly from the chamber or by allowing it to jam the action. Nineteenth-century inventors were reluctant to accept this added complication and experimented with a variety of before acknowledging that the advantages of brass cases far outweighed their one drawback. The three systems of self-contained metallic cartridge ignition which have survived the test of time are the, the Berdan primer, and the Boxer centerfire primer. Main article: A pinfire firearm cartridge is an obsolete type of brass cartridge in which the priming compound is ignited by striking a small pin which protrudes radially from just above the base of the cartridge. Invented by Casimir Lefaucheaux in 1828 but not patented until 1835, it was one of the earliest practical designs of metallic cartridge. However, the protruding pin was vulnerable to damage, displacement and accidental ignition. Moreover, the pin had to be positioned carefully in a small notch when loading, making the pinfire's use in repeating or self-loading weapons impossible. The pinfire survives today only in a few very small blank cartridges designed as noisemakers and in novelty miniature guns. Main article: Rimfire cartridges use a thin case with a hollow bulge, or rim, around the back end. This rim is filled during manufacture with an impact-sensitive primer. In the wet state, the primer is stable; a pellet of wet primer is placed in the shell and simply spun out to the full extremes of the rim. (For more on the exact process and one set of chemical compounds that have been used successfully, see, a 1932 Remington Arms patent by James E. Burns.) In the dry state, the primer within the rim becomes impact-sensitive. When the rim is then crushed by the hammer or firing pin, the primer detonates and ignites the powder charge. Rimfire cartridges are single-use and normally cannot be reloaded. Also, since the rim must be thin enough to be easily crushed, the peak pressure possible in the case is limited by the strength of this thin rim. Rimfire cartridges originally were available in up to 1' (100 caliber), however, all but the small.22 caliber rounds eventually died out. The, also fired in, is the most popular recreational caliber today because it is inexpensive, quiet, and has very low. While the rimfire priming method is limited due to the thin cases required, it has enjoyed a few resurgences recently. First was Winchester's.22 Magnum Rimfire, or, in the 1950s, followed in 1970 by Remington's short-lived, based on Winchester's magnum case. In 2002 introduced a new.17 caliber cartridge based on the.22 WMR, the. The.17 HMR is essentially a.22 WMR cartridge necked down to accept a.17-caliber bullet, and is used as a flat-shooting, light-duty round. The.17 HMR was followed a year later by Hornady's.17 Mach 2, or, which is based on a slightly lengthened and necked-down.22 Long Rifle cartridge. Both of the.17 caliber rimfires have had widespread support from firearms makers, and while the high-tech, high-velocity.17 caliber jacketed bullets make the cartridges quite a bit more expensive than the.22 caliber versions, they are excellent for shorter-range shooting and still far less expensive than comparable centerfire cartridges. In 2013, Winchester released the, which utilizes the larger case of the long-obsolete allowing for velocities approaching 3000fps with a 20gr bullet and making it the world's fastest rimfire round. Centerfire [ ]. Main article: The identifying feature of centerfire ammunition is the metal cup containing the primer inserted into a recess in the center of the base of the cartridge. The firearm crushes this explosive between the cup and an anvil to produce hot gas and a shower of particles to ignite the powder charge. Berdan and Boxer primers are used in centerfire cartridges; the primers differ in construction. Various priming mixtures have been used in different sized primers to effect prompt ignition of the powder charge. Particles with relatively high are required to promptly ignite deterrent coatings. Some priming explosives decompose into incandescent solids or liquids. Inert ingredients may be heated into incandescent sparks when the explosive decomposes into gas. Cartridges for military use require stable priming formulations so war reserves of small-arms ammunition will dependably function after years of storage. Electric-primed [ ] Some rapid-fire, and larger military gun and cannon rounds (such as the M50 20mm) utilize an internal electric primer that is activated by an externally provided electric charge, as opposed to a mechanical impact. The primer in turn ignites the primary propellant. See also [ ] • • References [ ]. Primer Usage Chart Primer Type Product Type Product Usage Part # Boxed Part # In APS Strips APS Strip Color Code Shotshell 209 A general purpose shotshell primer for most field and target loads. 0008 — — 209M† A true Magnum shotshell primer for waterfowl and heavy field loads. 0009 — — Small Rifle 400 For most standard loads in cases requiring small rifle primers. 0013 0080 yellow 450 Mag† Magnum primer for ball propellants. 0017 0081 blue No.41/5.56MM Military small rifle primer with NATO sensitivity. 0001 — — BR4 Benchrest small rifle primer for critical accuracy needs. 0019 0082 black Large Rifle 200 For most standard loads in cases requiring large rifle primers. 0011 0086 yellow 250 Mag† Magnum primer for large-capacity cases and/or ball propellants. 0015 0087 blue No. 34/7.62MM Military large rifle primer with NATO sensitivity. 0002 — — BR2 Benchrest large rifle primer for critical accuracy needs. 0010 0088 black Small Pistol 500 For most handgun cartridges requiring a small pistol primer. 0014 0078 white 550 Mag† For heavy loads using ball propellants. 0018 0079 red Large Pistol 300 For most handgun cartridges requiring a large pistol primer. 0012 0084 white 350 Mag† For heavy loads using ball propellants. 0016 0085 red Muzzleloading 209 Reduced fouling when used with blackpowder substitutes. 0307 — — Percussion Caps #10 A special percussion cap for revolvers fitted with #10 nipples. 0309 — — #11 Our general-purpose percussion cap for most rifles and handguns. 0311 — — #11 Magnum A hotter #11 cap for reliable ignition of replica black powders. 0310 — — Four Wing Musket Caps Designed especially for reenactment. 0301 — — 50 Caliber BMG No.35 A modern MIL-SPEC primer for the 50 caliber BMG cartridge. 0320 — — All CCI primers, including our muzzleloading products, are non-mercuric and non-corrosive. † — Safety Note: use Magnum primers only when specified in published load data. The 41's and 34's contain Magnum priming mix and should be treated as such.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
March 2018
Categories |