[countertop]

On this post (http://www.thehighroad.org/showpost.php?p=1548918&postcount=4) regarding small primers, sheldon stated The NT cases are from the "non-toxic" line of ammo made by Federal that uses a safer non mercuric primer

Is there mercury in the primers? Does most ammo have mercury in it?? What other toxics?

I spend a considerable amount of my time day to day dealing with mercury regulation and have never heard of this before. Is it something I should be on the lookout for? And is it something the enviros and anti gun folks are going to team up on??

[BEARMAN]

I believe most NORTH AMERICAN primers since about 1950 or so, use LEAD STAPHANATE ( may be spelt wrong) unless they are the NEW LEADLESS PRIMERS and who knows what is in them. The imported ammo that is listed as corrosive MAY have the MERCURY PRIMERS OR SOMETHING ELSE.

[Jim Watson]

There has not been any great amount of mercuric primer ammo loaded for many years. When smokeless powder came into use in the 1890s it was found that metallic mercury deposited by the old fulminate of mercury primers would weaken the brass beyond reloading. Black powder fouling had adsorbed and diluted the mercury to where it was not a problem. The US Army went to a corrosive, but non-mercuric primer in 1898 and to an improved formula in 1917.

There was a lot of work done with mercuric but non-corrosive primers in the 1920s, the companies didn't want shooters reloading ammo anyhow, but they were not satisfactory and by about 1930 there were non-corrosive, non-mercuric primers available. The Army wasn't convinced of their shelf life and stayed mostly corrosive non-mercuric until the early 1950s.

The only use of mercuric primers after about 1930 was in Winchester Super-Match .30-06 and .300 H&H with the "slightly" corrosive and "mildly" mercuric No 8 1/2G primer. It was discontinued in 1960.

Most conventional primers for about the past 75 years (50 for US military) contain lead syphnate. There has been some effort to get away from the lead compound, especially for indoor ranges. The first generation of lead-free primers contained antimony and/or barium, which are about as bad. Now primers like the Winchester NT contain no organo-metallic compounds at all.

This is indeed a potential point of attack for the greens and antis, although they are concentrating on lead shot right now, already banned for waterfowl.

I have read one report which concluded that the main source of airborne lead in an indoor range was lead fume eroded off the base and sides of cast or conventional FMJ bullets. Plated or base jacketed bullets took care of that. The drive towards non-lead bullets is based on disposal cost not air pollution. Lead from styphnate primers was a very minor source, and hardly anything from impact against the bullet trap.

Edit to add: Per Bearman, I don't know what kind of crap our friends who used to be our enemies are passing off on us.

[brickeyee]

Chlorate of Potash was the active corrosive ingredient in non-mercuric corrosive primers. It did not directly cause a problem so much as atract moisture and set up the corrosion.
Every once in a while I come across WWII ammunition with corrosive primers, but it is becoming less common. A few years ago some offshore ammo was available with corrosive primers, but it seems to have gne away for the most part.
Primers contain lead styphnate, some have TNT, aluminum powder (common in magnum primers), and I cannot even remeber all the other goodies tucked in there.

[countertop]

Hey, thanks guys. Thats fascinating.

[Ross]

Last week I was given, (OK, I had to grovel a little) an empty Western (Winchester-Western Division, Olin Mathieson Chemical Corporation ...)
308 Winchester Match. (20 rounds)
It is "Loaded with smokeless powder, full metal case boat tail Lubaloy bullets, and special mercuric, corrosive primers for finest match accuracy. ..."
"ORD 1267" is hand stamped on the box.
It has a white generic box printed only front and back.
I had not been aware of this late mercuric primer, and with corrosive elements to boot. I did not get a case, and I do not know the headstamp or the date.
Cheers from Darkest California,
Ross