Primer POP !!

[Allen One1]

I have a lot more respect for primers after reading this thread.

 

[jmorris]

Anyone want to guess what the white dot is inside this hand?


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Looks like they leave a burn mark going in.

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A bigger wound getting them out though.
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Proceed with caution.

 

[Reloadron]

Well I guess that covers velocity and penetration. I always figured as much but never saw a picture and one picture is worth ....

Ron

 

[someguy2800]

Youch! Do you know the circumstance of how that happened?

That gets me thinking... What would happen if you seated a primer into a case with the flash hole blocked off and set it off with a torch. I wonder if the chronograph would pick it up?

 

[Walkalong]

He knows me by first name

Heh. Me too, but only because I work in the hospital, so they all know me. Although I did have to use the ER not long ago. Been a long time between ER trips for me. Years.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I'm no expert but I'm sure most liquids will not deactivated primers. In fact, acetone is the worst liquid to use. That is one if the solvents the manufacturer uses to turn the compound into a paste. Once dry the compound is active. Once any liquid evaporates the compound is active. (with small exceptions of course) Thinking the primers is safe because it was soaked is a very unsafe belief.

A very long time ago I was warned about how dangerous primers can be and I listened. I hope everyone here who thinks they are not dangerous will reevaluate that belief.

 

[Dudedog]

The priming compound will go bang if you hit it with or without the anvil. It's not an explosive, but it is percussive.

Not an explosive ??????

The priming mixture contains a primary explosive.

From Wikipedia

Lead styphnate (lead 2,4,6-trinitroresorcinate, C6HN3O8Pb ), whose name is derived from styphnic acid, is an explosive used as a component in primer and detonator mixtures for less sensitive secondary explosives.

Mercury(II) fulminate, or Hg(CNO)2, is a primary explosive. It is highly sensitive to friction, heat and shock and is mainly used as a trigger for other explosives in percussion caps and blasting caps. Mercury(II) cyanate, though its empirical formula is identical, has a different atomic arrangement; the cyanate and fulminate anionsare isomers.

First used as a priming composition in small copper caps beginning in the 1820s, mercury fulminate quickly replaced flints as a means to ignite black powder charges in muzzle-loading firearms. Later, during the late 19th century and most of the 20th century, mercury fulminate or potassium chlorate became widely used in primers for self-contained rifle and pistol ammunition. Mercury fulminate has the distinct advantage over potassium chlorate of being non-corrosive, but it is known to weaken with time, by decomposing into its constituent

I put primers and electricity in the same boat,
safe if used properly and with care,
carelessness with either is an accident waiting to happen.

 

[Jesse Heywood]

I put primers and electricity in the same boat,

I won't. They are a dangerous mix!

 

[Dudedog]

On reflection, better use two boats

 

[someguy2800]

I put primers and electricity in the same boat,
safe is used properly and with care,
carelessness with either is an accident waiting to happen.

Thats a good analogy. They could both kill you, and they can both be very safe to work with if you know how they work.

I'm no expert but I'm sure most liquids will not deactivated primers. In fact, acetone is the worst liquid to use. That is one if the solvents the manufacturer uses to turn the compound into a paste. Once dry the compound is active. Once any liquid evaporates the compound is active. (with small exceptions of course) Thinking the primers is safe because it was soaked is a very unsafe belief.

A very long time ago I was warned about how dangerous primers can be and I listened. I hope everyone here who thinks they are not dangerous will reevaluate that belief.

I would agree its the worst liquid to use if you want to deactivate it. Its the best liquid to use if you want to remove it. The problem I found is that it does not totally disolve in the solvent. The solvent merely softens it, so you would still have to remove the anvil to get it out as I did while wearing proper safety equipment. I'm not totally crazy.

 

[FROGO207]

So back in the dark ages before the internet and I was in grade school I had an adventure. Seems I had in my possession a handfull of .22 LR ammo that were duds and being the curious type took them apart. Then got the lighter and used the long nosed pliers to hold the brass by sliding the end up into the brass. Then take the Zippo and heat the rim while pointing away from me. After a short while the thing popped and the brass went flying to parts unknown. Cool----so I did it to the rest of them as well and survived. I was going to suggest the can or an old SS pot with a heavy cover and a hotplate outdoors to pop them but I was slow finding the thread..

 

[jmorris]

Funny. In another land far, far away, a long time ago a couple of us kids were camping at my Grandfathers farm and in the morning I went to stoke the fire and as I bent over, some of the .22’s I had in my shirt pocket spilled out into the coals.

Awhile back I was telling the story to someone and told them the cases blew apart and reminded me of pop corn. They seemed skeptical so I had to chunk one in a big old stainless pot I use for lead smelting.



I too was going to suggest that but didn’t.

 

[RussellC]

Having grown up in the days where as kids, flash powder (the silvery stuff in firecrackers, cherry bombs, M80's etc) could be purchased in two separate bags to mix out of the back of various magazines, I have a heathy respect for anything that is capable of exploding.

How I still have 2 eyes, 10 fingers and 10 toes left is anybodys guess.

As we said as kids, "Forget M80s, light this off." If our parents only knew. Those were different days, and for good reason!

I only use primers in guns as intended. My luck envelope has been pushed to the limit..

Russellc

 

[sbwaters]

If I wanted an art object that included a case with a non-active primer inserted I would not do it. Spent primer, yes. fake good primer, no.

My thought is that anything that looks like a live primer should be treated like a live primer ... and one should not mess with anything that even LOOKS like a live printer.

 

[Nature Boy]

“....here, hold my beer.......”

 

[The Bushmaster]

Hey AK...Next time you need or want a deactivated primer let me know. I have a 8' X 10' box of spent primers. I'd be glad to mail you a few.

 

[jmorris]

I’ve got a lot of spent primers but likely wouldn’t be but a 1/2” depth in an 8x10 foot box.

 

[someguy2800]

I was just pondering this given the surprising energy a primer shoots off with when set off, I'm guessing if you set them off in a can without anything to contain them you will end up with some little mini frying pan looking discs. I'll have to try it

 

[Demi-human]

I group of humans with better humor, I have not seen.

As an aside, I know from experience that one cannot overdose on Tetanus Shots.

 

[FROGO207]

I think that the tetanus shot was invented as the "punishment" for having the kind of fun that the adults were not allowed get away with any longer. IIRC one a month was about the average for me.

 

[FROGO207]

Heck m80's and flash powder were tame around here when I was growing up. There was always some dynamite hanging around the farm as my grandfather was the town road foreman. To his credit he taught me how to use it safely and every so often a few sticks would sneak away and cause trouble. When he passed away I was charged with disposing of the 1/2 case of sweaty dynamite we found in the attic of his workshop/man cave. Nowadays mere citizens are not allowed within 10 miles from anything like that. Can you imagine!!!

 

[jeeptim]

Stop doing that!

 

[walnut1704]

Which one of these guys was holding your beer? Hmmm?

 

[jmorris]

Been a long time since I have shot any of these but “back in the day” my Brother and I shot them a bunch. To recover the bullets we made a cardboard box “trap” old towels, jeans and such inside. They would go through a single layer of blue jeans and they are powered by nothing more than a primer.


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[Ak Guy]

FYI.......I just finished a little experiment, using CCI #300 Large Pistol Primers..... I soaked 6 of them for 10 hours in WD-40, fully submerged, anvil up. Then took them out, dabbed off excess liquid w/ paper towel, seated them in brass, chambered them one by one, and pulled the trigger. I'd have bet BIG money they would be deader than dead........but nope....got a small "pop" w/ each one, and a little smoke curling up from barrel. Took the ears off after first two, and it was about a cap-gun "pop".

So then I soaked 6 fresh ones, same way, for 20 minutes, and repeated above. I'd have bet BIG money that there would be a much bigger pop......but nope.........same small "pop" as above.

Lessons learned ....... 1) I should never bet on anything to do w/ primers.......ever. 2) I've got a 100 times more respect for primers than I've ever had before.

Thanx for all the great comments here......fascinating.........

Just to close the loop here, to get my de-activated primers, I feel fairly comfortable now w/ soaking them in WD-40 for an hour or so, and then carefully popping the anvil out, and digging out the compound w/ a wooden toothpick and Q-tips. (And good safety glasses). But understanding fully ......they are not dead dead.