Alcan Primer #217B ???

[Pahoo]

Trying to help a buddies widow, identify this primer. I am not a reloader but just guessing that this primer is for an old/vintage center-fire cartrigde, possible even blackpowder. She found ten unopened tins of 100ea. I feel that some of you reloaders, just might just have some data that would be helpful. ....
Any and all info, would be appreciated. ....



https://th.bing.com/th/id/R.ac6bc9f...Tj3fOnrzC2r29TNmAKDjrmE=&risl=&pid=ImgRaw&r=0


Be Safe !!!

 

[Jim Watson]

Not that old; Alcan was pretty big in the market in the 1950s-60s. They were just importers, these primers made by Fiocchi in Italy.

I found an old Alcan manual, seen on page 3 at
https://www.scribd.com/doc/33509256/Alcon-Mid-60s-Reloaders-Manual#
the 217 B is a Berdan rifle primer, .217" = 5.5mm.

I found where it is used in 7.5 Swiss G11, among others.

If you can show them where Euro calibre shooters hang out, they would be very desirable.

 

[Unclenick]

Yep. It's a Berdan primer, so it has no anvil so you have to decap Berdan-primed brass for it. The name 217 comes from the fact 5.5mm is 0.217 inches. That makes it wider than a Boxer large primer, which is nominally 0.210 inches.

From Dave Cushman's site:

"European-made .303 British, and South African, is often made with .217" primers (5,5 mm) and the PMC and RWS numbers of this size are suitable.

China has made 7,62 x 54R with a .217" primer for some forty years now."​

 

[seanc]

Someone here might want those for their G11 brass:
https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/theswissriflesdotcommessageboard/