Making your own primers.

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bushidomosquito

New member
I've heard so many people say that primers are the only componet of ammo you can't make yourself but I still think it's possible. If you could never find them anywhere for whatever reason, what would you do? It woudn't be easy but reloaders are an unusually resourceful bunch so I'm sure someone could or has figured it out. The anvils are reusable so step one would be to come up with some way to stamp brass sheet into cups. I think a simple press with the right dies (which anyone with a lathe could turn out) could do that. That just leaves mixing up your own primer compound and applying it properly. Anyone know what that compound is and how to make it?
 
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snuffy

New member
Anyone know what that compound is and how to make it?
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NO! And you don't want to know, the ATFE will be knocking on your door! Or they may not bother to knock!:eek:

We know that it's called lead styphonate. As to the chemical composition, it's a closely guarded secret. Besides a pound of it would level a good sized building! Still want to make some?:rolleyes:

The priming compound is rolled out like cookie dough while still wet. Then it's punched into it's final size, again while still wet. The resulting pellet is pressed into the primer cup, then allowed to dry. The anvil is pressed into place, then a sealant is applied. It's usually color coded as well.
 
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VonFatman

New member
I believe the process used to manufacture the compounds used in primers is extremely unstable.

Don't think I've ever heard of anyone doing this and I'd have to suggest you'd have to have major time on your hands to even consider giving it a try...let alone be just a little crazy to want expose yourself to unstable priming compounds.

Just my .02...but each to his/her own.

Bob:confused:
 
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Mal H

Staff
There was a good discussion on this over on THR. I wholeheartedly agree with the others here that you don't want to mess with any priming compounds found in commercial primers.

However, some have tried making their own primers using the striking compound found on strike-anywhere matches along with some used anvils and old primer cups with the dent flattened out a little.. They reported that it worked fairly well.
 
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zxcvbob

New member
I'm pretty sure you could make corrosive primers out of the white tips on Strike Anywhere matches (which are getting pretty hard to find.) I don't recommend it though.
 
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alan

New member
bushidomosquito wrote:

I've heard so many people say that primers are the only componet of ammo you can't make yourself but I still think it's possible. If you could never find them anywhere for whatever reason, what would you do? It woudn't be easy but reloaders are an unusually resourceful bunch so I'm sure someone could or has figured it out. The anvils are reusable so step one would be to come up with some way to stamp brass sheet into cups. I think a simple press with the right dies (which anyone with a lathe could turn out) could do that. That just leaves mixing up your own primer compound and applying it properly. Anyone know what that compound is and how to make it?
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"Jack Bauer sleeps with a pillow under his gun."

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Re your first sentence, when was the last time you actually made either smokeless or black powder, the former a chemical compound, the latter being simply a mixture of elements, that functioned as the stuff is supposed to. You can cast or lathe turn projectiles, cartridges can be lathe turned and bored, the other components, propellants and primers are a different story.
 
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zxcvbob

New member
bushidomosquito said:
Re your first sentence, when was the last time you actually made either smokeless or black powder, the former a chemical compound, the latter being simply a mixture of elements, that functioned as the stuff is supposed to.
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I'm making some black powder right now just to see if I can do it. I even cooked my own charcoal for it (white cedar because I couldn't find willow.) I intend to use it to load .45 Colt cartridges, and maybe try it out in my Ruger Old Army. :)
 
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bushidomosquito

New member
So even the mixing of tiny batches of lead styphonate or other priming compound is strictly verboten and would instantly bring the black helicoptors overhead? I'm not tooling up to start churning out primers or anything, just stating that they are not very complicated devices and trying to spark a discussion. I think many reload to make themselves more independant of ammo price increases and probably wouldn't toss out all their equipment if the possession of ammo and componets were severly restricted or outlawed. If you are one that would happily give up all of your guns if they were outlawed then this discussion may not be for you but some of us may be interested in knowing how to keep our tools running under any circumstances. Manufacture of priming compounds may be illegal but possession of the chemicals required is not and a situation where you would have to roll your own primers would probably not have you to concerned about legalities, not to mention having the authorities hands to full to find out about it.

As for my statment that primers are commonly refered to as the only componet that you can't make yourself, blackpowder was invented long, long ago and we certianly have the means to reproduce that process without an entire chemistry lab. Brass is abundant, easy enough to find and reusable. So who wants to talk about how to make working primers?
 
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macmuffy

New member
Primers

It is no great secret. A primer can be likened to a blasting cap.

check here for further ideas; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potassium_chlorate

I do agree that it is not for the faint hearted. In the days of my missspent youth, I did experiment with fireworks and other explosive stuff. I was very lucky to keep my eyes and fingers but did not wise up until I blew up the outhouse.(young dumb and stupid)

No reloading for me but I do buy extra ammo every trip to Dick's

Stay safe...............






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alan

New member
bushidomosquito, zxcvbob:


Making Black Powder is no big thing, getting the proper granulation is a somewhat different matter.

Small arms primers today use lead stynphanate, or whatever the correct spelling is, and this stuff is a fairly sensitive explosive.

I used to spend significant amounts around operating oil refineries and chemical process plants of various types, dirty, nasty and dangerous places. I also used to climb steel on construction sites, and now and then handled explosives.

Other than seating a primer into a cartridge case and now and then, carfeully pushing a live one out of the case, that's about as close as I'm willing to get to priming compound. Others may do as they like. Happy holidays.
 
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zxcvbob

New member
I have no intentions of making my own primers (but if I did, I would use a KClO3 mixture rather than making azides or fulminates, etc.)

I mentioned the Strike Anywhere matches just to get the thread moving :) I used to shoot those against a brick wall with my dad's Crosman pellet pistol and they would explode satisfyingly.

The black powder was screened (damp) a little earlier this evening and it's drying now on top of the freezer where the cat can't knock it over. I'll transfer it to a peanut butter jar for storage tomorrow night.
 
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bushidomosquito

New member
Cool. If you still have all your fingers and eyeballs after you try it out, I would be interested in knowing the exact process you used to make it.

I think this kind of info would be very handy to have just in case.
 
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snuffy

New member
#12
kgpcr
Why would you want to make your own primers??
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Ever hear of the SHTF,($**t hits the fan), scenario?¿ Like total government collapse, civil war, enemy invasion? Or shortly after hitlary gets into the white house?

In those circumstances, you might still have enough powder, bullets,(or be able to cast your own), but what about the spark plugs,(AKA primers)?

What we need is a pressure sensitive compound that is not too sensitive. AND is relatively safe/easy to make. Legal as well. Best would be non-corrosive and non-mercuric. Match heads, toy caps are very corrosive and hard to work with.
 
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alan

New member
zxcvbob Junior Member, writes:

I have no intentions of making my own primers (but if I did, I would use a KClO3 mixture rather than making azides or fulminates, etc.)

I mentioned the Strike Anywhere matches just to get the thread moving I used to shoot those against a brick wall with my dad's Crosman pellet pistol and they would explode satisfyingly.

The black powder was screened (damp) a little earlier this evening and it's drying now on top of the freezer where the cat can't knock it over. I'll transfer it to a peanut butter jar for storage tomorrow night.

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Something about the sequence of operations doesn't sound quite right, though I could be wrong about that. In any case, do keep your cat out of your powder.

Otherwise, if I understand correctly, you are or will be storing your home made black powder in a "peanut butter jar", spelled A GLASS JAR? If you are desirous of obtaining SENIOR status, use some other sort of container.
 
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zxcvbob

New member
Peanut butter jars are made of tough kind-of-thin plastic, and have a wide mouth. (they are great for storing bullets)
 
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Silentarmy

New member
Primers are Extremely sensitive and I have set them off with static from the vacuum cleaner before! I just received 2K 50 BMG primers and they are now packaged only 25 per tray with the other 75 holes left open between them for safety. I would imagine these monsters would be more than just a little impressive if detonated, not to mention that 2000 of these run just under $600 right now! Looking at the amount of compound in each one of these cups, it makes more sense that they cost what they do. Be safe man and avoid the Black Helicopters at all cost! If you can't avoid them, a .50 will bring em down!
 
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