Primer Talk?

[Dead-Nuts-Zero]

I am new to the semi auto handgun world. I have some background in wheel guns, shotguns and rimfires. As I am looking for a fair and competitive place to purchase my .40 and now .380 ammo, I am reading about Boxer primed or box primer or something along this line. Could some of you give me a handle on what this is? I don't believe I have encountered this term before. I have done plenty of hand loading but it was many years ago. Didn't hear it back then, not that I can remember anyway. Boxers or Briefs?

Thanks

 

[9x19]

The two most common types of primers are Boxer and Berdan.

Boxer is used in all US commercial ammunition, and has a single flash-hole in the bottom of the case and the anvil (3 pronged metal piece which serves to crush the priming compound between it and the primer cup) is contained in the primer.

Berdan is found in alot of military surplus ammunition, and has two flash-holes either side of the center of the primer. IIRC, the anvil is part of the case, not part of the primer.

 

[Hal]

9x19 covered it.

If you reload or save your brass for a reloader use Boxer.

If you do happen to use any Berdan or suspect it may be (looking down inot a fired case and seeing two flash holes), be kind to range brass scroungers and pick up as much of your fired brass as you can find and dispose of it. You'll be saving a fellow shooter from a petty annoyance up to a possible broken decapping pin on their press.

The weird part of the Boxer/Berdan is that Berdan was an American and Boxer was a European. - - but - - Boxer primed is the most common in America, while Berdan was once the most common in Europe.. go figure.

 

[Dead-Nuts-Zero]

I think you have me started in the right direction here. Your post's have given me a place to start. But I don't think I fully understand this yet. I am going to see if I am on the right track here.
Years ago when I was handloading, I came upon what I called "throw-a-way" junk brass or junk hulls etc. These came from what I believed to be highly mass produced ammo using the most inexpensive manufacturing methods possible that would still allow them to go "Bang" and toss a mass of lead somewhere beyound the end of the barrel. These spent brass or hulls could not be reloaded for quality and physical reasons. When I use the term brass, I mean anything used to form the cartridge. usually what I call junk brass were made of some light weight and light colored metal alloy maybe recycled scrap or whatever. They often would break down and crack when fired etc. I remember I started loading as a kid at about 12 yr old and I loved to expirement. I now think I remember bending or breaking a few pins trying to remove a primer that was not removable. Once I knew which ones they were, they went directly in the junk pile. I am thinking ICC and PCI and maybe speer were some of the center fire junk. The hulls were forign names that I don't remember (Franchi and Alcan comes to mind, but they were ok I think). Anyway, I hung out at the skeet range and one knows that AA or Federal made of wax or plastic coated paper was popular to most. Remington Peters hulls were a little less common. The reason being that different wadding was needed for each brand. When you try to cripm (fold) the end, some worked well and some did not. Then came the good AA quality plastic made by all the main companies and now paper is rare. To get back on track, these primers I know were different, but I just can't remember the two holes either side. The 3 claw idea is ringing my bell. Is this a common primer choice on both brass and hulls? Maybe I need to drag out some of my old loading boxes and take a look, but they are so antique, maybe that won't help me.
If I were to say, in General, the difference being a primer that is easily removed is a boxer and the empty case can be commonly used to reload? And that the cheep throw-a-ways are of the Berdan type?

The more I think of this issue, I should use my resourceses here online to do some ammo research. I am sure there are photo's and drawings that will clear this up in my mind. Also, I will take note the next time I am at the range. I will pick up some of the junk and compare.

Sorry I am making this into such a long post for such a simple matter. I know this is the best place (this forum) to hang out and learn.

I still have a few problems with the forum codes. What is IIRC? I haven't figured this one out yet, along with some others. Is there a forum accronmn(I need a websters for spelling too) refrence table somewhere that explains the shorthand lingo used here?

Thanks again, and please keep the responses comming, I will learn someday.

 

[Hal]

Dead - nuts-zero - ask and you shall...

http://www.thefiringline.com/Misc/library/TFL_Primer.htm

IIRC = If I recall correctly.

Anyhow - you on the basic track with the reloading but shotgun shells and centerfire brass use different primers. To further complicate things, some boxer primed cases will have the primers crimped in place, andd this can also cause problems when decapping.

Here's a good link for the two cneterifire primers, complete with illustrations:

http://website.lineone.net/~dave.cushman/berdanprimers.html

 

[9x19]

CCI's "Blazer" line of cartridges uses non-reloadable aluminum cases... though they now have a "Blazer Brass" line as well.

Perhaps these are what you are remembering...

 

[James K]

U.S. military brass has crimped primers (to prevent a popped primer from hanging up a machinegun) and these are a bit hard to remove, but the brass is the very best there is. So it is worth the extra effort involved in decapping and then reaming the primer pocket to eliminate the crimp.

Berdan primers can be removed, using a tool that pierces the primer and pries it out, but new Berdan primers are hard to get and the exercise is not worth the effort for common ammunition.

Jim

 

[Dead-Nuts-Zero]

I think I am on top of this now...........Thanks to all for your help. The link was most helpful.

Acronyms, Now I know how to spell it, and I have the list bookmarked so maybe I won't be in the dark so often.

I really like this Forum as everyone seems to be willing to share and educate us less fortunate with a minimum of BS.

The Firing line has become the place where I spend most of my online time these days. Shooting and firearms was a big part of my life many years ago. It's great to get back into this fine sport.

Thanks to all for making The Firing Line Forum such a pleasant place to hang out.