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So some of us were talking in the chatbox about the different priming mixtures used by the US military as well as private ammunition companies over time. Here's a listing from some of my notes. This is mostly historical reference, but may give some people some insight as to exactly what happens in the primer; the sparkplug of the cartridge.

Under no circumstances should you try to actually make priming compounds, sounds like a good way to lose body parts.

Priming compounds
Taken from "Chemical Analysis of Firearms and Gunshot Residue"
By James Smyth Wallace
Edition: illustrated
Published by CRC Press, 2008
ISBN 1420069667, 9781420069662
291 pages

Basic Lead Styphnate 40
Barium Nitrate 42
Antimony sulfide 11
nitrocellulose 6
tetracene 1

1935 lead azide mixture:
lead azide 12
barium nitrate 23
antimony sulfide 20
calcium silicide 10
lead dioxide 20
lead thiocyanate 12

30-40 Krag primer (H-48)
Potassium Chlorate 49.6
Antimony sulfide 25.1
sulfur 8.7
glass powder 16.6

Frankford Arsenal FH-42 (WW1)
Potassium Chlorate 47.2
Antimony Sulfide 30.83
Sulfur 21.97

WRA 35-NF (FA-70)
Potassium chlorate 53
Antimony sulfide 17
Lead thiocyanate 25
TNT 5

NRA (USCC .22 Rimfire)
Potassium Chlorate 41.43
Antimony Sulfide 9.53
Copper Thiocyanate 4.70
Ground Glass 44.23

NCNM (early)
Copper ammonium nitrate 30-40%
Potassium Nitrate 42-25%
Sulfur 10-7%
Aluminum 18-28%

1949 Patent
Normal lead styphnate has one lead
atom per formula unit, wheras the
basic form has two.

Basic Lead styphnate 40
barium nitrate 42
antimony sulfide 11
nitrocellulose 6
tetracene 1

P-4 primer (FA675)

stabilized read phosphorous 18
Barium nitrate 82
 

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