Can anyone id the primer material in these old percussiin caps?

[elhombreconnonombre]

These are old copper multi-fluted percussion caps with a very shiney, silver colored primer material that I found in the cap box in an old caplock scattergun. I originally thought the primer was fulminate of mercury, but that stuff is a white crystalline material. Nor is it fulminate of silver as that stuff is very unstable and was never used in the commercial manufacturer of percussion caps.

 

[Curator]

The primer compound is most likely Lead styphnate with a silvery shellac coating. Som percussion caps used a very thin metal foil to hold the compound and prevent moisture from penetrating. Others used shellac or gum arabic.

 

[elhombreconnonombre]

Sounds like a reasonable explanation to me. Thanks Curator.

 

[zimmerstutzen]

Most American made Percussion caps were foil lined. Most of the recent Italian caps have a gray crystalline looking compound in the cap with out liner. The caps are also usually brass. Some caps also have a red compound in them, Most liklely "Red Phosphorus" as developed by Joseph Goldmark in the 1840's. He tried to overthrow the gov't in his native Austro-Hungary and when the revolution failed he found his way to the US, where he set up a businees selling percussion caps about 1858 and became wealthy selling percussion caps to the Gov't for the Civil War. Sometime around 1870, Winchester acquired the rights to sell Goldmark percussion caps. Goldmark caps were sold by Winchester until shortly after WW2. Some of the very early cap compounds included ground glass and other things.

 

[Jim Watson]

Old FA mix of potassium chlorate, antimony sulfide, and sulfur, maybe.

 

[Jim K]

Caps were tin-foil lined to make them moisture-proof, or at least moisture resistant. The foil is the shiny substance you see inside the cap.

Jim

 

[elhombreconnonombre]

So I guess in our modern climate controlled lives foil lining is not a necessity?

 

[Jim K]

Some primers today are still foil lined. Others seem to have a bit of shellac added to do the same thing.

Jim