Caps v primers

[The Miner '49er]

We know that caps and primers are both sensitive to impact from a hammer or from a firing pin driven by a hammer. Does anyone know why primers are placed in plastic containers with each row of ten divided from the rest, while 100 caps are merely dumped in a can? I'm sure there are different chems used to make them but it seems that either the packaging of caps is sloppy or primer packaging is overkill. Thoughts?

 

[rusticbob]

Much ado about nothing methink!

 

[Johnny Tremain]

$$$$$$

How much are primers vs caps.

 

[TxGR]

That's a good question for which I'd like a technical answer.

As the fulminate is exposed in the perc cap and the fulminate is far more protected in a primer, I'd almost think it would be the opposite. I remember reading cautions in old books about not storing primers in glass jars. I think the concern was glass is an insulator and there'd be no way to discharge static electricity safely. ...but plastic is also an insulator, so...why the difference? And if static electricity is an issue for primers, why isn't it an issue for perc caps?

 

[The Miner '49er]

That's a good question for which I'd like a technical answer.

As the fulminate is exposed in the perc cap and the fulminate is far more protected in a primer, I'd almost think it would be the opposite. I remember reading cautions in old books about not storing primers in glass jars. I think the concern was glass is an insulator and there'd be no way to discharge static electricity safely. ...but plastic is also an insulator, so...why the difference? And if static electricity is an issue for primers, why isn't it an issue for perc caps?

TxGR, I'm with you. Since the anvil on primers protrudes a little bit that might have something to do with the primer packaging. But, having loaded a bazillion cf cartridges, I have never had an anvil separate while loading, however my method is to dump out just ten at a time on a towel. Hopefully a present or former worker at a primer and cap mfgr co will reply.

 

[new2bp]

Think it is more along the lines of how the product is used...

Caps, you are grabbing 'em one by one with your fingers (and then maybe loading a tool or something to hold a few, or just applying directly)

Primers you are likely flipping them over onto a tray that will go into a priming tool, etc. Getting a single primer out is a royal PITA - when I need "just a few" to finish off a repriming run on some brass, I end up putting a whole fresh row of 10 into my priming tool tray and then either find more brass and use all 10 or I end up manually picking the extras out one by one. Even a LRP is smaller and harder to handle than a #10 or #11 cap (never mind musket caps - I can understand that form factor for high stress use conditions!).

 

[The Miner '49er]

Think it is more along the lines of how the product is used...

Caps, you are grabbing 'em one by one with your fingers (and then maybe loading a tool or something to hold a few, or just applying directly)

Primers you are likely flipping them over onto a tray that will go into a priming tool, etc. Getting a single primer out is a royal PITA - when I need "just a few" to finish off a repriming run on some brass, I end up putting a whole fresh row of 10 into my priming tool tray and then either find more brass and use all 10 or I end up manually picking the extras out one by one. Even a LRP is smaller and harder to handle than a #10 or #11 cap (never mind musket caps - I can understand that form factor for high stress use conditions!).

Yes, that makes sense.

 

[Gun Tramp]

It's eleven below outside and I'm not going outside, so here we go. For reasons unbeknownst to me, Schuetzen (Rio, Spain) musket caps are packaged in sleeves of 100, each cap in its own receptacle. Note slightly smaller wings than RWS. Today's trivia; the Rio cup is soft steel rather than copper, touted by the manufacturer as easier to retrieve because they are magnetic...

 

[PEARL DRUMS]

That's a curious question. I much prefer the caps in a simple can over trying to get JUST ONE primer out without dumping more on the ground or floor. Your mileage may vary.

 

[The Miner '49er]

It's eleven below outside and I'm not going outside, so here we go. For reasons unbeknownst to me, Schuetzen (Rio, Spain) musket caps are packaged in sleeves of 100, each cap in its own receptacle. Note slightly smaller wings than RWS. Today's trivia; the Rio cup is soft steel rather than copper, touted by the manufacturer as easier to retrieve because they are magnetic...
View attachment 285750

That's really interesting, thanks for the info. Are other brands of musket caps packaged the same way? If so,why, and if not, why would Rio devise such packaging which must costlier than a metal or plastic can? The plot thickens!

 

[new2bp]

That's really interesting, thanks for the info. Are other brands of musket caps packaged the same way? If so,why, and if not, why would Rio devise such packaging which must costlier than a metal or plastic can? The plot thickens!

Same size tray as used for 209 primers? Would lead to purchasing/supplyefficency...