[Redman222]

Hi!
I have put a lot effort, time and money in designing and manufacturing my own muzzle loading black powder handgun. I have made everything out of scratch myself, even though it would have been both easier and cheaper to buy the things I need or the whole gun.

It has now reached the critical point when I need to develop a primer to set of the main black powder charge with.
I need help doing that, I thought that I would make fulminate of mercury, but I can not get hold on any mercury. They say that they have stopped selling it since it is a health hazard.
 I can buy primers that are made for black powder guns but they come in small metal caps and can not be used in my design. I have design my own percussion caps that have a different shape.


Do you have any suggestions on alternative chemicals that I can manufacture myself that can work as a primer? Help my out here will you. Keep in mind that I can buy the most common chemicals but nothing extra ordinary.

[hmx9123]

First, percussion caps, or primers, for firearm ammunition or black powder firearms are the most dangerous part of the entire operation.  All primers or percussion caps are made from primary high explosives, the most sensitive type of explosive known.  These usually require fairly exotic chemicals and are tricky to make properly--i.e., without blowing your fingers off.  If this topic proceeds any further, it's simply going to degenerate into ways to make primary high explosives, and for that reason, I'm locking the topic.  My advice: get a commercial percussion cap that works for you, or redesign your gun.  It would take some very dangerous experimenting by someone who is very experienced with explosives to make proper caps.  I would certainly just buy them myself.