Military Primers

Good Morning!

     I have read this current post a couple of times and I did not notice anyone who has weighed the CCI # 34 primer and compared that weight to other large rifle primers. I recall not too long ago that I did such a thing in a haphazard sort of way, for my own curiosity. There is a difference in weight, which as again I recall that the CCI #34 is heavier than other large rifle primers. This sort of created other questions: Is this extra weight due to the fulminate charge being heavier? Or is the metal cup heavier? The #34 primer has long been considered a Magnum Charge primer. It has long been considered the solution to slam fires. In the case of slam fires, I would not look at them necessarily as the solution to slam fires but I would look for the other "mechanical" reasons that a firearm may slam fire. I have once ended the slam firing of a French Model 47/56 carbine by simply lightening the firing pin by turning the firing pin to a smaller diameter length-wise.thus cutting off some weight. I did this also with a French Model 1944 semi-auto rifle that was slam firing predictably. CCI has the answers that have been long sought regarding the #34 primer, but answers to specific questions get you general answers, if any.

GregT.

 

Greg the one French rifle you mentioned is the MAS 49/56, not 47/56 if I'm not mistakened.  The reason most military rifles have hard firing pin strikes is to insure that it is sufficient to set the primer off.  What you brought up about those two particular French rifles is that the firing pinss are heavy and do not have a spring on them.  Two more rifles that come to mind are the AR's and the SKS's.  Originally the AR10 did have a spring on the firing pin.  Notice I said AR10 not the AR15.  I once primed an empty 5.56 case and chambered it over 20 times!  After the first initial very slight dimple mark on the primer, it didn't not appear any deeper then the first strike.  I also did this by placing the case in the chamber so it would really get a good hard slam fire which it didn't.  Russian Wolf primers, I know for sure in small rifle primers, have 3 different primers for the small rifle.  They are: standard small rifle primer, small rifle primer with a thicker cup and same amount of primer compound as the standard primer, and finally a small rifle primer with a thicker cup and more primer compound added.  Hope this helps some and this isn't directed to you Greg.