Primer manufacturing- Why not ?

[Fick_2141]

It seems as if the ultra high demand for primers will not end soon. Maybe I am wrong but it would seem that these little things that have no moving parts, and have been made since before the turn of the last century could be made in large numbers by many small manufacturers instead of a few large ones. Why dont we have a hundred small manufacturers of primers ?
We have micro breweries, micro vinyards, even low production distilleries for bourbon. We have more manufacturers of weed eater string than primers and powder. The boom of firearms, and ammo businesses is a case study of free market capitolism. Where are the entrapenures with start up manufacturing of high demand products ? What would it take for me to start making primers ?

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[JB White]

What would it take for me to start making primers ?

Hmmmm...for starters I would think:

Financing for R&D, manufacturing equipment, labor force, warehouse space, sales force, distribution network, an advertising budget, a sound reputation on the market, and meeting all the Federal & State guidelines and approvals.

[John Kepler]

Primers ain't beer! YOU got an advanced degree in high-energy chemistry and willing to work around large quantities of lead styphenate? Go ahead, you can have my place in line...I did my time in that kind of environment and still carry scars...others weren't as lucky!

The Olin-Winchester primer plant is/was located in the middle of bum-fu**ing nowhere near Orwell, Ohio...had portions of it blow-up fairly frequently, and was a registered "Super-Fund" site while it was still being used. Permitting of a new production facility would be next to impossible from about 4 different directions!

[kcw]

Hmmmm...for starters I would think:

Financing for R&D, manufacturing equipment, labor force, warehouse space, sales force, distribution network, an advertising budget, a sound reputation on the market, and meeting all the Federal & State guidelines and approvals.

Not to mention that the manufacture of the primer mixture itself is a rather complicated (if you want commerical grade material) and potententially dangerous process.

[John Kepler]

Not to mention that the manufacture of the primer mixture itself is a rather complicated (if you want commerical grade material) and potententially dangerous process.

Potentially??? Bud, if it's "shock-sensitive" enough to be used as a primer, there's no "potential" about it....it's dangerous stuff! Not to mention the "L" word (lead as in lead styphnate) making it highly toxic to work with as well.

[kcw]

Potentially??? Bud, if it's "shock-sensitive" enough to be used as a primer, there's no "potential" about it....it's dangerous stuff! Not to mention the "L" word (lead as in lead styphnate) making it highly toxic to work with as well.

Back in Oct. of 1934 a thief managed to break into Remington's powder magazine @ Bridgeport. He took off with ten two-pound cans of polnol, probably thinking it was powder. Polnol, is one of the raw ingredients of the primer mixuture; it's one of the most volitile substances ever made. The amount taken could level a large part of the city.
Everyone up through the FBI was called in. Remington put large ads in the local papers warning whomever had the stuff to not touch it , just let the authorities know where it was, no other questions would be asked.
A few days later the stuff was found, by a search party of local police and Remington guards, hidden in some rocks, not far from the powder magazine.
Considering the handling that the cans must have gone through in order to be transported to the place that they were found, Remington employees nominated the thief for the title of "luckiest man of the year."

[Jim K]

As KCW says, priming mixture, unlike smokeless powder, is a true high explosive and sensitive. Trying to make it at home could give a new meaning to "wreck room".

Jim

[AKA Hugh Uno]

They are as much an art as science. yes, the whole thing is done by hand.

Match Rifle Ammo: Is factory match-grade ammunition really worth it? Petty puts it to the test | Guns Magazine | Find Articles at BNET

[John Sukey (Deceased)]

Reminded me of three "idiots" in Arizona many years ago.
To set the scene, Open pit Copper mines use a LOT of explosives and it is stored in bunkers away from the site. Now the bunker is secured by a locked steel door marked appropriately.

These three idiots had an 03 springfield and some AP ammo that they wanted to test. Guess what they used as a target!
Two of them got behind a large rock while the third "tested" his ammo on the door. The bunker contained FIVE tons of dynamite and another five tons of blasting powder.

The shooter had an arm blown off, one of the others was reduced to incoherence from the shock, and the third was only deafend.

[Emri]

It seems as if the ultra high demand for primers will not end soon. Maybe I am wrong but it would seem that these little things that have no moving parts, and have been made since before the turn of the last century could be made in large numbers by many small manufacturers instead of a few large ones. Why dont we have a hundred small manufacturers of primers ?
We have micro breweries, micro vinyards, even low production distilleries for bourbon. We have more manufacturers of weed eater string than primers and powder. The boom of firearms, and ammo businesses is a case study of free market capitolism. Where are the entrapenures with start up manufacturing of high demand products ? What would it take for me to start making primers ?

So if it has been covered, excuse me. The answer(s) to your question are....

1- Product Liability Insurance. It's expensive.

2- Explosive Licenses for the components used.

3- Time and Expense to test the product for consistancy and develop Loading Data for using your brand of primer.

4- There is plenty more to consider for starting up a new manufacturing enterprise; machinery, tooling, employees, etc. NOT easy to do and takes time. By then maybe there will be no market for your product.

A good example is the AR-15 market. For 8 months they were hard to get and when we got one it sold. Now we have 6 in stock and when I check the store email daily ALL of our distributors are telling me how many they have and offering special pricing to take them off their hands. The fire has gone out on that market.

FWIW,

Emri