The capsule is a fairly recent invention, appearing only in 1814 thanks to the American D. Shaw. However, its invention (in the form in which it exists now - in the form of an open-type capsule in a metal cap) would have been impossible without several discoveries made earlier by French chemists:
- 1784 – discovery of mercury fulminate by Boyen;
- 1788 – discovery of sodium chlorate (so-called berthollet salt). It was on the basis of Berthollet salt (or rather, a mixture of antimonium and fulminate of mercury with each other) that Zhevelo-type capsules were created. This was done in the 19th century by the French gunsmith Zhevelo and, virtually unchanged, his invention has survived to this day.
History of the capsule
Let's start with the fact that the igniter capsule was first manufactured in 1814 by the American specialist D. Shaw. It had exactly the appearance that many shooters are accustomed to seeing today - a small metal container filled with a mixture of fulminate of mercury and bertholet salt.
However, it was used completely differently than it is today. The capsule was simply placed on a special protrusion - a fire tube, which was located directly above the seed hole in the barrel.
Yes, it was not very convenient. But before, shooters had to pour gunpowder onto a shelf and then set it on fire. The slightest wind, not to mention rain, made firing a firearm very difficult. Therefore, the claim that the primer revolutionized the gun world is not open to debate.
Why is it needed?
The answer is as simple as possible. The primer is used in modern cartridges to ignite the gunpowder. An open flame, escaping in a tiny, targeted explosion, effectively copes with the task.
But as practice shows, it allows you to achieve another side effect. It is this explosion that significantly increases the pressure in the cartridge case, ensuring even faster and more efficient combustion of gunpowder. Of course, this leads to an increase in the power of the shot and the range of the bullet (shot or buckshot).
Device
Conventionally, all capsules used today can be divided into two types: open and closed. The former are direct descendants of the brainchild of D. Shaw, but the development of the latter was started by the French engineer Zhevelot, who created a very different igniter capsule towards the end of the nineteenth century. By the way, the invention was named after this engineer, thanks to which every shooter knows it today.
The open-type capsule is a red cap made of copper, at the bottom of which an explosive is placed (we will talk about it later). To protect it from moisture, aluminum foil is laid on top, fixed with a special varnish. The hole in the sleeve, intended for installing the igniter, is equipped with a small protrusion - an anvil. When installing the primer, the explosive rests against it. When struck by the striker, it is pinched and ignites, igniting the gunpowder through two needle-thin holes.
A completely different device has a “jewel” igniter primer. The cases it is used with do not have an anvil. But it is part of the capsule itself. A pointed metal object is located inside the structure, which significantly increases the dimensions. The increased complexity of manufacturing causes a noticeable increase in cost. But reliability also increases sharply. In addition, the ability to eliminate the anvil in the case allows the flame to break through not through two tiny holes, but through one, but equal in size to the primer itself. Of course, this provides not only more powerful ignition, but also a sharp increase in pressure. Therefore, the gunpowder burns even faster, and the charge flies over a greater distance with less persistence.
Comments
- Dima 12/15/2015 at 12:11 Yeah.
If you haven't recharged it correctly, it will be very difficult to hit. Useful information for all hunters. Answer - Denis 12/15/2015 at 13:49
Now is the time to prepare ammunition for the spring season. I always try to load the cartridges myself, since I don’t really trust ready-made ones. With independent equipment, you can adjust both the weight of the shot charge and the weight of gunpowder. And I almost always use Zhevelo capsules. Somehow it turned out that I completely trust them.Answer
- Pavel 01/17/2016 at 04:32
I shot with a chewing gun instead of the usual center-fire. I’m very pleased with the result, the article is very interesting, it will help a beginner understand the basics of hunting!Answer
- Maxim 01/17/2016 at 11:54
Many people now use purchased cartridges, but self-loading has a special charm. The zhevelo is much more powerful than the centrifuge. The centrifugal effect used to be strengthened by adding a few grains of black powder to the bottom of the cartridge. Personally, I prefer shells; now there are metal sleeves for them.Answer
- Yuri 01/17/2016 at 16:42
Even after installing Zhevelo in the case, I fill it completely with black powder, then add the main gunpowder. The effect is very positive, even at minus 20*C it burns without a trace, the barrel shines after a shot, the accuracy and range of a lethal shot with shot increases.Answer
- Victor 01/25/2016 at 19:46
I have been loading cartridges for about 30 years. I use Sokol gunpowder from the USSR and now Russian, I have never added black powder under the Zhevelo primer in a way that is not recommended. The Zhevelo primer itself is more powerful than the Tsentroboy primer and its the power is enough to ignite the gunpowder. There were cases where I took a hare and a duck at a distance of about 100 meters, although I noticed that the gunpowder in the barrel did not seem to burn completely and the shot was effective. Shotgun IZH-54, piece, barrel length 750mm.Answer
Pilot Delta 12/14/2018 at 09:54
You can’t see a hare or a duck within 100 meters... let alone conduct targeted shooting at them (that is, shooting in your case) Science fiction writer, blah! ))))
Answer
Anonymous 12/21/2018 at 12:44
What kind of hunter are you that you won’t see an animal 100 meters away? Quite a real situation. I took the hare 120 steps. Saiga 20K shotgun.
Answer
WHAT ABOUT 7.62x54, charge 3.2g and CENTERBOY?
Answer
Half (if not more) is wild **** deja, not info. Yes, sometimes there are misfires, one in a thousand (here the sleeve may also be 50% to blame). The centrifuge lights up both Sokol, Sunar and Nobel perfectly. The main thing is that the metal case must be well sealed, and the projectile does not immediately take off, but allows the gunpowder to flare up (and create the so-called boost pressure)
Answer
One day, while hunting, my father let me shoot a crow with a self-rolling cartridge. He always charges them himself. The capsules were also chewed. The gun spat out shot about 20 meters away, along with gunpowder. I even saw her fly. The crow didn't even notice us. The father looked very puzzled. The primer did not ignite the gunpowder. He had never experienced anything like this in all 15 years of hunting. Half of the gunpowder then fell out of the barrel. Along with gaskets.
Answer
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Explosive
Of course, when talking about the igniter capsule, one cannot fail to mention its composition. Or rather, the explosive used in it.
The first capsules, as mentioned above, used a mixture of Berthollet salt and fulminate of mercury. It was perfect for black powder. But for modern cartridges using smokeless powder, this composition is no longer suitable. The fact is that the ignition reaction proceeds too quickly and with almost no gas evolution. Because of this, the pressure in the case does not increase, and the gunpowder does not always burn out completely without a trace. Therefore, today antimony has been added to the classic recipe. Thus, the composition of the explosive is as follows:
- 35% mercury fulminate - thanks to it, the ignition itself occurs;
- 40% berthollet salt - when burned, it decomposes, releasing oxygen necessary to ignite gunpowder;
- 25% antimony, which significantly increases the combustion temperature of the mixture.
Exact proportions are extremely important - any violation of the technology leads to the fact that the capsule will not be able to effectively cope with its task. Some experts argue that making it is much more difficult than, for example, a camera. Therefore, it is simply impossible to create an igniter capsule with your own hands.
Kasul KV-209
The most modern capsule produced is the KV-209, produced in Murom. This primer gives the best shot results. The KV-209 capsule has a slight taper, so it fits well into the sleeve. To protect against external influences, the upper hole of the KV-209 is coated with varnish.
When purchasing capsules in a store, you should pay attention to the fact that the metal of the capsule body has no traces of oxidation and that its surface is clean and shiny.
When purchasing, pay attention to the shelf life of the capsule, which, depending on the model of the capsule, can range from three to six years, although some hunters claim that they successfully store capsules in airtight, closed packaging for up to 10-15 years.
In conclusion, it should be noted that the capsule and its quality have a significant impact on the quality of the shot, so the hunter needs to pay due attention to choosing a capsule for hunting.
A little about the types of Zhevelo capsules
As mentioned above, all capsules can be divided into two types: open and closed. The latter include primarily “Zhevelo” - it is used primarily for hunting weapons.
In recent years, the demand for them has been constantly growing. The fact is that most hunters today refuse to use expensive brass cartridges, preferring plastic ones. Although they can be used only a few times (and are often thrown away after the first shot), they are much cheaper, and you don’t have to reload them. It was demand that led to the appearance of various modifications on the market. For example, on sale you can see the igniter primer KV-209, KV-21, KV-22. By the way, the 21st is a legacy of Soviet times, and the 209th appeared relatively recently.
What to say about the centrifuge
But the popularity of the centrifugal type igniter among fans of smooth-bore weapons is falling. Despite its simplicity and cheapness, it cannot provide such fast and powerful combustion of gunpowder, so the demand for it is decreasing. But the use of a centrifuge in cartridges for rifled weapons ensures that it will not disappear very soon. Even a 7.62 caliber cartridge, not to mention a 5.56 caliber, contains much less gunpowder than, for example, a 12 or 16 gauge. Therefore, the centrifugal capsule works great here.
The analogue of the Boxer system is very similar to the centrifugal capsule - having exactly the same device, they differ only in the absence of a positioning welt. But these samples are used mainly in the USA, where self-loading of cartridges for rifled weapons is legal.
Of course, if we list all types of igniter primers by number, it would take another article. But what has already been said is enough for the reader to get an idea of this complex, but integral component of a modern cartridge.
Conclusion
As you can see, despite its apparent simplicity, the capsule has a rather complex structure and a number of distinctive features that are useful to remember for both beginners and experienced hunters. Only in this case can you count not only on maximum safety for yourself, but also on rich booty.
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