This testing sequence will be focused on an old Primer Mixture from the 1940s using Red Phosphorus. The mixture was derived from a 1944 Paper on Primers entitled Primers for Small Arms Cartridges by M. J. ALBERT and H. F. OELBERG. The paper was transcribed into a digital .pdf format by Marshall Thompson and copyrighted in 2017. A copy of the multi-page paper can be found at:
https://www.aardvarkreloading.com/re...%20Oelberg.pdf
Red Phosphorus was explored by the US Government as a primer mixture, and actually used in 1949 as the P-4 Formula. https://www.bevfitchett.us/chemical-...positions.html
About 1949 Frankford Arsenal manufactured an unusual priming mixture known as the P-4 primer (coded FA675):
Stabilized red phosphorus 18% Barium nitrate 82%
Although this was a simple, relatively safe mixture, and was a satisfactory primer, it was discontinued after a very short period because of two major disadvantages. It was shown that copper, bismuth, silver, iron, and nickel increased the oxidation rate of red phosphorus to acidic compounds. Primer cups had to be zinc plated to prevent contact with copper. The red phosphorus had to be of high purity, and it was necessary to remove the major impurities (iron and copper) from commercial red phosphorus before use, and to coat the purified material with up to 7.5% aluminum hydroxide which inhibited oxidation.
Although the P-4 primer was only in use for approximately 1 year, it was further improved in 1961 by coating the stabilized red phosphorus with PETN, RDX (cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine), or TNT giving the following primer mix:
Stabilized red phosphorus 25%
However, red phosphorus primers never achieved widespread use, presumably due to manufacturing difficulties.
Of interest is that the use of Red Phosphorus was recently resurrected as a potential GREEN PRIMER. The company ATK put out a Paper/Slide show on using Red Phosphorus as a key component in US Primers entitled: Non-toxic Heavy Metal Free Primers for Small Arms Cartridges Red Phosphorous Based. Introducing ATK Lake Citys P4rimerTM .
https://ndiastorage.blob.core.usgovc...usky_520pm.pdf
The use of Red Phosphorus in home Remanufacturing of Primers has the same handicap of many formulas in that some components are difficult to acquire. I was able to acquire 200 grams (about ½ pound) for making primers after a 3 month search/wait.