Another Primer question

[ron brooks]

:shock: I have just come into a bunch of 30-06 GI Brass. Some of it is from WWII, 41, 42, 43, etc., etc. What I am wondering is when did the mercuric primeers end? As I understand it the mercuric primers cause teh brass to go brittle. I would like to be able to use this, but not at the risk of catastrophic case failure.:shock:

I also have some LC 69 which are still primed. Would these be corrosive primers?

Thanks,

Ron

[Char-Gar]

You are OK... The primers in WWII ammo is corrosive (Chlorate) but non-mecuric so the brass if OK. The LC69 stuff is non-corrosive, you are OK there also.

[ron brooks]

Many thanks Chargar. Much appreciated.

[ron brooks]

One more question about the primers. Would the mercuric primers be possible in foreign cases? Some of these case have strange headstamps to me. examples,

DM 42
DW 42
EW 43
TW 43
DEN 43

Thanks again,

Ron

[StarMetal]

One more question about the primers. Would the mercuric primers be possible in foreign cases? Some of these case have strange headstamps to me. examples,

DM 42
DW 42
EW 43
TW 43
DEN 43

Thanks again,

Ron

EW Eau Claire Ordnance Plant, Eau Claire, Wis, USA. Operated by US Rubber Co from August 1942 to December 1943

TW Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant , Minneapolis, Minn., USA. Operated under contract to Federal Cartridge Co from Feb 1942 to August 1945, on .30-06 and .50 carts, closed down in 1945 but reopened in early 50s and still in operation

EW Eau Claire Ordnance Plant, Eau Claire, Wis, USA. Operated by US Rubber Co from August 1942 to December 1943

DEN Denver Ordnance Plant, Denver, Colo., USA. Operated by Remington Arms Co from Oct 1941 to Jul 1944 producing .30-06 carts

DM Des Moines Ordnance Plant, Des Moines, Iowa, USA Operated by US Rubber Co from Jan 42 to July 1945, .30-06 and .50 carts

Can't find the DW one.

Think about it, we were at World War, who could have made 30-06 ammo besides our Allies? Now after the war just about everyone made it.

Joe

[ron brooks]

Joe,

Thanks. I understand what you mean about who could make it besides us. :-) I was wondering who it could be. I thought TW might have been Twind cities, but I never knew that Des Moines, Denver, and Eau Claire, Wisconsin (Never even heard of the place) was making ammo.

Thanks I do appreciate it.

Ron

[StarMetal]

Ron,

I don't positively state the U.S. is the only country that made wartime 30-06 ammo. I'm not an expert on ammo manufacture. Quite possibley Canada and England could have made some, I don't know.

Joe

[Dale53]

Mercuric primers were made until 1960 (the Western 8 1/2 used in Winchester-Western Super Match ammo in 30'06 and .300 H&H Magnum), but was the single exception. It was also corrosive. All other mercuric and corrosive primers were dropped around 1930. No military mercuric primers were loaded after 1898 as part of the protocol with military ammo of the time was to reload fired cases (by the military). Once it was determined that mercury was the culprit in the case damage it was discontinued. However, military primers were corrosive (more stable over long time storage) until finally the non-corrosive primers were phased in gradually starting in 1950. All carbine ammo has ALWAYS been non-mercuric and non-corrosive.

The full story is detailed in the NRA Handloaders Guide.

Dale53

[ron brooks]

Joe,

I understand, but i imagine the British and the Canadians had there hands full manufacturing their own munitions. This is why we were doing the LendLease program, right.

Dale53,

Thanks for the information. I'll try to get a hold of a copy of the NRA Guide.

Ron

[Char-Gar]

Ron... IIRC the "Lend-Lease" program was a way the U.S. could provide arms and munitions to the Brits without violating our "neutral" status. Pearl Harbor of course, changed all of that, and we ceased to be a neutral nation in that vast bloodletting.

[ron brooks]

Chargar,

Your correct. I'm just coming down with terminal CRS. :-)

Ron