Friction Primer?

[Smilodon]

I found this at a site that had a few Enfield bullets and a bunch of iron. A friend thought it was a friction primer. Any ideas?

Thanks, Stephen

 

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[DCMatt]

Don't know but here is another posted a few years ago.

http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/what/127442-friction-primer-not.html

DCMatt

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

I've been a digger and dealer of civil war era Military relics for nearly 40 years, particularly specializing in artillery and projectiles. Sorry to have to say, it definitely is not a friction-primer. The primers didn't have the folded-over tab on the end like your object. I do not know its ID... just that it isn't a civil war era Military relic.

 

[Smilodon]

Hello, the curator of the state museum just identified this as the cross section of a T headed friction primer. It is missing the shaft section. They could not state for sure about if it was used in the civil war but was certainly available then. They are sending me a photo of one they have that has not been fired. I will post them when I get them.

 

[recondigger]

Well good find thanks for sharing. I've never seen of that before. I'll have to look it up

Dig until your arm falls off

 

[jefg231]

it might be a clock part

 

[gtoast99]

Pretty cool that you heard back from the museum. I can't say that it is a friction primer, but I can't say it certainly isn't one either. Just that it's not like one I've seen before. While this doesn't help with a definitive ID, here's a few things that might help.

This link includes a diagram of a "T headed friction primer" from the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica. What it doesn't include is an approximate date of use. But it does give a better idea of how this sort of primer would function.


It also seems a similar object was brought up here on the forums in the past, but never positively ID'ed. It does appear to be similar to your object with the folded-over end, although it also includes the perpendicular tube shown in the diagram that yours lacks. It's hard to tell the size from your picture to see if the two objects are comparable.


Anyways, I know it doesn't definitively ID your object, but I hope it adds to the discussion. It's a collective effort ater all. I'll be checking back for more info. Good luck!!

 

[Smilodon]

Hello, Thanks for the information and diagram.

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Smilodon, I am a serious scholar of civil war Militaria, and therefore, a seeker of the actual Facts. So, I'm man enough to publicly say my previous reply about your find might be either correct, partially-incorrect, or entirely incorrect. (I am not sure at the present time.)

You asked if your find is a friction-primer, and you said you found it "at a site that had a few Enfield bullets" -- which indicates a civil war era Military site. I replied that although I've been in the field of civil war era artillery study for several decades, I did not recognize the object you found as a civil war era friction-primer. At the time I wrote my reply, I was unaware of the old T-Net post about a similar "T-head" object found in the Pacific Northwest. Nor about the 1911 Encyclopedia diagram. They got me curious, because I have seen an incredibly rare version of Confederate civil war friction-primer that somewhat resembles the Pacific Northwest one. (There is only one known site that the CS-made version has been excavated from -- and it is not a battle-site.) There was no civil war combat in the Pacific Northwest, so the one from there presumably isn't Confederate-made. The digger who found it said the site was occupied from 1850 to 1880... so it cannot definitively be said to be from the civil war era. (Also, note that the Encyclopedia Brittanica diagram is from 1911.)

I'm continuing to do research on the non-Confederate Pacific Northwest "T-head" primer and the extraordinarily-rare Confederate "T-head" version. To succeed at solving the mysteries, I'll need some additional information from you. (For example, you did not give any size-measurements of your find.) I realize you may not want to publicly post any information about the dig-site where you found your piece of a friction-primer, so I'll send my info-request to you in a Private Message.

 

[taz42o]

From what I have read those primers are British ?

Here are a few links that may be helpful, I dont have time to fully read and understand them.

Handbook of Ordnance Data - United States. Army. Ordnance Dept, Herbert Treadwell Wade - Google Books

The lowly friction primer

http://www.nps.gov/foun/parkmgmt/upload/19thCArtyDrill2008-12-14-2-2.pdf

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

bump

 

[Smilodon]

Hello cannonball guy, I have tried to send you a couple replies via the notification section but I am unsure if they made it to you. We did find the other section I believe but it is smashed flat.

Let me know when you get a chance, thanks

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

I did get your Private Message reply, and I've sent you a reply to it, suggesting we go to regular email. Please let me know whether you get that one.