It is a small container or wafer of explosive material used to ignite the gunpowder

The upper portion of the primer cup which is the complete assembly of priming composition, paper disk, anvil and vent

Contains highly sensitive mixture of chemical compound which when struck by the firing pin would detonate or ignite. Such reaction is called percussion

The first to conceive an idea of using a detonating compound for igniting powder charge in small arms by percussion and obtained a patent for this idea

He was considered as the Father of percussion

Has one vent/flash hole invented by Colonel Edward M. Boxer, a british army

Has two vents/flash holes, invented by colonel Hiram Berdan. A US army

Has three vents/flash holes

Used for shotgun shells, a variation of Berdan

Early primers

Mostly used at present

Where the priming mixture is crushed by blow from the firing pin

Is a highly sensitive mixture of chemical compound contained in the primer cup

Piece of small paper or disk of tin foil that contains the priming mixture that is being pressed over the anvil

Container of the anvil, disc and priming mixture. This is made of brass, gliding metal or copper

Set off with a sharp blow, as when the firing pin strikes the priner cup

Gives up oxygen readily. The oxygen is needed to burn the fuel

Burns the gunpowder in very high rate that results to the propulsion of bullet

In order to fire before, the gunpowder must have to be ignited.

Were the earliest firearms which use closed tubes, that needs manial ignition of its gunpowder

A small aperture drilled in the closed end of the tube

Around the rim

External pin is used in igniting the priming mixture

Combination of rim and pinfire, used a pin that strikes a ring of a priming compound

Primer is located at the center.

No rim. Rounded at the rear, with a small “teat” that would protrude through a tiny opening in the rear of the cylinder

Used by larger military gun and cannon rounds utilize an internal electric primer that is activated by an externally-provided elctric charge