I was looking at the .22 cal rimfire power blanks used for power nailers the other day and wondered if they could be used as primers for BP guns? My vision was a .22 rimfire bolt action that fed the blank like a regular round from a loading shelf or magazine into a breech plug short-chambered for .22 shorts. After firing, the spent case would be extracted and ejected. This would eliminate all of the fumbling and such with 209 primers, caps and the like. Is the power cartridge just too powerful to use as a primer? My concern was that it might push the bullet too far down the barrel before main charge ignition and create an obstruction issue.

There was an article in Handloader several months ago about an older gentleman that specializes in making obsolete ammo and one of his pinfire rounds utilized a rimfire blank fit into a reamed out space in the base of the shell where the pin would strike it so at least there's somebody already doing it. I can't remember if it said if he was dumping the powder charge or not. Those same blanks are also used in captive bolt guns to euthanize large animals like pigs and cattle so they have a decent amount of energy behind them in order to drive a large steel bolt through fairly solid bone...

This is a unit that a guy sells that uses power hammer cases to shoot rb from a muzzel loader """without powder""". Before you put one on you should look at one of those powder hammers that has been used. Those cartridge are "VERY-VERY -VERY CORROSIVEZ'. O! by the way did I say that they are corrosive.
http://blanklock.tripod.com/

quote:

Originally posted by Fat_Albert:
This is a unit that a guy sells that uses power hammer cases to shoot rb from a muzzel loader """without powder""". Before you put one on you should look at one of those powder hammers that has been used. Those cartridge are "VERY-VERY -VERY CORROSIVEZ'. O! by the way did I say that they are corrosive.
http://blanklock.tripod.com/

Thanks, for the link! It looks like the blanks are so powerful you don't even need a powder charge.

quote:

Originally posted by Bobster:

quote:

Originally posted by Fat_Albert:
This is a unit that a guy sells that uses power hammer cases to shoot rb from a muzzel loader """without powder""". Before you put one on you should look at one of those powder hammers that has been used. Those cartridge are "VERY-VERY -VERY CORROSIVEZ'. O! by the way did I say that they are corrosive.
http://blanklock.tripod.com/

Thanks, for the link! It looks like the blanks are so powerful you don't even need a powder charge.

What can you say about a charge, that will drive a nail, through a 1/2 steel plate.

Grizz

Those things are way to much to use as a primer. My retriever trainer used them and the heavy ones would launch a dummy into the next county. Very hard on the hand as well. WW .22 blanks used to be loaded with black powder but are quite expensive, when you can find them. Shot shell primers would probably be the way to go.
C.G.B.