Lead nitrate → Sodium Nitrate

Participants

Reaction Steps

Lead nitrate is soluble in water, and was added to the dry ingredients in aqueous solution.The tetrazene was dispersed in the lead nitrate solution, this being a dangerous material to handle dry. The double decomposition reaction between the lead nitrate and the sodium styphnate then occurred in the cartridge case, giving lead styphnate and sodium nitrate in the resultant mixture. The product was dried out after the reaction, and then approximately 10% by volume of water was added to the dried mixture to render it mouldable. The rimfire case containing the mouldable composition was then passed to a conventional spinning punch to force the composition into the rim of the case in the conventional manner. The moulded composition was then passed through a conventional drying arrangement and the primed case was subsequently handled in the conventional fashion.

Provenance & Evidence