Rimfire primers

[rojocorsa]

I have always wondered:

How are rimfire cases primed? Given their general cost, it must a relatively simple thing to do, correct?





Why did rimfire as a whole (except for .22short, LR, and WMR & .17HMR/HM2) fall out of favor? I was flipping through the pages of my copy of "Cartridges of the World" and I was amazed by how much old school BP ammo was rimfire. Rimfire shotshells existed at one point even!

[damon1272]

The primer material is dropped into the case first and then spun to get the primer material in the crimp. Then the poweder is dropped in and a bullet placed to complete the cartridge. Rimfire primers are not as reliable as cenetrfire and rimfire cases cannot be fired at the same pressures as a centerfire because the case has to be relatively weak at the rim to be compressed by the firing pin enough to set the primer material off. Rimfire promers do not ignite the powder enevly like a center fire as the primer material must burn all the way around the rim.