Also known as: friction tube.
| Function | Ignites the powder charge |
|---|---|
| Construction | A tube with a friction composition and a serrated wire |
| Firing | A lanyard jerks the wire, igniting the composition |
| Placement | Inserted in the vent of the gun |
Firing the gun
The friction primer was the usual means of firing a gun by the time of the war. A small metal tube filled with priming powder was set in the vent; across its top ran a serrated wire embedded in a friction composition. A pull on the lanyard hooked to the wire dragged it through the composition, and the spark ran down the tube to fire the charge.
Quick, reliable, and safe compared with older slow-match and portfire methods, the friction primer let a crew fire on command with a jerk of the lanyard, and spent primers are common finds at gun positions.
On this site
Sources & further reading
- United States Army, Ordnance Department. The Ordnance Manual for the Use of the Officers of the United States Army. 2nd ed. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott, 1862.
- Benton, James G. A Course of Instruction in Ordnance and Gunnery. 2nd ed. New York: D. Van Nostrand, 1862.