Alliant Techsystems Inc.

Scott K Lusk

Reed J Blau

Harold E Johnston

Kirstin F Warner

Kristin F Warner

A percussion primer composition that comprises an explosive and a sensitizer, the explosive being a moderately insensitive explosive having an impact sensitivity in the range from about 0.3 kp m to about 0.75 kp m. The moderately insensitive explosive may comprise CL-20, PETN, RDX, HMX, or mixtures thereof. The sensitizer may comprise aluminum, titanium, zirconium, magnesium, melamine, styrene, lithium aluminum hydride, or mixtures thereof. In some instances, the percussion primer composition may comprise the moderately insensitive explosive precipitated onto the sensitizer. The percussion primer composition may contain an oxidizer, which in certain situations comprises a conventional oxidizer or a bismuth compound. The bismuth compound is bismuth trioxide, bismuth subnitrate, bismuth tetroxide, bismuth sulfide, or mixtures thereof. A gun cartridge and other primer-containing ordnance assemblies employing the percussion primer composition are also disclosed. Methods of forming the sensitized explosive and the percussion primer are also disclosed.

Percussion primer composition and systems incorporating same

A sensitized explosive that comprises an explosive precipitated onto a sensitizer. The explosive is CL-20, PETN, RDX, HMX, or mixtures thereof and the sensitizer is aluminum, titanium, zirconium, magnesium, melamine, styrene, lithium aluminum hydride, or mixtures thereof. The sensitized explosive is used in a percussion primer that includes a bismuth compound and a melt binder. The bismuth compound is bismuth oxide, bismuth subnitrate, bismuth tetroxide, bismuth sulfide, or mixtures thereof and the melt binder is a wax having a melting point above ambient temperature, trinitrotoluene, poly(3,3-bis(azidomethyl)oxetane), poly(3-azidomethyl-3-methyloxetane), ethyl-3,5-dinitrobenzoate, or mixtures thereof. A gun cartridge and other primer-containing ordnance assemblies employing the percussion primer are also disclosed. Methods of forming the sensitized explosive and the percussion primer are also disclosed.

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Clarkston, UT, United States of America

Scott K Lusk