d'Artagnan
Active Member
With my tiny collection, I initially didn't think I had enough examples to adequately illustrate Peters Cartridge Company primer production, and I knew virtually nothing about what I did have. After reviewing the Peters catalogs available online at cartridgecollectors.org, I found I had a good cross-section of their products. So, if you are lucky enough to have some, I hope you find the following information helpful.
Peters Cartridge Company Primers
In the 1896 Peters catalog, the first thing illustrated is this 250-count No. 2 primer tin (below, right). To its left is a 100-count tin of the same.
Here's another Peters 250-count tin, of indeterminate age, for No. 2 1/2 primers.
Initially, Peters offered 5 types of primers, all illustrated with 3-leg anvils:
No. 1 - for 25-20 Marlin rifle, etc. (small rifle)
No. 1 1/2 - for 38 S&W, etc. (small pistol)
No. 2 - for paper and brass shells (large pistol for black powder shotgun shells)
No. 2 1/2 - for military and sporting cartridges (large rifle)
No. 4 - same size as No. 2 but for nitro powders (large pistol)
Begs the question "Where's No. 3?"
Before I tackle the No. 3 primer, I should mention that in the 1898 catalog -- and only in the 1898 catalog -- Peters introduced the No. 5 primer with the comment "for Peter's reinforced shells for nitro powder" and illustrated it with a drawing of a battery cup primer. These are probably the "Holy Grail" of Peters primers.
In the 1901 catalog, Peters added the No. 3 primer for Peter's Ideal Shell with battery cup, for nitro powder. It was illustrated with a drawing of a battery cup primer different than that of the No. 5. By 1908, the No. 3 was replaced by the No. 3 1/2 for Peter's shells with battery cup, for smokeless powder. So, the 100-count No. 3 primers tin (below) is from 1901-1907.
In 1902 the No. 1 1/2 Special .175" diameter primer was added for 30-30 Winchester, 25-36 Marlin, and the 30 U.S. Army, which we now call 30-40 Krag. So these calibers can be found with small (.175") primers.
In 1904 the No. 1, No. 1 1/2, No. 2, No. 2 1/2, and No. 4 were described as being copper. At the same time, Peters introduced three more primers all with an impressed "P": No. 6 copper .175" diameter, for smokeless powder; No. 6 1/2 brass .175", for military and sporting cartridges; and No. 8 1/2 brass .210", for high pressure smokeless powder cartridges. The last catalog listing the 8 1/2 primer was 1919, so the box (below) is from 1905-1919 period.
In 1906 Peters added the No. 7 1/2 brass .210" primer, for high power smokeless powder cartridges such as 30 U.S. Army (30-40 Krag), 33 Winchester, and 35 Winchester.
In 1908 Peters introduced the No. 9 copper .210" primer for 30 caliber government smokeless cartridges.
In 1912 Peters brought out a second No. 5 primer, with impressed "P", and based on the No. 6, for smokeless powder revolver cartridges. This No. 5 primer was dropped sometime between 1919 and 1922.
In 1926 this No. 2 primer box (below) was illustrated in the Peters catalog.
1926 was also the last catalog that advertised 250-count packaging. All primers were in 100-count packages thereafter.
Following the example of Remington's introduction of KLEANBORE primers in 1926, Winchester's STAYNLESS primers by 1928, and Western's non-corrosive primers in 1929; Peters introduced its RUSTLESS primer line in 1930 and renumbered its primers as follows:
No. 2 - copper, for black powder shotshells
No. 3 1/2 - for Peters shotgun shells with battery cup, for smokeless powder
No. 10 - nickel-plated copper, for revolver or rifle cartridges (small rifle)
No. 12 - nickel-plated brass, for high power cartridges (large rifle)
No. 15 - nickel-plated brass, for revolver cartridges (small pistol)
No. 20-X - nickel-plated copper, for revolver cartridges (large pistol)
No. 35 - nickel-plated copper, for .410 shotgun shells
No. 65 - Nickel-plated brass for smokeless powder rifle cartridges (small rifle)
By 1932 Peters replaced No. 3 1/2 primers with No. 4 RUSTLESS battery cup primers and in 1935 Peters introduced its No. 20-B RUSTLESS nickel-plated primers for revolver cartridges.
In 1936 Peters Cartridge became a division of Remington Arms, which was itself controlled by DuPont. Beginning in 1936 Peters packaging would both show its subordination to Remington and bear DuPont's oval trademark. The following photos show No. 20-X and No. 12 RUSTLESS primers in post-1935 packaging.
After World War 2 -- with No. 10 primers dropped in 1939, and No. 2 primers dropped in 1940 -- the Peters RUSTLESS primer line in 1949 was:
No. 12 - large rifle
No. 15 - small pistol
No. 20-X - large pistol
No. 20-B - large pistol
No. 65 - small rifle
P57 - shotgun shell battery cup, except .410 and 28ga
P69 - Peters .410 and 28ga
With lot number 406 5061, which is in the same format -- specifically the use of 5061 -- used by Remington for its primers in 1946-1960 packaging, the Peters No. 12 primer box (below) is probably from that same period.
No. 20-B primers were dropped in 1956. The last Peters catalog listing their primer line was 1960, their 1961 catalog illustrated 38 Special and 30-06 cases with R-P headstamps. Peters ammunition catalogs, however, continued to carry the Peters or Remington primers numbers each caliber used thru 1964, then changed to exclusively Remington primers numbers in 1965, and changed again to KLEANBORE primers -- Remington's primer brand -- in 1966. Remington dropped the Peters brand in 1980.
Peters Cartridge Company Primers
In the 1896 Peters catalog, the first thing illustrated is this 250-count No. 2 primer tin (below, right). To its left is a 100-count tin of the same.
Here's another Peters 250-count tin, of indeterminate age, for No. 2 1/2 primers.
Initially, Peters offered 5 types of primers, all illustrated with 3-leg anvils:
No. 1 - for 25-20 Marlin rifle, etc. (small rifle)
No. 1 1/2 - for 38 S&W, etc. (small pistol)
No. 2 - for paper and brass shells (large pistol for black powder shotgun shells)
No. 2 1/2 - for military and sporting cartridges (large rifle)
No. 4 - same size as No. 2 but for nitro powders (large pistol)
Begs the question "Where's No. 3?"
Before I tackle the No. 3 primer, I should mention that in the 1898 catalog -- and only in the 1898 catalog -- Peters introduced the No. 5 primer with the comment "for Peter's reinforced shells for nitro powder" and illustrated it with a drawing of a battery cup primer. These are probably the "Holy Grail" of Peters primers.
In the 1901 catalog, Peters added the No. 3 primer for Peter's Ideal Shell with battery cup, for nitro powder. It was illustrated with a drawing of a battery cup primer different than that of the No. 5. By 1908, the No. 3 was replaced by the No. 3 1/2 for Peter's shells with battery cup, for smokeless powder. So, the 100-count No. 3 primers tin (below) is from 1901-1907.
In 1902 the No. 1 1/2 Special .175" diameter primer was added for 30-30 Winchester, 25-36 Marlin, and the 30 U.S. Army, which we now call 30-40 Krag. So these calibers can be found with small (.175") primers.
In 1904 the No. 1, No. 1 1/2, No. 2, No. 2 1/2, and No. 4 were described as being copper. At the same time, Peters introduced three more primers all with an impressed "P": No. 6 copper .175" diameter, for smokeless powder; No. 6 1/2 brass .175", for military and sporting cartridges; and No. 8 1/2 brass .210", for high pressure smokeless powder cartridges. The last catalog listing the 8 1/2 primer was 1919, so the box (below) is from 1905-1919 period.
In 1906 Peters added the No. 7 1/2 brass .210" primer, for high power smokeless powder cartridges such as 30 U.S. Army (30-40 Krag), 33 Winchester, and 35 Winchester.
In 1908 Peters introduced the No. 9 copper .210" primer for 30 caliber government smokeless cartridges.
In 1912 Peters brought out a second No. 5 primer, with impressed "P", and based on the No. 6, for smokeless powder revolver cartridges. This No. 5 primer was dropped sometime between 1919 and 1922.
In 1926 this No. 2 primer box (below) was illustrated in the Peters catalog.
1926 was also the last catalog that advertised 250-count packaging. All primers were in 100-count packages thereafter.
Following the example of Remington's introduction of KLEANBORE primers in 1926, Winchester's STAYNLESS primers by 1928, and Western's non-corrosive primers in 1929; Peters introduced its RUSTLESS primer line in 1930 and renumbered its primers as follows:
No. 2 - copper, for black powder shotshells
No. 3 1/2 - for Peters shotgun shells with battery cup, for smokeless powder
No. 10 - nickel-plated copper, for revolver or rifle cartridges (small rifle)
No. 12 - nickel-plated brass, for high power cartridges (large rifle)
No. 15 - nickel-plated brass, for revolver cartridges (small pistol)
No. 20-X - nickel-plated copper, for revolver cartridges (large pistol)
No. 35 - nickel-plated copper, for .410 shotgun shells
No. 65 - Nickel-plated brass for smokeless powder rifle cartridges (small rifle)
By 1932 Peters replaced No. 3 1/2 primers with No. 4 RUSTLESS battery cup primers and in 1935 Peters introduced its No. 20-B RUSTLESS nickel-plated primers for revolver cartridges.
In 1936 Peters Cartridge became a division of Remington Arms, which was itself controlled by DuPont. Beginning in 1936 Peters packaging would both show its subordination to Remington and bear DuPont's oval trademark. The following photos show No. 20-X and No. 12 RUSTLESS primers in post-1935 packaging.
After World War 2 -- with No. 10 primers dropped in 1939, and No. 2 primers dropped in 1940 -- the Peters RUSTLESS primer line in 1949 was:
No. 12 - large rifle
No. 15 - small pistol
No. 20-X - large pistol
No. 20-B - large pistol
No. 65 - small rifle
P57 - shotgun shell battery cup, except .410 and 28ga
P69 - Peters .410 and 28ga
With lot number 406 5061, which is in the same format -- specifically the use of 5061 -- used by Remington for its primers in 1946-1960 packaging, the Peters No. 12 primer box (below) is probably from that same period.
No. 20-B primers were dropped in 1956. The last Peters catalog listing their primer line was 1960, their 1961 catalog illustrated 38 Special and 30-06 cases with R-P headstamps. Peters ammunition catalogs, however, continued to carry the Peters or Remington primers numbers each caliber used thru 1964, then changed to exclusively Remington primers numbers in 1965, and changed again to KLEANBORE primers -- Remington's primer brand -- in 1966. Remington dropped the Peters brand in 1980.
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