Plasma ignition

[Cannonfuse]

I watched this video from forgotten weapons https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8qP6Q9ZEsEo

The Remington EtronX is primed through electricity instead of percussion/impact.

In order to achieve the ignition, a thin wire inside of the cartridge burns when the circuit goes through it, and therefore igniting the powder charge.

These electric ”matches” works by the same principle https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=duoxvqxASak

However, would it be possible to make an ignition system without any ”priming component” (thin wire) inside of each cartridge? I though about something like a plasma lighter, which could be used in order to light even caseless ammunition and old school muzzleloaders.

A thicker glowing wire, which would require more Amps in order to glow than the thin wire, will not work since it will be hot even after the ignition and therefore may pre-ignite the charge accidentially.

But that problem could be solved with an arc/plasma lighter. But will the plasma lighter be able to handle repeated usage inside of the chamber? Does the plasma lighter require more air than what’s inside the chamber when it’s surrounded by the powder? Will the steel chamber around it affect it?

I watched this video https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pNoBxwQjSvg Such a lighter could easily be inserted into a muzzleloaded chamber for example, but will it work?

 

[T. O'Heir]

There has been 'no primer' electronic ignition for eons. Used in target pistols and aircraft Gatling guns.
"...inserted into a muzzle loaded chamber..." Been done too. Called a Matchlock.
Kind of suspect an arc/plasma lighter would create more issues than it'd fix. Requires high voltage power, for one

 

[Cannonfuse]

I believe that the plasma lighter could have a couple of issues. First of all, many powders won’t ignite by electricity. (https://www.ctmuzzleloaders.com/ctml_experiments/electric_ignition/eignition.html) The second issue on my mind, is that the wires will get dirty and prevent electricity to conduct between the wires, therefore closing the circuit.

However, I made an experiment today but instead of useing an arc lighter I used a nichrome wire as a heating element. The nichrome wire I used are very thin, and it burns instanlty when hold to a 9 volt battery. Since I want to be able to shoot multiple times without replacing the wire, I made the wire thicker by wrapping it multiple times around itself.

I inserted the heating element into a percussion pistol and I were able to fire the gun multiple times without any need of replacing the nichrome wire, It still glow just fine. And there were no issues of the wire being hot enough to pre-igniting the next powder charge.

However, the issue was that I got a delay/long lock time. I wounder what’s the best solution to fix that issue? Either the wire has to be thinner without burning up, or I need to give it more power than what a 9 volt battery can give.

I read about ”kanthal wires”, it seem to be superior to the nichrome wire? Will such a wire be able to ignite the powder with a shorter delay than the nichrome wire did?

 

[Pahoo]

CVA Electra

However, would it be possible to make an ignition system without any ”priming component” (thin wire) inside of each cartridge? I though about something like a plasma lighter, which could be used in order to light even caseless ammunition and old school muzzleloaders.

Yes and just one example, would be the CVA Electra, out of production. I've shot one and although in theory, was a good idea but fell out of favor, very quickly ……

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvxHBUNXBA0

Be Safe !!!

 

[Sharkbite]

Back in the 80’s Safari arms mad a cpl of bolt action pistols with electronic ignition. A small switch above the trigger primed the system and an electrode touching the primer set the round off.

Because all you were doing is closing a circuit, the trigger pull weight could be an ounce.