Guys,
Quill primers were very versatile devices. They can be fired with a lock (percussive) or a heat source (quick match, slow match, portfire, common match, etc.). The magic formula called for a mixture of Mercury Fulminate (sensitive to percussive/concussive impact), ground glass (preferably ground French leaded glass which provides an abrasive component to the mixture) and a fine musket powder - included for obvious reasons. Please note that the formula herein was for the top element of the primer only - the tube was filled with powder only.
I will not say that the primer you have is not intended to be fired by a heat source only, but "quill primers" were quite versatile, as I stated.
My reference copy of "Dahlgrens Treatise" (1853) on gun locks (including quill primer manufacturing) has been moved from the assigned place in my bookcase. Benêt's "Ordnance Memoranda No. 21" (1878) shows a slightly different formulation for friction primers but does shed a huge light on all kinds of ammunition and pyrotechnic data of that period. Many of the questions and issues sometimes speculated on in this forum can be answered therein.
So, dig out your copy of Dahlgren's and check it out.
