45ACP small vs. large primer issues

[waltherlover]

I'm sure this has already been discussed, so I'm expecting to get flamed.

Anyway, I'm curious if the amount of bullets that normally have large primers and have small primers instead has increased or decreased recently. Also, has anyone run into anything with a large primer (44 comes to mind) where they are using small primers? Are there specific manufacturers that are doing this?

Usually when I run into a small pocket on a bullet that should have a large pocket on my progressive, I just continue on without the primer, pull the bullet after the bullet head has been crimped, and use my hand-primer tool to put the small primer in. It's often difficult from a cursory inspection to determine if it's a small or large primer.

Looking forward to general experience from fellow reloaders.

 

[warwickben]

I have a list of what brands use small primers if I find it I'll post it for you . Some times it's not all the ammo from that brand but a line . For example some "green ammo" from a company will be small primer but there other offerings wont.

I got a few bags of brass in trades and found out the hard way about small primers lol . I went through a few gallon freezer bags one night sorting it. You can always trade small for large or for cash .

 

[jasons]

I'm sure this has already been discussed, so I'm expecting to get flamed.

Lots of times, but I won't flame you. Here's one: http://www.northeastshooters.com/vbulletin/threads/275779-45-cases

 

[M1911]

Small primer 45 ACP cases -- the spawn of the devil.

 

[highlander]

I use both and really can't tell and any difference in performance. Makes my life easier as I can load either depending on which of my 650s are mounted.

 

[DukeInFlorida]

Sort first by headstamp, before it goes into your press. That will save you time and parts (especially primers).

You have to consider the back story for why the small primers started showing up in the otherwise large primered 45 ACP.

Without the gory details, some large states, who's LEO's carry 45 ACP work guns, needed to "go green" and eliminate lead from our lives. The path to no lead for that caliber was a small primer, with NEW chemicals in the primer.

So, it's not a lack of large primers that caused the shift. And, you're not likely to see many other hand gun chamberings with traditionally large primers, o over to small primers, because 45 ACP is about the biggest that the law enforcent guys carry. The other popular chambering in law enforcement is still .40 S&W, and those already have the small primers.

Bottom line, it's really mostly the 45 ACP where you are going to see this switchover.

Many of the small primer 45 ACP cases are coming through with crimped primer pockets. I sort those out, and use them to make jackets (I have a bullet swaging setup) for my 500 S&W Magnum guns.

But, if you wanna deal with de-crimping the small primer 45's, and reload them with small primers, they will work just fine.

 

[Heath]

I inspect all my brass carefully before loading it, so its easy enough to sort out the small primer brass. I put it aside figuring its worth keeping just in case I ever need some .45 and don't have large primers on hand or if I am going to shoot somewhere that I can't recover my brass.

 

[NavelOfficer]

Sometimes the small primers keep others from scavenging your .45 ACP brass; they pass it over, so you can collect it...

You may find some of the older R-P 7.62x39mm brass has a small primer as well.

 

[5 DOLLAR FOOT LONG]

Priming a case that already has powder and a bullet seated in there sounds like a recipe for disaster.

 

[waltherlover]

Nah it works fine. I'm using one of those hand primer thingies. All I'm doing is inserting a primer. There's no risk at all.

 

[Wadcutter]

Priming a case that already has powder and a bullet seated in there sounds like a recipe for disaster.

x1000

 

[M1911]

Nah it works fine. I'm using one of those hand primer thingies. All I'm doing is inserting a primer. There's no risk at all.

I disagree most strongly. I've had a primer discharge while priming a case.

 

[WanMan99]

I disagree most strongly. I've had a primer discharge while priming a case.

agreed, I also have seen powder flow through the primer flash hole and get all over the press. This would lead to an under charged case.

 

[M1911]

agreed, I also have seen powder flow through the primer flash hole and get all over the press. This would lead to an under charged case.

Yup, that too.

 

[bdb]

I find that Blazer and WWB (some of them, not all) are the main two I see with small primers. It's a bit of a pain to separate, just time consuming, not hard. I load both and can't tell the difference in performance. Before I started reloading I was buying (and saving my brass) mostly Blazer so I ended up with decent amount of small primer brass. This was before I new the difference and would look to buy only large primer ammo.

With my 550B it's easy enough to tell when I mix them up, a large primer will not go into a small pocket and if I am loading small primer and get a large pocket case I get no resistance on the primer seating and just pull that case and set it aside for when I load lg primer .45. I occasionally miss one and the tell tale sign is powder all over the press plate and search out the culprit.

 

[spt_1955]

Priming a case that already has powder and a bullet seated in there sounds like a recipe for disaster.

How do you keep powder in a case that has no primer in it???

 

[jibbr71]

Nah it works fine. I'm using one of those hand primer thingies. All I'm doing is inserting a primer. There's no risk at all.

I'm gonna file this in the top ten worst ideas I've ever seen on this forum.

 

[spt_1955]

I always inspect my cases before I load them. I do not find it hard to identify small primer brass. I see mostly Win, Federal, and Blazer. Are all the situations with lead free ammo and the headstamps are marked NT (non toxic)? I've never run into one that was not marked NT.

disclaimer : I've only been reloading 2 years.

 

[jasons]

I'm gonna file this in the top ten worst ideas I've ever seen on this forum.

Yeah, I think this one actually tops the slider lock in the bad idea department. Never thought I'd see it happen.

 

[DW357]

I'm gonna file this in the top ten worst ideas I've ever seen on this forum.

I wasn't sure if the OP was serious - hopefully not. But yes this is a terrible idea with no real benefit.

 

[M1911]

I always inspect my cases before I load them. I do not find it hard to identify small primer brass.

I often find it hard to distinguish between the two, but then my eyes aren't what they used to be...

 

[Tiktock]

I keep a small ziplock bag in my shop. As i sort through a backlog of brass i've collected, I put any .45 brass with small primers in that bag. Some still slip through but I've yet to crush a LPP into one and have it go off.

I have always had an evil plan to simply bring it with me to the range so that when one of those ultra-aggressive brass rats was collecting my brass before I was done shooting, I'd just randomly drop a handful now and then. The knowledge of how annoying it is to sort them out would offset my annoyance with them stealing my brass.

 

[jasons]

I keep a small ziplock bag in my shop. As i sort through a backlog of brass i've collected, I put any .45 brass with small primers in that bag. Some still slip through but I've yet to crush a LPP into one and have it go off.

I have. Twice actually. #presspop

 

[EddieCoyle]

I have. Twice actually. #presspop

I feel when the primer isn't going in and just stop at that point.

ETA: I don't think the OP was saying that he puts a small primer into the loaded round. It looks like he says he pulls the bullet and does it. At least that's the way I read it.

 

[drgrant]

I'm sure this has already been discussed, so I'm expecting to get flamed.

Anyway, I'm curious if the amount of bullets that normally have large primers and have small primers instead has increased or decreased recently. Also, has anyone run into anything with a large primer (44 comes to mind) where they are using small primers? Are there specific manufacturers that are doing this?

Usually when I run into a small pocket on a bullet that should have a large pocket on my progressive, I just continue on without the primer, pull the bullet after the bullet head has been crimped, and use my hand-primer tool to put the small primer in. It's often difficult from a cursory inspection to determine if it's a small or large primer.

What the actual ****? Why not just remove it from the station after it don't prime?

Even on a good day it keeps the powder from spilling all over your press in the process.


-Mike

 

[jibbr71]

ETA: I don't think the OP was saying that he puts a small primer into the loaded round. It looks like he says he pulls the bullet and does it. At least that's the way I read it.

You may be right. I hope you're right.

 

[drgrant]

I keep a small ziplock bag in my shop. As i sort through a backlog of brass i've collected, I put any .45 brass with small primers in that bag. Some still slip through but I've yet to crush a LPP into one and have it go off.

I have always had an evil plan to simply bring it with me to the range so that when one of those ultra-aggressive brass rats was collecting my brass before I was done shooting, I'd just randomly drop a handful now and then. The knowledge of how annoying it is to sort them out would offset my annoyance with them stealing my brass.

Best thing to do with small primer .45 brass.... hoard it and turn it into a run of throwaway brass (eg, NES shoots, USPSA etc) or find a hard core SW625 shooter that wants it. (supposedly small pistol primers ignite easier with light sprung revolvers).

-Mike

 

[waltherlover]

ETA: I don't think the OP was saying that he puts a small primer into the loaded round. It looks like he says he pulls the bullet and does it. At least that's the way I read it.

This is correct. I meant that I pull it after the widening crimp, put the small primer in, then hit the powder fill. Sorry if I wasn't clear.

 

[AlliedArmory]

I have loaded fine and haven't noticed any performance difference. I started sorting my 45acp brass just because of this and keep all the SP on the side. Once in a while when I head to the desert and don't feel like collecting up my brass I can load up the SP and leave them there.

 

[afajvan]

Nah it works fine. I'm using one of those hand primer thingies. All I'm doing is inserting a primer. There's no risk at all.

I think something similar was said on the Titanic, "We're unsinkable, we don't have to worry about icebergs."