Small primer 45acp cases.

Is there any reason to avoid 45acp cases made for small pistol primers? Seems like they would save the hassle of changing over the primer system on my Dillon reloading machine.

I have thousands of cases with the large primer pockets, so I avoid them just so as not to get them mixed up.

My experience with them has been fine. You do need to use 2-4 tenths more powder. I will say I no longer use them.

Dave

I use them to reload non bullseye rounds for my other 45's. So if I am shooting in a field or maybe an IDPA match where no one respects your brass, then they work great. If I get some of them back, fine. If not, then also fine.

Somehow, I got 2000 of them.  They work just fine.  I keep mine separated and only load them on my small primer machine.

I use them with magnum primers for a better and cleaner burn. When I was using reg primers I was getting poweder that wasn't completely burning.

Ray Dash wrote:I use them with magnum primers for a better and cleaner burn. When I was using reg primers I was getting poweder that wasn't completely burning.

Now I remember why I stopped...

Dave

If using magnum pistol primers in a 38 special should you also lower the amount of powder two to four tenths?

Why was the small primer 45 case invented? What was the thought behind it?

Nopro wrote:Why was the small primer 45 case invented? What was the thought behind it?

Probably single sourcing primers. Single inventory.

The first time I ever saw small primer .45 brass was around 2004. It was Winchester "Winclean" ammo. It had an indoor shooting friendly priming compound. I was at a trade show for work. I picked up over a half of a paper grocery bag of empties before realizing that it had small primers. Then proceeded to do something that I still kick myself for, I dumped the bag in the recycle barrel! I just thought that it would be a PIA to have .45 cases with two different size primers. Well every four years after that primers would be gone from the shelves, with the exception of small pistol magnum primers. Every time I saw a nearly empty primer shelf in a store with the exception of a carton or two small pistol magnum, I kicked my butt.

The rationale was to have a “lead free” primer option for indoor ranges.  When the first came out, lead free primers were only available in Small Pistol sizes.  So “Range Safe-Lead Free” was only available in small primed 45.

I only load Small primers so for me they are great. Anyone who doesn't want them can gladly send them my way....maybe after the hysteria is over I will be able to start shooting again.

I stocked up because I have only SP primers left.  I made sure to buy a different brand than my LP cases to try and mitigate accidental contamination (which I’m sure is going to happen anyway).  Since I had no experience I did a little testing which I just finished up.  I used 185 swaged SWC, 200 cast lswc, and zero jhp.  I used my most popular charge weights (3.7, 4.0, 4.2) of Clays.  One, ten shot sample per combination (three bullets, three charges, two primer sizes).

Results…

1.  SP needs .2-.3 grains (an exact quarter turn of the Dillon charge wheel) more to get same velocity.  This is synonymous with 30-40 ft/sec.
2. Total spread and standard deviation was greater with SP;  SP spread and SD = 100 f/s and 25 f/s and LP spread and SD = 40 f/s and 15 f/s. Not enough shooting though to be statistically significant so I did not want to shoot these loads through my RR and get all worked up.  I will not have a choice next season anyway (unless LP primers suddenly materialize)  so no point in whining or getting annoyed over potential lost points at the long line. My subconscious would rather not know.

I don't have any of the pictures of progressive presses blown up due to large pistol primers exploding during seating into small primer 45 ACP brass, but these things have happened.

Even after visually culling small primer brass before throwing in the tumbler, I still have had the occasional one appear while reloading. I will pick up my brass at the range, and somehow, lying on the ground, was a small pistol primer case that was not mine,  and that ended up jamming my Dillion 550B. I have been lucky in that when I noticed increased priming resistance, I was able to stop and look before the large primer went off.

These are pictures of what others have experienced with Federal small pistol primers going off in their progressive presses.  I am sure a large pistol primer explosion would be similarly impressive.

Makes me feel better about spending the extra time priming brass by hand off the press. Does not eliminate the risk, but reduces it significantly. If any unusual pressure can easily stop and check. Must remember to wear safety glasses though!

RoyDean wrote: If any unusual pressure can easily stop and check. 

Applies to progressive presses as well.