Loading 45acp Small Primer Brass

Yeah I know it's not a favorite subject but with the primer shortage I have been looking into reloading the small primer brass to save what large primers I have.

I have read everything here that is available but have not been successful loading accurate ammo like I can using large primer brass with the same powder charge, namely 4.3grs of WST fired from my Jon Euleta KKM1-13" twist barrel.
I cast my own bullets to supplement my habit 180gr SWC and also buy Zero 185gr LSWCHP.

First off I used wire size drill bits to gauge the SP brass flash holes and found them smaller than LP brass so I reamed them to the same size.

Reading that the leadfree primers were hotter than standard primers and using WST ball powder I decided to try some magnum small pistol primers.
All loads were loaded on a Dillon 550B crimp was heavy at .464" and the same 4.3grs of powder, the pistol had a EGW 12.5lb recoil spring which allows the pistol to run perfectly with 180gr bullets and the 4.3gr powder charge. The small primer loads would not cycle the pistol and the recoil was very light and soft with the hits on paper all over the place. The same bullet and powder charge with LP primers were very accurate and cycled flawlessly.

Maybe someone here can explain why the recoil is so light and the loads won't cycle the pistol like the same load with LP will.

Load Data
Mixed SPP 45ACP (Blazer, CCI, Win NT, Federal)
WSP
Brazos 180 SWC.
4.3 Bullseye

The charge was “upped” a tad (normal in LPP is 4.2) to assure function, but I do not know the lower limit for function.  Your WST seems ok.  Mine is a 16 twist issue barrel.  They do shoot well enough.  The problem may lie in gun setup or ammo assembly??

Ladder load for correct function. Probably could save a bit of time with a chronograph. The small pistol primers in a 45 case may or may not play nice with your powder/bullet choice.

I’ve been shooting small primer .45 brass for the last two years.  I run 4.5 WST in the cool months of the year, and 4.3 WST in the summer with 185’s.  4.4 Titegroup with 185’s was my go to when I couldn’t find WST.

It seemed to me, although I have no definitive data, that the small pistol loads were just a bit softer than an identical load and large pistol.

Thanks for the responses. Sounds like I need to increase the powder charge.

I played around with small primers and WST a few years ago. I ended up having to load 0.3-0.4 grains heavier to achieve the same function and feel. That was using Winchester small primers vs federal large. 

Dave

I must same I am surprised on the load variations shown.  I have shot the same load, 3.7gr. Bullseye with a Brazos 180gr SWC crimp is .469.  in mixed brass with both large and small primers and see no difference.  All function fine, though I will admit I have not chronographed the load to see any velocity difference but on target they appear the same, pistol is a stock RRA Hardball.

Randy D

Randy_D wrote:I must same I am surprised on the load variations shown.  I have shot the same load, 3.7gr. Bullseye with a Brazos 180gr SWC crimp is .469.  in mixed brass with both large and small primers and see no difference.  All function fine, though I will admit I have not chronographed the load to see any velocity difference but on target they appear the same, pistol is a stock RRA Hardball.

Randy D

I was very surprised that the load wouldn't cycle my pistol since I had went down to 3.9grs of WST with LPP primers that cycled the gun.
The pistol is very tight and snaps in and out of battery but still will run light loads with no problems. I don't think I should go any lighter on the recoil spring since it may not lock up properly.

From what I have seen in the responses the small pistol primer loads seem to favor Bullseye powder so maybe I need to make a change.