45 ACP primers question???

Status
Not open for further replies.
74man

74man

Member
Joined
Sep 1, 2021
Messages
403
Location
Nor. Cal.
Today I decapped about 1500 rounds of 45 Auto and I found something interesting. I have a lot of mixed brass, Federal, Rem-Peters, Geco, Brazer, Liberty and some others. I found while decapping the Federal that about 1/4 of them were small primers and the rest were large primers. I also found out that most of the small primers, the anvils were lose or missing but only a fraction of large primers had missing anvils. How is it that only Federal has the mix of large and small primers but the other brass only had large primers?? Seems like the recoil shock loosened the small primer anvils so why would they install small primers?
 
Federal is not the only one that has small primers. Speer does and maybe a few others. I can't tell that one shoots better than the other. Being mixed can be a pain sometimes, other times it may keep you from having to change the priming parts on a press from one size to the other.
 
If the cases were range pick-ups or purchased fired cases, there could be some small primer cases in the mix.

I'm not sure the reason some manufacturers make small primer 45 ACP, maybe cost, but they are out there.

Once the primer has fired, it does not matter if the anvil is loose in the spent primer or not. It may be related to how Federal makes their small primers. Maybe small Federal pistol primers just end up with loose anvils after firing whether used in a small primer 45 ACP case or loaded in a case by a reloader for who knows what purpose.

It's been decades since any small Federal pistol primers past through my reloading room.
 
The main reason driving the switch to small primers 45 ACP is competitive shooters. Guys doing 3 gun matches reload a ton of ammo for their matches, and 2 of the 3 guns only use small primers. Loading small primers into 45 ACP means they only need to buy small primers, and they don’t have to switch over to large primer punch. Painful as that may be for the rest of us that generally have large primer brass for 45ACP.
Considering how difficult it’s been to find LPP, and the crap ton of SPP and SRP I have, I may find myself longing for small 45 cases as well. Still have 2900 LPP, so not desperate, yet!
 
When Federal released their lead free ammo they replaced the Lead Styphnate primer compound with Diazole (I think that's the name) to reduce lead in the air for indoor ranges. They made those rounds with a small primer instead of a large primer. I think I read the new compound didn't need to be the same size of the large primer to achieve the same results. If I'm not correct on all that forgive me because I'm getting old lol.
 
ArchAngelCD said:
When Federal released their lead free ammo they replaced the Lead Styphnate primer compound with Diazole (I think that's the name) to reduce lead in the air for indoor ranges. They made those rounds with a small primer instead of a large primer. I think I read the new compound didn't need to be the same size of the large primer to achieve the same results. If I'm not correct on all that forgive me because I'm getting old lol.
Click to expand...
Bingo.
 
ArchAngelCD said:
When Federal released their lead free ammo they replaced the Lead Styphnate primer compound with Diazole (I think that's the name) to reduce lead in the air for indoor ranges. They made those rounds with a small primer instead of a large primer. I think I read the new compound didn't need to be the same size of the large primer to achieve the same results. If I'm not correct on all that forgive me because I'm getting old lol.
Click to expand...
you beat me too it! this is also the reason you find 10mm with SPP. indoor range air requirements
 
Nice job on the library. More small primer makers than I thought.
 
I don't use the small primer 45ACP cases just to save me from sorting headaches even though I check and recheck each case many times during the reloading process. I've used both before and with the powders I use I haven't noticed a difference. I think it comes down to which powder you use.
 
I collect a lot of odds-n-ends from other shooters and buy cleaned range brass to resupply when needed. I was given about a thousand SPP .45ACP, kept them separate, mostly FC headstamp but some WIN too, and I've loaded some up just to see if I can tell a difference. I can't. They shoot the same as LPP brass. Since that first thousand I've been given another couple of thousand by friends who had it and didn't want it. I leave my brass lay at the indoor range and now sometimes at the outdoor range, just to feed the brass chickens, but on friends land we always police it just so the cows won't eat it. They'll eat about anything they can get a tongue on and brass is not good for them. Just keep the SPP brass in separate bins and only load it up when you can make sure to label what it is. I try to stay on a first-name basis with all my brass so I don't mind picking through it looking for small primers.
 
GeoDudeFlorida said:
I collect a lot of odds-n-ends from other shooters and buy cleaned range brass to resupply when needed. I was given about a thousand SPP .45ACP, kept them separate, mostly FC headstamp but some WIN too, and I've loaded some up just to see if I can tell a difference. I can't. They shoot the same as LPP brass. Since that first thousand I've been given another couple of thousand by friends who had it and didn't want it. I leave my brass lay at the indoor range and now sometimes at the outdoor range, just to feed the brass chickens, but on friends land we always police it just so the cows won't eat it. They'll eat about anything they can get a tongue on and brass is not good for them. Just keep the SPP brass in separate bins and only load it up when you can make sure to label what it is. I try to stay on a first-name basis with all my brass so I don't mind picking through it looking for small primers.
Click to expand...
Two points:
1. I’m envious of your ability to choose to (or not) pickup brass. Since I must purchase all my brass (used is what I buy), I can’t afford to not pick it up and even when I do, I lose about 10% per range visit.
2. Where other than THR could I have possibly learned cows will eat brass? That’s just the strangest darned thing I’ve heard of in a long time.
 
CQB45ACP said:
Two points:
1. I’m envious of your ability to choose to (or not) pickup brass. Since I must purchase all my brass (used is what I buy), I can’t afford to not pick it up and even when I do, I lose about 10% per range visit.
2. Where other than THR could I have possibly learned cows will eat brass?
Click to expand...
My wife and I are blessed with good friends and family who make sure we are taken care of - including our hobbies sometimes. We do our best to recipricate and return those blessings.
Always be kind to mendicant priests and needy strangers for the most meek among us is an emissary of Hope.

I gave up chasing brass at the indoor range when the 2012 crisis hit. The range got too crowded and it was dangerous to try and chase brass with so many newbs handling loaded firearms. I just figured it was my way of giving back to brothers who own the shop. I've known them both since they were in diapers and now they're grown men with families of their own. They've hard workers and nice people so I leave a few bucks of brass behind and sometimes they hand me a bucket of recycle brass to reload. Stuff they can't even jokingly say is "once fired." ;)
 
GeoDudeFlorida said:
My wife and I are blessed with good friends and family who make sure we are taken care of - including our hobbies sometimes. We do our best to recipricate and return those blessings.
Always be kind to mendicant priests and needy strangers for the most meek among us is an emissary of Hope.

I gave up chasing brass at the indoor range when the 2012 crisis hit. The range got too crowded and it was dangerous to try and chase brass with so many newbs handling loaded firearms. I just figured it was my way of giving back to brothers who own the shop. I've known them both since they were in diapers and now they're grown men with families of their own. They've hard workers and nice people so I leave a few bucks of brass behind and sometimes they hand me a bucket of recycle brass to reload. Stuff they can't even jokingly say is "once fired." ;)
Click to expand...
Now that’s an inspiring Christmas message whether you intended it or not.
 
I was blessed with a med flat rate box of 45 brass a while back by a member on another forum. It was a real blessing to me. I had some, but not like that. Now it seems it was just the boost I needed and I have a gracious plenty.

A friend that shoots on my farm and doesn't reload is my only source. He shoots a lot too.

I have loaded small primer 45 brass, I don't prefer one or the other. Whatever I have primers for.
 
I noticed the same thing (anvils falling out of SPP but not LPP when depriming) I never thought anything of it.
All I know is that they are secure when new, and when pressed into a primer pocket, they can't move.
There is no problem
 
When I come across small primer 45 Auto brass I save it to trade. It's not that I don't like the small primer brass, it's just that I have friends who load on a progressive press from Dillon and they like the small primer brass so they don't have to go through changing primer sizes and can stick with all small primers.

I trade them 1 for 1 because they appreciate them and I like the large primer brass just as well. (they are friends after all) I load on a Lee Classic Turret Press so it takes only seconds to change over primer sizes.
 
The small primed 45 ACP has been used for several years. After seeing a bunch of complaints from reloaders (primarily progressive press users that don't inspect their brass), I did my own test. I already had a bunch of large primed cases, so I bought 300 small primed once fired brass. Long story short; not enough difference in performance in 3 load/bullet combinations to bother with. I give my brass a quick inspecion before I start procesing them (for all cases/cartridges I reload). For me it's no big deal to glance at the case head and toss cases into two different boxes, and I have a habit of glancing at the headstamp when priming. I use an RCBS bench prime and a ram prime and switching from large to small primers takes less than 30 seconds. I now have both large and small primed 45 ACP handloads. If I used a Ransom Rest shooting groups with my 3, 45 ACP guns, I might see a difference, but definately not with my shakey old hands...

But I like reloading. All aspects of reloading from research/determing a load, finding components, inspection, assembling handloads, shooting, reviewing results and recording results. If/when I pick up a case at the range, I glance at the case head and look for any damage (5 seconds at most). If I don't want it, for whatever reason, I'll toss it all in a pile for the next guy. All a part of my Handloading Life...
 
Last edited:
lightman said:
Federal is not the only one that has small primers. Speer does and maybe a few others. I can't tell that one shoots better than the other. Being mixed can be a pain sometimes, other times it may keep you from having to change the priming parts on a press from one size to the other.
Click to expand...

I think his point was only Federal has a mix of both. I've only ever found Speer and Blazer to come in SPP 45 ACP. Federal however, is definitely a mix of SPP and LPP.
 
After going through my .45 brass for depriming I have found some that have extra large flash holes. I pull them out because I don't want that to change my shooting consistency. I'm not sure if it will effect my loads but it's not worth testing for, I just pitch them.
But it's another thing to watch for.
45-flash-hole.jpg
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

P
  • Locked
calibers with crimped small rifle primers ???
Replies
3
Views
627
lgbloader
L
C
  • Locked
Primer anvil separation during decapping
Replies
22
Views
1K
mdi
mdi
TheDomFather
  • Locked
Next rookie ? .45 ACP small primers or large?
Replies
15
Views
11K
Sunray
S
Reefinmike
  • Locked
Help ID primers from LC 4 30carbine brass
Replies
6
Views
490
hdwhit
H
fearless leader
  • Locked
Quick question, .45 brass large and small primers?
Replies
3
Views
308
ReloaderFred
ReloaderFred
Back
Top