.45ACP Reco's and Headstamps

[drannor]

I went by the my local range today and picked up the Dillon conversion kit I'd ordered for my 550B. (Toolhead, powder measure, etc for .45) When I finished shooting and went to check out the guy working the register told me that the store owner had gifted me their current stock of once fired brass! I'd estimate this at around 600 - 700 pieces. I guess being a paying customer for a few years paid off.

So, I've cleaned and sorted all the brass out and had some questions. This is roughly ordered by casings found, Winchester was more then 50% of the lot.

Manufacturer - Headstamp
Winchester - Winchester, WW?
Remingtom - RP
PMC - PMC
Federal - Federal
Speer/CCI - Speer, CCI
Magtech - CCB
Selior & Belliot - S&B
Fiocchi - Fiocchi, GFL
Western - WWC, WWC Match
Aguila - Aguila
IMI - TZZ
S&W - S&W

????????
AP 00 45 Auto
ACP 98 45 Auto
FC 97 45 Auto
SB 85 45 Auto

I tossed the few Amerc and Win NT stamped pieces I found.

Questions
1. Can anyone identify the above ????? headstamps? Recognize the date codes, thought perhaps these were mil brass of some sort.
2. Is W-W marked brass winchester?
3. Is the Fiocchi and GFL marked brass identical other than headstamp?
4. What about CCI and Speer marked brass?
5. Should I toss any of the rest of this? Magtech? Aguila?
6. Do the rounded case rims on the S&B and Fiocchi brass pose issues?
7. When's the last time S&W made .45ACP??

Thanks in advance.

 

[larryw]

1. FC = Federal Cartridge Co. No idea on the others. See http://members.shaw.ca/cstein0/uscenter.htm

2. W-W = Winchester Western (yes, same)

4. I have problems priming the Speer brass in my Dillon (due to cupped head?) I was given a bunch of it (a benefit of doing range duty at my club) but wound up tossing it. YMMV

5. While I don't segregate 45 brass on headstamp, I tend to toss the "oddball" headstamps that don't show up too much. My brass consists of Winchester, Federal, R-P, S&B. I pitch the rest. But there's nothing wrong with any of the stuff you have.

6. I love S&B brass, ditto on IMI. Tough stuff that lasts forever. Tight primer pockets can cause problems the first time you prime, but pockets don't get loose over time. Treat it like military brass (although you don't need to remove crimp). Doesn't like CCI primers, but then neither does your Dillon press.

 

[Valkman]

Check out this site - great for Headstamp ID

 

[John C]

LarryW;

I'm from a few exits down 85 from you. But the reason I'm posting is that you said that Dillon presses don't like CCI primers. Why is that? I have a dillon that I'm trying to put back in action, and I was planning to use some CCIs that I have laying around.

Thanks.

John C

 

[Black Snowman]

I can guess why. CCIs are hard and that make them somewhat finicky when feeding through a priming system or seating if things aren't just perfect. They seem to work OK in my Lee Load Master but I'll still get maybe 1 in 300 or so that are turned or fail to feed. Other brands don't seem to be any better in my Load Master so I go with the primers I like. Which happen to be CCIs and occasionally Winchester.

 

[larryw]

CCIs have a lot of variation in the cup dimensions and that causes problems in Dillon's feeding system. You can use them, just go slow and make sure the primer is properly positioned in the priming cup.

Also, the weight of an empty 45 case fit to the top of the primer warning system's black rod helps with the feeding.

Win, Fed and Rem primers are A-OK.

 

[drannor]

First, thanks for the help on the headstamps. The odd coded cases appear to military brass, so curiousity satisfied.

I too was a bit puzzled by the CCI primer comment. I've loaded .357/.38 with CCI's small pistol primers with no issues.

Of course I've already had one of their large primers seat sideways loading .45ACP, but I think this is related a problem I'm having with cases sticking on the belling plug. Having to really jerk the arm to get them unstuck and upsetting the primer in the process. I need to start over with the powder / belling position, I must have something off.

 

[C. H. Luke]

"AP 00 45 Auto
ACP 98 45 Auto
FC 97 45 Auto
SB 85 45 Auto"

Almost anything with a date code on it is almost sure to have a mil. crimp that needs to be removed.

Really have to watch the bell with a 550 as to much can actually damage or break the frame of Dillon's Powder Measure. If it's adj. correctly often wiping the powder die tip off with isopropyl then very lightly wipe with someting like Hornady's "One Shot" case lube will keep it from sticking without much attention after that.

Don't hesitate to use Dillon's 800 help number! They'll help troubleshoot your press when you are working on it.

MagTec is very good brass, IME although failrly stiff or hard comapred to other mfg.

Only use FED or Win. primers and find the Win. drop in easier in general, while the FED's have a softer cup.

Have had no luck at all with S&B in 9mm or .45. {.40s seem to be passable} Pockets seem to be undersize and even with chamfering {as an experiment} a 550B ruins most of the FEDS tried when seating. Have even swagged them with no luck. Possibly better using Win. but most of my friends have same problem with S&B.