Reloading 45ACP

[crackshot258]

For what it's worth, I do not generally sort my brass by head stamp for plinking loads. I ran across a disturbing situation today. I have several thousand Winchester large pistol primers and many, many random 45ACP cases. While reloading I found that several primers would not seat. I took them apart thinking that the primer pocket was dirty and found instead that Winchester primers will NOT seat in S&B brass. So, If you are having problems trying to seat these, check the head stamp. S&B primers work OK in these because they are shorter than the Winchesters. I think CCI work OK too.
I measured several of these and the measurements say they should fit fine but no matter what you do, they do not seat.

 

[243winxb]

May need a primer pocket uniformer.

 

[captain awesome]

So as I am understanding it, this is an issue that the primer pocket is too shallow? Or is it that the pockets are to narrow? This is not an issue with small primer pocket brass mixed with large?

Also I think this belongs in the reloading section.

 

[CZ9shooter]

I have had similar problems with S&B 9mm brass. They would seat, but with considerable effort, often flattening the primer. Now I sort that headstamp out.

OP, You do know that there are one or two brands using SMALL pistol primers in 45acp nowadays too, right? If you use range pickups, sorting is practically mandatory.

 

[1KPerDay]

S&B primers are pretty snug in S&B brass. And REALLY snug in Winchester headstamp brass. At least for me in .45 ACP. But all will seat flush with the proper amount of pressure on a long press handle. I think if I were using a hand primer I'd probably scrap a bit of it.

 

[blue32]

For 45 auto pickups I generally scrap all S&B and PPU cases. I haven't found difficulty in loading all brands of primers into other cases but those aforementioned always give me seating issues with any primers.

I'll add my favorite cases for 45 auto:
Remington, Winchester, CCI/Speer, Starline, Magtech, WCC, and any case with a year headstamp prior to 1991 but after 1960. I've got a handfull of late 60's to early 70's WCC that are pure gold to reload and have been going strong for 30+ reloads.

 

[mdi]

On all the S&B pistol brass I've encountered the primer pocket mouth is not chamfered, almost completely square. I chamfered the mouth, just like I do with military primer crimps, and a work fine. Primers enter easily and straight...

 

[LiveLife]

I ran across a disturbing situation today ... I found that several primers would not seat ... in S&B brass.

This has been a known issue for some time, particularly for 9mm.

With once-fired S&B and RWS brass, smaller cup primers like CCI/Magtech/S&B/Winchester is a snug fit and requires more effort to seat, even barely to flush (I can usually seat these primers to .004" below flush in other headstamp brass). With larger cup primers like Fiocchi/PMC/Tula, it's a "no go" with S&B/RWS brass as I cannot seat them even to flush.

I now sort S&B/RWS brass out along with crimped primer pocket cases and swage the primer pockets with C-H swage tool - https://www.ch4d.com/products/equipment/case-tools/psk

Also, members have reported brass finished steel S&B cases so check them with a magnet.

 

[Walkalong]

I haven't had an issue with S&B brass and primer seating, Winchester included, but maybe it is because I hand prime.

 

[JohnB-40]

S & B's 303 British is the only brass case I will not reload. Way too much hassle with the primer pocket size and case splitting

 

[Jonesy814]

Had some S&B 357 brass that it was tough to get a CCI primer into a while back

 

[Dudedog]

I am in the same boat as WalkAlong.
I hand prime and haven't had any issues S+B 9mm or .45 brass.

 

[Erief0g]

I've loaded about 1500 S&B cases with cci primers in 9mm without issues. Perhaps that combo works best. All are checked in a case gauge and primers all seated correctly. All shot well.

I don't deprive. I run them through the FART, dry them thoroughly, spritz with one shot, them load on a dillon xl650.

I have run about 1600 Winchester primers but can't say for certain I've used the s&b brass when I did so.

 

[joneb]

If you are going to sort out certain head stamps why not just sort all of your brass by headstamp?
This has saved me countless headaches.

 

[Bfh_auto]

All my brass gets trimmed and the pocket uniformed on the first reload. This makes the tight pocket a non-issue.

 

[Toprudder]

On all the S&B pistol brass I've encountered the primer pocket mouth is not chamfered, almost completely square. I chamfered the mouth, just like I do with military primer crimps, and a work fine. Primers enter easily and straight...

I don't remember having a problem with S&B 45 brass, but I'm not 100% sure I have encountered any. However, I have had the problem you mention with 38spl brass, with the pockets having square edges. I ran them through the RCBS case prep center, with a crimp remover bit, and had no problems seating Win primers after that.

 

[Doublehelix]

S&B brass is notorious for small primer pockets. I sort out my S&B brass, and process just I do for military crimped brass, and then it is GTG.

 

[drband]

I noticed tight pockets on S&B range brass I picked up. Tight but useable with S&B primers I should say.

Not tight enough to cause me to sort brass!

 

[hdwhit]

I'm currently using Winchester primers since that's all I can get locally. I use a lot of mixed range brass. I have nearly 30 different headstamps represented. I hand prime using an old RCBS priming tool. Some headstamps are indeed tighter than others, but the only time I've ever had an actual problem was with crimped primers I didn't sufficiently ream during case preparation.