Small Primer 45 Brass No Good?

[ReloaderFred]

Yep, that's what I'm saying. I've gotten to the point where I just load for accuracy. When I find that I can shoot groups I'm satisfied with, then I'll break out the PACT Professional Chronograph and see what the numbers are, but more out of curiosity than anything else.

I am surprised you got that much velocity drop with the SP primed brass, though. I did my testing with Bullseye and Winchester 231, and I got 25 to 50 fps less, but they printed to the same point of impact and still shot small groups, so I left it at that and continued to load both primer sizes with the same powder/bullet combinations. My loads were in the upper mid-range of the data.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[chiltech500]

Yea Fred, that whole SPP initial test (which was my very 1st use of a chrono) threw me.

You'll notice the test memorial day weekend with all variables "cleaned up" the difference was only 25-50 fps. I am expecting a SPP test with Blazer brass to be the same as LPP, as I have come to believe these WinNT cases are somehow involved.

I will have to drag my butt to use the rest for accuracy SPP vs LPP, it takes so much time to use the rest clamped properly for each shot. A lot of Bullseye folks use N310 and swear by it. The Green Dot testing surprised me for how accurate and consistent it was, I bought it as a backup and practice powder. I am convinced both powders are good.

 

[ReloaderFred]

Green Dot is an under rated powder in the .45 acp. I use it for loading 230 gr. JHP bullets and the accuracy and velocity is right up there at the top of the scale. In fact, it surprised me how well it shot out of my XD, 1911's and Witnesses in that caliber.

For most of my .45 acp loading, I use either Bullseye or Win. 231, but I also have a load using Ram Shot True Blue and Berry's 185 gr. HBRN bullets that works really well, but True Blue has to be loaded near max or it leaves a lot of unburned powder and residue in the barrel and chamber.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[chiltech500]

Yes Fred, I too found the Green Dot great in 9mm also, though I have not tested higher velocities. I was down at the Bullseye loads 4.0 for 9mm and 5.2 for 45's.

It seems Bullseye and the Winchester powders are scarce these days. I picked up 4 lbs of Green and 2 of Red Dot when I had the chance early spring.

 

[Captaingyro]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned this (that I can see), but you shouldn't be "swaging" the whole primer pocket, just the mouth, or rim, of the opening.

When primers are crimped in, the diameter of the primer pocket doesn't change; the only thing the crimp does is press a thin ridge of brass in over the outer edge of the seated primer. The only thing you have to remove is that ridge around the opening, either by swaging, .i.e, pressing it back away from the mouth, or by scraping it off with a deburring tool, knife, etc.

The actual inside diameter of the primer pocket should not be altered.

 

[celem]

Yes Fred, I too found the Green Dot great in 9mm...

Ditto - one of my favorite 9mm loads is with Green Dot.

 

[chiltech500]

Captaingyro,

I use Dillons super swager, it does what you describe. My first go round I may have over-swaged by swaging once then turning screw such that the crimping nose went deeper and then redoing the crimp again. This sure made getting the primers in easier.

I find when I do the minimum swage now, that I am forcing the primers in a bit past a tight mouth (keep your minds out of the gutter)