More odd 45 cases

[lightman]

I'm tumbling some brass for another member. As I separated the cases from the media I found several cases with the flash hole drilled out, maybe 1/16th inch or so. Anyone have any ideas? I'm thinking maybe a primer fired load with a plastic or wax bullet? These were 45 ACP cases and all of the drilled out ones were WW cases.

[ioon44]

I have found these drilled out flash hole's in .45 ACP range brass, I think they are for plastic and wax bullets to keep the primer from backing out.

I pitch them into the scrap bucket, they might load and shoot OK but I don't need another variable when loading.

[TNsailorman]

I have drilled out both .38 special and .45 acp to be used as rubber and wax bullets before. It works for indoor practice. A large box with several dowels run thru the sides and a towel folded to make several folds to slow down and stop the bullet works out great for indoor practice. Use a standard primer only for propellant. Do not use a magnum primer. Its been a long time since I did this but I still have some of the .45 acp cases on hand, I don't know what happened to the .38 cases. my experience anyway, james

[lightman]

Thanks for the replys. In the far reaches of my memory, and because I was too lazy to google it, I was thinking plastic or wax bullets for indoor practice. These will probably get scrapped as 45's are not hard to come by.

[GONRA]

GONRA sez don't reload "drilled out flash hole brass." Just SCRAP it!

[jmorris]

Winchester has both large and small flash holes from the factory. What are the diameters they might not be drilled rather just a larger ID.

These are all untouched flashholes in factory cases.

I first started noticing them around 2004 when they began the winclean stuff.

[Tom W.]

I have a bunch like that. Never had a problem loading or firing them.

[ReloaderFred]

That was one of the iterations of transitioning to DDNP (non-toxic) priming compound. With the much faster brisance of the DDNP, they were looking for a way to keep the primers from backing out so fast they would get smashed when the action of the gun reseated them. They tried the enlarged flash holes, crimping and finally small pistol primers. Winchester still crimps their small NT pistol primers in the .45 acp, but they've gone away from the enlarged flash hole.

They will load fine with lead styphnate primers, but it's up to each individual what they want to do with them. I didn't notice any difference in point of impact when I loaded the ones I had.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[lightman]

The flash holes look like the picture on the left except that they are WW headstamped cases. I tumbled this batch of cases for a buddy and separated them out. I'll let him decide what to do with them but its good to know that some of you have shot these with no problems. Thanks for the replys.

[jmorris]

I didn't notice any difference in point of impact when I loaded the ones I had.

When I tested the three different ones side by side, the larger flashhole had a smaller SD but my sample size was relatively small as was the difference.

[GoodOlBoy]

I knew some bowling pin shooters who used 45 acp, low charge weights and standard weight cast bullets who would drill out the flash holes to get more consistency out of low charge weight rounds. These things often looked like fat drunk bumble bees headed down range, but they seemed to work. I've also seen brass in 45 acp, 45 long colt, and 38/357 that had off center drilled flash holes, and the "fix" used to be drill 'em out. In 45 long colt with either speer shotshell capsules, or double roundball loads I've used brass with drilled out flash holes because, again, a very low charge was being used for launch.

My 2 cents. If the brass is solid and safe use 'em, don't toss 'em. Heck put them up for trade or sale. Last resort would be selling them to the recycler.

God Bless, and One Love.

GoodOlBoy

[472x1B/A]

I have WINCHESTER and FEDERAL head stamped brass with the large primer holes. Have shot Unique, Bullseye, and HS-6 with both with no problems.

[Steve E]

I'll go along with jmorris as probably from Win Clean ammo.

Steve...........