Got a brass question 45 ACP small primer vs large primer

[jh45gun]

I got some mixed brass for my 45 acp out of 325 rounds about 70 are Fiocci with the small pistol primers and a few Federal ones also. Any difference in loading these as far as a powder charge goes as compared to the large primer? Not sure why they went with the small primer makes it a pain when reloading.

[Walt]

Like you, I have collected a few but have not used them. From what I've read, all other things being equal, it takes a bit more propellant to reach the same velocities that large primer cases will provide.

[ReloaderFred]

The short answer is, "there is no discernable difference between the two". In fact, some of the Bullseye shooters are claiming better accuracy at 50 yards with the small pistol primed .45 acp brass. Just load them as normal, except for the primer size.

The large primer was never needed in the small .45 acp case in the first place. In some areas of the world it's been loaded with small primers for many, many years. I have one headstamped 1957 that is small pistol primed (Berdan).

The change was brought about as a result of the many attempts to use the new Non-Toxic Diazoninitrophenol (DDNP) priming compound, which has a much higher brisance than the older Lead Styphnate priming compound.

Rather than go into the process again, and the many different attempts to make DDNP priming work, which has been much discussed on all the forums for the past several years, let's just say that is was found that the small primers worked just fine, so some manufacturers are now making lots of them. Most new Blazer Brass cases are small primed, as well as some Speer and Federal. You'll also find some Winchester with small primers, mostly in their NT line of ammunition. And not all small primer .45 ammunition is NT, unless so marked on the headstamp.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[jh45gun]

Thanks reload as normal that is what I was looking for.

[44man]

The short answer is, "there is no discernable difference between the two". In fact, some of the Bullseye shooters are claiming better accuracy at 50 yards with the small pistol primed .45 acp brass. Just load them as normal, except for the primer size.

The large primer was never needed in the small .45 acp case in the first place. In some areas of the world it's been loaded with small primers for many, many years. I have one headstamped 1957 that is small pistol primed (Berdan).

The change was brought about as a result of the many attempts to use the new Non-Toxic Diazoninitrophenol (DDNP) priming compound, which has a much higher brisance than the older Lead Styphnate priming compound.

Rather than go into the process again, and the many different attempts to make DDNP priming work, which has been much discussed on all the forums for the past several years, let's just say that is was found that the small primers worked just fine, so some manufacturers are now making lots of them. Most new Blazer Brass cases are small primed, as well as some Speer and Federal. You'll also find some Winchester with small primers, mostly in their NT line of ammunition. And not all small primer .45 ammunition is NT, unless so marked on the headstamp.

Hope this helps.

Fred
Exactly right. I had to work with a .45 ACP revolver and it really did poorly. I looked at the cases at my bench and said the LP primer is too much. I did not have SP brass so I made bushings. Accuracy increased so much I was surprised. My friend bought a pile of SP primed brass.

[9.3X62AL]

No personal hands-on with SP-capped 45 ACP cases, but some shooters whose accounts I trust have stated that the SP-primed 45 ACP casings give discernably better accuracy in their pistols than do the old-line LP-primed cases.

One other account I read (location unrecalled) stated that the SP priming of 45 ACP cases was undertaken to simplify manufacturing of both 45 GAP (which uses SP priming exclusively) and 45 ACP brass with as little tooling shift as possible. Assuming that the 45 ACP runs well with SP primers, this would be a sensible alteration, though I think the 45 GAP was dead-on-arrival.