Primer Hole

[hooverdm]

I have been given a bunch of .45 brass. Some of the Winchester brass seems to have unusually large primer holes, (pockets seem fine). A i/8th drill bit passes through easily, while a 3/32 bit will not pass through the others. (Those bits were the only ones on hand. Is Win Brass know for having large primer holes?

Dave H
San Antonio, Tx

[Catshooter]

Those appear to be way to big to have come from Winchester that way. Someone drilled them out? We do that for loads that are primer-fired (no powder) only. Wax or hot glue bullets.

Regardless, you won't want to use them in loads with powder.

Welcome to the forum by the way.


Cat

[skeet1]

I came across the same thing and contacted Winchester about the safety of using the cases. I was told that they did produce cases with this size hole and that they were safe. No explanation as to why they were made this way. Since that time I have loaded and used the cases without any problem.

Skeet1

[S.R.Custom]

I came across the same thing...

Me too. Doesn't seem to be an issue with low pressure cartridges like the .45 ACP.

[billyb]

the large flash holes were for the lead free type primers. There was a lot of discussion in the gun mags about thier use. The feeling at the time was that using them with lead based primers was it would lead to high pressures. The experence with them with lead based primers , is that they are safe. I dont find many of these any more,when i do i throw them in the scrap bin. Bill

[kir_kenix]

I wouldn't worry about them in the .45 acp. I've looked thru a bunch of my brass, and a few of my old WW brass has the same primer holes. I've reloaded some of them many times, and I've never noticed a problem with any of it. .45 is pretty low pressure to begin with....

[45nut]

"win-clean" is the ammo produced with the "large" primer holes. I have read varying reports as to the reloading qualities of it.

[runfiverun]

it isn't the case pressures you have to worry about, it is the back thrust against the primer.
if the pockets become the least bit loose you will start launching primers.
i keep them separate and load them as low as will work the slide.

[wonderwolf]

I've run into this with .44 Spl myself, didn't think much of it but I did set the cases aside for separate loading. With normal .44 Spl loadings they didn't act up much but I didn't need to push my luck with anything and I didn't care to keep track of a few odd pcs of brass so I tossed them in my case alteration bin for further tinkering.

[jhrosier]

If the big hole brass is 45ACP, it was probably drilled out for use with the Speer plastic bullets.
Unless you have a huge number of these and no other brass, I would crush them and recycle.
It is just not worth taking a chance to save pennies.

Jack

[Catshooter]

Well what do ya know, learn somehting every day I come to this site.


Cat

[beagle]

It's the lead free ammo that had those. I've had no problems incorporating them into the regular loading cycle but at first glance you say, "What the H---!.

Now, there is some of the .45 ACP brass kicking around with small primer pockets. You want to save this as it seems to produce less pressure than the brass with Large primer pockets.

I use it in my Ruger .45 convertible with heavy bullet loads and it keeps the pressure down./beagle

[Shepherd2]

I ran into some of these several years ago. I went to the Winchester website and in the FAQ section I found out that the cases were loaded with the "non toxic" primer compound and the cases could be loaded with regular primers the same as cases with the normal primer hole.

Since then when I run across one of these cases when I'm reloading I just reload it. I've never noticed a difference.

[badgeredd]

I just came upon a problem, kinda, with primer hole in '06 brass. It is Lake City brass, and about 20 out of 100 have the primer hole noticeably off center. I would think that this would affect the ignition column of the powder, but I am wondering if I really need to be concerned for hunting/plinking loads. What do you all think?

Edd

[Lloyd Smale]

I would use them but i would seperate them as im sure it will effect accuracy one way or the other with the load your using.

[dale2242]

I don`t know about winchesters 'lead free" ammo/primers, but I`m with jhrosier, they may have been drilled out for Speers plastic bullets. These bullets were for indoor practice. You could stop the plastic bullets with a towel in a cardboard box. The bullets were powered by the primer only. To get the full power of the primer they suggested you drill the flash hole out to 1/8 in.----dale

[NSP64]

I ran into the same thing with some range brass I had picked up. I also thought someone had drilled the flash hole up. I tossed them.:lovebooli

[RogerWatsonfromIdaho]

Only a small difference in velocity in my test.
I keep the cases with oversize flash holes separate.

08-13-2008 75-80 degrees F.
200 grain H&G#68 cast with wheelweights with NO tin added.
NOT HEAT TREATED BULLETS.
Lubed and sized with 0.452” die in the Star luber/sizer.
Win Cases with normal flash hole. Win primers.

4.0 Bullseye
Average Velocity 764 FPS. 788-741 = 47 FPS variation n=8 sd=14

200 grain H&G#68 cast with wheelweights with NO tin added.
NOT HEAT TREATED BULLETS.
Lubed and sized with 0.452” die in the Star luber/sizer.
Win Cases with OVERSIZE flash hole (0.125”). Enlarged flash holes.
Win primers.

4.0 Bullseye
Average Velocity 783 FPS. 798-767 = 31 FPS variation n=9 sd=10

Oversize gave 783-764 = 19 FPS greater velocity and less velocity variation and less sd.

[shotman]

you didnt say what 45 acp --colt--- 45 colt is made that way for blank BP [ look up midway] acp varys but if you load fine powder[titegroup]would not use the large holes

[EMC45]

Found some and tossed them all.