SPP for 45ACP

[Hossfly]

Cant figure for the life of me, (why) a manufacturing co would start installing SPP in the 45ACP.

Processing about 3,000 the last few days, found about 25% had SPP while putting them up. Most I believe are stamped Federal.

Cant figure if it was cheaper for them or couldn’t get LPP or for what exact reason.

You guys got an opinion?

[scattershot]

I don’t know, but I’ve got a stash squirreled away just in case large primers get scarce. (Like now).

[zarrinvz24]

I've mostly only seen it in Blazer brass. I always figured it was one of those things where fractions of a cent add up to be cheaper to make.

[monkey wrangler]

Most of my 45ACP brass is SPP they started that I think at least 10 years ago. My guess is cheaper to manufacture.
I have not had any problems with the SPP brass.

[Bull-Moose]

I have only seen them on Blazer, and some Federal cases.

[Outpost75]

The lead-free primers preferred for safety reasons on indoor ranges are made only in the small size.

[Half Dog]

It always boils down to being about money.

[dg31872]

I only use small pistol primers. I don't shoot anything else that requires large pistol, so for me, it simplifies the primer stocking issue.

[kayala]

It's not only 45 acp anymore - 10mm also went that route, I've accumulated over 50 already from my random range pick ups.

[ReloaderFred]

I've got Small Pistol primed .45 acp brass in Blazer, Federal and Winchester, plus Small Pistol primed 10mm brass in Blazer. I also have a European .45 acp case headstamped 1954 that used a Small Berdan primer, so it's nothing new.

Small primers were the final iteration of the change to DDNP priming compound, due to the much faster brisance over the older Lead Styphnate priming compound.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[Hossfly]

I ended up with about 900 with SPP. And 2500 LPP just a pain when running progressive and every thing stops.
Did find that some are Blazer, and Federal.

Will keep separated so can load with correct primers.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

I've reloaded and shot many of them, and they work-- so no problem for me.

DG

[Burnt Fingers]

SPP 45 ACP cases are the devil's spawn.

I sort them out and throw them in a container. One of these days I'll load them up and use them.....one of these days.

[PrestoColumbus]

in my stash,

Federal FMJ has SPP
Federal HST has LPP
Speer G2 has SPP

The cost difference between SPP and LPP seems to be irrelevant.
The fact that "duty" ammo uses both means there's no difference in performance (i guess?)

ReloaderFred makes sense tho, but that just may be because I've never heard of Lead Styphnate so i nod my head and pretend to understand :bigsmyl2:

283275

[Conditor22]

I have practically identical amounts of SPP and LPP 45 ACP BRASS.

I plan on using LPP since I have more of them and haven't done any load development with SPP.

[PrestoColumbus]

went to duckduckgo to see if i could find something

ended up right back here lol

https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?149905-The-story-behind-small-primers-in-45-ACP

[Ed_Shot]

I don’t know, but I’ve got a stash squirreled away just in case large primers get scarce. (Like now).

Amen! Hasn't been that many years ago I was glad to have the SP brass. Glad I never threw any away.

[Mk42gunner]

The surprising thing to me isn't that there is small primer .45 ACP brass, it is that there isn't more of it. Reason it wasn't changed in the 1930's like .38 Special and .357 Magnum? The Gov't arsenals were set up for Large primers, regardless of the fact that Frankfurt Arsenal used its own oddball size primer (0.204" I believe).

Several years ago when it first became available, I checked the useable case capacity in one of Lee's manuals. It was virtually identical to .357 Magnum, and no one says it needs a Large Pistol Primer to light the fire.

I imagine there was the same amount of griping about the 38 when it changed; but that was pre-internet. Pre- TV too.

Personally, no more .45 than I shoot anymore, I have a lifetime supply of LP brass and am not looking to buy any small.

Now if I could only find some small pistol primers for my .32's and .38's...

Robert

[Bigslug]

The lead-free primers preferred for safety reasons on indoor ranges are made only in the small size.

Yep. For police ranges, it was pretty much all going to be 9mm, .40S&W, .38 Special, and hmmmmmmm. . .that one pesky large primer round. With any luck, Hell will put in an eighth level specifically for the guy that came up with the idea.

[Texas by God]

I gave them away after they made me mad a couple of times. I only have LPP brass of 37 different headstamps.

Sent from my SM-A716U using Tapatalk

[mobilemail]

I will happily collect all the SPP .45ACP brass you want to throw out! :-)

The LPP brass has worked well for me in this primer shortage, since I have a few thousand LPP primers that I can only load and shoot for one gun. My SPP primers have to be shared across a few calibers. But when the primer shortage is over, I will reload the .45ACP SPP brass in lots.

[Bigslug]

It will be interesting to see where this goes.

Given that there are pistol and rifle, in both standard and magnum heat levels for small primer pockets, I have to wonder just what rounds actually NEED a large diameter cap anymore. The belted, African-sized rounds, and perhaps the more gonzo BPCR's, probably, but I'd guess little else.

I've acquired "vintage" .455 Webley and .303 rounds that all appear to be using something "other" than our standard pocket sizes. Change happens (I guess) and standardization is good (I suppose) but injecting it into the .45 ACP supply stream with a hundred years of pre-existence and common use was pretty dang rude.

[slam45]

i smash every one i find and sell them as scrap..i don't use any small primers at all...

[Finster101]

I have both and load both. They just have to separated. I have read that bullseye shooters seem to prefer the SPP. I can't confirm this I now shoot small patterns instead of small groups.

[Conditor22]

Yep. For police ranges, it was pretty much all going to be 9mm, .40S&W, .38 Special, and hmmmmmmm. . .that one pesky large primer round. With any luck, Hell will put in an eighth level specifically for the guy that came up with the idea.

All the 45 ACP SPP I have came from a police range.

[megasupermagnum]

I have to wonder if small pistol primers are not cheaper to make. I'm not sure if the theory of the lead free primers is true. I'm quite sure small primer 45 ACP has been around since before the new lead free primers came out. As a reloader, I can't see much difference. I've always thought a small primer would be more appropriate for 45 ACP. One of the issues with a strongly loaded LP 45 ACP, primer flow, or firing pin swiping, can be reduced or cured by a small primer. I might be in the minority, actually I'm sure I am, but I wish we would do away with large primers altogether for all but the largest of cases. Even 308 winchester, many have found a small primer works better. There's no reason a 41 and 44 magnum couldn't work great with a small primer, 454 Casull does.

As it is for reloaders, there is very little difference in price between a large and small pistol primers, so I simply buy what I need of each

[475AR]

I load the spp 45 brass for suppressor use, and am always looking for them.

[Bmi48219]

Only 45 brass I load is Federal. Have lots of LPP loaded and 6-8K ready to load. Also have 3-4K Fed 45 SPP ready to load but haven’t. I figured they’d come in handy if LPs got scarce. Now that all primers are scarce and I shoot 3 x more SP caliber rounds than LP, the 45 SPP brass I have won’t be getting loaded anytime soon.
I’ve read powder ignition in 45acp with SPs is as good or better than LPs. Couldn’t say myself.
From a cost standpoint, we pay the same $$ for either but the cup and anvil of a LP uses more metal than the same parts of a SP. not much less but multiply it by the billions of rounds (and primers) bought in the past year and the savings would be significant.
Worse case they phase out LPPs, then all the LP brass we have will be useless.

[ioon44]

I load both SP and LP in .45ACP. I have developed a habit of looking at the head stamp every time I put a case in my 550 just in case I missed one when sorting out the cases.

One interesting thing is when chrono graphing .45 ACP using WSPM and WLP primers the WSPM gives me a ES of 10 to 20 and the WLP gives me a ES of around 60 using the same powder and bullets, both loads have good accuracy.

[Burnt Fingers]

I have to wonder if small pistol primers are not cheaper to make. I'm not sure if the theory of the lead free primers is true. I'm quite sure small primer 45 ACP has been around since before the new lead free primers came out. As a reloader, I can't see much difference. I've always thought a small primer would be more appropriate for 45 ACP. One of the issues with a strongly loaded LP 45 ACP, primer flow, or firing pin swiping, can be reduced or cured by a small primer. I might be in the minority, actually I'm sure I am, but I wish we would do away with large primers altogether for all but the largest of cases. Even 308 winchester, many have found a small primer works better. There's no reason a 41 and 44 magnum couldn't work great with a small primer, 454 Casull does.

As it is for reloaders, there is very little difference in price between a large and small pistol primers, so I simply buy what I need of each

The material costs would be SLIGHTLY less. Less brass and less priming compound. Of course you're talking about a few dollars on 100K of primers....maybe.

[richhodg66]

i smash every one i find and sell them as scrap..i don't use any small primers at all...

Stupid that you ruin things others could use. Bottom line, they work as well or better than LP brass. If you really are so easily offended by small pistol primers, give up any small ones you have on swapping and selling.

[a.squibload]

I have a few dozen too, set 'em aside to avoid confusion, BUT...

I found about 20 7.62X39 that take small primers (large primer pocket swage tool wouldn't go in),
they're all RP brass. Is that strange? Maybe I just never saw any before.

Not so much brass AK brass lying around any more so I primed 'em.
Will use a marker to help sorting I guess.

[Burnt Fingers]

I have a few dozen too, set 'em aside to avoid confusion, BUT...

I found about 20 7.62X39 that take small primers (large primer pocket swage tool wouldn't go in),
they're all RP brass. Is that strange? Maybe I just never saw any before.

Not so much brass AK brass lying around any more so I primed 'em.
Will use a marker to help sorting I guess.

Ya just ruined my day. I have 500 pieces of mixed range brass in 7.62x39 that I need to load. Now I have to watch for small primer pockets.

[a.squibload]

Always glad to help! :kidding:
If you're gonna swage the primer pockets anyway just run 'em all, pretty easy to spot the small ones
as it won't go in.