45 ACP large or small primers

woodchopper

woodchopper

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OK why the 2 different sizes.

I'm just sorting and preping 45 ACP brass and have a bunch of both small and large primers, and for simplicity I would think that just having one size would make reloading easier.

But which one should I keep?
 
I used to like the small. Only because I didn’t have to change over the priming system on my press between .45 and 9mm.
Now I only reload .45 so I keep both around. I’ll buy primers based on price and availability. In general, there seems to be better deals on small pistol primers.
If neither of those matter to you, the large primers are probably more stable in most priming systems? I don’t recall any flipped large primers in my reloading experience. I probably have one or two flipped small primers per 1000 rounds though
 
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^^
Same.

OP, I would suggest to keep the brass you find in greater abundance.

For consideration, I just reloaded about 8K 45acp. Out of those about 200 only were small primer cases. I prefer swapping the small primer cases for a beer rather than setting up the press for such a small batch. YMMV
 
I choose small primer so I wouldn't have to swap parts in and out. But with 2 machines and I thinking I might change over to large. Everyone runs different equipment and finding a missed large brass while loading isn't a big deal on my Square Deal. No idea how much of a headache "finding" a missed small primer brass while loading large primer would be.

Clint

This might be the month to buy brass with free ship tuesdays
 
Large is the old standard, small will be the new standard. We are in a period of transition.

Obviously it is much simpler to only use one size, yourself. Whether you choose to adopt the new standard, which is still in the minority but will become more common with time, or stick with the old so that you have lots now but will be facing a steadily shrinking supply in the future, is up to you.
 
I load both large and small. I store them separate.

I thought about sticking to just large or small but it depends on SPP or LPP availability,
 
well its all free brass as I am the RSO on the range and need to do a brass sweep before I close it down.

9mm and 5.56/223 brass I have by the pound ;)

I'm just looking at getting into reloading for 45ACP as soon as I get my 1911 refinished I'll have something to shoot it out of.

I don't have any large pistol primers and was going to just use rifle primers but now I think I'll have to dig out all the small primer brass and use it.

ugh 20lbs of mostly 9mm to dig through.
 
woodchopper said:
well its all free brass as I am the RSO on the range and need to do a brass sweep before I close it down.

9mm and 5.56/223 brass I have by the pound ;)

I'm just looking at getting into reloading for 45ACP as soon as I get my 1911 refinished I'll have something to shoot it out of.

I don't have any large pistol primers and was going to just use rifle primers but now I think I'll have to dig out all the small primer brass and use it.

ugh 20lbs of mostly 9mm to dig through.
Click to expand...

Just look for some large pistol primers. These days small pistol are in short supply and large pistol should be...less unavailable?
 
m777 said:
I choose small primer so I wouldn't have to swap parts in and out. But with 2 machines and I thinking I might change over to large. Everyone runs different equipment and finding a missed large brass while loading isn't a big deal on my Square Deal. No idea how much of a headache "finding" a missed small primer brass while loading large primer would be.

Clint

This might be the month to buy brass with free ship tuesdays
Click to expand...

Whomever decided it would be a good idea to manufacture a small primer .45 case should be shot with a ball of his own $hit...I had a large pistol primer detonate in a Dillon 650 when a "small primer pocket" 45 came around, before that I didn't even know they existed but some range brass must have found its way home with me.
 
Not to derail this thread, but is there any advantage to large primer vs small primer in this cartridge other than what is available or what you have on hand? IE I load for 40 S&W so if I was to start loading 45ACP I would likely be looking at small primer brass so I could use the same primer in both. I also have a few thousand small rifle primers on hand. None of my .223 rifles made the OIC though, so ... I still have a use for them.

Jim
 
Workin Man said:
Not to derail this thread, but is there any advantage to large primer vs small primer in this cartridge other than what is available or what you have on hand? IE I load for 40 S&W so if I was to start loading 45ACP I would likely be looking at small primer brass so I could use the same primer in both. I also have a few thousand small rifle primers on hand. None of my .223 rifles made the OIC though, so ... I still have a use for them.

Jim
Click to expand...
No noticeable difference. It’s all relative though. Some primers will burn hotter or colder whether they’re large or small.
On a side note, revolvers will generally light most small rifle primers. Some striker fired pistols won’t reliably detonate some small rifle primers. Federals are soft and ignite easy. S&B not so much.
 
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