.45 ACP powder load question?

[Waterloomike]

Please don't take this as an insult, I'm just trying to understand people. Why would you try rifle primers in a pistol calibre?

It's not an insult if I did it.

A buddy, helped me and he just assumed that I had the right primers.

 

[Waterloomike]

My advice to you is to stick with one primer size. Shooting with both sizes is not only inconvenient as you have to continually sort them out but the chance of crushing a large primer into a small primer case increases dramatically with potentially serious results. If you reload other calibres with small primers maybe you will want to standardize to one size, which is OK. If not I suggest you sell or trade off the cases of one size or the other to avoid the above noted problem. One other small consideration is that it is a lot easier to find large primer 45s than small primer 45s.

Good advice, I'm sure.

I don't have any small primers, but do have pistol and rifle in large size.

 

[heavenIsAlie]

Please don't take this as an insult, I'm just trying to understand people. Why would you try rifle primers in a pistol calibre?

lots of people do for 9mm major and .38 super, it gives a better ignition and they are harder so less likely to flatten at higher pressures

 

[Spawn-Inc]

lots of people do for 9mm major and .38 super, it gives a better ignition and they are harder so less likely to flatten at higher pressures

I understand that, but you (Presumably) know what your doing. I'm not sure about small rifle primers but large rifle primers are longer then pistol. Either way it seemed like an odd idea for someone new to attempt that. Most new reloaders usually don't experiment.

 

[Chuckbuster]

My advice to you is to stick with one primer size. Shooting with both sizes is not only inconvenient as you have to continually sort them out but the chance of crushing a large primer into a small primer case increases dramatically with potentially serious results. If you reload other calibres with small primers maybe you will want to standardize to one size, which is OK. If not I suggest you sell or trade off the cases of one size or the other to avoid the above noted problem. One other small consideration is that it is a lot easier to find large primer 45s than small primer 45s.

Too true. I had a small number of the small primer pocket .45s and found it was a real pita to try and keep them sorted from regular .45 brass. I gave them away.

 

[Colin]

I use both sizes, the small primer stuff for the higher loads as the brass is newer, for 230gr I believe I am using 4.3grs titegroup and 5.5grs Unique. Check your load data to confirm before using. Don't be surprised if the occasional SWC does not feed properly, most 1911's don't like them.

 

[bradofcanada]

I use 4.7 of Titegroup @1.250 O.A.L with 200 gn lswc

 

[burnaby]

Loaded 4.2 to 4.8gn of Titegroup for 230RN berry and 4.2 to 4.7gn of TG for 230 WW cast bullet.

As expected noticeable different in recoil from 4.2 to 4.8. 4.2 kinda boring on the recoil but easy to get better grouping, 4.8 if you like the kick. Try the entire range to see what you like best and most consistent.

Be very careful with TG, the 45 brass can easily hold 3x for a big deadly explosion.


On my LNL press the primer is set on the up/push stroke; being the only activity it is easy to feel when things are wrong. A small primer into a large primer brass will have NO resistance. Vice versa the big primer won't go into a small. I've had several mixups both ways, felt the diff, STOP, check, throw the wrong brass back into correct pile.

 

[HKMark23]

Don't forget your over all length , it plays a big role also .

Good advice. 45 ACP is a pretty low pressure round and quite safe for new guys to reload but do know that changing your COL has a significant effect on pressures. If you're new, stay to within a 100th or two of your manual's specified COL.