.45ACP Large or Small Primer
- Thread starter jackrabbit000
- Start date
I recently changed to all small primer brass. Don't need to change primer setup on my press when switching calibres.
But you will find that some people that use large primer brass, will curse small primer brass because each case missed and fed through a progressive press ends up with a crushed primer, and buggers production.
But you will find that some people that use large primer brass, will curse small primer brass because each case missed and fed through a progressive press ends up with a crushed primer, and buggers production.
If you are going to acquire some brass, I suggest you get large primer,since most brass is large and if you pick up brass at the range, most of it will be large.
I keep the small 45 brass in a separate bucket and when i get enough of it I load it for a gun or application that is seldom used.
I once had a BAD EXPERIENCE with a single piece of small primer brass mixed in with a bunch of large primer brass. i was priming cases with my Lee Autoprime and pushed real hard to try to seat a large primer in what turned out to be a small primer case. It exploded the primer and blew my priming tool to bits.
I keep the small 45 brass in a separate bucket and when i get enough of it I load it for a gun or application that is seldom used.
I once had a BAD EXPERIENCE with a single piece of small primer brass mixed in with a bunch of large primer brass. i was priming cases with my Lee Autoprime and pushed real hard to try to seat a large primer in what turned out to be a small primer case. It exploded the primer and blew my priming tool to bits.
On the LNL the up/push stroke only seats the primer. Pretty easy to feel something is wrong. Had several large primer into small primer brass, feel it right away. Small primer into large primer brass feel like nothing.
Either case STOP, CHECK.
Either case STOP, CHECK.
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But you will find that some people that use large primer brass, will curse small primer brass because each case missed and fed through a progressive press ends up with a crushed primer, and buggers production.
yep, not so bad, large primer does not crush if small hole, you just feel the stop. Suggestion - I have been starting my sessions by running a dozen or so cases through only the first die to resize and decap. Put those aside and start session like normal. That way I have spares to replace any wrong brass that fails at primer seat. Better than running through an empty slot in shell holder.
Anyway, back to OP - down here in AZ, large is still most common when I pick up once fired. I've just been collecting small hole brass in a separate bucket - once have enough I'll load them. I've read that need to work up a new load, maybe a bit more charge because small primers have less umpph then large. Not sure, but I'll test over chrono once I try first.
Thanks for the feedback guys. Most of the old .45ACP casings I have is large primer. But, the new American Eagle ammo I bought from Cabelas is small. Probably go with large primer for now until I collect enough small to change over. Since I also have 9mm and .40S&W it would make it a bit easier to have 1 primer size for all 3.
Smaller primers release less lead (from the lead styphnate in the primer), all else being equal. So there's a push in some jurisdictions to use small primers for 'environmental' reasons. The anti-gun camp has adopted a lead-ban strategy, hoping the added expense and hassle will discourage us. Small-primer 45 ACP is an example of a response by manufacturers to that kind of pressure.
Do every .45 shooter a favor and smash any piece of small pistol primer .45 brass with a sledgehammer, then melt it in a furnace for good measure.
I wish it had never been invented. More primer explosions on my 1050 then I care to count. Safety glasses are a must during loading for me when doing the first run of range brass.
I wish it had never been invented. More primer explosions on my 1050 then I care to count. Safety glasses are a must during loading for me when doing the first run of range brass.
Maybe you should be chacking your brass better. I check all my brass before starting.
