"NT" .45 acp cartridges: crimped or not?

UR2X3M4ME

UR2X3M4ME

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I'm getting mixed signals regarding the .45 ACP cartridges with SPP hole and NT (non toxic) headstamp. I am referring to the Fed NT, FC NT and WIN NT cartridges (amongst others) offered by fired brass sellers. Cartridges with LPP hole are not part of this discussion (not crimped).

The question is: do they all have crimped primer pocket?

While I thought just like for 9mm, all .45 ACP "NT" shells have a crimped primer pocket, a quick check with a few fired brass sellers gave me 4 different answers:
1: yeah;
2: nope;
3: both are out there to add to your reloading misery; and
4: hun? (no clue)

Anyone actually knows what the fact/situation is? Or point me toward reliable info?
 
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jdman said:
any that i find go right in the brass bin for recycling. Junk stuff, and a waste of time.
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Perfectly good brass but getting them mixed in with LPP cases is a recipe for disaster. I have about 500 that I keep around just in case I run out of large pistol primers (a possibility in these days of shortages) and still want to reload for my 45s. If it weren't for that I'd get rid of them just to avoid possible confusion.

They really are the answer to a question nobody asked.
 
Commercial cartridges don't have crimped primers. Crimping primers is a military thing for ammo used in MG's. Plus is costs money to crimp a primer.
 
I thought I read someplace that the NT primers were a different size?

After a few issues with 9mm I just started tossing them in with the military brass as something that I don't want to deal with.

I have probably 1000 spp 45acp, though. I'll have to sort and sift those. Mostly blazer stuff I know.
 
Mark-II said:
I thought I read someplace that the NT primers were a different size?.
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Nope, same size AFAIK. Just different composition making them lead & mercury free amongst others things. Keeps tree huggers happy and contaminates us a bit less.

Unless you are referring to the traditional LPP pockets. NT primers are all SPP. It appears trend is going that way for 45 shells (SPP).
 
Antoine22, dont get me wrong, I'm much interested, but at the same time lack of info stalls me.

Simply put, if non toxic .45 shells are crimped, Even though I'm tooled for it, I'm not interested: too much scotch drinking time is wasted removing the crimp lip. On the other hand, if your FC NT or Win NT are not crimped, hell say so and share the knowledge. Do they have crimped primer pockets or not? As a Classic shooter (IPSC), don't tell the World you don't know, that would be mega horse manure.

Respectfully yours,
 
I found that almost all my crimped .45ACP brass (spp) comes from Federal. (The NT stuff)
A easy way to check for small primer vs large primer is to get 4 or more of the white 50 round trays that come in the Federal .45ACP boxes, take a handful of brass and dump it over the tray and shake till they fall in, take a second tray and flip it over and inspect the bottoms for small primers, non toxic (NT) and crimps.
It's fairly easy to remove the crimp from a spp shell, just use a deburring tool and tilt it a little on angle. Don't ream to much of the brass from the end or the primer will just fall out.
I load both small and large pistol primers for .45ACP and I find reloading the small primed stuff to be a fair bit easier and people seem to just throw away most of the small primed stuff.
 
Sig, my experience with NT in 9mm and .40sw is that they are all crimped. I get mixed signals for .45 acp. Thanks.

Pete, If I read you well, your FC NT .45 brass is crimped. Thanks.
For removing SPP pocket crimp lip, I use a purpose made reamer. When used properly (no tilting), it only removes the lip so you don't end up with loose (oversized) primer pockets.
primer_reamer-01.jpg
 
I apologize. I didn't realize you were being so super cereal "bro" that my levity risked spoiling the severity of your post . But, it is your thread, so sorry about that.

In my experience, all the SPP .45 brass I've reloaded over the past 3 years or so have not had crimps. The primers seat fine. I haven't had to swage a single one, nor treat it any differently than any other SPP brass (like 9mm for ex), and I've processed probably over a thousand by now. The only reason I'm beginning to prefer them to LPP is that I don't have to swap out the primer seater when going from .223 and 9mm to .45. (no law against being naturally lazy...)
 
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No problem Melnibonean. Thanks for your input as well. I have zero issue with older SPP .45 brass and like you, I prefer them too for simpler calibre swap on the XL-650. My issue is with more recent NT cartridges. I am not sure if the are all crimped and again, when I ask I get different answers (opening post).

I need to get some brass and I am hesitant to buy NT cartridges (not swaged) offered by many. I am trying to avoid the pain of reaming 3000 primer pockets.
 
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