Which brass manufacturers use small pistol primers in .45 ACP?

MinervaDoe · 08-30-2010, 12:41

I've picked up some .45 ACP range brass here and there which seems to use small pistol primers.
How common is this?
Which brass manufacturers use small pistol primers in .45 ACP?

So far, the culprits are:
S&B
Speer
GFL

Am I smoking carpet fibers? Am I missing something here?

I guess I'll load them up with small pistol primers, the next time I am getting ready to switch the Dillon over to do a 9mm run.

MSgt Dotson · 08-30-2010, 12:44

Winchester's "NT" line also uses them....

DoctaGlockta · 08-30-2010, 12:44

I've seen Fiocchi and some Aluminum Blazer with SPP in 45ACP.

Glock2008 · 08-30-2010, 12:45

I've got some winchester nt, that has small primers.

vtbluegrass · 08-30-2010, 12:48

I just loaded some Brass Blazer with small primers. I have 50 and they will be shot last next time I am at the range and they are staying there for the next poor soul.
The cycle continues.

dsmw5142 · 08-30-2010, 12:48

I have a crap load of the Speer clean fire stuff. Works fine. I just keep it bagged and seperated for lost brass matches.

MinervaDoe · 08-30-2010, 13:21

Okay, it's good to hear I'm not crazy.
Why are these companies doing this?

Quote:

Originally Posted by vtbluegrass

I just loaded some Brass Blazer with small primers. I have 50 and they will be shot last next time I am at the range and they are staying there for the next poor soul.
The cycle continues.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dsmw5142

I have a crap load of the Speer clean fire stuff. Works fine. I just keep it bagged and seperated for lost brass matches.

I figure I'll sort it and separate it and just reload it when I'm set up for small pistol stuff.

XDRoX · 08-30-2010, 13:35

Small primer 45's are awesome.

Someday I'm going to switch over to them. Until then I can hardly wait. I hate changing over to large primers on the press. Some reviews that have come out about them have even claimed you can get better accuracy with SPP's.

dudel · 08-30-2010, 18:37

Mine is either Speer or Federal. I've seen some Winchester out there. BTW, it shoots great, plus one less primer type to stock.

dudel · 08-30-2010, 18:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by XDRoX

Small primer 45's are awesome.

Someday I'm going to switch over to them. Until then I can hardly wait. I hate changing over to large primers on the press. Some reviews that have come out about them have even claimed you can get better accuracy with SPP's.

I've read a Layne Simpson article that says that, and my own tests have confirmed that in my loads. It IS great not having to switch primer feeds.

Moving to 45 ACP small primer brass was one of the good things I've done recently. (the other is working up a VLV .223 load for the contenter. Don't need a silencer and it's accurate to 50 yards. A great small game round)

dbarry · 08-30-2010, 18:55

spp 45's rock! I dont have to switch primers when going from 45acp to 45gap (45 special :O)

dbarry · 08-30-2010, 18:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by dudel

I've read a Layne Simpson article that says that, and my own tests have confirmed that in my loads. It IS great not having to switch primer feeds.

Moving to 45 ACP small primer brass was one of the good things I've done recently. (the other is working up a VLV .223 load for the contenter. Don't need a silencer and it's accurate to 50 yards. A great small game round)

makes you wonder why they've got spp and lpp. probably same reason they've got flat head & phillips... torx, hex, robertson... :O)

HAMMERHEAD · 08-30-2010, 19:06

GFL is the brass used by Fiocchi in their lead free frangible ammo.
The rest are probably all from lead free primers as well. For some reason they can't (or won't) make lead free large primers.

Now if they would just make SPP 10mm brass...

freakshow10mm · 08-30-2010, 23:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by XDRoX

Small primer 45's are awesome.

Someday I'm going to switch over to them. Until then I can hardly wait. I hate changing over to large primers on the press. Some reviews that have come out about them have even claimed you can get better accuracy with SPP's.

PM me your address and I'll send you what I have. Coffee can full of crimped and SP .45 brass. I'll sort the crimped and ship the SP.

That being said, I've seen:

Winchester NT
Federal NT
Speer
CCI
Fiocchi
Remington

XDRoX · 08-31-2010, 07:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by freakshow10mm

PM me your address and I'll send you what I have. Coffee can full of crimped and SP .45 brass. I'll sort the crimped and ship the SP.

That being said, I've seen:

Winchester NT
Federal NT
Speer
CCI
Fiocchi
Remington

Wow Freak, thanks for the offer, you're too kind. I'll be happy to pay shipping if you like. Pm sent.

Jim Watson · 08-31-2010, 11:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by HAMMERHEAD

The rest are probably all from lead free primers as well. For some reason they can't (or won't) make lead free large primers.

They did to start with, that is where the occasional large primer case with a huge flashhole comes from.

The Dinol lead-free priming mix is "hotter" than lead styphnate. Early Winclean had large primers and large flashholes to vent the pressure rise into the case. Current NT uses small primers because less Dinol is required.

Winchester NT is no problem to reload with standard small pistol. (Although Winchester will tell you not to, for some reason.) If you are going for a power factor, be sure to chronograph, my tests showed 25-40 fps less than large primer cases. The Federal NT small I picked up had a HEAVY primer crimp. Not many to be seen around here and not worth the trouble to decrimp.

buyobuyo · 08-31-2010, 18:41

Along the same lines.... Lapua is making .308 brass with small primer pockets.

JBaird22 · 09-01-2010, 08:45

The Lapua .308 brass is called Palma or some such. It is said to give greater accuracy than large primer .308 brass.

CTSixshot · 09-01-2010, 08:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Watson

They did to start with, that is where the occasional large primer case with a huge flashhole comes from.

The Dinol lead-free priming mix is "hotter" than lead styphnate. Early Winclean had large primers and large flashholes to vent the pressure rise into the case. Current NT uses small primers because less Dinol is required.

Thanks JW. I always wondered what the deal was with these and your explanation is as good as I've heard yet.

Seems to me I have heard of issues with ejectors on some firearms contacting large primers (if clearing a live round, for example), but I can't offer any documentation on this.

Remington used to use a small primer on their 7.62x39 ammo, but I've heard that was discontinued. Again, no real documented proof of this.

XDRoX · 09-04-2010, 11:31

Thanks Freakshow

I just got the brass in the mail. I really appreciate it. With the amount of 45 that I shoot, this brass will be enough to change over to SPP 45 and last me a while. I've only ever loaded 45 on my single stage, but I think I'll put an order in with Dillon today, to get set up on my 550b.
Thanks again.

Dudel, do you have any WST data? Should I just try my regular load and expect a little less velocity?

freakshow10mm · 09-04-2010, 15:14

No problem.

I haven't used WST in the .45 but use either HS6, Longshot, #5, or WSF. 6gr of WSF with anything 230gr is a nice load. Ran tens of thousands of those in my G30 when I had one.

MNBud · 01-27-2011, 15:57

I just ran across this posting after coming out of my reloading room confused.I try to pick up just my brass at the range but apparently picked up a piece of 45 brass with a small primer pocket (Blazer) I, at first assumed it was a piece of GAP brass. The bottom however was marked acp. Can someone correct me if I'm wrong but isn't GAP brass visibly shorter? Is it also marked GAP on the base. I have never actually seen a GAP round or brass.Thanks in advance for any clarification.

sdelam · 01-27-2011, 16:58

yes GAP is much shorter,

I was loading 45 today and found a few dozen SP brass in fed and blazer. I've been throwing it in the scrape bin but maybe I should start keeping it. Seem to be finding more and more lately.

If you ask me it's a pain, kinda like 7.62x39 it's a toss up as to what you get.

dudel · 01-27-2011, 17:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by MNBud

I just ran across this posting after coming out of my reloading room confused.I try to pick up just my brass at the range but apparently picked up a piece of 45 brass with a small primer pocket (Blazer) I, at first assumed it was a piece of GAP brass. The bottom however was marked acp. Can someone correct me if I'm wrong but isn't GAP brass visibly shorter? Is it also marked GAP on the base. I have never actually seen a GAP round or brass.Thanks in advance for any clarification.

GAP brass is closer in length to 9mm. It is indeed marked as 45 GAP.

MinervaDoe · 01-27-2011, 18:30

............................................................................................. .................

.