PRIMER POCKET- LRG vs SML (.45 ACP)

[JayTray]

Every once in a while I will get brass with a small primer pocket. (usually FEDERAL and not marked as NT)

It's so infrequent, I typically trash em and move on.

I have a "line on" on buying (qty 700) some once fired mixed brass. The seller says that most are large but there are some small primer in the mix.

Ratio is unknown, but the price is right.

question... Can I prime with small primers and still use the same powder load as usual? Or is this ballistically a bad idea?

[yoshidaex]

I recall reading somewhere on the enos forum about a possible affect on pressure using small pistol primers in the 45 acp.

Not 100% sure but hopefully someone can chime in.

[Erik S.]

I do not have scientific tests to back this up, but the size of the primer pocket should have no effect on case pressure. The primer simply ignites the powder. When the case is pushed back against the boltface during recoil, the primer is reseated in the pocket. No gasses escape around the primer, so we can essentially treat the case as being fully enclosed, as it so obviously is.

As you said, perhaps someone else will chime in to give an answer that has some testing to back it up. My instinct tells me there should not be a problem unless there are case thickness differences that would cause premature case fatigue.

[Lewiston]

I accidentally purchased a 1000 pieces of small primer brass. I built the load up as if starting from scratch and now use the same recipe for both. I'd recommend you do the same to be on the safe side. I reserve the small primer brass for matches where I won't be able to recover it.

[CHARLES D]

I seem to get small primer 45ACP alot lately. I just set them aside and make dummy rounds out of them. For some reason I just hate throwing away brass.