Small primers in a .45 case?

[Skizeks]

Guy at work asked what they went into? Said they were head stamped 45ACP. Then he said maybe not!

So that's all I know about it.

Someone here will know!

Thanks

[GrumpyOne]

Some 45 does have small primer...most are still large primer

[jlamphere]

Looks alot like this:

[oldfrank]

More and more of the SP .45 cases are showing up, I have probably 5-600 I picked up at the range.

It has to do with some states lead free ammo rules.

They load and shoot just fine, you just have an extra step when sorting cases.

[torrpd]

The NT on the head case stands for Non Toxic. All the clean fire/lead free ammo from all the manufactures are coming with small primers. Winchester first tried it with large primers, but something about the lead free non toxic compound would not ignite properly.

These can be reloaded the same as large primer cases. I have reloaded thousands as I have a good supply of SP .45 cases.

[usmc90]

Is this more for certain states or ?..I have only seen one case that used a small primer..a lot of loaders in this area say to just pitch them if found ?

Edited May 4, 2013 by usmc90

[Steve RA]

I'll trade large primer cases for them.

[kodemonkey]

Out of 2200 once fired cases from coloradobrass (obtained in the last 2 months), I had over 100 so far that I have caught when sorting. I found about 10 so far while loading . The headstamps are from Blazer and Federal. I checked some of the Blazer brass 45ACP I have in the safe and they are indeed small pistol primers. These were not lead free. I think the Federal American Eagle stuff may also be SPP

[Dirty Rod]

Pretty muck all of the ATK companies went to small primer .45 brass.

Ammunition

The Ammunition division supplies small-caliber ammunition to sport-shooting enthusiasts, devoted hunters, federal and local law enforcement agencies, and the military. Our ammunition brands include Federal Premium, Alliant Powder, RCBS, CCI, Fusion, Speer Ammo, Speer Bullets, Estate Cartridge and Blazer.

Edited May 7, 2013 by Dirty Rod

[kneelingatlas]

I've been separating and saving them, you never know when you might find yourself with no LPP and want to shoot .45...

[IAflyboy]

I recall reading somewhere (wish I could remember where) that running SPP's in .45 with lower-pressure loads reduces the breech face erosion seen with LPP's that don't completely seal due to the lower pressures.

[GTOGuy06]

Now, I have not tested this but maybe one of you has. It seems to me if you were loading for power factor, you would not keep your load the same from large to small primer 45. I would think that the small primer would cause lower power factor.

Then again, that's why you don't load to 166 pf

[JerZSquid]

I get small primered 45 brass in my range pickups.

It goes right in my scrap bin. If I don't spot it it jams my press when priming.

[Lowleft]

Now, I have not tested this but maybe one of you has. It seems to me if you were loading for power factor, you would not keep your load the same from large to small primer 45. I would think that the small primer would cause lower power factor.

Then again, that's why you don't load to 166 pf

I have tested this and found no real difference between large and small primers using same bullet and powder charge.

[Steve RA]

I use small rifle primers and there doesn't seem to be any difference in accuracy from large pistol primers in the same brand of brass - Federal sp and lp brass.

[Dirty Rod]

Most of the folks I talked to see no difference however, on another forum, a guy tested a bunch of powders through a chrono and saw large differences in SD and measured a drop off in velocity around max charge for 3-4 powders as GTOguy06 suggests. I don't load over midrange so my results are consistent from small to large.