45 ACP small primer bass

[MT Pockets]

Having a friend who is a Deputy in a nearby town; I was given quite a large amount of mainly 45acp brass. I letteraly have more than I will ever shoot. Most of it is Remington and Speer by a large margine. Of the Speer most have large primer pockets but about 200 rounds are small primer pockets. I shoot mainly revolvers and have never run across this and have to wonder if my load data that I use needs to be adjusted for these rounds? As I stated I have more once-fired rounds for the 45acp (2500+) if I trashed them it would not break my heart. I am curious as to why they were made and what can be done with them?

 

[Alaska]

I have had excellent results with Longshot and 45 ACP Fed Nickle Small Primer Pocket brass using CCI Small Pistol Mag Primers using 45 Super handloads of 250gr. Brass performed excellent in G21 with 4.6” KKM and 5.2” KKM

 

[jimbires]

I would guess the small primer brass would take higher PSI better than the larger primer brass . maybe these are from +P ammo ?

 

[wvbuckbuster]

Small primer 45acp brass has been around for a few years now. Different resons for it but it does not seem to be an issue as far as reloading for it. I was given some as you were and decided to try it out using the same powder and bullet but with a small primer. The group size was about the same, no issues in function of the pistol. I did not check for speed difference. Don't throw it away. It is quite useable.

 

[Alaska]

I would guess the small primer brass would take higher PSI better than the larger primer brass . maybe these are from +P ammo ?

I don’t know these 45 ACP Fed Nickle Brass are not marked +P. But even up past 700 FPE with 250gr expansion is less than .481” and primer pocket excellent. My trail loads are back down to 1075 fps in 5.2” that’s all I need for Beer Protection. Small Pistol Mag Primers CCI 45 Super.
Great reading on 450 SMC on its development back in the day inspired me to try Small primer brass. I didn’t use Rem 308 Win BR brass and Rem 7.5 BR primers although like Triton did in 450 SMC. I thought about using Starline 308 Win Palma brass cut down using Rem 7.5 BR to duplicate 450 SMC.

 

[MT Pockets]

I wondered about that. I only shoot 1911 model .45's and mainly lead rounds as my heart belongs to the .44 mag.

 

[FOTIS]

I have a bunch of 45 ACP Blazer brass with small pockets. They were factory rounds at some point. Either works ok.

 

[Guy Miner]

Keeping them separate from the large primer brass is the only problem, and that's no big deal.

I believe they are part of the "cleaner ammo" trend to keep indoor ranges a bit safer. Things changed to totally metal encapsulated bullets in some ammo. Speer/CCI as I recall. So the combo of completely enclosing the lead core, not even exposing the base, and the small primers - that was intended to keep indoor range air safer to breathe. That's what I was told some time back.

It's actually decent brass and works well for handloading, but dang it's a pain if it gets mixed in with the large primer brass and ya don't find out until trying to re-prime... Yup, learned that all by my lonesome. LOL!

Guy

 

[Slimfinn]

I have run into the same with 10mm brass, some having small primer pockets vs the large. I loaded them the same, but yes the pain is keeping them separated. It was handy during the primer shortage being as I had plenty of small pistol primers and couldn't find any large, and I was just starting to load for the 10. Now they are in a container, set to the side marked small primer 10mm brass and will keep them there just incase.

 

[frankm]

Guy hit it on the head … I “think” small primer brass had to do with less toxicity, at least in theory, for indoor shooting.

I like it only because my Dillon 550 is setup for 380, 9 and 45 and all small primer. Don’t have to swap over when loading, just change tool heads and I m still loading !!