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Which genuis at Federal decided to use small

CS8161CS8161 Member Posts: 13,596 ✭✭✭
edited May 2012 in Perry Shooter Competition Shooting and Reloading Forum
..primer pockets in a 45 ACP?? I was reloading some range pick up brass and found a few dozen Federal 45ACP cases with small primer pockets! I read that it is some kind of "green", non toxic loads, but why in the world did they decide that the 45ACP needed a small primer pocket! Did they do that just to antagonize reloaders??
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Comments

  • midnightrunpaintballermidnightrunpaintballer Member Posts: 2,233 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Winchester WinClean Uses small primers also. Royal PIA when reloading!
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  • Rocky RaabRocky Raab Member Posts: 14,429 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Federal went to the SP for two reasons: at the time, large pistol primers were not to be had - even by Federal themselves! And they also turned out to be cheaper, which helped them and you.

    Get used to it. It may soon become the default primer size, because the volume of the 45 ACP case never needed the power of a large primer to begin with. (The original reason for using LP was that brass-making machines were already sized for the .30-06. The .45 is essentially just a much shorter version.)
    I may be a bit crazy - but I didn't drive myself.
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  • CS8161CS8161 Member Posts: 13,596 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Rocky Raab
    Federal went to the SP for two reasons: at the time, large pistol primers were not to be had - even by Federal themselves! And they also turned out to be cheaper, which helped them and you.

    Get used to it. It may soon become the default primer size, because the volume of the 45 ACP case never needed the power of a large primer to begin with. (The original reason for using LP was that brass-making machines were already sized for the .30-06. The .45 is essentially just a much shorter version.)

    That makes sense. Still a PIA when reloading range brass! And to make it worse, someone local is shooting alot of 45 GAP, so I need to sort that out of the mix also!
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  • midnightrunpaintballermidnightrunpaintballer Member Posts: 2,233 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    when you sort out that GAP, save it. I'm sure someone would want it. Have yourself an auction on the other side. Or a giveaway here.
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  • jonkjonk Member Posts: 10,121
    edited November -1
    Most of my .45 ACP is range pickup. I have two sets- small and large primer buckets. I keep them segregated but in terms of performance, don't see a real difference.
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  • CS8161CS8161 Member Posts: 13,596 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by midnightrunpaintballer
    when you sort out that GAP, save it. I'm sure someone would want it. Have yourself an auction on the other side. Or a giveaway here.


    Good idea, I will save it for a giveaway, I'm sure someone can use GAP brass!
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  • Riomouse911Riomouse911 Member Posts: 3,492 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I saw some small primer .45 stuff that looked old in a bin of mixed ammo, so I don't think it's a new thing. BUT I can see it being a PITA if you're using a progessive and didn't check them closely beforehand.
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  • Hawk CarseHawk Carse Member Posts: 4,381 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    The current generation of small primer .45s started with the "hot" Dinol lead free priming compound. Not as much was needed and primer pocket pressures were high so they went to small cups. Well crimped by Federal.
    I guess they are coming through in things like Blazer Brass just because it was cheaper to keep whacking out cases with small pockets for use with regular styphnate primers. Small primer uses less material too, probably saves more than the smidgen of extra brass in the case around the small primer pocket.

    Earlier, in the 1970s, the Hansen brand (nny headstamp, probably contracted by Privi even then) had small primer .45.

    Stranger still, at one time Frankford Arsenal made .45 brass and primers in a unique .204" diameter to avoid mixup with rifle primers going into .30-06.
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  • midnightrunpaintballermidnightrunpaintballer Member Posts: 2,233 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I just shot a bunch of blazer brass .45 acp today. it is large primer
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  • NavybatNavybat Member Posts: 6,849 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I picked up a bunch of Federal .45 brass at my range yesterday and about 60/40 was small/large primer. Yes, it's a PITA.
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  • do_wa_diddydo_wa_diddy Member Posts: 27 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    small pistol primed 45 is all from lead-free ammo. it was cheaper to change the pocket then to manufacture lead-free primers. 99% of sm. pistol primers are lead-free.
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  • lefty105lefty105 Member Posts: 18 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    If memory serves me right, Federal did the same thing with 30-30 win years ago - called them 30 American...
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  • nemesisenforcernemesisenforcer Member Posts: 10,513 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    wondering the same thing

    Before this week, I could count the number of small primer 45s I had run across on one hand

    Then, I ran into approximately 20 in a row in one box that I haven't got a clue where I got from.

    Not planning on reloading them. Just threw them aside. Maybe I'll do a giveaway?
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  • Pistollero1050Pistollero1050 Member Posts: 1,197 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Just a side note: These small primer loads need to be just a little hoter than the large primer loads or your 1911 will have a stove piping issue. I saved up until I had 100 of these small primer brass bastages and loaded them with my standard load of 4.2 grs of tight group and they would run some and then stovepipe, run some more and stove pipe, PITA, so load a little hot and they will be fine.[xx(][:(][;)]
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