In order to participate in the GunBroker Member forums, you must be logged in with your GunBroker.com account. Click the sign-in button at the top right of the forums page to get connected.

Federal 45 acp cases

woodchuckjohnwoodchuckjohn Member Posts: 207 ✭✭✭
edited December 2007 in Perry Shooter Competition Shooting and Reloading Forum
I picked up fired 45 ACP cases at my range. Took them home, tumbled them and upon sorting I found many had small pistol primers and tje cases were marked Federal NT. Has anyone
experience this and are they ok to reload with small primers?
· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • Hawk CarseHawk Carse Member Posts: 4,381 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    NT stands for Non Toxic. For the past several years Winchester and Federal have been using small primers with lead-free mix even in .45 ACP. I have reloaded some of the Winchester NT with standard small pistol primers and they shot fine, although with a little loss in velocity. The Federal NT I have seen had the small primers heavily crimped in, so if you want to use them you will have to ream or swage the crimp.

    The companies will tell you not to do it. I don't know if there is a technical reason or if they just consider us too stupid to use the right size primer.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • woodchuckjohnwoodchuckjohn Member Posts: 207 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Thanks for your response. I knew I'd get a reply from someone on this forum. I can now reload with confidence. JB
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • XXCrossXXCross Member Posts: 1,379 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    CCI (speer) makes them as well. I usually use small pistol magnum when reloading them.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • bpostbpost Member Posts: 32,669 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have always suspected the reasoning for using a large pistol primer in the 45ACP. It is lighting low charge weights of fast powder. It should not take a earth shattering thunderbolt to get positive consistent ignition.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • scrubberguyscrubberguy Member Posts: 219 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I think the ammo companies aren't as worried about us, reloaders, using the wrong primers as they might be worried about reloaders getting the cases mixed up! Hence the do not reload warninmg.

    I bet a dillion 650 with a case feeder and 200 rds of large pistol primers cases and 200 rds of small pistol primer cases would be a real pain to operate!

    Think it's a good idea to pass the word around about the difference in primer size. We might save someone an "embareassing" moment and maybe a hand as well!

    One can only wonder why the ammo companies did this? The 45 auto has been in production for over 100 years and it has always had a large primer in the case! Since this should only be a change in priming compounds , to the non toxic, why bother to change tooling to make a new case??

    Anybody got any ideas?[8D]
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • non mortuusnon mortuus Member Posts: 649 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by scrubberguy
    ...

    One can only wonder why the ammo companies did this? The 45 auto has been in production for over 100 years and it has always had a large primer in the case! Since this should only be a change in priming compounds , to the non toxic, why bother to change tooling to make a new case??

    Anybody got any ideas?[8D]

    Is there any difference in the amount of compound used between the two?
    Maybe after making several million primers in smaller size it saves them money [?]
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Hawk CarseHawk Carse Member Posts: 4,381 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    When they developed a lead-free primer that had a reasonalble shelf life, the dinol compound turned out to be "hotter" than lead styphnate. Early Winchester Winclean used large primers but had to have larger than standard flashholes to vent the higher primer pressure into the case. So they changed to small primers which use less mix and do not generate as much primer pocket pressure. Federal goes a step further by crimping the primer.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • scrubberguyscrubberguy Member Posts: 219 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Hawk:
    This makes "cents" to me. In a rush to be "firstest with the mostest" The ammo makers figured it was easier to change the primer pocket size than it was to rework thier new wonder compound. R & D costs and all that. Throw in a little advertising "hype" and you can charge what you want for a new product.

    After all what is the market for lead free ammo? Indoor ranges? Lots of them and most are used heavily by police officers which means a muninciple (aka supplier) market. Good (tax) money there!

    I have never priced any of the Federal or Winchester product but I'm going to guess the stuff is $32.50 a box?? Anybody got a real number for this stuff?

    I applaud the ammo makers for addressing the lead issue but I can't help but wonder how big an issue it really is? Does anyone know someone personnely that has gotten lead poisoning from a range and no exposer from any other source? I've been shooting 35 years and have never met anyone that could make this claim. This has the same smell as the Smith&Wesson "smart gun" deal made during the First Clinton Era.

    Sorry I got off track on the primer size. Again it looks like we, the shooting public and plain old common sense, have once again taken a back seat to politics and Money.

    Keep an eye on your cases if you shoot at an indoor range! The situation is what it is and we'll have to make the best of it.[8D]
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
Sign In or Register to comment.