Small pistol primers in .45 ACP?

Black_Sheep · December 29, 2008, 12:05 AM

One of my shootin' buddies gave me a mixed bunch of .45 ACP brass on Saturday so I cleaned and de-primed it in anticipation of putting together some 185 LSWC loads. Some of the cases bear the headstamp "Federal NT 45 Auto", they won't accept Winchester WLP primers as the primer pocket is too small. It looks as though small pistol primers would fit. If so, is there any reason I shouldn't use them?

Loader9 · December 29, 2008, 12:30 AM

Federal Non- Toxic primers (lead free) is what your brass came from. While you could maybe work up loads for them, it's going to be a guess in the dark. The small primers won't work like a large pistol primer. Ignition will be different as well as loading data. I'd toss them. FWIW, Winchester has the same junk out. They are trashed at my place. YMMV.

Black_Sheep · December 29, 2008, 12:49 AM

Quote:

I'd toss them.

I figured as much...

zxcvbob · December 29, 2008, 01:11 AM

I'd keep them in a separate coffee can until I had enough to reload -- at least 100 of 'em.

I would *like* to find a bunch of .45LC cases that take small primers so I could switch back and forth between .357 and .45 on my reloader without changing the primer feeder. That would be handy. (but not handy enough to cut down Casull cases

)

Unless you load right at the bleeding edge of the load data (either the high end or the low end) I don't think the primer size will make any difference in anything you'd load in a rimless pistol case.

tbtrout · December 29, 2008, 08:53 AM

I have about 5k of the sm primer 45 cases. I am going to start loading them soon. From feedback I recieved they should load up like a regular case.

F. Guffey · December 29, 2008, 09:49 AM

Tbrout, the flash hole in the NT cases are not alike, I have a flash hole gage that does not touch when going through the Federal NT case, someone in the claims department said the larger flash hole was necessary because the NT primer was not as 'pawerfull' as the others, the Winchester NT has the standard flash hole, I avoid the claims department but if I load the NT cases, I would start with the Winchester cases with the small flash holes.

There is a difference, NT uses small primers, between the two NT cases there is another difference, the flash holes are not the same size.

F. Guffey

PCJim · December 29, 2008, 11:14 AM

Although Federal and Winchester both state that the "NT" small primer cases are not reloadable, they are. Use your standard 45 recipes. Just keep in mind that (I do not recall where I read this) you should expect about 30 fps less velocity in the load due to the use of the small primer.

I have not reloaded any yet. I am keeping all my NT class brass separate from the standard 45 brass. When I get enough collect to warrant loading, I'll do so and let my son and his friends take them to a "Bubba Range" where I wouldn't be expecting them to be diligent in saving all the brass.

BigJimP · December 29, 2008, 03:04 PM

Toss them out / recycle the brass. There is too much free brass out there to worry about trying to load an NT case ( with no published recipes available ).

The_Vigilante · December 29, 2008, 07:50 PM

Since the large pistol primers won't work and the small pistol primers are under-powered, why not use small pistol magnum primers for these cases?

December 29, 2008, 12:05 AM	#1
Black_Sheep Senior Member Join Date: November 6, 2008 Location: Minnesota Posts: 198	Small pistol primers in .45 ACP? One of my shootin' buddies gave me a mixed bunch of .45 ACP brass on Saturday so I cleaned and de-primed it in anticipation of putting together some 185 LSWC loads. Some of the cases bear the headstamp "Federal NT 45 Auto", they won't accept Winchester WLP primers as the primer pocket is too small. It looks as though small pistol primers would fit. If so, is there any reason I shouldn't use them? __________________ "shall not be infringed"

December 29, 2008, 01:11 AM	#4
zxcvbob Senior Member Join Date: December 20, 2007 Location: S.E. Minnesota Posts: 4,720	I'd keep them in a separate coffee can until I had enough to reload -- at least 100 of 'em. I would like to find a bunch of .45LC cases that take small primers so I could switch back and forth between .357 and .45 on my reloader without changing the primer feeder. That would be handy. (but not handy enough to cut down Casull cases ) Unless you load right at the bleeding edge of the load data (either the high end or the low end) I don't think the primer size will make any difference in anything you'd load in a rimless pistol case. Last edited by zxcvbob; December 29, 2008 at 08:01 PM.

December 29, 2008, 07:50 PM	#9
The_Vigilante Senior Member Join Date: May 17, 2008 Location: Far West Texas Posts: 200	Small pistol primers in .45 ACP? Since the large pistol primers won't work and the small pistol primers are under-powered, why not use small pistol magnum primers for these cases? __________________ The_Vigilante Keeping the streets safe! A man can never own enough guns!

December 29, 2008, 12:30 AM	#2
Loader9 Senior Member Join Date: July 29, 2008 Posts: 949	Federal Non- Toxic primers (lead free) is what your brass came from. While you could maybe work up loads for them, it's going to be a guess in the dark. The small primers won't work like a large pistol primer. Ignition will be different as well as loading data. I'd toss them. FWIW, Winchester has the same junk out. They are trashed at my place. YMMV.

December 29, 2008, 08:53 AM	#5
tbtrout Senior Member Join Date: April 27, 2007 Location: New Jersey Posts: 234	I have about 5k of the sm primer 45 cases. I am going to start loading them soon. From feedback I recieved they should load up like a regular case.

December 29, 2008, 09:49 AM	#6
F. Guffey Senior Member Join Date: July 18, 2008 Posts: 7,249	Tbrout, the flash hole in the NT cases are not alike, I have a flash hole gage that does not touch when going through the Federal NT case, someone in the claims department said the larger flash hole was necessary because the NT primer was not as 'pawerfull' as the others, the Winchester NT has the standard flash hole, I avoid the claims department but if I load the NT cases, I would start with the Winchester cases with the small flash holes. There is a difference, NT uses small primers, between the two NT cases there is another difference, the flash holes are not the same size. F. Guffey

December 29, 2008, 11:14 AM	#7
PCJim Senior Member Join Date: July 11, 2008 Location: FL Posts: 570	Although Federal and Winchester both state that the "NT" small primer cases are not reloadable, they are. Use your standard 45 recipes. Just keep in mind that (I do not recall where I read this) you should expect about 30 fps less velocity in the load due to the use of the small primer. I have not reloaded any yet. I am keeping all my NT class brass separate from the standard 45 brass. When I get enough collect to warrant loading, I'll do so and let my son and his friends take them to a "Bubba Range" where I wouldn't be expecting them to be diligent in saving all the brass.

December 29, 2008, 03:04 PM	#8
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	Toss them out / recycle the brass. There is too much free brass out there to worry about trying to load an NT case ( with no published recipes available ).