Gentlemen:

Another problem to watch out for when loading for the .45 ACP. Winchester now has some rounds loaded with small pistol primers!

See: http://www.winchester.com/news/newsview.aspx?storyid=73

Don't try to stuff any large pistol primers into one of these.


Ralph

It's cheaper to make cases with small pistol primers for their new lead-free primer than it is to make a large lead-free pistol primer? Could be a problem in getting large pistol primers to work right with their new compound...but this isn't going to sit too well with progressive loaders who get lazy about checking primer pockets.

Was given a box of ancient factory .38special new cases...Peters, balloon heads...large pistol primers. Picked up a few .38SW's with the same large primer pocket. Loaded, shot, and some of the cases escaped; am sure there were a few fustrated reloaders who picked them up.

It's cheaper to make cases with small pistol primers for their new lead-free primer than it is to make a large lead-free pistol primer? Could be a problem in getting large pistol primers to work right with their new compound...but this isn't going to sit too well with progressive loaders who get lazy about checking primer pockets.

Was given a box of ancient factory .38special new cases...Peters, balloon heads...large pistol primers. Picked up a few .38SW's with the same large primer pocket. Loaded, shot, and some of the cases escaped; am sure there were a few fustrated reloaders who picked them up.
So..if I understand this correctly....I should not attempt to reload cases that are stamped NT due to them being factory loade with the small primer. Correct????.....mack

Correct. Messing around with odd-ball brass isn't worth the hassle when good brass is readily available.

This is what Wincester says.
"The unique characteristics of lead-free primers resulted in a conversion in 45 Auto to the small pistol-sized primer instead of the standard large pistol-sized primer for optimum firing performance. The improved 45 Auto lead-free shellcase now utilizes a small pistol primer for improved primer sensitivity. Winchester does not recommend reloading any 45 Auto shellcases with small primer pockets."

Bye
Jack

Are probanbly some very good reasons not to try reloading those small pocketed cases...and I'm just as sure that that warning will be ignored. The change in primers would cause a change in the ignition and buring characteristics of powders...probably not too greatly with the fast powders ususlly used for target loads. Assuming WW did some tests to reach that no-reloading recommendation, have to consider that some ugly things could happen or they wouldn't have issued that warning.

There is enough "real" brass...will ignore the WW offering.

I wish W-W would stop fooling around with this stuff, somebody's gonna miss the warning or reload them anyway and something bad is likely gonna happen because of it.

Remember when W-W used 45ACP cases with huge flash holes? They said it was okay to reload them, that the bigger flash holes were to aid in ignition of their specialized new loads, I think they were "Green" loads for indoor use.

With so many people reloading, and perhaps not getting the warnings, standardization sounds like a good idea!

PJ the Nervous

I've yet to see any of the new small primer cases. The indoor ranges I frequent still have standard large pistol primed range ammo. And since I don't own anything but my BH convertable in .45 ACP I don't buy it.

However thinking about the situation, this small primer vs large primer is just a small inconvience. If you segregate your brass, prepare them and load them accordingly there won't be any problems. I'm sure a powder charge adjustment "may" be needed in some cases. But the small pistol primers are used to ignite magnum rounds such as the. 357, so they won't have a problem with the small charges in the short ACP cases.
That is, if Win used "standard" sized S.P. primers.

Joe