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Small primer/larger primer .45acp, I don't care. That's the first cartridge I started loading in 2011. I didn't even find out there were two different pocket sizes for a couple of years maybe. Because I'd bought a bag of used from someone that was the same as what ever new boxes I'd bought to shoot. Yawn. They both go bang.
 
People who've gone through tough times sort and use both sizes, such as myself being single income with wife and four kids. I don't like to waste perfectly good brass. The small primer stuff is what I take when recovery is not guaranteed now but still pick up as much as I can find. They really do both go bang.
 
Yes not all brass is created equal tho you'd think it should be. Sorting is a way of life for me. For the 45 acp it's nickle and brass then small and large primer pockets for each color. I just made a bunch of 45 Colt and sorted brass/nickle then culled out the Herders and Hornady brass. The Herders got the primer pockets sweged and the Hornady has rgular length cases and shorter ones for the FTX bullets. Just an FYI Hornady does this for the 357 Mag, 44 Mag and 45-70 as well.
 
Sorting large and small pocket 45acp is a minor nuisance, but I really hate those short Hornady cases. I understand why they do it, but it sure is a nuisance. I set them aside until I have enough to bother adjusting my dies to load them.
 
Working up a load for a new 7 STW. Started with 81.0 of RL-25 over 140 Accubonds but my chrono wasn't working so I stopped after I got it zeroed.
Step increases of 0.5 grains until I find the sweet-spot, then I'll start fiddling with seating depth.
 
Sorting large and small pocket 45acp is a minor nuisance, but I really hate those short Hornady cases. I understand why they do it, but it sure is a nuisance. I set them aside until I have enough to bother adjusting my dies to load them.
During my past brasswhoring days I saved most all the brass that I loaded but forgot about a 20mm ammo can full of 45ACP. I put it up for sale and immediately got replies asking if it was LPP or SPP. I had never loaded 45 so didn't know & started the onerous task of sorting through 4,000+ cases…
Never again so give what I find away.
 
During my past brasswhoring days I saved most all the brass that I loaded but forgot about a 20mm ammo can full of 45ACP. I put it up for sale and immediately got replies asking if it was LPP or SPP. I had never loaded 45 so didn't know & started the onerous task of sorting through 4,000+ cases…
Never again so give what I find away.
I bought 15,000 45 acp a few months ago and have been cleaning and sorting them in-between loading batches of ammo. I'll finish up the last of them tomorrow. That works out just fine because the next batch of 10,000 bullets shipped today so will be here soonish.
 
I sort all the .223/5.56 by headstamps, I keep certain ones and sell the rest. I just don't want a bunch of different brass for my minimal loading requirements.
My latest resizing, swaging and wet cleaning venture of 3,000+ pieces acquired this weekend.

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All done resizing and cleaned off the lanolin with lacquer thinner. Next is wet tumbling, swaging and trimming.
 
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I have tubs and buckets of brass of all sorts, including 45 Auto. They are organized. I don't need another tub of 45 Auto with a different primer size. For me, that is just going over the edge a bit too far. It would just be another organizational distraction, and taking up more space. The vast majority of 45 Auto brass is large pistol primed, as it was intended and designed. I had enough of a hard time just trying to get a straight answer from ANYONE, including Federal, why they had brass that used small pistol primers. The stories were widely varied, and made no sense to me. I don't dispute they all go bang, but I'm really not that desperate that I need to collect something that just makes no sense. At the end of the day, that brass is in a minority. It's not widespread. If it comes my way, it's going into the recycle can. I recently purchased several thousand 45 hulls from a gentleman, all once fired factory stuff. Most of it was Remington, with a few other brands thrown in. There were maybe 10 that took small pistol primers. They were Federal and Blazer. Not enough to make any difference to me. And not worth the effort to sort it out to give it away.
 
Today was brass cleaning day. I like to remove the primers prior to using the ultrasonic tank and then drying the brass in a food dehydrator that I use solely for this purpose. About 2000 9mm and 800 45acp...
I primarily shoot paper at my local range, so I try for small groups and I usually spend the time to sort my brass by headstamp prior to reloading. I think it does result in more consistent O.A.L. when using the press, but I am not as certain it increases accuracy...
That's the thing about reloading; there is always another rabbit hole to head-down.
 
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That's the thing about reloading; there is always another rabbit hole to head-down.
No kidding. Processing about 300 .223/5.56 has me rethinking my purchase of the RCBS primer pocket swager. I borrowed the "Blue" swager from a member for my first big batch. The RCBS swager is brutal. AND! I'm resisting. I'm still going to resist the pin cleaning of brass. For now.
 
No kidding. Processing about 300 .223/5.56 has me rethinking my purchase of the RCBS primer pocket swager. I borrowed the "Blue" swager from a member for my first big batch. The RCBS swager is brutal. AND! I'm resisting. I'm still going to resist the pin cleaning of brass. For now.
I have a Swagit fot my 650 and my 550.that I have used a little and I like it.
If you get a Super Swager 600 watch a couple videos. There are some hacks like putting on a rubber to create an auto Eject system.
As soon as i get a dryer I'm going to start wet.
It's just to purdy and I like clean primer pockets.
 
Don't know if this counts? It's more what I didn't load today. I don't know how everybody else feels about .45acp with small primer pockets?
I don't like them. Not even a little bit. They go in the scrap bucket and matts once told me when he puts scrap in the scrap bucket he makes sure no one else will end up using it or trying to use it.
I like having both, what with the difficulty getting primers. Haven't noticed a whole lot of difference in how they shoot, similar velocities from both. Only brass I throw out are cracked cases, and most of the crimped brass.
 
I bought 15,000 45 acp a few months ago and have been cleaning and sorting them in-between loading batches of ammo. I'll finish up the last of them tomorrow. That works out just fine because the next batch of 10,000 bullets shipped today so will be here soonish.
AmmoBot primer detector, best investment ever when buying large quantitative of .45ACP. In brass prep, I deprime, sort (LG vs SM) then undersized. Always end up with a little bucket of SPP .45. It just goes in with the rest, when the time is right I just load SPP. Usualy when I am putting off doing .45 brass prep so I dig into the back up stuff.

Thread with video of it here: https://www.northwestfirearms.com/t...e-primer-automatic-sorting-on-a-d1050.334071/
 
3.5 hours this afternoon:

Roll formed 14,000 9mm (I have my roll former killing it with about 4k to 5k per hr with a modified Dillon case feeder)

De-primed and undersized 6300 9mm on the 1050 with an AmmoBot auto drive. (Run about 2300 case per hr)

Final wet tumble and dry, only about 2400. But who likes a nice clean flash hole! I do! This brass just rings is so clean inside just as shiny as the outside. Roll formed and undersized, 100% case check. These will all become 165 grain subs. Slow and crazy quite. Over kill on brass prep, maybe but these once loaded will pass 100% case gauge check. (I case gage 100% of my 9mm)

1736DB19-543F-436C-AA54-01E05B9D0FD6.jpeg 75C47E84-56EF-43B0-AE83-5129B3C84D3D.jpeg
 
3.5 hours this afternoon:

Roll formed 14,000 9mm (I have my roll former killing it with about 4k to 5k per hr with a modified Dillon case feeder)

De-primed and undersized 6300 9mm on the 1050 with an AmmoBot auto drive. (Run about 2300 case per hr)

Final wet tumble and dry, only about 2400. But who likes a nice clean flash hole! I do! This brass just rings is so clean inside just as shiny as the outside. Roll formed and undersized, 100% case check. These will all become 165 grain subs. Slow and crazy quite. Over kill on brass prep, maybe but these once loaded will pass 100% case gauge check. (I case gage 100% of my 9mm)

View attachment 1215678View attachment 1215679
I like clean primer pockets. No such thing as too much case prep.I also case gage everything. If it ain't t right it ain't right.
 

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