Large pistol primers and more

[ItchyTick]

Ordered kit for reloading 45lc. (Also .38 eventually)

I used to reload about 30 years ago.

Recommended large pistol primers? Reliably go bang.

Good place to get/order bullets?

Thanks.

[ianb1116]

CCI, Winchester, Remington, S&B....they all work.

Look at Xtreme Bullets or Steel Valley Casting (plug for our own member here!)

http://www.steelvalleycasting.com/

[Hoppy]

whoa..... deja vu

I wouldn't worry about primer manufacturer, just stock up on what's available. I remember 2012 and not getting any. So, started buying whatever was available when they were coming back. I even have old Winchester primers from the 50's or 60's that my grandfather used with his wax bullet kit. They still work when I load up wax bullets. I also found some old boxes of primers in a house I demo'd. I put them in some 9mm's and they were fine

For bullets, I mostly cast but have also ordered from Xtreme.

[abner13]

I've used nothing but Winchester WLP primers for large and large magnum rounds for probably 30yrs.

[DucatiRon]

Thanks for the plug. Come on down 79 and visit me. I have the best price on primers and bullets. If you like Titegroup or CFE pistol 'I'll save ya on powder also.

Ron

Btw I carry CCI primers.

[Fred762]

I try to use the same primers for similar loads, but after decades of reloading I quit fooling myself..

Now I use small pistol primers of any American brand for 9mm, .38spl..and .357 mag.

Small rifle for 5.56 and large rifle for 8mm and 7.62x51

Have not loaded .30carb in years but might still some day.

I store primers like my ammo..in airtight steel ammo cans w dessicant or rice grains in them and cool..have not had a problem w old primers . In fact last summer I ran across a box of .45ACPs I had loaded in 1983 & put away and 4got about.. ..all worked fine.

I load for practice and plinking and maybe defense if SHTF......
If I was loading for long range bench rest it might be good to really be careful abt specific primers..Just keep em cool and dry.

[Bang]

The .45 ACP bullet is .451". The .45 Colt bullet is .452". I was loading .45 Colt brass with 230gr plated RN .451" and ran into signs of insufficient neck tension.

The .45 Colt is a low pressure cartridge and as a result, the brass does not expand well to seal the chamber, like higher pressure shells. After firing, the brass may have a sooty side and parts of the brass may even take on a blue shade from the heat. Undersized 230gr bullets contributed to the situation. Changing from a .450" expander plug (.45 Colt die) to a .449 (.45 ACP die) solved the problem when using .451" 230gr PL RN. I also run a taper crimp over the assembled cartridge to help develop more pressure using either bullet.

I ordered 500 of the proper diameter .452" 250gr plated Flat Point (#00217) from Berry's of St. George, Utah. Order placed online 4-17-18, order filled 4-23-18 (actually, the lot number) and received on 4-26-18, free shipping on order over $75, received in 9 days from order date.

It has been my experience that Xtreme bullets is slow on delivering.

Using the Berry's 250gr PL FP together with a mild taper crimp (does not cause a cut to the copper plate) has produced cleaner burning.

I was loading super hard cast alloy, .452" 250gr round nose flat point bullets that are meant for the .45 Colt. They do great but do leave lead to be dealt with, so I switched to plated.

I also believe any primer is fine in the .45 Colt.

[Brick]

In my experience the ONLY primer NOT to use is Wolf! They do fire, but they're a bit hard. Also they have a propensity of punching out the "bottom" of the cup when decapping and leaving ring of metal in the primer pocket. I used both large and small pistol a few years during the "prime scarcity panic". Same problem with both. I rate them a substitute standard "c" use only when NOTHING else is available.

[Brick]

The .45 ACP bullet is .451". The .45 Colt bullet is .452". I was loading .45 Colt brass with 230gr plated RN .451" and ran into signs of insufficient neck tension.

The .45 Colt is a low pressure cartridge and as a result, the brass does not expand well to seal the chamber, like higher pressure shells. After firing, the brass may have a sooty side and parts of the brass may even take on a blue shade from the heat. Undersized 230gr bullets contributed to the situation. Changing from a .450" expander plug (.45 Colt die) to a .449 (.45 ACP die) solved the problem when using .451" 230gr PL RN. I also run a taper crimp over the assembled cartridge to help develop more pressure using either bullet.

I ordered 500 of the proper diameter .452" 250gr plated Flat Point (#00217) from Berry's of St. George, Utah. Order placed online 4-17-18, order filled 4-23-18 (actually, the lot number) and received on 4-26-18, free shipping on order over $75, received in 9 days from order date.

It has been my experience that Xtreme bullets is slow on delivering.

Using the Berry's 250gr PL FP together with a mild taper crimp (does not cause a cut to the copper plate) has produced cleaner burning.

I was loading super hard cast alloy, .452" 250gr round nose flat point bullets that are meant for the .45 Colt. They do great but do leave lead to be dealt with, so I switched to plated.

I also believe any primer is fine in the .45 Colt.

Curious about what you're saying here. It was my understanding that pre-WW II .45 Colt groove diameter was cut to 0.454" and after the war changed to 0.452" to make it the same as .45 ACP. AFAIK cast/Swaged/plated/coated .45 ACP is 0.452" Dia. and jacketed is 0.451".45 Colt in current production is sized the same. Now all that aside I found with my Mod 25-2 its oversized chamber throats require me to use 0.454" sized bullets.

[Bang]

First I've heard of that explanation of dimensions and purposes with respect to the .45ACP. I have an Italian clone SAA and have no experience with real SAA Colts, pre-war and post-war. I was sharing what I found in my clone.

I have been reloading for the 1911-A1 since the 1970s, originally shooting (purchased) cast lead wadcutter bullets. That long ago, I don't recall the diameter of the lead I shot. Eventually I changed to ball 230 jacketed, again, no longer recall what diameter. The box always said .45ACP. Everything I have read about 1911s says .451.

I do have a (labeled) 500 count box of Roger's Better Bullets, .45LC Super Hard Cast Alloy Bullets, 250 grain round nose flat point, sized .452, 248 remaining, sticker $23.99.

I have a (labeled) box of Berry's 500 count 45LC Cal 250gr flat point, .452, (copper plated) that I just purchased for the Colt clone.

I have a box (labeled) 500 CMJ 45ACP 230gr RN size .451 (plated).

I don't know about cylinder diameter being the deciding factor in choosing a bullet diameter. I think I would want to know the bore diameter and stay .002" over. I guess .003" over might be OK if shooting malleable lead into a decent forcing cone. Have you slugged the bore? And how are you resizing and expanding the shells to accommodate .454?