.45 ACP pistol primer size & powder charge

[bline]

I can see that this has been addressed before but I am confused by the earlier threads and also by having listened to two guys arguing over weather or not powder charges need to be reduced or increased relative to the use of small or large primers specifically in .45 ACP.
I am currently using 5.4 grains of Bullseye under 230 grain TMJ bullets from Berry's with large primers. I have a quantity of brass (S&B / Speer / Blazer) as well as many Federal small pistol primers that I typically use for .38 Spl. ammo.
So my question is; will the small pistol primers give the same ignition performance in the .45 ACP cases designed for them as the large pistol primers do in the cases they are made for?

 

[GLShooter]

You'll never see any difference one way or the other between the two.

That's a pretty stout load of Bullseye under a 230. Are you shooting bowling pins?

 

[Timberyote]

I do it all the time without issues.

I use 4.4gr Bullseye and sometimes 4.8gr Bullseye.

 

[GLShooter]

I pretty much MAX out at 5.4 as that makes a good bowling pin load.. My usual load is 4.6 of BE under a 200 grain H&G 68 that makes a nice easy MAJOR load though I bump to 4.8 if I expect cold weather.

Greg

 

[bline]

You'll never see any difference one way or the other between the two.

That's a pretty stout load of Bullseye under a 230. Are you shooting bowling pins?

Yep it is, and I am using it as a catch all load for paper punching at 50 yards, pins and to knock down the steel piggies, rams chickens and such at the same range.
The old Speer #11 reloading manual I have shows 5.2 as the minimum and 5.7 as the maximum so I settled on 5.4 as a compromise.

 

[bline]

I pretty much MAX out at 5.4 as that makes a good bowling pin load.. My usual load is 4.6 of BE under a 200 grain H&G 68 that makes a nice easy MAJOR load though I bump to 4.8 if I expect cold weather.

Greg

Ya' know what guys? I just may back off on the powder charge after reading the comments. Probably need to rework the rear sights on the guns but that's okay with me.

 

[GLShooter]

On my IHMSA loads I shot 8.5 of Unique and a 185 Sierra. It pushed the rams at 2p0 but it was fun to shoot.

Greg

 

[kenhwind]

IIRC I use 5.2 Bullseye in the 45 ACP with a 230 MC bullet.
I don't load any miscellaneous brass such as the Federal with the small pistol primer, but I cannot see where there'd be much difference between the small and large pistol primers.
I do have some Federal 10mm that uses the small pistol primer. Per the load data I used I just substituted Federal small pistol for the Federal large pistol.

 

[Fuj]

From my testing over a chronograph using old lots of 452AA
And the H&G 200 semi wadcutter for both IPSC and pin/plate
shoots, The large WW primers would give as much as 40 fps
more over the spp's. If your near max with a load with the spp's
and especially with Bulleye, then switch to a lpp, it would be in
your interest to drop a good 1/2 grain and work back up. I did
not shoot much hard ball, but found 231 worked best for me
with the lpp.

 

[243winxb]

Starline Brass Test. https://www.starlinebrass.com/articles/small-pistol-primers-vs-large-pistol-primers/

It’s conclusive that large primers give more velocity with all powders tested especially the slower ones such as Herco. That is because the large pistol primer has a stronger ignition on the powder charge

 

[AckleymanII]

I can see that this has been addressed before but I am confused by the earlier threads and also by having listened to two guys arguing over weather or not powder charges need to be reduced or increased relative to the use of small or large primers specifically in .45 ACP.
I am currently using 5.4 grains of Bullseye under 230 grain TMJ bullets from Berry's with large primers. I have a quantity of brass (S&B / Speer / Blazer) as well as many Federal small pistol primers that I typically use for .38 Spl. ammo.
So my question is; will the small pistol primers give the same ignition performance in the .45 ACP cases designed for them as the large pistol primers do in the cases they are made for?

5.0g is a HOT load with the 230's, and I use a 24 lb spring.

When you run out of Bullseye, try some AA#5 which burns MUCH MUCH cleaner than Bullseye and 231.

 

[Pawnee Bill]

I shoot 5.0 gr Unique under a 230 gr FMJ. It shoots great all day long.

 

[XTR]

Since you guys are all telling loads that work I will tell you one that doesn't.

Back in about '92 (in my IPSC days), I dropped the hammer on a double charged 200gr semi wadcutter. From my way back memory, it was something on the order of 11 or so grains of 231. My Springfield 1911 partially disassembled in my hand and the last of the brass worked it's way out of my right cheek several yrs later.

 

[AckleymanII]

I shoot 6-7g of Unique with a 200g Semi wad cutter.

Very, Very accurate.

 

[AckleymanII]

Since you guys are all telling loads that work I will tell you one that doesn't.

Back in about '92 (in my IPSC days), I dropped the hammer on a double charged 200gr semi wadcutter. From my way back memory, it was something on the order of 11 or so grains of 231. My Springfield 1911 partially disassembled in my hand and the last of the brass worked it's way out of my right cheek several yrs later.

Can you imagine what a Glock would have done?

 

[Mail4Tim]

I use 4.6 gn of Bulls Eye under a 220gn hard cast TC. Nice easy practice load. I have loaded and shot the same load with both large and small primer brass and can't tell a difference. That said I have pulled all of the small primer brass because I got tired of sorting them before priming. So I have about 9.5 lbs of sized and expanded brass that I would love to find a new home for. Anyone interested send me a message and make me an offer!