Small Primer Vs Large Primer and the .45 ACP

[Flamingo]

With the likely hood of magazine limits coming to WA I am considering getting a 1911 to carry. I went away from 1911s in the very early 2000s (I think around 2004). I don't remember there being SPP .45 ACP then. I am not going to get rid of my 9mms or .38/.357s so sticking to SPP seems to make sense.

Having SPP brass would also make it easier as I won't have to change the primer system on my Dillon.

I guess the question is... Should I stick with the standard and not be a lazy turd or is the SPP brass ok to use.

[alamo5000]

Small primers work just fine and shoot good. I would imagine some of the people that are more nuanced in the arts of competition might know of some differences but if you just want a reliable click and bang then it's not a problem.

And yes, it makes life a whole lot easier to not have to have yet another different type of component to reload.

The real trick here is to figure out how to get ONLY small primer 45 brass. Sorting it pretty much sucks. If you know of anyone that sells it already sorted or better yet new, then I would jump on it.

[37th Mass]

Everglades Ammo has 45 ACP Small Primer Pocket Fired Range Brass in stock. Mixed headstamp, but all small primer.

https://www.evergladesammo.com/brass/handgun-brass/45-acp-small-primer-pocket-fired-range-brass.html

[Lester Polfus]

I’m hesitant to do this, because It isn’t what you asked, but...

I also figure a mag cap limit is coming in WA. I too also reload 9mm and .357/.38, so I am thinking of getting a 9mm 1911. Have you thought about that instead of a .45?

ETA: I also got out of 1911s in the early 2000s, and have never really regretted it. But lately I have been thinking a 4.25” Ronin with stag grips would be a nice thing to own.

[Flamingo]

I’m hesitant to do this, because It isn’t what you asked, but...

I also figure a mag cap limit is coming in WA. I too also reload 9mm and .357/.38, so I am thinking of getting a 9mm 1911. Have you thought about that instead of a .45?

ETA: I also got out of 1911s in the early 2000s, and have never really regretted it. But lately I have been thinking a 4.25” Ronin with stag grips would be a nice thing to own.

I may do that as well. I haven't looked at the Ronin.

[Lester Polfus]

I may do that as well. I haven't looked at the Ronin.

They look solid. There are, of course, other brands of 9mm 1911 that are well regarded.

One thing about 9mm 1911s is they can be dual-use 9mm and .38 Super guns...

I think if you want a 1911 for a woods gun, .45 has a good place, but you already have a .357...

So I dunno. Just food for thought. If I go that route, the GP100 will still be my woodsbumming gun, and the 1911 will be for urban/suburban carry.

What I should do is get some flavor of P365 with native 10-round capacity, but I'm starting to like "nice" guns.

[Bucky]

It is certainly a pain sorting LP and SP .45 brass, especially as the eyes age.

[fatdog]

is the SPP brass ok to use.

It is fine and works fine. I see no meaningful variation in my loads between small and large primers in .45ACP and make no changes other than the primer feed to run them through. These days I only load 45 ACP for USPSA single stack. I see more and more of SPP 45 ACP coming from the major factory ammo producers and it is annoying to me in a huge way now because with probably +25K LPP empties in the system I have to sort 45ACP brass before putting it in the reloading stream, and save the small primer stuff for when my 650 is set up for that feed system.

[Crazy Dane]

I have loaded SPP 45s and have found no difference in performance. I may be wrong but I think any factory loaded ammo with SP will be of the "clean" variety so sorting will be a pain. I no longer haver the SP brass in inventory. I only have 2 .45s left that don't get shot much anymore and I haven't loaded any .45 in years. Mainly because...

I will second the 9mm 1911. I have a Colt Commander that feels like I am cheating when I shoot it. I got several of the Brownell's brand 10 round mags that work great. I will grab this one before I will grab either of the .45s. I have been carrying revolvers a lot lately but when I have to go to the big city my P365x is my constant companion. If I was mandatoried to 10 rounds, it's an easy swap back to the standard frame and mags.

[psalms144.1]

I've got a metric buttload of SPP 45 ACP. At first when I started sorting out my range brass, I was PISSED to find SPP brass - because now I have to take the extra step of culling 45 ACP brass by primer size.

Fast forward to the post COVID world of primers don't exist, and I have quite a few more SPP than LPP left in my stock. Last month, I started rolling up some SPP 200gr LSWC target loads, and they worked just fine - even over Titegroup (which is NOT my preferred powder for this load, but again, all I have a large stock of).

At this point, I've got no concerns about reloading SPP 45 ACP.

[psalms144.1]

And I'll third (or fourth?) the recommendation for a 9mm 1911. I think 9mm works better in shorter "concealable" barrels - I've had lots of luck with 4" bull barrel 9mms. And, if magazine capacity is really limited to 10, I'd rather have 10 9mms than 8 .45 ACPs - though "younger me" is going to kick me in the jimmy for even mentioning that!

[Elwin]

And I'll third (or fourth?) the recommendation for a 9mm 1911. I think 9mm works better in shorter "concealable" barrels - I've had lots of luck with 4" bull barrel 9mms. And, if magazine capacity is really limited to 10, I'd rather have 10 9mms than 8 .45 ACPs - though "younger me" is going to kick me in the jimmy for even mentioning that!

A fourth/fifth for 9mm 1911s. CSW should be in here shortly to tout his - that’s the pattern in any thread that brings them up, just a matter of which of us shows up first. Like Psalms he and I both have bull barrel 4” guns, and I think there’s a there there. Lots of companies with a reputation for getting the 9mm 1911 right are doing it at least partly with guns of that format.

I’ll also note I know of no problems with SPP .45, though all my reloading input is second hand because my dad is the real reloader (until I get a Dillon set up whenever I have a workspace that allows for it). I forget what or why but he specifically uses SPP brass for one of his loads to help keep it separate from others. It’s not the 235gr. cast load I mooch off of him, that’s all I know.

[JohnO]

My understanding of why .45 ACP cases were made with LPP. If you have spent enough time sorting through picked up range brass from 1911s you will see off center primer strikes. Some much worse that others depending on what gun it came from. The large pistol primer made military ammo more likely to go bang with sloppy tolerances of barrel lockup and breach face alignment. Bigger sweet spot!

[CSW]

A fourth/fifth for 9mm 1911s. CSW should be in here shortly to tout his - that’s the pattern in any thread that brings them up, just a matter of which of us shows up first. Like Psalms he and I both have bull barrel 4” guns, and I think there’s a there there. Lots of companies with a reputation for getting the 9mm 1911 right are doing it at least partly with guns of that format.

I’ll also note I know of no problems with SPP .45, though all my reloading input is second hand because my dad is the real reloader (until I get a Dillon set up whenever I have a workspace that allows for it). I forget what or why but he specifically uses SPP brass for one of his loads to help keep it separate from others. It’s not the 235gr. cast load I mooch off of him, that’s all I know.

I own 2 RO Champions;
My first, from 2016-17, is just the parked RO, with the factory fibers.
Almost two years ago I purchased a new-old-stock RO Champ Elite, which has been my carry gun since.
Zero problems/issues, and 2000+ rounds later, never a FTF/FTE/FTF.....well, no problems. The only thing I've done was a switch to thin grips, skate tape on the front strap, and a 10-8 rear sight.

Honestly, if I ever stumbled upon another Elite, I'd buy it without question.
Springfield has gotten bad raps over their politics years ago, and with sub standard quality....to which I have not experienced. I've owned 4 Springers now, 2 in 45acp, and these 2 in 9mm. Both calibers have been fine.

Both are as mentioned before, a bull barrel 4", that's bushingless. Instead, uses a captive dual recoil spring up front. Recoil is negligible, and the Elite seems to favor heavy bullets, ala 135/147grain, but will shoot anything.

Didn't mean to get on about the Champions, but if you were to look at a 9mm 1911, I'd recommend them. DW, and the upper-tier -boyz are making some fine 9mm guns as well. Good mags really help with the 1911 as well.

EDIT: Another thing about the wuundernine in the 1911, is that is a real pussycat to shoot. Recoil is minimal, and the sights really stay flat. I moved away from 45acp because of 35 years of wrenching, and the arthritis it left in my hands.


Interesting thread.

[Bucky]

I've got a metric buttload of SPP 45 ACP. At first when I started sorting out my range brass, I was PISSED to find SPP brass - because now I have to take the extra step of culling 45 ACP brass by primer size.

Fast forward to the post COVID world of primers don't exist, and I have quite a few more SPP than LPP left in my stock. Last month, I started rolling up some SPP 200gr LSWC target loads, and they worked just fine - even over Titegroup (which is NOT my preferred powder for this load, but again, all I have a large stock of).

At this point, I've got no concerns about reloading SPP 45 ACP.

I’m in the other boat. I have a good supply of both LPP .45 brass and LPP. Since a don’t shoot much .45 anymore, it should last a good while. I used to save SPP brass, accumulated enough if need be, but these days they go in the scrap pile.

[TOTS]

I’m in the other boat. I have a good supply of both LPP .45 brass and LPP. Since a don’t shoot much .45 anymore, it should last a good while. I used to save SPP brass, accumulated enough if need be, but these days they go in the scrap pile.
Don’t throw that stuff away anymore!!! - save it and I’ll swap LPP .45 brass for SPP .45! I have ended up with a ton of both and load them the same. I segregate them and only shoot one size at the time to avoid separating range clean up. But I wouldn’t mind slowly standardizing to SPP.

And I’ll fifth/sixth? the 9mm 1911. I have a 5in Dan Wesson that is more reliable than my G19.