bought a used Smith and Wesson 40(VE) auto. It came with a lot bullets. Mixed brass, but when I go to reload some of these the head stamp WIN NT will not accept a primer. Most of the ammo is still in the box. Remington and Winchester are the boxes. Seems like the primer hole is a little too small. I will have to go through the brass and see if that the case. I have 2 more boxes of the Win so I hope not.

The 40 S&W round uses a small pistol primer just like the 9mm.

There is no reason you cannot seat a primer in the NT cases. They take the Winchester Small Pistol Non-Toxic primer. The dimensions of this are identical to the standard Small Pistol. The only difference in the NT case is the primer vent (flash hole) is larger in diameter. The NT headstamp is to identify the ammunition once it is out of the original packaging.

I suppose the primer pockets could be crimped if the ammunition was manufactured under a government contract of some sort and a crimp was specified in the contract.

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Gunsmithing since 1961

Have you tried a pocket reamer?

That said, thanks to a growing crop of newbie shooters ,once fired 40 S&W brass is ankle deep and free for the taking at most ranges I've been too lately.

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Dave

going through them the only ones I am having trouble with are the NT stamp ones. I don't have a reamer. Only about 20 so far will not work. Primer just won't go in without getting all jacked up and them I put them in the discard can I have. I will keep an eye on things and report back.

The NT brass has a crimped primer. To remove the remnants of the crimp you will have to get one of those specialty cutters to cut it out or swage it. Most guys who don't load on a Dillon 1050 just pitch it and move on. .40 brass is plentiful and cheap.

I have never messed with military brass but have heard about it. That's what it sounds and looks like. I just got a bunch of brass today, Large coffee plastic container and couple other bags, so I will just separate it for now and mark it. Is all the NT brass like that? I have heard that they are a pain to do so I won't mess with them now. Anybody got a good idea where to start on a load for this. I have heard mixed things about the 40 but have never loaded for them. Only mold I have now is a 175 gr SWC Lee. I got a lot of bullets from the same place I got the brass, some lead some jacketed. I haven't sorted them out yet. When I got home today there was a coyote in the back yard after my chickens, I live in the country. Sicked my dog on him while I ran in the house to get a gun. He was too far away when I got out there. Later when I bent over to feed baby chick and stood up my back went out so I am laid up for a bit. It's hell getting old.

I just got through doing the 45 acp brass and the same thing. about 20 more so have the primer wedged in there. Not bad really for a BIG coffee can full of them.

The earliest NT brass had a huge flash hole because they weren't as hot as the current primers. I'd be hesitant to reload them if they are of the earliest issue. If the primers are crimped in place, they very well may have the larger primer hole and the primers can back out when fired.

The large primers will not go in and the small primers fall out. The hole appears to be the same size and I will have to dig my drill bits out and make sure, I have plenty so not going to mess with them. I have more than enough to play with. Going to start on a load today and see what I come up with. Looks like a light load is recommended so that's where will start. I still haven't found any reading on loading these like I have on rifles.