Looking to purchase a Charter Arms 45 ACP Pitbull. I reload 9's and 38 Spcl for plinking. I always have small pistol primers on hand. But it looks like there will be 2 options in purchasing once fired range brass for the 45. Why did the case manufacturers develop the 2 primer sizes for brass? Is one better than the other? Any personal preferences? Since I load 9's and 38's, having one primer size on hand makes it easier. Any thoughts?

The small primers on 45 Auto came about when the big ammo companies started loading lead free primers in 45 Auto, as those are only made in Small pistol and rifle size.

As to which is better, I think they both work about the same from what I've read, no actual experience. I know that I find much more LPP brass at the range than SPP and I only reload the LPP brass to somplify brass sorting at the end of the day.

No difference. Sort, load, shoot, repeat.

I have noticed no difference, though I have been given to believe that if you like to load to the high side of the curve you will get a tad more oomph with the large pistol. If you are buying range brass, you will find the SPP is MUCH cheaper than the LPP.

No practical diff, I just dont like sp brass for my progressive. I karma them to friends that dont care.

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NRA Cert. Inst. IDPA CSO

I haven't noticed any difference. I can reload either one because I have 550 for LPP and the Square Deal B is set up for SPP & .45 ACP dies for both machines.

I use both. Down side of sp is that some may have crimped primer pockets. I have some Federal small pistol primer brass that i had to swage the primer pockets.

There is a slight difference. The small primers may yield slightly lower velocity than the same load in large primer brass, but it seems to vary.

Shooting Times did a small test, not really a significant difference.
Fact or Fiction: Small vs. Large Pistol Primers in .45 ACP

Starline Brass did a bigger test and the results seem to vary depending up which test pistol was used.
Small Pistol Primers vs Large Pistol Primers | Rifle, Handgun, and Pistol Brass

Definitely keep the two types of brass segregated. A small primer will fall out of a large primer pocket, but a large primer can be crushed and that is never a good thing.

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VCDL, GOA, NRA

Use whatever you have handy. I experimented with small vs. large primed 45 ACP loads (100, with 50 of each in otherwise identical loads). Not enough difference in performance to matter, perhaps 20-25 fps slower with small pistol primers. I tried some small pistol magnum primers but didn't get around to shooting any over my chrony...

I wish those small primer brass would just go away so I don't have to sort them out.

If you are buying once fired brass from a range and they have small primer cases available for sale and they are not more (or much more) expensive than the large primer cases I can see where only having to buy and stock up small pistol primers would be an advantage to you .
Loads are the same for either size primer in 45 acp so why not !
Gary

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Certified Cajun
NRA Member

I use both, with no issues other than keeping them separated. If you are just laying in a supply of cases, might as well get the small primers,,since that is what you have on hand.

I threw all the LPP away. Problem solved.

Now, half of the handgun cartridges I load are LPP and half are SPP. Another problem solved. When i replenish inventory i just buy a box of each, and don't have to count.

The only downside of having two primer sizes in the same caliber is the need to segregate cases for reloading. Back in the old days some cases which now use only small primers were originally made for large primers.

I don't think that is going to happen. I think there may come a day when ammo manufacturers settle on the small primer 45 ACP as being the new standard.

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VCDL, GOA, NRA

The only "problem" for small primed 45 ACP brass is with those that can't/don't/won't inspect their brass. I don't have that problem as I inspect all my brass before I start any reloading procedure (even if they only use one size primer)...

What he said.

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Jim

If you want to keep your component inventory simple, go with the small primed brass as you already load some cartridges using small pistol primers...