Picky primer/brass combos for .45 ACP?

[hlsawdust]

So I'm not sure if anyone else has already posted this, but is there a list of optimal brass/primer combos (or at least ones that are no-no's) for reloading .45 ACPs?
I've just recently started reloading and have been using Winchester primers exclusively (since most my brass are Win anyhow) and haven't had any problems so far until I came across the Remington (R&P) brass and found that they just weren't fitting right - wasted a good dozen or two rounds (yes, I did double check to make sure they were cleaned properly, swaged and everything). Wound up getting them to fit with Federal primers, but before I start diving into my smaller batches of other branded brass, just wanted to check to see if anyone else has experienced any problem combos that I could get a heads up on before having the assembly line come to a screeching halt again (using a Dillon 550). Thanks in advance.

[Rock6.3]

There is no (zero, zip, nada) reason to match your brand of brass to your brand selection of primers. Wolf primers will work in your Winchester brass, so will every other brand of large pistol primers.

[Chief-7700]

How long have you been reloading on the RL-550B? Reason why I asked this question is it takes awhile to get the right feel of seating a primer.
Have used CCI, Remington, Federal, Wolf and Winchester primers over the years in mixed headstamp brass. Will not use Federal primers in a Dillon XL-650 since the primer cup is very soft and have had a couple of booms while seating them. My preference is Winchester WLP with Winchester brass.

[iareConfusE]

So long as you buy the right primer for the case you're trying to reload, it should work. Of course there are going to be variations (really minor ones) that may make it easier or harder to seat in a case from any particular brand. I find that seating any primer in a S&B case for example, is much harder to do than with Federal brass.

[J-cat]

Generally, you wanna use the same brand brass and primers for optimal primer cup to primer pocket fit. As you can see, some combinations are less than optimal. While all combinations should fit, some fit more tightly while others fit more loosely.

[Rock6.3]

Generally, you wanna use the same brand brass and primers for optimal primer cup to primer pocket fit. As you can see, some combinations are less than optimal. While all combinations should fit, some fit more tightly while others fit more loosely.

Are you serious?

[iareConfusE]

Are you serious?

He's saying for an optimal fit... not 100% absolutely necessary, just that it makes things a lot easier, which I agree with. I was loading Federal primers into mixed cases before, and throughout that process I noticed that the primers seated in Federal brass MUCH easier and smoother than any of the other brands, even though they still worked just fine. So I went ahead and separated all of the Federal headstamps from the rest, and primed only Federal brass with Federal primers. It worked very well, until I ran out of Federal primers. Now that I'm using Wolf primers, it seems to be harder to seat than Federal no matter what headstamp, so I've gone back to just using a mixed batch of brass for the Wolf primers.

[J-cat]

I noticed that the primers seated in Federal brass MUCH easier and smoother than any of the other brands...

I noticed that as well.

[Rock6.3]

45ACP is a standardized case. Manufacturers who stamp that on their cases agree to manufacture within the industry standards for that design.

Primers are likewise manufactured to an industry standard.

Yes some primers or cases may be ever so slightly tighter or looser, but they will be within the industry tolerances or they would have been scrapped during manufacturing.

I use mixed headstamp cases and make zero effort to sort them by headstamp. The only things I sort for are:
1. Steel cases (to be recycled)
2. Cracked necks (to be recycled)
3. 45ACP small primer cases (to be processed separately)

I do not shoot 1,000 yard groups with my 45ACP. Thus I do not need to do any further sorting of my brass. Clean it, load it, shoot it. This is not complicated.....

[Stryfe76]

I use an RCBS primer pocket swager for those tight primer pockets.

[chickenfried]

S&B is infamous for tight primer pockets. At least in .45 ACP not sure about other calibers.

[iareConfusE]

S&B is infamous for tight primer pockets. At least in .45 ACP not sure about other calibers.

Yep even in 9mm it feels like you're trying to shove a square peg into a round hole.

[Cowboy T]

Yep even in 9mm it feels like you're trying to shove a square peg into a round hole.

Same for .38 Special. I've learned to sort those out and hit 'em with the RCBS primer pocket swager like Stryfe76 suggested. Then they work fine.

Not sure about .45 ACP, but I am very sure about .45 Colt and .44 Spl/Mag, which also use large pistol primers. Case brands have been R-P, Winchester, Starline, Midway, and several others that I cannot remember right now (it's a medley). Haven't had a single problem no matter what brand of primers I've used, and I've tried CCI, Federal, Magtech (my first brand), Remington, Winchester, and Wolf/Tula. All work equally well for me. Therefore, I now use mostly Wolf/Tula 'cause of the price, and Winchester when I wan that traditional "cowboy" all-brass look. :-)

[hlsawdust]

How long have you been reloading on the RL-550B? Reason why I asked this question is it takes awhile to get the right feel of seating a primer.
Have used CCI, Remington, Federal, Wolf and Winchester primers over the years in mixed headstamp brass. Will not use Federal primers in a Dillon XL-650 since the primer cup is very soft and have had a couple of booms while seating them. My preference is Winchester WLP with Winchester brass.

This is about my 5th or 6th go around with the .45's and hadn't had any problems prior, but then I was using primarily Winchester brass. This batch I came across more of the Remington's and had enough to finally try em as a batch (I like presorting, call me OCD whatever).

I've noticed that the newest Federals all have small primer pockets and have been keeping those on the side - gonna wait till I get enough of those before I break from my routine of large pistol primers and try reloading these (on the subject, anyone have any trouble reloading these? The Federal with small primer pockets)

[Chief-7700]

This is about my 5th or 6th go around with the .45's and hadn't had any problems prior, but then I was using primarily Winchester brass. This batch I came across more of the Remington's and had enough to finally try em as a batch (I like presorting, call me OCD whatever).

I've noticed that the newest Federals all have small primer pockets and have been keeping those on the side - gonna wait till I get enough of those before I break from my routine of large pistol primers and try reloading these (on the subject, anyone have any trouble reloading these? The Federal with small primer pockets)

The small primed .45ACP brass will work with small pistol primers. I just refuse
to change out the priming system on the 650 to accommodate the small primed .45ACP brass.