Small or Large Pistol Primer

If you have trouble seeing the difference, maybe a magnifier?
I need readers for small print, and they help sorting L/S primers in a lot of brass.

HVFDfirefighter said:

I guess I could use the pocket cleaner tool. If the large cleaner fits, it is a large pocket, if it does not fit, then it is a small pocket

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Yup. When I get donations of brass I run a pocket uniforming tool through each piece. It makes sorting by condition easier.
Using a pocket cleaner should work just fine.

Ballistic tools makes swage gauges for large and small primer pockets , they only cost a few bucks and are a must have for the serious reloader . It will tell you if your primer pockets are the correct size , or undersize for instance military crimp , or oversized or too loose .

Beach Bum said:

Ballistic tools makes swage gauges for large and small primer pockets , they only cost a few bucks and are a must have for the serious reloader . It will tell you if your primer pockets are the correct size , or undersize for instance military crimp , or oversized or too loose .

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Here they are

HVFDfirefighter said:

I guess I could use the pocket cleaner tool. If the large cleaner fits, it is a large pocket, if it does not fit, then it is a small pocket

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You could do that or any number of other methods.

But I'll bet taking either a large or small and putting it in front of you to glance at as you go through them will work most quickly after your eyes & brain get used to it.

Or if glancing doesn't work, just move your hand a few inches and place a case next to the sample. Boom! Instant discernment.

you could look at each one or you can just try loading large primers in every one of them.

Maybe do not do that.

probably best to look at each one and in the future only buy the specific brass that you really want to load for or else you will be getting lots of useless brass.

I have both and years ago was planning to switch over to small primer and bought a few thousand but when the great primer shortage, 2020 edition hit, I had lots of large primers and only a few small so I got the change over parts to load large primers on my Dillon and saved my small primers. So I am saving my small primer brass to increase in value, like moldy cheese.

I use the ballistic tools go/no go gauges as well they are great. It also helps you figure out if you are dealing with a crimped primer pocket.

Beach Bum said:

Ballistic tools makes swage gauges for large and small primer pockets , they only cost a few bucks and are a must have for the serious reloader . It will tell you if your primer pockets are the correct size , or undersize for instance military crimp , or oversized or too loose .

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I guess for the past 51 years I’ve just been messing around.

GeoDudeFlorida said:

I guess for the past 51 years I’ve just been messing around.

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You just reminded me of Jacob Sandler, a business law professor. He said, in life you either have an offer and acceptance or you're just messing around

(Other than teaching me, his claim to fame was he was lawyer for Barney Breskin, the guy who wrote the "Hail to the Redskins" fight song.)

BTW, I bought the gauges only within the past year after I had a loose pocket scare. They must've been toxic because then I got started on my primer pocket fixation. Before that, plenty of years messing around with no ill affects (or is that effects?).

For me it's easier to tell them apart once they are deprimed.

I really hate the 45 cases that use small primers. All of my 45 brass have large primers (or so I think). So, I'm chirping along doing fine and then bam-a small primer case somehow got mixed in. Really messes with the Dillon rhythm. That aside like said above, you should be able to separate them visually.

HVFDfirefighter said:

How do I tell if the case uses a small or a large pistol primer?

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You look at them

I'd think you could just put some samples on a tray and pick otu the large primer and small primer cases by eye. might take a minute to orient it to work, but I think I'd try that fist just to be quick about it. any that aren't obvious go in the to be figured out bin, or the scrap bin. I'd use the pocket check tool also, just then - you're doing it two ways and have limited opportunity for error. worse comes to worse, you'll find out when you're priming if any slip through, no?

After a while my eyes get tired so I used the large primer swager as a go- no go gauge.

CQB45ACP said:

You just reminded me of Jacob Sandler, a business law professor. He said, in life you either have an offer and acceptance or you're just messing around

(Other than teaching me, his claim to fame was he was lawyer for Barney Breskin, the guy who wrote the "Hail to the Redskins" fight song.)

BTW, I bought the gauges only within the past year after I had a loose pocket scare. They must've been toxic because then I got started on my primer pocket fixation. Before that, plenty of years messing around with no ill affects (or is that effects?).

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effects

(Hey, you asked.)

HVFDfirefighter said:

I guess I could use the pocket cleaner tool. If the large cleaner fits, it is a large pocket, if it does not fit, then it is a small pocket

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You certainly can do that, gotta de-prime first. I’d be surprised if you can’t tell the difference by looking at them. It might not be obvious at first, but the eyes and brain are pretty good at getting trained like that. .45 is one caliber where I sort by head stamp, mainly for moonclip loading when I like to take the revolver out. The lg/sm primer separation occurs at that step.

barnfrog said:

effects

(Hey, you asked.)

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I did and thank you. Dogged me my entire adult life. Now I'd like to compliment you. Or is it complement? (I do know this one actually, sometimes)

My primer pocket obsession isn't my only issue.

More on topic. As I approach the decision whether to buy large pistol primers and continue on, I am seriously considering a cold turkey switch to all SP. I have the brass ready and waiting and figure small primers will consistently be less costly while more plentiful. (Relatively speaking)

HVFDfirefighter said:

I bought a couple 1,000 rounds of 45ACP brass. They are “once fired”, mixed head stamp, with small and large primers. How do I tell if the case uses a small or a large pistol primer?

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Walkalong said:

There’s a big enough difference in size that you’ll be able to tell.

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yep. very easy to tell, and my eyesight isn't that great anymore.

So you've received lots of advice. Have you tried any of it? See how easy it is visually?

CQB45ACP's pic is an excellent example. Not being a jerk, but "just look at them" is good advise. I have been a machinist/mechanic most of my life and I can pick up a case, glance at it, and toss it into the appropriate bucket, but I under stand I've had decades of practice. Determine which is which and place one of each on your bench, bottom up. With good lighting it won't take long to get good at comparing a case in your hand to the two in front of you. You may have to hold the case next to the samples, but you'll quickly get the "feel" for the process and fly through unknowns no problems...