45 acp flash hole ?

[joneb]

I'm reloading a 100 rnds. of Winchester 45 auto (range brass) five of which had enlarged flash holes .137" Was this brass bubbaized (if so why?) or was it made this way? Thanks

 

[Steve H]

What is the headstamp? .137 seems to be a bit on the large size...........

 

[joneb]

The head stamp reads "Winchester 45 Auto" the normal flash hole dia. is about .07".

 

[The Bushmaster]

Winchester...Made that way...Load them just like you would any other .45 ACP...Not a problem. Just watch out for Winchester NT and Federal NT with the small pistol primer pockets. Load them too using small pistol primers. Also not a problem...

 

[joneb]

Winchester...Made that way...

99.9% of Win. brass with the same head stamp has the smaller flash hole, any idea for the reasoning behind the larger hole ?

I would guess better ignition, but I didn't know there was a ignition problem with the smaller hole. Perhaps they are using a different powder? or primer?

 

[ReloaderFred]

They were made that way because the new non-toxic primers have a different pressure curve than the older lead styphnate primers. When they tried using the NT primers with the smaller flash hole, the primers backed out. The original fix was to crimp the primers in, just like military primers. The latest fix by both Winchester and Federal is to enlarge the flash holes, which works.

Eventually, all their brass of current production will have the larger flash holes. Just load them as usual and don't worry about it, according to the technicians at both Federal and Winchester. I've been loading them alongside the older flash holes and I can't tell the difference when I shoot them.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[Walkalong]

Man, this means I have to mix my large flash hole brass back in with the other.

 

[alucard0822]

I too have experenced the NT flash-hole difference and it is ok, but although something you may not ever run in to if somehow someone got some brass they have been loading xring rubber bullets into and drilled the flash holes (rubber bullets only use primers to fire and reccomend you drill out the flash hole). if then used with a hot load it can blow the primer out, especially if its ebay brass, when in doubt throw it out.

 

[joneb]

when in doubt throw it out.

That's just how it went

 

[dafitch]

Comparison-

I was told the larger holes are OK to reload. I haven't done so yet. Not sure if I will, either.

 

[jmorris]

They are fine. If you do a search it's been gone over before. Nutshell, The larger flash hole will generally lower your SD slightly.

 

[Walkalong]

I have close to a 100 large flash hole .45 cases set aside. I might load up 2 or 3 different loads in both type cases and compare them over the chrono. Might be interesting. Sounds like they will all be big flash hole one day anyway. Does that mean we should hoard "small" flash hole brass?

We could just go ahead and drill em all out and be done with it.

 

[Primersinmyshoe]

I load them all the same. The 45acp is such a low pressure round that any difference in the primer flash doesn't change the internal pressure enough to affect accuracy. At least that's what I tell myself so I don't have to deprime all my brass first and check those tiny little holes.

Who is looking at the primer pockets of 45acp cases anyway? I never do. Now rifle cases are a totally different ballgame. I go through great pains to prepare rifle cases .