crimped primers in 40 S & W

[alan]

Browsing through a gun magazine at the local supermarket, I came on an article about the 40 S & W.

Seems the writer had acquired a pistol in that caliber, and seeking to economize, purchased "once fired brass". Some cases were "bulged" which made necessary the purchase of "special die(s)”. Using these from Lee solved the problem of bulged cases, which when reloaded might not chamber.

The writer went on to state that "30% of the cases had crimped primers", requiring additional effort. I had thought that crimped primers were encountered in military ammunition, in this country, "line ammunition" in 30-06, 7.62MM NATO, 45ACP and 9mm Luger, all of which might be fired in automatic weapons. Commercial loads do not have crimped primers. I've fired 9mm Luger and 45 ACP in submachine guns, with uncrimped primer ammunition, never having had a problem, which leaves me wondering at crimped primers in the 40 S & W, which is not a military load, correct me if I’m wrong, or might the writer have been wrong?

 

[rcmodel]

Lead-free ammo in any caliber is very likely to have crimped Sm Pistol primers.

The lead-free Dinal priming mix is more violent then normal primer compound, and primer pocket pressure was causing them to back out and peen the breachface on some guns.

rc

 

[ReloaderFred]

Yes, there is military .40 S&W ammunition. The ones I have are head stamped "FC 08" and no caliber designation. In fact, I've got a bunch of it, left behind by the Coast Guard when they used our range for qualification. However, the primers aren't crimped.

If you want to see a picture of a military .40 S&W case, go to post #39 of this thread: http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=101185&page=2

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[evan price]

I saw that article too, and my first thought was, "Where the heck did he get his brass from??" For as common as .40 brass is, that was WAAAAY too much work to go to to have to reload his "shorty forty" as he called it. Crimeny, I sell it for $25 a thousand, sorted and tumbled & anything with crimps woulda been culled.

He was a bit too overconcerned with the "bulge" too. I've never had one that wouldn't resize to be functional in a conventional barrel- but I've heard about it happening so I'm not saying it doesn't happen.

All told that particular fellow is just a bit too caught up with technical aspects of reloading but a magazine author needs to be- look at all the gear you get from people like Lee and ATK!

 

[alan]

Re replies from ReloaderFred and rcmodel, one can learn something new all the time.

As to this Lead Free Primed Ammunition, the only such brass I ever came upon and this was a single case, was in caliber 45ACP. The 40 S & W case takes a small primer as I recall. Don't load for that caliber anyhow.

Thanks gentlemen.