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Powder & Primers: Where Best To Obtain?

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July 21, 2017, 09:00 AM
ensigmatic
Powder & Primers: Where Best To Obtain?
Not ready to start reloading quite yet, but, I am looking to obtain everything else I'll need as I see deals pop up.

I'll start with reloading .45 ACP, being as I already have nearly everything I need. If that goes well, I'll add .45 ("Long") Colt. (I've already purchased 500 bullets in expectation I'll get that far.)

I think I have the powder I need:



Left-to-right:


So, supplies-wise, I think I need only primers. From what I've read, most .45 ACP brass takes a large pistol primer, as does .45 Colt. But, apparently, there are exceptions with the former: Fact or Fiction: Small vs. Large Pistol Primers in .45 ACP

Are the differences readily apparent?

Do we have a particular primer manufacturer we like?



"America is at that awkward stage. It's too late to work within the system,,,, but too early to shoot the bastards." -- Claire Wolfe
"If we let things terrify us, life will not be worth living." -- Seneca the Younger, Roman Stoic philosopher
July 21, 2017, 01:09 PM
fredj338
Any standard large pistol primer will do. I buy what I can find. I do NOT use Tula or Wolf, F the Russian economy.
Yes there are small primed 45acp cases out there, so you will have to sort if you use range pickups.
BTW, do you have data for that Herter's???? Extrapolation is NOT for the beginner. Stick to book data for about 10,000 rds.


IF YOU AREN'T HANDLOADING, YOU AREN'T SHOOTING ENOUGH!
NRA Instruc: Basic Pistol & Met Reloading
July 21, 2017, 03:09 PM
ensigmatic
quote:
Originally posted by fredj338:
Any standard large pistol primer will do.

Very well. Thanks!

quote:
Originally posted by fredj338:
Yes there are small primed 45acp cases out there, so you will have to sort if you use range pickups.

I pick up what I find at the range. I try to limit it to my brass, because I know where it's been Smile, but, any recently-fired brass can look like your brass at the time, so I guess I'll have to sort.

quote:
Originally posted by fredj338:
BTW, do you have data for that Herter's????

Nope.

It came with the rest of the stuff my buddy gifted me. I suspect he never used any of it. A friend of his from the club to which he used to belong, a very experienced, knowledgeable fellow, recommended it. My buddy might have load data. He gave me a pile of books and, I think, notes, along with the equipment and supplies.

quote:
Originally posted by fredj338:
Extrapolation is NOT for the beginner. Stick to book data for about 10,000 rds.

It's stuff that goes *boom*. I'm not about to experiment blindly, but, thanks for the warning.



"America is at that awkward stage. It's too late to work within the system,,,, but too early to shoot the bastards." -- Claire Wolfe
"If we let things terrify us, life will not be worth living." -- Seneca the Younger, Roman Stoic philosopher
July 21, 2017, 07:45 PM
sunkist
I like to buy local. If we shooters keep buying what they have they'll keep stocking it. I prefer Winchester and Federal primers. Powder is too general a topic but having said that I always find the loads that work with Alliant, Hodgdon, Accurate and Winchester.


"In The Land of the Blind, the One-Eyed Man is King."
July 21, 2017, 08:25 PM
henryaz
 
Do you belong to a club? Both of the clubs I belong to order in pallet loads of reloading supplies, and thus spread the hazmat fee over a larger order, making it negligible. That's the best bargain I've been able to get on powder and primers. You may have to plan ahead and put in your wants, then wait for the pallet to fill.
 
July 21, 2017, 09:19 PM
ensigmatic
No, don't belong to a club. I've looked around on-line for local sources and I think I'll be able to find what I need w/o taking too big a hit compared to on-line prices.



"America is at that awkward stage. It's too late to work within the system,,,, but too early to shoot the bastards." -- Claire Wolfe
"If we let things terrify us, life will not be worth living." -- Seneca the Younger, Roman Stoic philosopher
July 22, 2017, 12:13 PM
fredj338
quote:
Originally posted by sunkist:
I like to buy local. If we shooters keep buying what they have they'll keep stocking it. I prefer Winchester and Federal primers. Powder is too general a topic but having said that I always find the loads that work with Alliant, Hodgdon, Accurate and Winchester.

Only one of the local guys within 100m has decent prices & inventory, even fed primers on & off. So i buy most of my stuff online. Even paying hm, i save over buying local, as long as i buy at least 10 units. A unit being 1# of powder or 1000 primers. Sales tax saved pays the shipping. I'm fine supporting the local guys of they are supporting us & often they are over charging, full retail plus sometimes.


IF YOU AREN'T HANDLOADING, YOU AREN'T SHOOTING ENOUGH!
NRA Instruc: Basic Pistol & Met Reloading
July 22, 2017, 02:23 PM
chansen92
quote:
Originally posted by ensigmatic:
Not ready to start reloading quite yet, but, I am looking to obtain everything else I'll need as I see deals pop up.

I'll start with reloading .45 ACP, being as I already have nearly everything I need. If that goes well, I'll add .45 ("Long") Colt. (I've already purchased 500 bullets in expectation I'll get that far.)

I think I have the powder I need:



Left-to-right:

  • Herter's #162 Model Perfect Shotgun Powder
  • Hodgdon Universal Clays Technology Handgun-Shotgun Powder
  • Hodgdon Clays Extra Clean Shotgun-Handgun Powder
  • Alliant Powder Bullseye Smokeless Pistol Powder


So, supplies-wise, I think I need only primers. From what I've read, most .45 ACP brass takes a large pistol primer, as does .45 Colt. But, apparently, there are exceptions with the former: Fact or Fiction: Small vs. Large Pistol Primers in .45 ACP

Are the differences readily apparent?

Do we have a particular primer manufacturer we like?
Try to buy your primers and powder locally and that will save you a Hazardous Material shipping charge of at least $25.00 for each shipment. Some companies won't ship primers and powder in the same box so you could get charged twice.
July 22, 2017, 11:01 PM
ensigmatic
quote:
Originally posted by fredj338:
BTW, do you have data for that Herter's???? Extrapolation is NOT for the beginner. Stick to book data for about 10,000 rds.

So, just for grins, I idly researched Herter's No. 62 on my tablet while my wife and I were watching some TV this evening.

Some have expressed the opinion it's believed to be similar to Red Dot or Bullseye. Found some shot shell load data for it from three different sources. I suppose I could compare their loadings to the load info I found for the Herter's to glean a more definitive answer. Somebody claimed Herter's 16x is the same as Nobel 6x, but, I could find no load data on Nobel 62 at all and no confirmation of that assertion.

The can has light-to-moderate corrosion, in some spots verging on rust, on the top and cap, but the sides, bottom and seams are corrosion-free.



"America is at that awkward stage. It's too late to work within the system,,,, but too early to shoot the bastards." -- Claire Wolfe
"If we let things terrify us, life will not be worth living." -- Seneca the Younger, Roman Stoic philosopher