# 45 NT primer size



## spacedoggy (May 11, 2006)

I've been wanting to ask this for close to a year but never remember to. When I'm cleaning and prepping 45 ACP brass I always run into two or three pieces of brass that say 45 Auto Win NT. The primer hole is smaller than the regular 45 acp brass. Anyone have the story about this. Could Bill Gates becoming out with his own. Then instead of jamming it would crash.


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## DJ Niner (Oct 3, 2006)

Winchester uses NT to signify their Non-Toxic line of ammo, intended for use on indoor ranges. Details here:
http://www.winchester.com/products/catalog/handgunlist.aspx?bn=9&type=10

However, I have to admit I didn't know they used a proprietary-sized primer in this ammo, OR Tin-cored bullets. I learn something new every day...


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## spacedoggy (May 11, 2006)

I wonder if I can use a small pistol primer. I don't collect enough of the stuff and can easily toss in the trash. I'll just experiment with one or two with a light load of course.


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## Jake (Oct 14, 2007)

I entertained the same question on another Forum.

I was told the NT's are small primer cases.

I've segregated them for now and will try to load them at some point.

Let us know how you make out.


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## Guest (Nov 16, 2007)

From Guns Magazine by Jeff John:
This is one of those "I wish it never happened stories." No good will come of this. You can reload the NT cases with the small pistol primers, but I wouldn't recommend it unless you can reliably sort the brass between the two primer sizes. This'll drive commercial loaders crazy too, I suspect. Three big problems: Detonation of a large pistol primer upon the attempt to seat it in a case with the small pocket. If you reload without safety glasses, stop that and put 'em on. Second, small primers falling out of large pistol pockets somewhere along the way. You really don't want live primers rattling around in anything, anywhere--especially in the bowels of self-loading pistol. Lastly, the small primer most likely won't stay in the large pocket after discharge. That should create some fun scenarios, too.

All of these problems can occur on a random basis depending on how well sorted your brass is. Just remember this rule during a reloading session: If something feels wrong, it probably is. Stop, look everything over and double-check it twice before continuing. Regarding data, if you work the load up from the starting charge using the small primer instead of the large primer, you should have no trouble. Remember, you can't change any component when reloading top-end loads without backing off and working back up.

I sent my answer to Charlie Petty to see if he had anything to add. He adds, "I don't think it is 'unsafe' to load the cases and I have done so successfully, but it is way more trouble than it is worth. Another major problem is that the Federal primers are severely crimped-in and the primer pockets must be swaged before they can be loaded. I also found velocities were about 50 fps slower with the small pistol primer."


If it were me I'd just toss them.


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