5.56 cases to reload

Jackiesman · Jul 12, 2022

Looked on the net, can’t find an answer so I will try the Forum. 5.56 short story with a question. Friend Cris used my range to sight his new gun. Gave me 75 cases to reload. Cases are nickel from a source that I have never used. They’re Tulammo, and after cleaning I tried to re-size/de-prime. First round broke the pin of my Hornady die (which had included a new pin assembly in their set). Thinking I may have a problem with the die I disassembled, cleaned, and then ran a few of my brass cases through the die - no problem. Tried a different nickel case with a repeat performance- broke pin and a bent adjustment screw.

The question is has anyone had a similar problem? I suspect that the primer is the underlying problem and I am about ready to trash them if there isn’t a fix.

Anyone have an idea/comment on this problem?
Thanks

Yankee1986 · Jul 12, 2022

Throw it away. It is berdan primed and I have never seen that brand using anything but metal cases. You reload boxer primed brass.

Lee Q. Loader · Jul 13, 2022

I agree, do a search on Berdan primed cases and you will understand why you broke your decapping pin.

ms6852 · Jul 13, 2022

Never new Tula ammo had nickel cartridges, I always thought it was metal cases.

entropy · Jul 13, 2022

Shine a flashlight down into any brand/type of case you haven't worked with before, you need to see one central flash hole. If you see two offset ones, as others have mentioned, it is Berdan primed, and not worth attempting to reload, as you found it. Most Berdan primed ammo is steel cased milsurp or similar foreign (former Combloc) ammo.

edwardware · Jul 13, 2022

Jackiesman said:
Cases are nickel from a source that I have never used. They’re Tulammo,

Are you sure they're nickel, not zinc plated steel? Are they magnetic?

Certainly sounds like you're trying to decap Berdan cases. . . don't do that.

Jdague12 · Jul 13, 2022

We all know this from personal experience

AK Hunter · Jul 13, 2022

When you look inside a berdan primed case you will see two holes & some times a dent in the middle of them that was where the anvil was pressed in. Boxer primed cases only have one hole.

FROGO207 · Jul 13, 2022

The only russian casings I have found are Berdan primed and made of steel. The "Silver Bear" are zinc plated. Even if you got them deprimed there are no Berdan primers to be had in the good ole USA these days. I would just recycle them with my steel scrap.

Hartkopf · Jul 13, 2022

Silver Bear is zinc coated and made by Barnaul, which might make ammo for Tulammo.

Kp321 · Jul 13, 2022

You are hitting on one of my pet peeves, saying that brass is not “metal”. There are other metals than steel. Calling aluminum frame pistols “alloy” is in the same ballpark. Steel pistols are made from alloy of steel, aluminum pistols are made from aluminum alloy. An alloy is a mixture of metals.

Jackiesman · Jul 13, 2022

Got to a bottom line. Edwardware hit the nail! Magnetic. Steel cases - which is PROBABLY why I have never used or seen Tulammo before, They now rest in the bottom of the dumpster. Darn good and valuable lesson, and thanks for the help. Anyway, I won’t be loading for a couple days anyway since I ran my left thumb through the table saw. Big bandage.

And yes, I do know the difference in boxer and berdan primers, but good info.

5.56 cases to reload

Jackiesman

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Yankee1986

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Lee Q. Loader

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ms6852

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entropy

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edwardware

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Jdague12

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AK Hunter

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FROGO207

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Hartkopf

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Kp321

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Jackiesman

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