Anybody here reload Berdan brass??

[taprackbang]

If so, could you fill me in on what's involved?

 

[Linear Thinker]

Reloading Berdan brass is the last-ditch option, for brass that is not obtainable otherwise.

2 challenges:

1. Decapping. There are 2 ways I know of and tried - the claw method, where you pierce the primer and lever it out with a hook. The hydrostatic method (water cannot be compressed) relies on filling the case with water, and smashing a piston into it within a sealed case to drive the primer out. Do you like squirt-gun fights? You will love hydrostatic decapping!

2. Primer source. Since the Dangerous Dave Sutherland, aka Old Western Scrounger - retired, I have not seen any berdan primers for sale in the US. They were expensive even when available. I read of PMC importing the Berdan primers several years ago, never saw any for sale.

I used to reload the Swiss 7.5mm military brass before the Norma-made boxer primed brass became available. Never again.
LT

 

[scrat]

good luck finding primers

 

[Remo-99]

They are most definately a chore, to decap and source primers.

There would have to be no other options left, before I would reload Berdan primed cases, also.

 

[evan price]

Got Berdan primers?

No?

Not worth it, otherwise.

Berdan primers are larger than Boxer, too. So you can't just drill out the brass to fit the Boxers.

 

[ants]

taprackbang was just asking about the process. He deserves a more thorough answer.

taprackbang, do a 'Berdan' search and look for two or three threads (September I think?) that covered the subject. The techniques were discussed in greater depth. I may be wrong, but if my memory is correct I think one of the threads may have a link to a separate technical article on the subject.

 

[taprackbang]

Do you like squirt-gun fights? You will love hydrostatic decapping!

That's hilarious! Thanks Ant for the thread info.
The reason I ask is because at the gun store I work at, they had an RCBS depriming die for berdan brass. It looked interesting.

 

[moosehunt]

Add to all the other hassel that there are 3 or 4 different sizes of Berdan primers, physically different sizes, not power different.

 

[marsofold]

How to convert berdan primer brass to use boxer primers:

http://users.ameritech.net/mchandler/primer.html

Never tried it myself...

 

[RedeyeGunner]

I always ordered my Berdan supplies from Huntington. They had all sizes for all calibers. Check them out.

 

[taprackbang]

good info guys