Boxer or berdan primer ?

[RugerBob]

Can boxer and berdan primers be removed with a standard decapping die?
I hear a lot about one have 2 side holes and one having a center hole. I am only asking as 223/5.56 is new to me and I am just running a decap die now.
Some seem really tough to decap, but look the same after decap. Mixed brass. Can't really see the head stamp without magnifier.
If they can both be deprimed with decapper, can they both be reloaded with same primer?
Very new to the option here. Mostly load 45lc and , 38 spl and 30-06.
Thanks.

 

[fallout mike]

Berdan primers will not come out with a standard depriming die. And no you can't use either primer.

 

[JimKirk]

Crimped primers also may cause the effort to deprime to be more than non-crimped.

 

[Rule3]

You need to lube the cases for the resizer/deprimer to work correctly or you will get a case stuck! (you do not want to do that!)

Like inside with a flashlight you can see if more than one hole (usually steel case foreign stuff)

 

[RugerBob]

Thanks all. I didn't know about it not being able to decap both. Lets me know I have standard primers so far.
I stuck a die on 30-06 , I never realized how much brass was there till I had to tap it.

 

[RugerBob]

If the primer was crimped, do I have to do anything else to get it to accept a standard primer?

 

[Lafitte]

After you remove a crimped primer, the crimp has to be removed by reaming or swaging before a new primer can be seated. Crimped primers are found mostly on military brass. If you examine the primer pocket closely you can see the "crimp ring" ( I haven't seen any commercial brass with crimped primers, not saying that it does not exist.)

Lafitte

 

[chris in va]

Just get a chamfer drill bit and buzz the ring off. Much cheaper than a swaging tool and works fine.

BTW I've picked up several thousand 223/5.56 cases and have yet to find a brass Berdan case. I'm not saying they don't exist but if it's brass, it's reloadable.

 

[Malamute]

Just get a chamfer drill bit and buzz the ring off

I've never used a power chamfer bit or tool. The hand ones, the RCBS deburring tool, work fairly well. 3 or 4 quick twists back and forth clean it up nicely. Once done, it doesnt have to be done again.

If you require a magnifier to see headstamps, you may want to set one of the ones up that clamp on the edge of a table and have the extendable arm to position it in a useful place so you can see the brass and determine which need deburring of the primer pocket.

 

[medalguy]

I've probably loaded 50,000 rounds of 5.56 and never seen a Berdan primer. I don't think anyone loads 5.56 factory ammo with Berdan primers.

 

[Dudedog]

Need to watch for those Berdan primed cases because if you try to deprime one you will most likely damage you decap pin. You do need to remove the crimps on crimped brass, you only have to do it once but it needs to be done.
(I use the Hornady hand tool - inexpensive but sort of slow) You need good light to be able to see down in the case, 1 hole in the center you are good to go, two (or more holes) and you can't deprime it with a normal deprime resize die.

Some crimped brass requires a noticeable extra effort to deprime.

If you are new to loading .223 you need to make sure the brass is trimmed to the correct length. Lots of ways to do this. I use a World's Finest Trimmer, it makes trimming the brass a lot faster. I just run all my brass thru the trimmer and if it need to be trimmed it gets trimmed if not it dosen't. I use a RCBS hand toll for the inside of the case necks and an LE Wilson tool for the outside.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/11...ocket-reamer-cutter-head?cm_vc=ProductFinding
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/435351/rcbs-chamfer-tool-vld-very-low-drag?cm_vc=ProductFinding
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/78...ng-tool-17-to-45-caliber?cm_vc=ProductFinding
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/99...st-trimmer-223-remington?cm_vc=ProductFinding

The WFT does require a 1/2" drill, I use a Russian beast I picked up from Harbor Freight.
Lot's of different tools to do the above jobs, in general faster = more $$
Everybody has their favorites.

I would say everything I have seen from people who purchased the WFT seems to indicate they are happy with it. I feel it was some of the best reloading $ I have spent.

 

[gamestalker]

I think the only reason anyone would even consider reloading a Berdan primed case, is if Berdan was the only brass available for some long lost obscure cartridge. Even then, I'm pretty sure boxer primed brass is available for just about any / all center fire cartridge made.

Now if for some reason someone wants to reload Berdan brass, there are a couple of methods by which to decap it. It used to be something reloaders would consider doing 35 + years ago. So much so that Speer made a tool for decapping them, they might still offer that tool.

GS

 

[Sunray]

"...Can boxer and berdan primers be removed with..." No.
For all intents and purposes, Berdan primed brass is not worth the effort to reload. Berdan primers are NOT easy to find and must be the right diameter(no such thing as large and small rifle Berdans) and require a special tool(or an elaborate, messy, water powered apparatus) to get out. The RCBS Berdan depriming tool runs over $100. $52.74 at Midway on CLEARANCE.
Just make drawer pulls out of any Berdan primed brass and pitch the rest.
Never seen nor heard of .223 Berdan primed though. Any .30-06 you find were corrosive too.