Reloading 7.5mm G11 brass

[LeafsFan]

I haven't yet learned how to handload, but plan to in the future.

I have a question about reloading military-surplus brass, specifically Swiss Berdan primed G11 7.5mm...

Is this particular case easily reloadable? I've done a search on it here, but haven't really gotten a definitive answer, apart from the primer being tough to work with.

I'll still save the cases and sell them for scrap if they can't be reloaded, but just wanted to know up front if I should be hanging on to them.

Cheers!

 

[jagdpanzer347]

Leafsfan, I to am curious about reloading Berdan-primed cases. It seems the biggest problem right now is the availability of Berdan primers. I'd definately hang on to the brass for now. I have started to buy Prvi Partisan ammo because it is boxer-primed. Not that much more expensive than GP11 either.

-jagd

 

[db_tanker]

old west scrounger usually is the place to go for Berdan primers...but they are a bit more pricey than the regular boxers...plus having to pry the old primers out...ugh...

plus with Prvi, FNM, and Wolf Gold line all being available I wouldn't worry too much about it I think...there are enough K-31's over here to insure a good supply of the stuff in the future.


D

 

[longrifleman]

I'm set up to load Berdan and with the proper gear it isn't much more difficult than Boxer. Santa brought me a RCBS de-capper and it works great on GP-11. Primers are the problem. I literally bought the last case of primers PMC had on the shelf, and at the time they were the only ones with any left to sell.

The story I got was that the Russian supplier jacked up the prices and nobody wanted to pay the increase. I think there was only one supplier for the whole import market, although I could find some info on European sites about other brands.

Please don't scrap out the brass. I'll buy it if you don't want to set up to reload it.

 

[LeafsFan]

Thanks for the advice, guys.

I do plan to get into reloading at some point so I'll hang on to the brass instead of scrapping it.

I just wanted to make sure that I wasn't going to end up diligently saving several thousand cases that couldn't actually be reloaded...

 

[cracked butt]

You are going to a few extra steps to reload berdan anyhow, and this is the easiest way I found to decap them with ordinary reloading tools:

1. remove the expander ball from your resizing die.
2. resize the case without the expander ball.
3. remove the decapping pin from the expander ball, replace expander ball.
4. fill a bucket of water with water mixed with dish soap, fill brass with soapy water.
5. run brass filled with soapy water slowly up sizing die, the expander ball pushing through the neck will force the primer out.


To me, its just so much easier and convenient to buy .284 win brass, store carry it locally.