Reloading fired surplus ammo.

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CanadianSyrup

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So I'm not planning to reload until late fall this year, but I thought while I burn through ammo throughout the year that I should save the brass for when I start to reload. Specifically I'm wondering about reloading 7.62x54r and 7.62x39 and whether I can reuse the brass from surplus ammo so that when I do reload, I can rely less and less on bulk corrosive ammo. However I've seen some labels on websites stating that corrosive ammo can't be used it to reload. Is there bulk ammo I should look out for that I can use to reload or are they just saying that so you'll keep buying the ammo :p. I also plan to convert some of the 7.62x39 to .303 brit for when I do get a Lee Enfield as well. Thanks!
 
Provided the casing is brass with boxer primer reloading is easy.
Problem is don't recall ever seeing boxer primed brass in surplus ammo.
 
burnaby said:
Provided the casing is brass with boxer primer reloading is easy.
Problem is don't recall ever seeing boxer primed brass in surplus ammo.
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X2

Most surplus ammo is steal cased or burdan primed. However if you can find PRVI/PPU or S&B ammunition, the brass is good quality to reload. All my 7.62x54 brass came from these commercial loads. Once you have a few hundred brass you can rock and roll. As for the X39 brass ( also prvi) I will load for my CZ bolt action but its not worth the time to load for semi autos where you just want to spit lead downrange. Further to this, the 200 round case of prvi factory softpoints that I picked up shoots through a dime at 100 yards right out of the box. So its really not worth my time to try to improve a round that already shoots 1/2 MOA.
 
Surplus, corrosive and brass are three words that are never used in a same sentence. Your cases are more then likely steel.

You can technically reload steel cases if they are boxer primed (Which they almost always aren't) but they cannot be reloaded as many times, and it's rough on the dies.

Cheers.
 
Look inside the fired casing with a light, so you can see the bottom of the casing. If you see one hole it is readily reloadable, if you see two small holes it is not.
 
YouTube has videos on how to reload steel cased ammo. Looks like a bit of work and will probably wear your dies. A drill press is required to drill out the priming area to make a boxer style hole.

Is it possible to use Berdan primers for these Berdan cartridges? What is different in the process of priming with a Berdan primer?
 
Buy some new manufactured ammo, that has brass case and boxer non corrosive primed. Brands that are good for reloading are PPU, Sellior and Bellot (S&B), Winchester and FC. There are some more brands as well. Shoot this ammo, save brass and then reload.
Your surplus ammo is only for plinking, you can't reload surplus casings, just scrap them after shooting as they are mostly steel.
You can pull x39 ammo and use bullets and powder in 303, just you have to use new 303 brass and primers.

CanadianSyrup said:
So I'm not planning to reload until late fall this year, but I thought while I burn through ammo throughout the year that I should save the brass for when I start to reload. Specifically I'm wondering about reloading 7.62x54r and 7.62x39 and whether I can reuse the brass from surplus ammo so that when I do reload, I can rely less and less on bulk corrosive ammo. However I've seen some labels on websites stating that corrosive ammo can't be used it to reload. Is there bulk ammo I should look out for that I can use to reload or are they just saying that so you'll keep buying the ammo :p. I also plan to convert some of the 7.62x39 to .303 brit for when I do get a Lee Enfield as well. Thanks!
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Berdan cases can be reloaded. Usually doesn't make sense unless the cartridge is an unusual one, and Boxer primed cases aren't available.
You have to be able to source the primers, and have tools to decap the spent primers.
 
fiddler said:
X2

Most surplus ammo is steal cased or burdan primed. However if you can find PRVI/PPU or S&B ammunition, the brass is good quality to reload. All my 7.62x54 brass came from these commercial loads. Once you have a few hundred brass you can rock and roll. As for the X39 brass ( also prvi) I will load for my CZ bolt action but its not worth the time to load for semi autos where you just want to spit lead downrange. Further to this, the 200 round case of prvi factory softpoints that I picked up shoots through a dime at 100 yards right out of the box. So its really not worth my time to try to improve a round that already shoots 1/2 MOA.
Click to expand...

gewehr76 said:
Buy some new manufactured ammo, that has brass case and boxer non corrosive primed. Brands that are good for reloading are PPU, Sellior and Bellot (S&B), Winchester and FC. There are some more brands as well. Shoot this ammo, save brass and then reload.
Your surplus ammo is only for plinking, you can't reload surplus casings, just scrap them after shooting as they are mostly steel.
You can pull x39 ammo and use bullets and powder in 303, just you have to use new 303 brass and primers.
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Ah, I did not account for the fact that they were steel cased and not to mention I had zero clue about the primer. Really great information guys, thank you! Any idea of what to do with spent steel casings then? Bag them up and sell/give them to someone who wants them or?

RePete said:
You won't be able to go 7.62x39 to .303 because the 7.62 case is shorter by .0694".
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I thought there was a post recently about someone doing just that? Or did I get it wrong and that it was only the bullets they were reusing for 303 brit?
 
The only other consideration when reloading military surplus (assuming it's brass and boxer primed) is the crimped primers. Have to swage the primer pocket before putting a new primer in.
 
CanadianSyrup said:
Ah, I did not account for the fact that they were steel cased and not to mention I had zero clue about the primer. Really great information guys, thank you! Any idea of what to do with spent steel casings then? Bag them up and sell/give them to someone who wants them or?



I thought there was a post recently about someone doing just that? Or did I get it wrong and that it was only the bullets they were reusing for 303 brit?
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You have rimeed case (.303) and a rimless case (7.62). The bullets are .311 for the 7.62x39 and .3125 for the .303.
 
tiriaq said:
Berdan cases can be reloaded. Usually doesn't make sense unless the cartridge is an unusual one, and Boxer primed cases aren't available.
You have to be able to source the primers, and have tools to decap the spent primers.
Click to expand...

All you need to decap them is some water and a steel rod that fits snugly in the case neck.

As for 303 reloading, you use the bullet and powder from x39 or x54r but not the case.
 
No problem, information and hands on experience is the key in this hobby.
For 303 you going to need boxer, reloadable brass in order to convert 7.62x39. From x39 you only going to use bullets and powder. Left over cases you cannot use in 303. Best thing is to list them on ee so other people can use them for their needs or scrap them. Unfired steel cases can be made in to x39 hunting or non magnetic ammo, so someone will take them off your hands.
So when you load 303, you just prime your 303 brass and load exact powder from x39 and seat the same bullet at normal 303 length. So you have your new noncorrosive 303 round at fraction of the cost of new ammo.
Same deal with x54r ammo if noncorrosive is desired. Once you get a hang of it, you will be able to load almost any type of cartridge out there.
good reloading.
g76
CanadianSyrup said:
Ah, I did not account for the fact that they were steel cased and not to mention I had zero clue about the primer. Really great information guys, thank you! Any idea of what to do with spent steel casings then? Bag them up and sell/give them to someone who wants them or?
I thought there was a post recently about someone doing just that? Or did I get it wrong and that it was only the bullets they were reusing for 303 brit?
Click to expand...
 
gewehr76 said:
No problem, information and hands on experience is the key in this hobby.
For 303 you going to need boxer, reloadable brass in order to convert 7.62x39. From x39 you only going to use bullets and powder. Left over cases you cannot use in 303. Best thing is to list them on ee so other people can use them for their needs or scrap them. Unfired steel cases can be made in to x39 hunting or non magnetic ammo, so someone will take them off your hands.
So when you load 303, you just prime your 303 brass and load exact powder from x39 and seat the same bullet at normal 303 length. So you have your new noncorrosive 303 round at fraction of the cost of new ammo.
Same deal with x54r ammo if noncorrosive is desired. Once you get a hang of it, you will be able to load almost any type of cartridge out there.
good reloading.
g76
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It should be noted that you do NOT use the full x54r powder charge in a 303 case, unless you don't like your face.
 
For x54 load I would not bother with x39 components at all. My mosins and svt's shoot regular off the shelf 308 bullets quite accurately.
My point was to the OP that if he wants to use x39 components then he has to do the same as for 303, but with x54r case
B said:
This works fine for plinking ammo that you don't expect any real accuracy out of. I up the charge, usually 30% or so. That brings the normal 300fps+ spread down to about 30fps.
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