Berdan primed 6.5 x 55 brass, worth reloading ?
- Thread starter Puma
- Start date
I reloaded 6.5x55 Berdan brass before boxer primed brass became readily available. Mechanically extracted the spent primers, rather than using the hydraulic method. Altered a primer seater sleeve slightly to get a better fit with the Berdan primer. Its slower than repriming Boxer primers, but if you don't mind, go for it.
mossyhorns
CGN Regular
- Location
- The city that rhymes with fun
I load for three swedes and I wouldn't bother. There's no shortage of brass options out there for you.
It is slower to reload Berdan primed cases. There are three methods to remove the spent primers. All take about the same amount of time and all work well.
RCBS makes a special decapping tool that grips the extractor lip on the case, penetrates the primer and allows it to be levered out. That seems to be the most common method.
Another method is to place the case onto a block that has a hole in the bottom, fill the case with water and with a very close fitting ram installed, smack it with a hammer. The hydraulic pressure usually pushes the primer out.
The third method is to make a tool with two prongs that are long enough to push the primer out when tapped with a small hammer. Very similar to the LEE Loader system. My punch has only one offset prong, made from a number drill to be slightly less diameter than the holes. The punch body can be brass or steel.
I reload GP11 brass. It's very good stuff and expensive when you can find it. I'm lucky because my local gun shop carries it but even then it isn't cheap. I'm not blaming the shop because his price is quite reasonable in comparison to other shops.
6.5x55 and other brass sells for $75/100 and is made by PRIVI, darn good brass.
I also reload my old 8x56R/8x51level/6.5jap/and other Berdan primed brass. It's good brass and I have the time so why not.
Berdan Large rifle primers are available from Canada Ammo, a banner sponsor for $30/1000 plus shipping of course. They usually provide free shipping on orders over $100. Not sure if they still do.
When brass costs close to a buck a round, after taxes and shipping that is getting pretty expensive. IMHO there is no reason not to use that Berdan primed brass if you aren't pressed for time. I have even experimented with the steel cased stuff and it reloads very well. Not sure about what longevity would be like but it isn't any more difficult than any other case.
If you have very hard to find cases like the 8mm Kropatshchek in either the short or long case, you basically don't have any other choices. Steyr just didn't make enough rifles for the Portuguese and not enough rifles have survived to make it worth anyone's while to set up extruding cases for it. The Kropatschek itself was a bit of a throwback. It was the last repeating military rifle to be built for black powder cartridges with lead, paper patched bullets. Later it was loaded with smokeless powder and fmj projectiles.
If you are time constrained, just purchase boxer primed cases as it isn't nearly so time consuming.
I had an old LEE aluminum press set up for hydraulically removing Berdan primers. It was outside though and because it is a WET process it is messy. Also, in the winter it can be darn cold. I still use that set up in the summer.
RCBS makes a special decapping tool that grips the extractor lip on the case, penetrates the primer and allows it to be levered out. That seems to be the most common method.
Another method is to place the case onto a block that has a hole in the bottom, fill the case with water and with a very close fitting ram installed, smack it with a hammer. The hydraulic pressure usually pushes the primer out.
The third method is to make a tool with two prongs that are long enough to push the primer out when tapped with a small hammer. Very similar to the LEE Loader system. My punch has only one offset prong, made from a number drill to be slightly less diameter than the holes. The punch body can be brass or steel.
I reload GP11 brass. It's very good stuff and expensive when you can find it. I'm lucky because my local gun shop carries it but even then it isn't cheap. I'm not blaming the shop because his price is quite reasonable in comparison to other shops.
6.5x55 and other brass sells for $75/100 and is made by PRIVI, darn good brass.
I also reload my old 8x56R/8x51level/6.5jap/and other Berdan primed brass. It's good brass and I have the time so why not.
Berdan Large rifle primers are available from Canada Ammo, a banner sponsor for $30/1000 plus shipping of course. They usually provide free shipping on orders over $100. Not sure if they still do.
When brass costs close to a buck a round, after taxes and shipping that is getting pretty expensive. IMHO there is no reason not to use that Berdan primed brass if you aren't pressed for time. I have even experimented with the steel cased stuff and it reloads very well. Not sure about what longevity would be like but it isn't any more difficult than any other case.
If you have very hard to find cases like the 8mm Kropatshchek in either the short or long case, you basically don't have any other choices. Steyr just didn't make enough rifles for the Portuguese and not enough rifles have survived to make it worth anyone's while to set up extruding cases for it. The Kropatschek itself was a bit of a throwback. It was the last repeating military rifle to be built for black powder cartridges with lead, paper patched bullets. Later it was loaded with smokeless powder and fmj projectiles.
If you are time constrained, just purchase boxer primed cases as it isn't nearly so time consuming.
I had an old LEE aluminum press set up for hydraulically removing Berdan primers. It was outside though and because it is a WET process it is messy. Also, in the winter it can be darn cold. I still use that set up in the summer.
boltonscouter
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- parts unknown
I'm sitting on a whack of Berdan primed 303 I can't be bothered reloading!
Are they the correct size though? I have no idea since I don't know too much about Berdan primers but I do know there are several different sizes; they aren't standardized to the degree of boxer primers.
I've seen various posts made by people looking for specific sizes of Berdan primers and the couple different sizes available at Canadian retailers are wrong for what they're doing.
A few months ago I bought 1420 rounds of Norma Berdan primed gallery rounds for .20 a piece.The Dominion primers from Canada Ammo work fine in them.I originally pulled the gallery cap and dumped the powder. With 32 grains of IMR-3031 and a 140 grain Hornady interlock gave me 1 MOA @ 100 meters. De-capped with a RCBS tool and primed with the Dominions are comparable.
I was told that they weren't as well. They work fine in my cases. I will admit some are to large but it doesn't take much to open up the pockets. I have a small lathe which is ideal for opening those pockets. I have been threatening to make up a swaging tool for my press to make fixing the problem quicker and easier. When PRIVI Partisan brass and loaded ammo first started showing up in Canada I avoided it. The reason for this was twofold. The rim thicknesses weren't consistent and often to thick to fit into the shell head holder slots. That seems to have been corrected. The other reason was small primer pockets.
If memory serves, GP11 brass is made in Yugoslavia by PRIVI. Please correct me if I am wrong.
Anyway, to make a long story short, there are very few cases that don't accept them. Some of the South African 7.62x39 cases had primer holes that seem to be proprietary to themselves. They are just a few thou to large and the primers can be pressed in by finger pressure. I have applied some finger nail polish to the edges of the pockets and this works out very well. The primers are easily removed after firing as well. I use these cases in a bolt action rifle so it hasn't been a problem.
I reload berdan only for calibers in which boxer brass is unavailable.
I load my 6.5x55 with brass from Winchester, Privi and Norma - all boxer.
Berdan can be done, but not worth it unless you have a special reason for doing it.
I load my 6.5x55 with brass from Winchester, Privi and Norma - all boxer.
Berdan can be done, but not worth it unless you have a special reason for doing it.
Sounds like we are on the same page. I bought a case of the Norma gallery rounds years ago and used them for upland game birds while hunting big game. May as well reuse the brass.
Now to find a deprime tool .....
Puma
