Berdan primed Brass Cased 7.62x39 - Any value in keeping it?

[digitalblue]

Years ago when 7.62x39mm was still cheap, I lucked out and got a few cases of what turned out to be brass cased Romanian surplus.

I've started shooting more 7.62x39mm lately and am wondering if there is any value in keeping the brass.

Is there anyone out there converting these to boxer/reloading berdan primed cases or am I better off scrapping them?

 

[yomomma]

You can buy berdan primers. Easy enough to blow out primers with water and a home made piston.

 

[Ganderite]

Boxer brass is readily available if you want to reload.

I toss my brass 7.72x39

The only time I reload Berdan is for a caliber I can't find Boxer brass - like 8x60R

 

[philhut]

For the hastle boxer primed cases are way easier but per the previous poster you could use berdan primers. Could perhaps list them on EE though they would likely not go for much.

 

[iceman2]

What is the price of scrap brass these days?

 

[Eagleye]

What is the price of scrap brass these days?

I get around $1.75/lb for scrap brass. D.

 

[bigedp51]

I toss all mybrass berdan primed cases in my scrap brass bucket.

I read about removing berdan primers once and it involved water, making a piston, wearing a rain coat, a face shield and splashing water all over the place.

 

[Ganderite]

I have the water piston for 308 Win. It was used in England for reloading their military Berdan ammo. A bit messy, but fast.

For my 8x60R I use a small tool that has a steel pin that punctures the primer at an angle and pries it out. A bit tedious, but for a hunting rifle where a lot of ammo is not required, it works well enough.

But if Boxer brass is available, Berdan just is not worth it, although the Berdan system tends to make more accurate ammo.

 

[Bassmaster]

But if Boxer brass is available, Berdan just is not worth it, although the Berdan system tends to make more accurate ammo.

Sh!T.....now I have MORE reading to do....

 

[LeeEnfieldNo.4_mk1]

When it comes to de-capping, the RCBS decapping tool is quite good. Once you get the pin set up to the correct length, its actually very quick and reliable. If I got a rhythm going I could probably do maybe ten a minute on average, maybe more? Not as fast as Boxxer, but not brutal. It does not really work on primers that might be crimped or sealed. I found with South African 7.62x51 the primers were so tight it just tears them, 7.5x55 swiss works like a charm though.

That said, unless you have a LOT, as in at least a thousand, its probably not worth it with 7.62x39. Lots of Boxxer brass and cheap loaded ammo around.