Possible to reload South African 7.62NATO Surplus?

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macsailer

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Is it possible to reload South African 7.62NATO surplus? I just picked some up today, and was told that it wasn't, but can't you take the berdan primer out and do something about that?
 
Reloading berdan primed cases is far more trouble than it's worth. Trying to convert berdan primed brass to boxer doesn't work either.
 
Possible? Yes. Painfull? Yes. Worthwile? Not really. Just shoot the surplus and buy some factory boxer primed if you want to save the brass and reload some match rounds.
 
I was hoping to find a more comprehensive thread on Berdan/corrosiveness/steel casings.....:(....but, I did get to learn new and wonderful things about the search function! :p

As a (recovering? ;)) rimfire kinda guy, I can plainly tell you gifted reloading folk :) that I wish there were more stickies in this forum, past the regulations....:yingyang:
 
I prefer to use a wire punch made froma piece of brass or steel and a bit of wire from a paper clip. find the flash hole by feel and punch out the primer. I read about this in an old gun mag and it is the best method I have found.
 
i use the hardwood dowl and water method, but you have to find the right size dowel- size it first, put in water up to the neck, and then the dowl, and hit the works with a hammer- the water( which is not compressable) pushes the primer out through pressue in the flasholes- what you do with it afte ris up to you-
 
I have steel die and punch set up to use water to deprime berdan 308. Almost as fast as a Boxer deprime. Still have a few thousand berdan primers, too.

Today the only Berdan I deprime are calibers for which there are no boxer cases.
 
So can you use a boxer primer in lieu of a berdan or will the whole deal blow up?

No real point if you can only use berdans, unless you find berdans that is.
 
cyclone said:
I was hoping to find a more comprehensive thread on Berdan/corrosiveness/steel casings.....:(....but, I did get to learn new and wonderful things about the search function! :p

As a (recovering? ;)) rimfire kinda guy, I can plainly tell you gifted reloading folk :) that I wish there were more stickies in this forum, past the regulations....:yingyang:
Click to expand...

But, then how could we rehash the old, "Which reloader for 9mm and 223?" threads? Or "I'm new to reloading, what do I need to start?" threads?

Those threads are the bread any butter of this forum, a sticky that told people that would mean we couldn't argue about which press is better, everyday, for the rest of our lives. By the way, I mostly own RCBS stuff, so that means all other presses are inferior ;)
 
Is the primer pocket the same size as Boxer? If so, what is preventing a guy from drilling out a boxer flash hole? I mean, brass is getting harder to come by and if a guy has lots why not use it? Sure it would take a while and a jig would be the most reliable for hitting center, but if you had the time and inclination why not?
 
You would have 3 flash holes if you drilled out the center of the primer pocket. That would presumably build up pressures to extremes with the extra flame.

Sometimes, boxer primers will work fine in berdan pockets. They don't work well the other way around though as the berdan primers have a larger diameter.
 
bearhunter said:
You would have 3 flash holes if you drilled out the center of the primer pocket. That would presumably build up pressures to extremes with the extra flame.

Sometimes, boxer primers will work fine in berdan pockets. They don't work well the other way around though as the berdan primers have a larger diameter.
Click to expand...

i've used the lee decapper ( the one that comes with the tool and you use a hammer) to punch out that centre anvil- but that gives the legs of the primer no solid place to brace against if you manage to get the legs over a hole- i've never suceeded at placing a boxer in a berdan hole. even in the same caliber( 308 win) and having it seat to my satisfaction- it typically sits high, even after reaming- maybe there's a taper to the pocket- anyway, i've given up as i don't want a high primer incident
 
"...can you use a boxer primer in lieu of a berdan..." No. Berdan primed brass has the anvil in the case. Boxers have it in the primer. Berdan primers aren't the same diameter as boxers either. There's no large and small rifle/pistol with berdan primers. Nothing will blow up though.
 
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