Recycled Berdan brass

With fairly steady supply of Berdan primers like we have now there might be a market but it Depends on how much and what caliber. Common stuff like 7.62x39 would probably not sell, but some harder to find calibers like 8mm Mauser, .303 British, 6.5x55 and even 7.5x55 might be able to find a customer if their is enough of it.

I probably would need at least five hundred pieces before I would consider it worth it.
 
Considering the amount of it free at ranges I would say save your time and send it south. I can't belive people even relode it with the cheap price of bulk Ammo in Canada. It's cheaper for me to buy bulk .308 them reload. Even .303 is 19.99 at wallmart, 300 win 24.99, why bother you know? That's my opinion tho. Maybe others don't have the options I do and will buy.
 
We are reading these comments and making notes. To answer a reoccurring question - the calibers are typical to military applications - extensive list. Please keep relevant comments coming.
 
Suther said:
Who cares. All you need is a steel rod that fits tightly in the neck, and some water. Fill case with water, insert rod into top of case, wack with a hammer, and watch the hydraulic action deprime your case.
Click to expand...

I've never had luck with that method with the pile of SA surplus I have with it's staked primers. I'm confident that different brass will behave differently, but to me, it's not worth the risk.

I also have experienced similar results with the RCBS tool.
 
Suther said:
Who cares. All you need is a steel rod that fits tightly in the neck, and some water. Fill case with water, insert rod into top of case, wack with a hammer, and watch the hydraulic action deprime your case.
Click to expand...

JimboJones said:
I've never had luck with that method with the pile of SA surplus I have with it's staked primers. I'm confident that different brass will behave differently, but to me, it's not worth the risk.

I also have experienced similar results with the RCBS tool.
Click to expand...

I never had any luck holding the case and rod in one hand and bonking it with the other hand.
I found the case and the rod go different directions...
I do have complete success by thumping the water filled case up into the sizing die in the press.
NOTE! THE CASE MUST BE RESIZED FIRST, AND THE DECAPPING PIN MUST NOT BE IN THE EXPANDER BALL STEM.

You must remove the decapping pin for Berdan anyway, and the cases must be pre-resized before slamming them into the sizing die to hydraulically decap them.
Otherwise, you WILL have a stuck case.
 
I would be in for 1000 or 2000 7.62x39...yep surplus ammo is cheap, but home rounded is always better. pm me if it happens, I already have a 1000 berdan primers.
 
tootall said:
I never had any luck holding the case and rod in one hand and bonking it with the other hand.
I found the case and the rod go different directions...
I do have complete success by thumping the water filled case up into the sizing die in the press.
NOTE! THE CASE MUST BE RESIZED FIRST, AND THE DECAPPING PIN MUST NOT BE IN THE EXPANDER BALL STEM.

You must remove the decapping pin for Berdan anyway, and the cases must be pre-resized before slamming them into the sizing die to hydraulically decap them.
Otherwise, you WILL have a stuck case.
Click to expand...

Get a block of wood, drill one hole part way through that's the size of your case, and another smaller hole all the way through that's a bit bigger than a primer. Then the block holds the case, you only have to hold the rod and the hammer.
 
To decap my gp11 brass I drill lightly where the firing pin dented the primer until it pierces through the metal. I then use a very small Philips screwdriver( the type you use to work on watches or eyeglasses), place it in the hole i just drilled then pry the primer off. I first tried a dental pick and a nail to pry it out but the metal was too soft and they both bent. I mangled a couple of cases at first with this method but once you get your technique down it works just fine.
 
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