The best way to reload the GP11 (all Berdan case) cases

jeanlikethis

jeanlikethis

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I have some GP11 case from my K31 and they are very beautiful brass with high quality. I feel insane to throw them away, but reloading them is not easy either. I prepared several cases and use the ball swag method to try to resize the primer pocket. Some work, some not. The problem is that ball swag will not resize the primer pocket mouth, not the internal well. The boxer primer might not well seal and may cause gas leak that will destroy your bolt face. Remember a K31 bolt cylinder costs $100 and there is no place to buy. Saving several GP11 case at the risk of damaging the bolt is not worthy.

I decided to use the standard Berdan Primer that will eliminate the gas leak risk. As following shows:

1. Prep the case. There are so many ways of doing this and just use whatever suits you. The case after Prep should look like this:

95wwfk.jpg


2. Get some Berdan primer, and from your used Boxer primer, save the internal anvil .

faag7o.jpg


3. Put the anvil into the Berdan primer, just like Boxer does

hvoxut.jpg


4. Reload the BerBox primer into the case preped in step one.

28s66hg.jpg


Done. Go ahead with your normal reloading procedure from here.


After you came back from the range, decap the BerBox primer as you do to your Boxer case. But, remember to recycle the anvil as you need that to build the next round of BerBox primer.

Your will still need to get some Berdan primer but , this saves a lot in decapping and resizing the case as you can do everything suits the Boxer case. There is only one step more in the reloading: you need to put the anvil each time to the Berdan primer. To make it a BerBox version. But, to me, that is totally acceptable.
 
The gp 11 brass is so nice that it is a shame most don't reload it. I tried the hydraulic water method of removing the berdan primer with mixed results. I had the chance to buy a used rcbs berdan decapper set that pry's out the spent primer. This system works well for me as I can pry out the old primer quite quick.
 
I've tried the ball swaging and was not sold on the idea. As you say, some work and some leave a bad taste in the mouth. I've shelved the idea of reusing them until I can find proper sized berdan primers. Until then, I shoot and stock up on cheap GP11 and handload Privilege brass
 
I use a punch that I sized with my drill press and Emory cloth so it's maybe a thou or two bigger than the fired brass then tapered the end a bit to get it started . Then I put a jug of water next to the press dip the brass full and go to it . Rcbs press with no die in the top and start the punch through the top and smack it with a heavy hammer most come out with one smack some two . Then take the case and slightly bevel the primer pocket with a round die grinder bit and cordless drill . Bought the right berdain primers and top load them in my primer tool ( they are to big to feed from the tray ) . Then it's load as usual .great brass 4 reloads and counting
 
That's the only thing about Berdan primers. They are a pain in the butt to replace. I have an RCBS Berdan decapping tool and it's more trouble than it's worth. Finally, about twenty years ago I made up a decapping tool from a 3/16 brass rod with a piece of drill bit stem of the proper diameter pressed into it. It only has to protrude about 1/4 in. I had to make sure it would easily fit into the two flash holes so the protruding end was crowned.

The drill stem easily slips into one of the flash holes and a very light tap with a light hammer drives the spent primer out easily.

I had a base from one of those LEE LOADER kits where you have to remove the Boxer primers with the same method so that holding the case in place is easy. Not difficult to make one up though. Could even be made out of a piece of hardwood in a pinch.

I understand that most of the primers used in commercially loaded ammunition for sporting purposes is now loaded with Boxer type primers. Still, not that long ago Europeans were stuck with only Berdan primers. Maybe they could chime in on this.

I know I really appreciate being able to pop out the primers with the decapping pin in my sizing die in one swipe of the press.

One other thing, I usually remove the decapping pin from my sizing die and size the cases before decapping with my punch.


There was a time only a couple of decades ago when boxer primed cases for 6.5x55, 7.62x54 and many other European offerings just wasn't available. I only load for three different cartridges at this point that use Berdan primers. The 8mm Kropatschek round is just one example of no other brass available and nothing that will convert to.

Thankfully GRAFF came along and started producing a lot of the hard to find Boxer primed cases for many of those obsolete cases. I use them whenever I can.

I have a couple of hundred 7.5x55 cases with Berdan flash holes but I just can't bring myself to throw away that excellent GP11. Not only that the GP11 cases are the easiest to use for military duplication loads.
 
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The RCBS Berdan Decapping tool is finicky about exact length of the adjustable decapping spur.
Once that is found it works very well.

Problem is if you you use it for multiple calibers and need to start all over again to find that sweet spot.
I keep one always setup for GP11 brass.

Still have a good supply of RWS Berdan primers.
 
@Bearhunter - you wrote - 'I understand that most of the primers used in commercially loaded ammunition for sporting purposes is now loaded with Boxer type primers. Still, not that long ago Europeans were stuck with only Berdan primers. Maybe they could chime in on this.'

Not so, Sir. I've been reloading here in Europe since the late 1960's, and even then Berdan primers were very hard to find. In fact, the very last I bought, to reload some old 11mm cases were back around 1975 or so.

Nowadays I would have no idea where to even begin looking.

tac
 
Yep the RCBS tool works well, not 100% but like mentioned once you get the pin length dialed in its about 95% on the first try. You get a stubborn one every once and a while that takes two or three attempts but I did a few hundred cases in not too much time. There is no powder or anything involved so its a safe activity to do in front of the TV. If you do manage to break a pin, you can make one out of an appropriate sized Allen key with a bench grinder, takes ten min if you take your time. just cut to length and shape.

There is so much 7.5 and therefore brass around it really is worth re-loading the Berdan cases. I have a few cases of GP-11 however my plan is to finish off the current case then reload the cases until they shoot out then re-start the process with a fresh case of ammo. I suppose I could put an ad on the EE for some once fired GP-11 brass. You could probably source enough so that you won't have to buy a case for a long time.

I also have a few thousand of the RWS primers. Just a question though, can you use a standard rpimer tool to instal the primers or will it have to me modified in any way?
 
I use an old Lee hand primer tool with the round tray. Picked it up at a gun show for $10.00 and the RWS primers were a perfect fit in the slightly worn primer hole.

Bought the primers from North Sylva many years ago.

Not sure were to get the proper sized Tula / Dominion berdan primers these days.
Primers must fit the .308 Berdan (5608), not the 7.62x39 (less priming compound).
I use the 5620 which still works ok but not ideal due to shorter cup height.

http://www.dave-cushman.net/shot/berdan_supplies_dimensions.html

http://theswissriflesdotcommessageboard.yuku.com/topic/13031/GP11-and-Berdan-primers
 
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I tried using Dominion 7.62x39 Berdan primer in my GP11 and Swedish M96 Berdan cases. It will work, but you can feel it is weak. There is a delay of 0.2 sec after you pulled the trigger and the round fires. Also, the primer might not ignite the slow powder like 4350 and 4831, it will work with 4064 (with delay).

Accuracy wise, it is also ok. as long as you keep stationary during the trigger pull and firing delay.

How much the primer will contribute to the reloading accuracy? I saw some "match grade primer", what is the difference between Premium Primer and the normal commercial ones?
 
tacfoley said:
@Bearhunter - you wrote - 'I understand that most of the primers used in commercially loaded ammunition for sporting purposes is now loaded with Boxer type primers. Still, not that long ago Europeans were stuck with only Berdan primers. Maybe they could chime in on this.'

Not so, Sir. I've been reloading here in Europe since the late 1960's, and even then Berdan primers were very hard to find. In fact, the very last I bought, to reload some old 11mm cases were back around 1975 or so.

Nowadays I would have no idea where to even begin looking.

tac
Click to expand...


Thanks for that tac. I recently picked up some RWS in white boxes with green lettering that is Berdan primed. The stuff is at least 50 years old. I was surprised to find it was Berdan primed and assumed it was a normal thing. Makes sense to me that it isn't, other than in milspec loads.

Thanks for the information. Much appreciated.
 
diopter said:
I use an old Lee hand primer tool with the round tray. Picked it up at a gun show for $10.00 and the RWS primers were a perfect fit in the slightly worn primer hole.

Bought the primers from North Sylva many years ago.

Not sure were to get the proper sized Tula / Dominion berdan primers these days.
Primers must fit the .308 Berdan (5608), not the 7.62x39 (less priming compound).
I use the 5620 which still works ok but not ideal due to shorter cup height.

http://www.dave-cushman.net/shot/berdan_supplies_dimensions.html

http://theswissriflesdotcommessageboard.yuku.com/topic/13031/GP11-and-Berdan-primers
Click to expand...


I use the primers from Canada Ammo. The Dominion large rifle primers seem to work well. I had some other primers that came from North Sylva a few years ago in plain brown boxes and they were not tight in the pocket. I used a bit of 50/50 lacquer/acetone to lightly coat the pocket before priming and never had a leakage problem.

The Dominion primers from CanadaAmmo don't fit all Berdan primer pockets but they are cheap in comparison to other Berdan primers and best of all, readily available.
 
what is the ball / swag metho you mention ?



jeanlikethis said:
I have some GP11 case from my K31 and they are very beautiful brass with high quality. I feel insane to throw them away, but reloading them is not easy either. I prepared several cases and use the ball swag method to try to resize the primer pocket. Some work, some not. The problem is that ball swag will not resize the primer pocket mouth, not the internal well. The boxer primer might not well seal and may cause gas leak that will destroy your bolt face. Remember a K31 bolt cylinder costs $100 and there is no place to buy. Saving several GP11 case at the risk of damaging the bolt is not worthy.

I decided to use the standard Berdan Primer that will eliminate the gas leak risk. As following shows:

1. Prep the case. There are so many ways of doing this and just use whatever suits you. The case after Prep should look like this:

95wwfk.jpg


2. Get some Berdan primer, and from your used Boxer primer, save the internal anvil .

faag7o.jpg


3. Put the anvil into the Berdan primer, just like Boxer does

hvoxut.jpg


4. Reload the BerBox primer into the case preped in step one.

28s66hg.jpg


Done. Go ahead with your normal reloading procedure from here.


After you came back from the range, decap the BerBox primer as you do to your Boxer case. But, remember to recycle the anvil as you need that to build the next round of BerBox primer.

Your will still need to get some Berdan primer but , this saves a lot in decapping and resizing the case as you can do everything suits the Boxer case. There is only one step more in the reloading: you need to put the anvil each time to the Berdan primer. To make it a BerBox version. But, to me, that is totally acceptable.
Click to expand...
 
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