Anybody make 7.62 x 39 brass from other cartridges?

[xman777]

My end goal would be to set up for making 7.62 x 39 ak brass from any widely available brass out there. I have read a number of articles about it and even seen a die set from rcbs. The articles suggest that it is definitely not worth the cost involved.

Any thoughts?

[SOFMatchstaff]

The articles are correct. you can work on the primer end with some chance of success if you have brass, berdan primed cases.

[GRUMPA]

I get asked about that case every now and then. When it comes to that case....your boned. Just get 7.62x39 1x fired cases and you'll be much better off..

[xman777]

Probably better of shooting blackout anyways, but I have some hungry ak's to feed and I really think ammo is out of control.

[GRUMPA]

The price go up all of a sudden?

[GRUMPA]

I know I've read about reloading steel cases, I did a quick search and found more than a few. But these are the ones that stuck in my head for some time.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?98115-Reloading-steel-7-62X39

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?180677-Reloading-7-62x39-steel-berdan-cases-with-boxer-LR-primers-in-a-pinch

That's about the cheapest why to get the job done.

[GhostHawk]

I cheated, I came here, read all about the trials and tribulations of trying to convert berdan to boxer primers, etc.

Then I looked HARD at ammo for sale, discovered that the Privi Partizan was almost always the lowest price of the all brass boxer primed ammo. So I bought some, then bought some more. Then discovered that the Red Army Standard "Elite" was brass cased, boxer primed, and had a good price for 180 rounds of 7.62x39. So I bought 2 of those.


And I bought a few boxes of Tulammo for when I just want to crank the SKS up and go shoot and not worry about brass.

Then I was able with the help of some friends to get a 7.62x39 barrel from H&R for my Handi Rifle.

NOW I am ready to rock and roll!
Tons of brass, prices have since gone up, including unloaded brass prices.
But I'm sitting on hundreds of rounds. Plus I have everything needed to reload them over and over.

Bite the bullet, buy good ammo, save your brass.

Save the berdan stuff against the day the brown smelly stuff does actually impact the rotary air distribution device.

[jpsgunworks]

If you google berdan primers for sale a couple places come up that sell them . There are also a couple of youtube
videos of guys reloading steel cases.

[Denny303]

http://palmettostatearmory.com/index.php/ammunition/red-army-elite-7-62x39mm-123gr-fmj-30rd-box.html did some quick searching, I found these at PSA, which has given me good service in the past , I didn't know about the red army elite, thanks for the heads up ghosthawk. .50 cents a round.

http://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/product/productId/12650 raw brass .40 cents a round.

better off buying the loaded ammo to get the brass.

[xman777]

Thats a hot tip on the red army! Not badly priced. Then figure all the fun I'll have unloading them and i then get to reload them with some cast :) This sounds better than spending the 650 on some case forming dies.
I've been really spoiled with blackout. 223 cases are so cheap and my rig loves to eat cast.

[GhostHawk]

True, but what you don't know, is if you are buying the size berdan primers you need. Measure CAREFULLY Twice! Then screw up your nerve and hope it works.

I think you'll find the 7.62x39 is an "odd" size berdan primer.


If you google berdan primers for sale a couple places come up that sell them . There are also a couple of youtube
videos of guys reloading steel cases.

[Bumslie]

I know I've read about reloading steel cases, I did a quick search and found more than a few. But these are the ones that stuck in my head for some time.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?98115-Reloading-steel-7-62X39

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?180677-Reloading-7-62x39-steel-berdan-cases-with-boxer-LR-primers-in-a-pinch

That's about the cheapest why to get the job done.
Yeah, I've done it. Steel cases. Powder coated lee 155 gr boolits.

I used the ammo channel/Maine junkers method of hydraulic depriming and using a modified boxer primer with it super glued into a tula case.

They shot well. I only used a mild charge of unique in the case however. I'll eventually try out some full power loads.

[justingrosche]

This fellow, (Mark) has quite a bit of 7.62x39
I've done a little business with him. He's a stand up guy and good to his word.

http://www.bigdogbrass.com

Tell him Justin sent you.

[Ballistics in Scotland]

I think it is almost certain that you can buy new Boxer primed brass for less money, and certainly less trouble, than conversion will cost you. I can only see any point if you were in a jurisdiction where unusual brass was impossible to obtain. (I recently found that rifle and pistol brass is now difficult to export from the US, although I got Magtech shotgun brass cases through the legal situation being different for those.)

For anybody in this situation, RCBS and CH4D are the people to consult on what can be done.

[Harter66]

I had a few from 6.8 Rem before I realized I needed that brass .

In the stickies the is a thread on Berdan to Boxer . In that thread is a neat little drill tool I made for drilling brass berdan cases for boxer tools .the pocket still needs to be crimped down to hold the boxer. I have fired approximately 200 reloads in the 40 kpsi range without issue some of the development cases have 8-10 reloads on them ,NNY are the preferred by me of the 3-4 head stamps from range brass.
I doubt that 30-30 or 32 Win would be to difficult other than the rim turning to convert to x39 . But then a guy has to make 32 Rem brass when it is not available in the general market.

Yes it is time consuming but I drilled 250 cases and prepped them in about 5 hr . Since it's a hobby time doesn't count right? It probably took me about 2.5 hours to make the tool and drill the cases.

The tool
130085
I made a pocket staking punch also
130086

[Ballistics in Scotland]

That sounds like good work, but I think the way to make the primers the usual force fit would be to have a drilling took slightly undersize, and then a final diameter tool which swages the pocket a little larger. You could test it by its fit in the primer pocket of something else.

[Harter66]

The punch is just shallower than the pocket and drives down on an anvil . It mashes a slight ring in the pocket and the post keeps it from over swagging the pocket.

[Cmm_3940]

If you need 7.62x39 brass, Selway has a deal on 1000 pcs. right now. I just built an AK and needed brass to load. This is the best deal I found.

http://www.selwayarmory.com/7-62x39-once-fired-brass-clean-primer-removed-bag-of-1-000.aspx

[Dakoma]

Hard to find that fired brass out of a SKS and AK rifle unless you got a brass catcher , they don't fly in the same place every time , I am lucky to find 1/3 of what I shoot but don't shoot at a indoor range just here on the 7 acres I got I have a range setup , I save my brass for my boltaction and shoot steel in the AK and SKS rifles !

[GhostHawk]

My SKS is a Yugo so I can turn the gas sytem for the Grenade Launcher to off, turns it into a straight pull bolt.

Then they land right next to the rifle. Otherwise yes the SKS throws them high and wide.
Have considered a butterfly net as a brass catcher! :)

[Harter66]

Based on the 1 sks I shot ,I think a wall tent would make a better start.......

[Dakoma]

I have had them land in my shirt pocket and one got down my shirt , Ouch ! My Milled Bulgarian AK who know where they go ! Lol !

[groovy mike]

Be aware that Boxer primed 7.62x39 comes in both large and small primer flavors (I have some of each - anybody want to trade so I can standardize?)

But its no big deal to reload Berdan primed brass just get the RCBS Berdan decapping tool and order 5,000 primers and you are good to go for quite awhile.

[DCM]

7.62X39 Can be made from carcano brass or 6.5X54ms but I seriously doubt it is worth the time/trouble & 7.62 brass can be bought cheaper than either of those. Not to mention folks that shoot those calibers would like to see that brass stay those cals.

[Idz]

Some folks convert their steel and brass berdan cases to boxer LRP. They drill out the primer and anvil then swage the remaining primer sleeve into the pocket leaving a perfect boxer primer pocket. There are several YouTube videos describing the process. I tried a few and they seem to work.

[WarEagleEd]

7.62X39 Can be made from Carcano brass

+1 to the Carcano donor brass, but it isn't easier to find or any cheaper.

[Harter66]

35 Rem is a possibility also . The Carcanos had the bbl set back and RCBS had a standard die set for 6.5x5 Rem. There seems to be lots of that brass around.

[BruceB]

Some years ago, I somehow came into possession of an assorted batch of used 7.62x39 brass.

I was flatly astounded to discover that SOMEONE, with a lot more determination than I could have generated, made some of those 7.62 cases from .220 SWIFT brass!

Man alive, what a job of work those cases demonstrated.