Mystery Primer.

[462]

Not sure if this is the correct forum, but..

Can anyone identify this type of primer? The flash hole is quite a bit smaller in diameter than a Boxer primed case. The cartridge is (Bulgarian?) 8 mm, with a 150-grain bullet.

[thehouseproduct]

It looks like it might be a Berdan primed case converted to boxer. But, I don't see the two small flash holes off to the side. Perhaps the brass maker just used the same tooling and drilled boxer holes. Strange looking I agree.

[fishhawk]

RPR is Romanian mfg. still looking for more info. steve k

[qajaq59]

It looks like that ridge around the hole might interfere with the anvil in a boxer primer. I'll be curious to see what it turns out to be.

[chris in va]

I did a little googling for you and it seems it's a berdan primed single flash hole design. Corrosive as well. Don't ask me how it works, that's just the general consensus from various website postings.

Apparently good ammo though. 21 RPR (Romanian People's Republic), on the warm side velocity wise.

[qajaq59]

Well that would make sense. If I remember correctly the Berdans don't have an anvil in the primer so that must be what the ridge is for. I never knew there was a one hole case for them though.

[462]

Thanks everyone.

The mention of Bulgaria was the result of my memory trying to remember back about 3-years...didn't think to do a headstamp search. I knew the ammo was corrosive, and it does shoot well.

I bought a spam can and got excited when I saw the single flash hole. Ran into a problem trying to deprime a case, so I cut the head off and saw the very small flash hole.

Again, I appreciate everyone's time and efforts.

[cast367]

462

In the very past. 1920/1940 the 6.5mm M95 cartrige used in the Dutch Army had
5mm berdan primer. Also used in the 9mm case made by AI factory Zaandam
That factory makes the 30/06 , 308. 30M1 . , 5.5mm berdan primed
The 303 case was 6.35mm berdan english
It was for miltair use only. Blanks as well.
From the 30/06 case, I have a lot of them , I use that every week.

[RogerWatsonfromIdaho]

23784
Romanian 8X57 mm cartridge cases. Left most is the inside of a Berdan primer which was pierced by the berdan primer removing tool. There was no anvil in it. Second from left is the inside of the cartridge case showing the single central flash hole. It is shaped like the inside of a cone. Third from left is a cartridge showing the primer pocket with the primer removed. The anvil is part of the cartridge case and is in the center of the primer pocket and is shaped like the outside of a cone with a central flash hole. Second from right shows some of the primers will leak gas when the cartridge is fired. Right most is a normal fired cartridge case.
Years ago, I bought this ammunition from Centerfire Systems. They said it is boxer primed, but it is berdan primed.

[462]

Yep, that's it.

[Down South]

I figured when I saw the first pic that the ridge served the place of an anvil. I’ve never dealt with this type of brass. I wonder if a fellow could use a primer pocket uniformer and flash hole reamer then use standard primers. It would be a bit of work but not much more than removing military crimps at primer pockets.

[cast367]

rogerwatson,

The berdan primer is 5.5 mm metric size
The boxer primer ir 5.33 mm metric size and is to small
Result , gas leak