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Thread: Converting Berdan primer pockets to Boxer

  1. #61
    Boolit Mold
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    Please send your info

    Larry,
    Great post. Been wanting to do something with the berdan brass for years. Can you please e-mail your info on converting berdan to boxer to supersuspenders62@yahoo.com. Thanks looking forward to giving it a try.

  2. #62
    Boolit Grand Master
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    Someplace I've see berdan 7.5x55 converted to boxer.
    Insted of removing the bedan anvil, what they did was flatten it.
    They used a flat face punch as a mandrel to support the inside of the primer pocket. Used another flat punch to flatten the berdan anval flat. Hanner it down untill it flattend the anvil and closed the berdan holes.
    They then drilled a new boxer size hole.
    I haven't had time to try it yet.

  3. #63
    Boolit Buddy
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    I have a way to get the old berdan primer out of the case, Caliber really doesn't matter. I make a small chisel out of a long handled punch, flat on top and flat on the bottem bringing them to a point the edges are rounded to about , the shape of the pirmer, the punch needs to be a little smaller than the primer . you drive the punch into the primer at about a 45-65 degree angle and if every thing works right you just pull down on the punch and out pops the primer. (ok, I picked up about 10,000 berdan primers off GB many years ago and I still have about 6,000 of them. I loaded 6.5x55 for my ljungman like that, 7.5x55 for my K-31's and 8mm for my 24/47. the caliber really doeesn't matter. they all take the same primer. the only problem is how to hold the case. I use a .45-70 die with the decapping pin reversed. the cased sits on top of the flat part of the pin and your in business. When I get warmed up, I can decap, 4-5 cases a minute. now, I can't see any more, so I just shoot lead in every thing between 25 and 50 yards. If the tip (of the punch,) breaks off, my grinder will put it back on in about five minutes

  4. #64
    Boolit Man
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    Good deal

  5. #65
    Boolit Buddy Alex_4x4's Avatar
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  6. #66
    Boolit Master
    Remiel's Avatar
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    Silly question will this method work on steel to?

  7. #67
    Boolit Master

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    If you are talking about the original post, the Larry Gibson post, about using the original berdan primer as a sleeve in the primer pocket,...yes.
    I have used his method for 762×54 (because I wanted to).
    I tried to drill out the primers on the metal cased, russian, 410, but that was a failure. I believe it would be easier to convert those cases to a shotshell primer.

  8. #68
    Boolit Master
    Newtire's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Larry Gibson View Post
    Several times; got water all over everything.....did not get the primer out.........if you try in the bottom of an empty swimming pool would be a good place.........some claim success, I never had any with the water/hydraulic method..........

    Larry Gibson
    Amen to this ! Would have to see it to believe it.

  9. #69
    Boolit Master
    Remiel's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Harter66 View Post
    Last spring I did a bunch of 7.62x39. I did a little tool to drill from the inside out. The tool goes in through the neck and is "self centering" . I drill about .08 into the head w/1/16 in drill then decap as normal w/my custom decaping rod for standard RCBS dies.

    The tool is 5/16 hardware store rod center drilled to accept the 1/16 drill bit and cross drilled and tapped to accept an 8-32 Allen screw for a lock stud for the bit. I chose 1/16 as it was cheap and plentyfull here in Podunk,as opposed to its respective no.drill.



    I swaged the pockets w/ another custom tool to accept boxer lg rifle. I fired 200 rnds at the NCBS in June w/o any noticeable primer leaks or fall outs loading 23.0 gr of 4350 over a CCI primer w/200 gr PP'd boolit.
    anybody know where i can get one of these tools for the 7.62x54r, i do not have a mill or a lathe or i would make my own

  10. #70
    Boolit Master
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    I went on GOOGLE SEARCH, drilling out berdan primers- and found this thread. it is what I was looking for!!. I know it is a 2012 dated site but the info is priceless, thanking you , toot.

  11. #71
    Boolit Buddy Johnny_V's Avatar
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    For some time now I have been wanting to convert 7.62 x 39 Berdan primed cases to Boxer primed, and thanks to NevadaBlue (Over at Weaponsguild.com for the collet idea) I finally made a fixture to successfully do just that.

    Here's what I did to make the fixture:

    1 - Pulled out an old 5C collet closer I had laying around
    2 - Bought a 5C emergency collet
    3 - Ran an '06 chamber reamer partially into it (until a fired case just fit)
    4 - Made a stop (that screws into the collet) that uses the neck of the case for a pilot
    5 - Made a centering spud to align the jig on the mill or drill press
    6 - Used a long #2 center drill with a drill stop to drill out the Berdan anvil
    7 - Used a 5mm end mill to remove most of the primer shell
    8 - Set up my Rock Chucker with an RCBS primer pocket swager and swaged the remainder
    of the primer shell for a nice fit of a Large Boxer Primer.

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Berdan to Boxer Primer jig.jpg 
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Size:	30.1 KB 
ID:	165992

    When I get a little more time, I'll post a video on the process...
    Your Feedback is appreciated
    Johnny V
    NRA Benefactor
    Member OGCA & GOA
    CCW OH & PA

  12. #72
    Boolit Master

    pworley1's Avatar
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    Thank you Larry for taking the time to write such an educational post. This method is much easier and gives better results than the method I had been using.
    I hope you are still thinking about writing a book with all your great information in one place.
    NRA Benefactor Member NRA Golden Eagle

  13. #73
    Boolit Bub Diver07's Avatar
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    Have a bunch of 8mm I think I'll start working on. Thanks for the info.

  14. #74
    Boolit Master
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    GONRA reminds ya'll that Berdan primers that "seem to be"
    like our .175 inch diameter small pistol/small rifle primers
    (generally) are their "4.5mm" Berdan primers that are 2 mils larger - .177 inch diameter.

    Berdan primers that "seem to be"
    like our .210 inch diameter large pistol/large rifle primers
    (generally) are their "5.5mm" Berdan primers that are 7 mils larger - .217 inch diameter.

    So be careful out there......

  15. #75
    Boolit Master Any Cal.'s Avatar
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    I have been trying this on some .308 brass. Hydraulic method works fine, but you might need to size cases first. You likely have a decapping pin that bent on the berdan case, so use it!

    Grind the pin off of the decapping rod, leaving just the sizing ball.

    Size the berdan brass.

    Fill the brass with water.

    Put brass in shell holder on hard surface, and put decapping ball in neck.

    Hit decapping ball with hammer.

    That's it... even on crimped primers. The hydraulic doesn't work if you don't have a tight fit, using the same expander used to size means you have a very light interference fit. It is just a bit wet, but 20 cases are no big deal.

    Still working on the easiest way to swage the primer pocket down, however. May end up building a tool.

  16. #76
    Boolit Man

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    One way I saw used was penning the primer pocket with a ball bearing
    Seems a good method to me

  17. #77
    Boolit Master
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    I tried the hydraulic method on some crimped in 8mm mauser brass and all it did was expand the upper half of the case a bunch and get me wet.
    I use shotgun primers which is easy to convert.

  18. #78
    Boolit Buddy
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    Hi I would like to help with the water decapping of berdan primers. If you go to the can you make priming compound? Forum next to this one. A pic of my version of a universal de-capper is in #665 and a drawing of one is pictured in # 667. No case is distorted with this type. A couple of ideas to make the de-capping easier. Push the fired primer in a little and/or push it in at a slight angle,then remove it with with your water de-capper. They pop with ease this way.
    n.h.schmidt

  19. #79
    Boolit Master
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    NHS is correct,first break the grip of the case on primer,sometimes sealer too,and the hydraulic method will move them......but not if there is a heavy crimp ......Once the military primer is gone,reloaded primers blow out easily..........I recently tried the pick method on some RG 303s ....very difficult...I thought Id "lost my touch".........Ive been picking out primers since I was a boy.....Then I tried some Aus cases ,primers picked out easily.........My favorite pick is a SMLE firing pin,ground to a chisel......very strong,unbreakable even.....With a drilled board holding the cases ,I can do 20 cases in a few minutes......as quick as drift depriming Boxer cases.

  20. #80
    Boolit Master
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    that was a good post and very informative. But i gave up on Berdan conversion long ago. To me It was a time wasted
    NRA Endowment Member
    International Ammunition Association
    New York, the Empire State Where Empires were Won and Lost

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