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Thread: Converting Berdan primer pockets to Boxer

  1. #61
    Boolit Master

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    Tokarev you really want to drill the new flash hole in the center or else the next time you resize the cases you won't be able to use the decapping pin to poke out the old primer...Ray
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  2. #62
    Boolit Master Tokarev's Avatar
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    I know but I am still going thru a huge box of berdan primed 308 that I traded for boxer 303 and 300 win mag, so next reloading cycle is years away.

  3. #63
    Boolit Buddy

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    I tried to seat Large Magnum Primers today and it wouldn't go in all the way, this diameter is good, I am wondering if the primer is to deep, Anyone know if a Large Rifle Primer would not be as deep as a Magnum Large Rifle Primer?

  4. #64
    Boolit Master Tokarev's Avatar
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    There are only 3 primer sizes for boxer: small, large and 50bmg.

  5. #65
    Boolit Buddy Twmaster's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by newcastter View Post
    I tried to seat Large Magnum Primers today and it wouldn't go in all the way, this diameter is good, I am wondering if the primer is to deep, Anyone know if a Large Rifle Primer would not be as deep as a Magnum Large Rifle Primer?
    If you are asking about Berdan primers they do come in a brain hurting number of sizes both in diameter and depth.

    Without more details it's kinda hard to finger this out for you.
    Mike

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  6. #66
    Boolit Master Tokarev's Avatar
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    Actually, if berdan brass is in an odd primer pocket size, it's a boon: they can be converted to a next larger boxer size using a primer pocket reamer.

  7. #67
    Boolit Buddy

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    I swaged the pocket to a large pocket after drilling a new flash hole and drilling away the top of the old primer leaving the old primer walls to swage. What I ended up doing was grabbing a pack of magnum pistol primers and they were not as deep so they seated good so I will test shoot this weekend.

  8. #68
    Boolit Buddy Twmaster's Avatar
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    Pistol primers in a rifle may be a bad thing. The metal in pistol primers are not as thick as rifle primers and may either be pierced by the firing pin or may come out of the pocket due to higher pressures.
    Mike

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  9. #69
    Boolit Master Crawdaddy's Avatar
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    I just bought an SKS and was wanting to reload for it. As I walked around our range I saw a wealth of Berdan primed brass. I wondered if it was possible to convert it.

    I now know the answer.

    Thanks for posting Larry.

  10. #70
    Boolit Buddy

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    Quote Originally Posted by Twmaster View Post
    Pistol primers in a rifle may be a bad thing. The metal in pistol primers are not as thick as rifle primers and may either be pierced by the firing pin or may come out of the pocket due to higher pressures.
    Took it out to the range today and it fired great and with no problems, I was happy.

  11. #71
    Boolit Bub
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    Quote Originally Posted by Crawdaddy View Post
    I just bought an SKS and was wanting to reload for it. As I walked around our range I saw a wealth of Berdan primed brass. I wondered if it was possible to convert it.

    I now know the answer.

    Thanks for posting Larry.
    The Yugo 7.62x39 works great. I have about 20 cases fired 5 times with Larry's conversion.

  12. #72
    Boolit Master Tokarev's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Crawdaddy View Post
    I just bought an SKS and was wanting to reload for it. As I walked around our range I saw a wealth of Berdan primed brass. I wondered if it was possible to convert it.

    I now know the answer.

    Thanks for posting Larry.
    What you saw were most likely steel cases. They are not as easily converted as brass, but not impossible.
    Also the steel cases eat the dies and mandrels
    Last edited by Tokarev; 05-21-2012 at 09:14 AM.

  13. #73
    Boolit Mold Ruger45's Avatar
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    Around 30 years ago I had some .303 British military rounds that were Berdan primed. Well I fired them and saved the brass. Anyway I got into one of my moods to try something. In order to get the berdan primer out without too much trouble I took a peice of steel and drilled a hole in it a little bigger than the primer and counter bored it so the rim would fit into it. Then I took a peice of metal that would barely fit into the shell. Now fill it almost full of water, put it in the peice of metal for the primer and put the metal rod in the mouth of the shell and hit with a hammer. The water will create enough pressure to force out the primer. Messy? Yes it is. Then I bored out the primer pocket and drilled a flash hole. Then I made an insert and tapped it into the flash hole. I also made the insert so that I could use a large rifle primer. DON'T use aluminum like I did. You will get a face full of gas. Use steel. I only done that to see if it could be done. It can but you must be carefull! I found out it's a lot easier to just shoot up the berdan stuff and let it lay.

  14. #74
    Boolit Buddy
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    Tried this wonderful idea today. I am thinking that the secret to success is the centering of the drilled hole. I found a very small center drill, put my russian sizing die in the lathe minus the decapping pin and started the hole with the center drill. On the drill press I used a large block of wood with a hole drilled a little smaller than 1/2 and the case was held in a straight position for the drill. In both cases you need a drill rod to push the case out of the home made holders. Larry, was the #18 drill used for a small rifle primer? I used the # 8 and swaged for a large rifle primer, but wondered if the small one was a better idea for any reason? I have some 7.65 Argentine I also want to try. Is there any way to decide how deep to drill other than the famous trial and error method? Even then its worth alot to have the extra brass and the fun of doing it.
    Thanks for the great idea!!!!!!

  15. #75
    Boolit Master

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    I am a scratch reloader. I am poor enough that I have to scratch for every penny I spend on reloading. When I read Larry's solution to berdan primers, I nearly fainted with joy!!! I have a bunch of berdan primed brass just waiting for Larry's fix. I am lined up with the others on this site that are amazed at the geniuses here. I don't think any other site on guns has the brain power that this one has. People like Larry are a treasure to the rest of us. When we use these solutions, we think of the people that worked hard and came up with a idea that works. I know that I just thank the good Lord for them.
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  16. #76
    Boolit Grand Master


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    Larry, was the #18 drill used for a small rifle primer? I used the # 8 and swaged for a large rifle primer, but wondered if the small one was a better idea for any reason?

    There are basically two sizes of Berdan primers as there are two sizes of Boxer primers (talking diameters here). I've found both sizes of Berdan primers used in the same cartridge; i.e. my Bulgarian 7.62x54R use the larger Berdan primer so for LR Boxer primers in those I use the #8 drill. The Albanian 7.62x54R cases use the smaller Berdan primer so for the SR Boxer primer I use the #18 drill.

    Larry Gibson

  17. #77
    Boolit Grand Master JIMinPHX's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Larry Gibson View Post

    There are basically two sizes of Berdan primers as there are two sizes of Boxer primers (talking diameters here).
    That is not consistent with what I have seen. I have found that there are several slightly different diameters of Berdan primers out there.
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  18. #78
    Boolit Grand Master


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    Well, since developing this technique I've been altering 7x57, 7.62x39, 7.62x54R, 7.65 Swiss, 7.65 Argentine, .303 B, and 8x57. All of different headstamps dating back to the late '30s. I've found the two sizes are handles nicely by the 2 different drill sizes and the large and small size swagers. I've not found other than the two sizes so far.

    Besides, the 2 listed drill sizes (#8 & #18) are only to take the top off the berdan primer leaving the sides in the pocket. The two drills are not used to drill the primer pocket to any diameter. That will be handled by the pocket swage.

    Larry Gibson

  19. #79
    Boolit Grand Master JIMinPHX's Avatar
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    A few listings for different Berdan primer sizes can be found here -

    http://www.dave-cushman.net/shot/ber...imensions.html
    http://carstenpuls.de/berdan-primer-sizes&page=3

    Perhaps the differences are small enough that you methods compensate for them, or perhaps you have been fortunate enough to run into fairly consistent versions.
    “an armed society is a polite society.”
    Robert A. Heinlein

    "Idque apud imperitos humanitas vocabatur, cum pars servitutis esset."
    Publius Tacitus

  20. #80
    Boolit Buddy melter68's Avatar
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    Nice Post Larry Gibson,

    i did all my cases not in a vice but on a 8mm bolt with the head cut off, so the brass case sat on the bolt and the bolt held in a vise, so as not so damage the brass case,
    om my drill press, 20 cases in 20 mins, no rush.

    All i did was drill the centre of the primer (were the firing pin had hit, if it was central) with a 2mm bit, straight through to the bolt, so as to give you the new flash hole, drill down with a 3mm bit into the primer, insert a screw driver and prize out primer.
    Get rid of the bump between the two old flash holes, with a 5mm bit i grinded flat, so as to mill it and finally re drill the 2mm new flash hole to make it clean again, after getting rid of the bump between the old flash holes.

    Great post, i take my hat off to you sir
    best wishes from england
    Last edited by melter68; 06-15-2012 at 04:31 PM. Reason: spelling

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check