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Thread: Converting Berdan primer pockets to Boxer

  1. #101
    Boolit Grand Master


    Larry Gibson's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by mace2364 View Post
    Has anyone done this with surplus 8x56R casings? I've got some, and I'd like to load for my Steyrs, but I don't have any other brass.
    No reason it won't work with the 8x56R cases. Whether converting to large or small boxer primers will depend on the size of berdan primer the cases have.

    Larry Gibson

  2. #102
    Boolit Buddy onomrbil's Avatar
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    Why not just use berdan primers? They're becoming more and more readily available. RCBS makes a great decapping tool. I've reloaded berdan for years . . . ..

  3. #103
    Boolit Buddy sixpointfive's Avatar
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    Can these handle full power loads?

  4. #104
    Boolit Buddy sixpointfive's Avatar
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    ok, ordered the small swager. I do have the large one but we are shooting for small rifle primers. What if one opens it up and uses large rifle primers and swages the primer pocket with a steel bearing?

  5. #105
    Boolit Buddy Twmaster's Avatar
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    I've done the bearing method before. While I like the small primer method better.
    Mike

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  6. #106
    Boolit Buddy sixpointfive's Avatar
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    Does it have to be #18 drill?

  7. #107
    Boolit Buddy sixpointfive's Avatar
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    Does it have to be #18 drill?

  8. #108
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    Find a drill bit that you have similar to a primer flash hole and a small rifle primer. That's what I did and the conclusions I came to

  9. #109
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    I've tried it with a hand drill with no success. I don't have a drill press, so will have to rethink and try something different.


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  10. #110
    Boolit Buddy sixpointfive's Avatar
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    Fired some today that I used both the lr(ball bearing swaged) and Sr versions (this thread). Both were very excellent!

  11. #111
    Boolit Buddy Twmaster's Avatar
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    Full power or lighter loads?
    Mike

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  12. #112
    Boolit Buddy sixpointfive's Avatar
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    Full power. No gas leaks and pockets still tight.

  13. #113
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    Quote Originally Posted by mace2364 View Post
    Has anyone done this with surplus 8x56R casings? I've got some, and I'd like to load for my Steyrs, but I don't have any other brass.
    I haven't tried it on the 8X56R. Was able to buy some Tula Berdan primers. The primer on the 8X56R brass is smaller than the 7.62X54R and I do not know if it would leave enough rim from the old primer to get a tight fit. But i do 7.62X54R and it works very good.
    Last edited by TreeKiller; 06-01-2013 at 12:08 AM. Reason: Fix fat finger mistake

  14. #114
    Boolit Buddy Twmaster's Avatar
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    I have no idea what a 7.65X54R is. I'm assuming you mean 7.62x54R (as in Russian Mosin Nagant ammo) Most of those cases have a very large primer. You should be able to use the same process but you'll be using a large rifle boxer primer and a larger drill bit to cut out the center of the spent primer.

    Be careful what Berdan primers you buy. Some are for the 7.62x39 round and are shorter than the large rifle type Berdan primers and may be too far recessed into the case for the firing pin to properly strike the primer.

    Also beware these smaller primers apparently may not reliably ignite large rifle cases.

    and I have no idea what you mean with 2.67x54R

    The primers listed as for NATO will work in most large rifle Berdan primed cases.
    Mike

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  15. #115
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    Quote Originally Posted by onomrbil View Post
    Why not just use berdan primers? They're becoming more and more readily available. RCBS makes a great decapping tool. I've reloaded berdan for years . . . ..
    You can but you have to get set up for using the berdan primers; depriming tool, different primer seating punches (sizes) sometimes, take pin out of dies and put back when using boxer cases, the berdan sizes don't feed well or at all in auto priming systems, etc. etc.

    The method I describe is easy to do and once done it's done and you're good to go with boxer primers. Either method the choice is yours, I prefer to convert and not mess with berdan primers is all.

    Larry Gibson

  16. #116
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    Quote Originally Posted by sixpointfive View Post
    Does it have to be #18 drill?
    No, it has to be a size that removes the bottom of the primer w/o removing the side of the berdan primer left in the primer pocket. You can use a bit larger and a bit smaller size. Just this last week I converted some .303 Brit cases (South African awesome brass cases) to SR boxer primers. I use a hand drill and a 5/64" drill for the falsh hole and a 5/32" drill to remove the bottom of the primer and remove most of the remaining anvil. Worked like a charm.

    Larry Gibson

  17. #117
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    Quote Originally Posted by Twmaster View Post
    I've done the bearing method before. While I like the small primer method better.
    I tried the ball bearing method also and no matter what I did I always had considerable gas leakage with some. The bearing only swages the top of the primer pocket and not down to the bottom of the pocket sides.

    Leaving the sides of the berdan primer in the pocket provides complete support for boxer primer sides just like a normal primer pocket.

    Larry Gibson

  18. #118
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    Quote Originally Posted by SciFiJim View Post
    I've tried it with a hand drill with no success. I don't have a drill press, so will have to rethink and try something different.
    The key is;

    Have a vise to hold the case

    Center the firing indentation in the primer with a sharp center punch

    Use the correct size drills that are sharp at low speed

    Drill the flash hole 1st....it will then keep the large drill bit centered to remove the bottom of the primer leaving the sides

    Go slow, slow is smooth, smooth is fast

    It's not difficult but will take a few cases to develop the "feel".....once you get it it's like riding a bicycle...you'll just get on and rde again....

    Larry Gibson

  19. #119
    Boolit Buddy Twmaster's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Larry Gibson View Post
    I tried the ball bearing method also and no matter what I did I always had considerable gas leakage with some. The bearing only swages the top of the primer pocket and not down to the bottom of the pocket sides.

    Leaving the sides of the berdan primer in the pocket provides complete support for boxer primer sides just like a normal primer pocket.

    Larry Gibson
    Larry, without question your method is superior to the ball bearing trick. I've had good results with the BB, however as I've said I like your method better.
    Mike

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  20. #120
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    Quote Originally Posted by Larry Gibson View Post
    The key is;

    Have a vise to hold the case

    Center the firing indentation in the primer with a sharp center punch

    Use the correct size drills that are sharp at low speed

    Drill the flash hole 1st....it will then keep the large drill bit centered to remove the bottom of the primer leaving the sides

    Go slow, slow is smooth, smooth is fast

    It's not difficult but will take a few cases to develop the "feel".....once you get it it's like riding a bicycle...you'll just get on and rde again....

    Larry Gibson
    It seemed like it was difficult for the old ones to cut. Perhaps they were dull. I don't have the skill to sharpen them by hand. I will buy some new drill bits and try again. I've got several hundred berdan cases. Only ruined about 20 so far.


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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