7.62x39 berdan primer source?

[destrux]

Is there any reasonably priced source for 7.62x39 sized berdan primers right now? I searched and searched and came up with two places, one wants $50/K (and that's about double what I paid two years ago), and the other place wants $60 for shipping on two boxes of primers.

Even better would be anywhere within a two hour drive of east central PA that I could drive and pick them up to save the Hazmat and shipping fee.

[pacomdiver]

which size are you looking for? .217 or .250? theres a guy on gunboards selling .217 primers outside philly. he wont ship. I was thinking of getting some myself

[NuJudge]

I believe the primary market has sold out, and you are dealing with the secondary market. Apparently, the manufacturer of the last imports is under sanctions because of what Russia has been doing. Be careful what you buy. The primer pockets on 7.62x39 are .217" diameter, but there are many types of .217" primer. In recent years, two types were imported by TulAmmo from Murom in Russia. The KV762N is the right diameter, but is too tall and too soft, and I got slam fires when using it in 7.62x39. The right TulAmmo/Murom primer is the KV24N, which works great.

There are other manufacturers who still make Berdan primers, other than Murom. I am told RWS still makes them, and that large quantities have been imported into places like Australia in recent years. Nobody wants to bring them here. I used a lot of RWS primers in various sizes and strengths, and they worked great.

[lcclower]

Sellier & Belot (sic) Berdan primers have showed up in stock at Cabela's in Ft Worth, may fill the bill if there's a Cabela's near you.