Quick De-Priming Question

[BulletFactory]

I was just given a hundred rounds of .308. Im guessing it's military brass. There is some adhesive (?) sealing the primer pockets on these rounds. I once found a couple empties at the range like this with the glued in primers, and when I tried to de-prime them, it just bent my de-capping pin. I was not amused. :x

So, how do I de-prime this lot without damaging my tools? Thanks :)

[454PB]

That's a water proofing sealer, and not the reason the primers are hard to remove. They are crimped in place. I use a Lee primer punch and hammer to remove crimped primers.

[stubshaft]

What 454pb said. I might add that they could have berdan primers in them too.

[BulletFactory]

Ok, how do you remove the crimp?

ETA assuming they are boxers. :/

[BulletFactory]

They are headstamped with a + that has been circled at the 12 o'clock position. There is an RG stamped at the 7 o'clock position, and a 93 stamped at the 5 o'clock position.

[220swiftfn]

Going by the headstamp, I'd say that they're NATO, Radway-Green, and berdan primed..... Use a tubing cutter to verify....


Dan

[454PB]

You can either cut out the crimp or swage it out. I've done it both ways, and using an RCBS primer pocket swager is faster. Since you obviously don't have one of those, you can use a neck deburring tool to cut it out. Put the small end in the deprimed case primer pocket and cut away the stab ring.

[BulletFactory]

Thanks all.

I'll take a round out tomorrow, fire it, and then look to see if it's berdan or boxer. I'm guessing 220 is correct, they are likely Berdan.

Why not just drill a hole in the center for a boxer? I have one of those primer pocket uniforming tools used to ensure a uniform seating depth.

[SciFiJim]

Why not just drill a hole in the center for a boxer?

There is a sticky thread about how to do that.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=143958 (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=143958)

[Bullet Caster]

If you've ever decapped a berdan primer you'll notice that the anvil is made onto the base of the shell. You have to use a tool to smash the anvil flat and then drill the flash hole. I tried that on a few 7.62x39 but could never get a centered flash hole, so I scrapped all the brass.

Also you'll have to swage the primer pocket with a tool because the primer pockets on berdan primed brass are too large for boxer primers and they will fall out if you dont downsize the hole a little. A lot of work trying to save a few pieces of brass. Also if you look on-line (say flea bay for instance) you can find the hydraulic berdan decappers but they generally are overpriced plus the fact that you get soaked trying to hydraulic decap the danged things.

Save your effort and time and get boxer primed shells. It's worth it in the long run. BC

[rmatchell]

Well if by some chance its boxer I agree with using a lee to decap and then a RCBS primer pocket swager they both work great. Graffs has berdan primers but I have never messed with them but I guess it could be done.

[BulletFactory]

I took one apart and they are Berdan, Getting the anvil out was easy, now I just have to figure out what to do about the primer pocket, they are a little too big, looks like about +.005.

[oneokie]

Your cases most likely have/had the .217" size berdan primers, Boxers are .210".

[SciFiJim]

Another method that I saved a link to.

http://parallaxscurioandrelicfirearmsforums.yuku.com/topic/25275#.UJtF1mf-b0Y (http://parallaxscurioandrelicfirearmsforums.yuku.com/topic/25275#.UJtF1mf-b0Y)

[runfiverun]

i can save you some money and a lot of time.
buy some brass....
scrap the ones you have.

[cbrick]

i can save you some money and a lot of time.
buy some brass....
scrap the ones you have.

R5R forgot to mention aggravation to <money & time>.

Rick

[MikeS]

Another option is buying some berdan primers. I forget the guys name, but there's a company run by a vet that sells Tula ammo & primers, and he has (or had?) berdan primers. The hard part is the decapping, but once that's done it's easy to prime with a berdan primer as they will fit in most hand held primers, and I think they'll work with many of the tube style priming attachments for presses.

If you do a search for 'berdan primers' you should find messages that have the name of the company that's selling the Tula berdan primers.

[uscra112]

There's a thread here somewhere on how to use Small Rifle boxer primers by drilling the old primer out to a specific diameter and depth, swaging the remains, and drilling a central flash hole. Works. Worthwhile for uncommon brass, such as 7.5x55 Swiss, which is what I used it on. Not worth the effort for .308 or .30-06, IMHO. To get it really right, you need a small lathe.

[alamogunr]

Another option is buying some berdan primers. I forget the guys name, but there's a company run by a vet that sells Tula ammo & primers, and he has (or had?) berdan primers. The hard part is the decapping, but once that's done it's easy to prime with a berdan primer as they will fit in most hand held primers, and I think they'll work with many of the tube style priming attachments for presses.

If you do a search for 'berdan primers' you should find messages that have the name of the company that's selling the Tula berdan primers.

http://www.dagammo.com/shop/

[Cadillo]

Some NATO 7.62x51 brass is Boxer primed. I have Hirtenberger, and it is boxer and reloadable. Just shine a light down the case mouth. You'll see either one or two flash holes.

You get the rest.

[Cadillo]

I forgot to mention. Sinclair/Brownells markets a hammer driven, hand held decapping rod that will decap any crimped primer with ease. I now use it to decap all my brass, even pistol, as I tumble with SS media, and clean the pockets at the same time.

[BulletFactory]

Why is the center flash hole necessary when there are already 2 holes in the primer pocket?

[runfiverun]

if you have the rcbs berdan de-priming tool you don't need any more holes.
the tool is about the same price as 50 new pieces of 308 win brass. [or was when i bought mine]
if you decide to try this make sure you get the right size primer, airc there is more than one large rifle primer size in berdan.

[alamogunr]

if you have the rcbs berdan de-priming tool you don't need any more holes.
the tool is about the same price as 50 new pieces of 308 win brass. [or was when i bought mine]
if you decide to try this make sure you get the right size primer, airc there is more than one large rifle primer size in berdan.

Is this what you are referring to?

http://www.grafs.com/dealer/product/210631

or this?

http://www.grafs.com/dealer/product/210632

I assumed the first one.

[oneokie]

Your links do not work for non dealers.

[alamogunr]

Your links do not work for non dealers.

Sorry! I go to their site so often, I apparently stay logged in as a dealer. I got that distinction with my C&R license.

Try this:

http://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/product/productId/13027

[runfiverun]

that's it.
the difference between the berdan primer and the boxer is the anvil.
the boxer has the anvil as part of the assembly and needs a flat surface to seat onto.
the berdan case has the anvil built in and the primer does not have one.

you can hydraulically de-prime berdan primers too by filling the case with water and popping a dowell in the case neck quickly or press it in the case slowly,,, but man it's messy.

that little tool works really good.
you put the rod in the case and hold onto it, and hook the other tool on the rim with the little prongs against the primer and give it a little flip.
pops the primers right out.