Berdan Primers - current source ??

[ascast]

Sorry if not in correct forum, this seemed best choice. Anybody using Berdan primers? and who is your source? I have not bought any in 35 years. Have poked around on the web, but seemed to get lost in the endless " almost matches" loops.
thanks

[Gewehr-Guy]

I too would like to find some Berdan primers, and load some 7.5 Swiss and 8mm brass I have. I've converted some to boxer, but found it much easier to just buy PPU brass. I don't know if the importers can't get Berdan, or WON"T . The stuff should sell, because everywhere I've looked has sold out.

[ascast]

ya, I have a load of 11mm M and 577-450, would like to find a source

[RogerDat]

Ditto - I have that search open myself. I did find a box for sale at a gun show from a person getting out of reloading Berdan. But online? Not so much. Saw something online about PMC can be called but would only ship orders of 5,000 or more but have not yet managed to confirm it. Might be something a group of us could go in on if true. Doubt I would pump 5k rounds through an old mauser but having a thousand on hand to reload the couple hundred Berdan cases I have would be nice.

[salpal48]

I use Berdans But Only The 6.45Mm for 11mm, 43 spanish using original brass. There had to come bu . I always Buy them @ gun shows. RWS still makes them In all sizes. I emailed them about a year ago. and The answer was They have No plans On Importing Them To the US.
The large english also are still made #172 for Doubles . They are sold In England and Australia.
I do have alot Of 6.45MM Boxer Primers and converted cases to fit

[NoZombies]

I've got 2K that have been sitting on the shelf, but there's no real way for me to ship them, so instead of selling them, they sit.

[RogerDat]

http://forum.pafoa.org/showthread.php?t=49600&page=3

Has what purports to be the skinny on why no Berdan primers and how they might be purchased via Australia.

If I might offer no zombies a suggestion, take said primers to a gun show. You will clear some shelf space, and gain some cash in a FTF sale. You should be able to get at least some premium on the price above "normal" prices. I think I saw Gun Broker had some going for $61 per 1k. Bonus - you are at a gun show where you can spend the cash! Or go the other way pick up some nearly free berdan brass, reload, and use them yourself. Berdan brass is sold as scrap. For stuff like 8mm that is a super bargain for the brass which you can reload.

I was told that it was mandatory to seat the primer at .005 deep. Advised that using a Lee hand primer (old style) that allowed you to screw the case holder in and out was the best way to accomplish this. Berdan need to be down to the anvil in the case without going deep enough to go off. There are other hand primers that are adjustable as to depth which is the important part, but he just said Lee was a good choice.

[ascast]

what about Canada? Can they be found there? A source?

[john.k]

Yes,Berdan primers can be bought in Aus,if you are crazy enough to pay the ripoff prices the local ripoff shop,sorry gunshop wants for them.

[RogerDat]

what about Canada? Can they be found there? A source? I did see a Canadian source but you have to have an ATF form 6 approval. I think it is an end user certificate but not sure. My understanding is someplace along the line Berdan primers started being considered to be potentially military equipment since many militaries use ammo with Berdan primers. That complicates importing. However my understanding is based on internet research so take with a dose of salts.

[RogerDat]

Yes,Berdan primers can be bought in Aus,if you are crazy enough to pay the ripoff prices the local ripoff shop,sorry gunshop wants for them. Ironic, we own firearms hoping to discourage thieves then pay ripoff prices to use them. So how bad are prices for the LR primers?

[john.k]

hows 25 cents each grab ya?.And ,yes ,they were selling them singly.But then,they do have a "gun room" , just like at Purdeys.

[salpal48]

Most shooter , Reloader Feel that They should be Buying there items @ Prices they can afford. In the real world It is supply and Demand. Why should they sell Them Cheap
Most companies are not In Business to make your Hobby enjoyable. If the prices are Too expensive Find Them @ another supplier

[RogerDat]

Most shooter , Reloader Feel that They should be Buying there items @ Prices they can afford. In the real world It is supply and Demand. Why should they sell Them Cheap
Most companies are not In Business to make your Hobby enjoyable. If the prices are Too expensive Find Them @ another supplier

The rule of good business is to charge "All the Traffic Will Bear". Which will of course be a higher price the fewer suppliers there are. Many refused to buy supplies when stores were jacking the prices up. I won't shop at Bass Pro to this day. Many feel the same way about Cheaper than Dirt. Really we all know primers did not cost $25 per hundred or anywhere close to that price, Doubtful they cost the retailer $15 per thousand.

The retailer that chooses to abuse their customers in that fashion deserves to be publicly lambasted, shamed, referenced with disgust and disdain. Hopefully alternatives exist so the customer can find a store that values them as a customer enough to treat them fairly. There are people that treated me right as a customer during the shortages that I'm willing to pay more than online to buy from today. Others that I would make my own or do without before doing business with. I'm lucky though have at least some choices, there are parts of the country or the world that have many fewer options. The out and out scalpers who used inside connections to scoop up all the .22's and resell at outrageous prices? I wouldn't walk across the street to spit on them if they were on fire.

All depends on if you view the business as having a transaction with the customer or a relationship. The smart ones want it to be a relationship.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming already in progress. So where to get those primers? Canada is best bet, that shop was the one that said one had to have an ATF form to import to the US so they at least have a clue about how to do it. Next gun show I'm going to talk to a shop owner, or two see if any are interested. Thing is they are scarce but that doesn't mean there is a large market and they are expensive to transport as no zombies pointed out so the market remains fairly regional.

[farmerjim]

I have 1,000 TulAmmo KV24N large rifle Berdan primers if you are near St. Francisville.

[30calflash]

I got 1M Tula LR primers a couple years back, saving them for some newer 303 berdan brass I've collected.

I think the majority of berdan primers were produced in and sent from Russia, in the last 10 years, It's all I've seen. Since the former president decided to hurt Russia for their actions and restrict importation of many manufactured products, I've not heard of any since.

With Berdan primers there are more than 2 sizes, some are also meant solely for certain cartridges. Be careful of what you may find or acquire.

[salpal48]

Most If not all people have No loyalty to any store. . they seek out The cheapest . What ever the item Is. Clothing, Food, everything.
Shooting Products the same way. They will run you over to Save a Buck

[John Boy]

http://www.gunbroker.com/All/BI.aspx?Keywords=*berdan+primers

[john.k]

CBC in Brazil make many cases requiring Berdan primers,so I have no doubt they also make Berdan primers.In fact,I believe all shotgun ammo sold in Brazil must have berdan primers,the govt there being somewhat concerned about revolutions.

[NuJudge]

I still have small quantities of a lot of different sizes of Berdan primer. Having had a lot of trouble getting RWS primers back when they were still available, I bought a lot of the TulAmmo Berdan primers when they were still importable, but apparently the sanctions on Russia cut them off.

The only reason TulAmmo brought in Berdan primers from Murom in Russia was that they were bringing in Boxer primers from Murom. If you want RWS Berdan primers brought in, may I suggest you try to get Boxer primers brought in by RWS, then try to get them to bring in just a few thousand Berdan primers also.

[james23]

I did see a Canadian source but you have to have an ATF form 6 approval. I think it is an end user certificate but not sure. My understanding is someplace along the line Berdan primers started being considered to be potentially military equipment since many militaries use ammo with Berdan primers. That complicates importing. However my understanding is based on internet research so take with a dose of salts.

https://www.canadaammo.com/product/detail/box-of-1000-dominion-arms-non-corrosive-boxer-berdan-large-rifle-primers/

I haven't used the Berdan primers from these guys but do use the boxer types. All Russian made.I have been using TulAmmo KV-7 large rifle berdan primers bought at a gunshow. They work great in the gp 11 brass and old 8mm too. I do understand that there is diferent sizes of berdan primers. This from an older web site.
http://www.dave-cushman.net/shot/berdan_supplies_dimensions.html

[NoZombies]

Unfortunately if Russian made, even if imported through Canada, the form 6 is likely to be denied for import.

[Tedly]

Would it not be possible to import German RWS or Serbian PPU from Europe directly or Australia or Canada ?

[Eddie2002]

Last berdan primers I saw commercially were at Graffs over six years ago. Picked up 2 bricks of 1K along with some black powder. My last score was at a local gun show and found two more bricks at $30.00 per brick. I buy them when I see them. I reload some 30-06 and 7.62x54r berdan brass along with converting 8 mm mauser berdan brass to 7.7x58. Looks like the sources have dried up, didn't think about the military or Russian connection. All I have ever seen are the Tula brand for sale. They are a bit more work to reload but I hate to waste nice brass.