Berdan primers in stock

[Gewehr-Guy]

I was just on the CMP forum, and read a thread about Berdan primers available at Powder Valley. They have a limited supply of PMC KVB-762N primers for $79.99 a thousand. Now I told myself I'd never pay those kind of prices for any kind of primers, but I doubt we will ever see any more berdans for years. A case of 5000 should last me a long while, now I can shoot up some of my GP11 and not feel like I wasted it.

Does anyone else still load with berdan primers, and did you have to modify your primer seater ?

[ascast]

yes and I primed them by hand, not in press

[ascast]

and then are these for 308's or 577/450MH?

[dtknowles]

I still have 30 RWS 6507's to use with my 450 BPE double rifle. I would like 100 more but not a thousand.

I have reloaded some of the spent primers and might be able to get by that way.

I seat them just fine one at a time.
Tim

[john.k]

A lot of my earlier reloading stuff is for the 303 size Berdans .(.250")........far as i can see ,only difference is the hole in the shellholder is bigger to take the larger dia.........Ive reloaded Euro sized Berdans with normal shellholders without issue...........I have simply drilled the cases to centre flash hole for easy depriming,and slip in a detached anvil with each primer..........had no misfires,and from memory,maybe one primer go off in the press.......incidentally ,with the English Express size berdans (6.35mm) there are two depths of pocket ,the 303 type being deeper than Kynoch express cases.

[Gewehr-Guy]

I'm not sure about the .308's, but I think the 577/450 would take a .250 size , or even larger. About all I know, is the ones I ordered are the .217 size, and were recommended for the GP11 brass.

[dtknowles]

I'm not sure about the .308's, but I think the 577/450 would take a .250 size , or even larger. About all I know, is the ones I ordered are the .217 size, and were recommended for the GP11 brass.

The RWS 6507's I am using are 0.255"

[john.k]

The .217" size is standard Euro berdan........the other sizes are somewhat problematic ......the mentioned .255". is in fact 6.45mm ,the other size is the old Kynoch /British military size which is actually 1/4" ,or 6.35mm........The Brazilian shotgun cases used the 6.45mm size ,but now are standard 209 CF size.

[barnetmill]

I once use the .25_ inch size to reload some 7.62x54 that took that size. The problem was that the primers were meant for a shotgun and the firing pin of the mosin was punching holes in the primer; I assume they were too thin.

[barnetmill]

I was thinking reloading some 8x57 berdan cases. But likely easier in the long run to convert some 30-06 cases to 8mm.

[LAGS]

Many years ago.
I removed berdan primers using a punch that fit the case neck and water.
Then I pounded the dent out of the primer cup.
Then I reprimed the cup with priming compound.
The compound was H48 mix
And a couple times used compound made out of matches.
The primers worked well.
I did that because many years ago , you could not find some ammo that was boxer primed.
So I was still able to at least shoot that gun.

[Tedly]

I'm still working on my 2004 stash of 10k , now down to 7k? Use them both cast and jacketed for GP11 , 6.5x55 Swede brass and 8x56R . Wish I'd saved my 8x57 brass

[groovy mike]

Thanks for posting the info! I don't need them, but they aren't available very often.

[Gewehr-Guy]

Appears like they are now sold out. I did hear that Fiocci is going to start building a new primer plant in USA, to be operational in 2025, thats welcome news.

[NuJudge]

I use the Murom KV762N in GP11 brass, the primers being imported first by PMC, then by TulAmmo. They work exceedingly well. I deprimed the brass first with a RCBS/Lachmiller pry-out deprimer, then with a specialized hydraulic tool made for me by a machinist. I prime the brass with an old Lee hand-primer, without modification.

My recollection is that the reason they stopped being imported was a Presidential sanction imposed by Clinton.

Be careful: there is another .217" diameter Murom primer, intended for 7.62x39. It is shorter/harder/weaker. Use of the KV762N in the 7.62x39 results in slam-fires. Using the primer intended for the 7.62x39 in the 7.5x55 results in hang-fires and duds.

[barnetmill]

I wonder if people can make percussion caps, why not berdan primers if someone would sell the correct punches for making the cups. It would required thicker sheet metal of course.

[M-Tecs]

It was Obama that instituted the ban on Russian primers. I went thru 30K of them. Had I known I would have purchased 10 times that. I still have some of the Berdan I use for my 7.5x55 Swiss.