Swaging Primer Pockets in Balloon Cases?

[Huvius]

I have a number of original Eley 500 Express cases which have deep primer pockets for the original two piece primers with the separate anvil.
Obviously, those primers are unobtanium and would be more collector items than users.
My question is, has anybody here swaged primer pockets in balloon head cases?
Can’t ream them for fear of thinning the pocket too much.

This brass uses a primer that is between a small and large in diameter and is deeper than modern primers but I could sleeve them to get a modern primer to the correct depth.

I know, a lot of work but I just like the idea of using these original cases in my Alex Henry 500 - that would be pretty cool.

[cwtebay]

Someone on here spoke about filling the primer pocket and redrilling a new primer pocket in the resulting face. If I remember correctly it was a brass plug soldered in place.

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[AntiqueSledMan]

I've seen where someone once did sleeve the primer pocket with a piece of copper tubing,
then just set his small primer just under flush with the base of the case.
Lke you said, it would be a lot of work but doable.
Another option would be to make your own primers to fit the pocket.

AntiqueSledMan.

[Sasquatch-1]

I am not a primer expert, but I was wondering if these would work with Berdan primers and a separate anvil. I had heard that the Berdan primers are a different diameter than the Boxer primers. I don't know this for a fact, just here say.

[elmacgyver0]

All the Berdan primers I have seen are a different diameter.
So where exactly are you finding all these Berdan primers?

[Sasquatch-1]

As I said I am not a primer expert, but I understand the Berdan primers are a different diameter than the Boxer primers. I was just wondering if the Berdan primer might fit in the pocket with a separate anvil.

[Huvius]

As I said I am not a primer expert, but I understand the Berdan primers are a different diameter than the Boxer primers. I was just wondering if the Berdan primer might fit in the pocket with a separate anvil.

That’s pretty much how these are primed.
My cases are NOS primed brass with that type of primer. I’ve seen photos of the primers and anvils in tins but of course those would be collector items if one were to actually find them.
I suspect that these primers would be corrosive as well so I’d rather deprime a few of these cases and use modern primers if that’s feasible.

[Gewehr-Guy]

I'm not sure if this would work with your cases, but a friend used to epoxy in boxer primers in the oversized pockets of some .43 Spanish cases. He only used black powder loads, and said they worked fine.

[elmacgyver0]

https://sharpshooter-22lr-reloader.myshopify.com/products/berdan-military-case-loader-foreign-domestic
https://sharpshooter-22lr-reloader.myshopify.com/products/berdan-military-case-primer-sleeves
I think this is a better way.

[country gent]

swaging them bigger will thin them slightly also. I would turn sleeves and sleeve to small rifle. if they are to deep then a cup could be to fill in and bring it to what you need.

I did this with some 243 cases. turned up some sleeves and pressed them [I]n the cases with red locktite then swaged the pockets up the last little bit to small rifle. This also tightened the sleeves in the pockets.

Having to make cups would be more involved drilling the flash hole and holding to depths the depth of the primer pocket and length of the cup.

I played with small rifle primers in 22-350, 243, and 308. 600 yds and farther small improvements were seen with the 22-250 and 243. the 308 stayed about the same.

I would also be leery of soldering on the case heads as this might soften/anneal them.

[elmacgyver0]

There is a sticky on converting Berdan to Boxer.
Just saying.

[Huvius]

There is a sticky on converting Berdan to Boxer.
Just saying.

These aren’t Berdan primed. They are really a very early version of a Boxer primer with a separate anvil.
Look them up, quite interesting historically.

https://forum.cartridgecollectors.org/t/interesting-primer-system/25639

https://i.imgur.com/Vp4tWrQm.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/tH1BhyC.jpg