GDC
09-19-2009, 05:46 PM
Hello all
I've been hanging onto Berdan primed 7.62x25 brass for a while now and have a pretty good collection. I decided to have a go with converting it. I read all the threads I could find about converting, but all were about rifle caliber conversions. My main reason is to see if I can do it, but with brass getting harder to come by, if I am successful I will convert more.
I drilled several cases to accept 209 shotgun primers by drilling through with a C drill and counterboring with a 21/64 bit to seat the battery cup. The cases turned out nice and the primers set flush, but as I was looking at it I realized that the shotgun primer sticks into the case quite a bit, reducing case capacity. I typically load 5 grains of Red Dot behind a 93 grain cast round nose for the Tokarev round, but I figure on backing off to 2 to start and work up because of the reduced case capacity.
I also had the bright idea of drilling the Berdan pocket out with a #17 drill, 0.11" deep to seat a large pistol primer. Priming these cases is a little stiff, but they go in and I like the looks of them better than the shotgun primers. On these I figure on starting at 4 grains of Red Dot and working up from there.
I should know better than to ask this, but I will anyway: Any thoughts on this plan? Has anyone else attempted this with handgun brass?
Thanks
Greg
I've been hanging onto Berdan primed 7.62x25 brass for a while now and have a pretty good collection. I decided to have a go with converting it. I read all the threads I could find about converting, but all were about rifle caliber conversions. My main reason is to see if I can do it, but with brass getting harder to come by, if I am successful I will convert more.
I drilled several cases to accept 209 shotgun primers by drilling through with a C drill and counterboring with a 21/64 bit to seat the battery cup. The cases turned out nice and the primers set flush, but as I was looking at it I realized that the shotgun primer sticks into the case quite a bit, reducing case capacity. I typically load 5 grains of Red Dot behind a 93 grain cast round nose for the Tokarev round, but I figure on backing off to 2 to start and work up because of the reduced case capacity.
I also had the bright idea of drilling the Berdan pocket out with a #17 drill, 0.11" deep to seat a large pistol primer. Priming these cases is a little stiff, but they go in and I like the looks of them better than the shotgun primers. On these I figure on starting at 4 grains of Red Dot and working up from there.
I should know better than to ask this, but I will anyway: Any thoughts on this plan? Has anyone else attempted this with handgun brass?
Thanks
Greg