Berdan primers, where to buy

[Ken O]

Looking for a couple thousand to play around and try and reload some of the berdan primed brass I have laying around. I found Magtech online, but they only sell 20,000 at a time.

[trooperdan]

Ken, I saw in another post that you are going to Perry; so am I! I have a sleeve of the Russian Berdan primers. I'd bring them along if you think there is any way we can meet up. I'm going for the SAFS and staying for the week of the CMP games so I'll be there 28 july through 5 August. I've got a rack in the barracks! :) Shades of being a recruit again!

If you'll be there at the same time, let me know and I'll PM my cell number and maybe we can meet up for a swap.

[Ken O]

Email sent. I'll be there for CMP week and NRA week July 30 through Aug 12. I sent my cell phone number, but if something doesnt work, you will see me cleaning my rifle on the tailgate of a white Chevy pick-up after each match in the barracks parking lot.

[Buckshot]

............If the Mag-Techs are thier #56 (only ones they sell I'm aware of) they're crap. They'll pierce if you look at them harshly.

Only other Berdan primers are the PMC's TrooperDan mentions. Graf & Son used to sell them and may still have them in stock.

................Buckshot

[trooperdan]

Buckshot, those type 56 primers are intended for brass shotshells and are pretty thin alright! I asked Magtech for their specifications and was told they were .252 to .254 diameter! Sounds like a fairly vague specification for a primer now doesn't it? :)

[9.3X62AL]

Huntington's Shooter's Supply www.huntingtons.com used to supply a variety of Berdan primers. Give their website a look/see.

[Ken O]

Thanks guys, still no luck though.

[Castaway]

Try Old Western Scrounger, they used to carry them. Haven't been to their page for a while to confirm they still do. Good luck.

[NuJudge]

Call PMC directly. See this thread for someone who did it more recently than me:

http://p083.ezboard.com/ftheswissriflesdotcommessageboardfrm11.showMessage ?topicID=486.topic

I'll also be at Camp Perry starting Monday. I'll stay in the Barracks most nights next week, except Tuesday and Wednesday nights. I'll stick a thou in my car.

Christopher Dingell

[Bad Flynch]

Many years ago, I had a dear shooting friend whose sole pleasure in life was to shoot old military clunkers. It was during the time that the GCA '68 law dictated that all ammo and components had to be sold through an FFL dealer. I was his source.

I got, for him, several sizes of berdan primers and soon found out that there seemed to be quite an available assortment. In fact, there seemed to be too many sizes and one could only get the right one by measuring his current batch of cases.

You are going to have to find someone that carries, or can get, Ely, Kynoch, and RWS primers if you want to be successful. Otherwise bite the bullet and buy RWS, or Norma, or Lapua cases.

[Ross]

Neither OWS nor Huntington's has Berdan primers anymore.
It would be well for someone to post a chart of the many Berdan primer dimensions. I have one of Dangerous Dave's old charts of some RWS sizes, but it is not in a form that I am able send.
Old Stoeger catalogs had Berdan charts, too.

[Buck]

Guys - PMC : 1-800-456-9182. You are looking for .217 Lg. Rifle Primers - Item # LRB. I believe they only sell 5,000 at a crack $61.00 + S & H + Hazmat. I'm guessing $91.00+. Let me know if anyone wants to split some up, 2,000 would be a long time supply for me.