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reloading berdan cases

golferboy426golferboy426 Member Posts: 970 ✭✭✭
edited February 2009 in Ask the Experts
Brass cases that are currently berdan primed. Reloadable? If so with what type of primer. I don't reload now.

Comments

  • PA ShootistPA Shootist Member Posts: 694 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Anything is possible, but you might find the difficulties of reloading Berdan-primed cases makes the process impractical.

    Decapping can be done, but pushing throuugh the small holes is a problem, would require special, not-readily-available tools, and alignment would be frustratingly difficult; another method used is "hydraulic", filling the case with water and smacking a close-fitted punch through the neck of the cartridge cases to make a sudden pressure spike and push out the old primer.

    Then the availability of the correct Berdan primers would be a problem. You won't find them in the standard places, they would require special order. I have some very old Stoeger catalogs, and they used to years ago sell imported Berdan primers. The variety of sizes was staggering.

    I'd say if you are new to reloading, there are enough new things to learn and perfect with regular boxer-primed ammo.
  • nononsensenononsense Member Posts: 10,928 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    golferboy426,

    Sure you can reload them. It is a little more involved than loading Boxer primers but certainly doable. This is a link to 3 articles that cover the equipment and process:

    http://surplusrifle.com/shooting2005/berdanreloading/index.asp

    Be aware that you need Berdan primers specifically. They're not as common on the shelves as Boxer but they are available.

    Read the above and ask more questions if you run into something that doesn't make sense.

    Best.
  • golferboy426golferboy426 Member Posts: 970 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
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