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Reloading Berdan primed shells

RoughrdrRoughrdr Member Posts: 156 ✭✭✭
edited April 2004 in Ask the Experts
I have several lots of nitro brass cases that I am in need to reload since most of these calibers (to my knowledge) are obsolete. I have a decapping tool, but my question is concerning what primers do I use? My local shop has not a clue, so I figured this would be the place to ask where to get the componets.

Thx.

Calibers 600 NE, 500 NE, 450/400 3" & 3.25", 425 Westley Richards, 577 NE

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Comments

  • woodsrunnerwoodsrunner Member Posts: 5,378 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have a small stash made by Norma. I believe I got them many moons ago from The Old Western Scrounger. Otherwise your best bet is the really big reloading houses like Graffs or mid south.

    Woods

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    "... there is much truth in the Italian saying, 'Make yourselves sheep, and the wolves will eat you.'" -- Benjamin Franklin
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  • woodsrunnerwoodsrunner Member Posts: 5,378 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I just did a quick Google search and found this. You may want to contact them.

    http://www.itdenterpriseinc.com/standard.html

    Woods

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    "... there is much truth in the Italian saying, 'Make yourselves sheep, and the wolves will eat you.'" -- Benjamin Franklin
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  • rufe-snowrufe-snow Member Posts: 18,650 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Last time I reloaded brass primed with Berdan primers I got the primers from the "Old Western Scrounger". I believe he has since relocated his business operations to the Reno area. The PRK has become such a gun unfriendly place, he couldn't continue business there.

    If you havn't reloaded Berdan primed brass before, prepare for a steep learning curve, it's a real hassle.

    Be sure your Nitro brass was fired with modern non-mercuric primers. Years ago I had some brass that had been fired with the old mercuric primers and it just virtually disintegrated.

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  • RoughrdrRoughrdr Member Posts: 156 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Looks like I need to get a current catalog from OWS, and my grandad used to do this all the time, but he is no longer here to help, and I think I still remember how to. As for as I know all these cases have been fired with non corrosive primers.
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  • rufe-snowrufe-snow Member Posts: 18,650 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Roughrdr
    Looks like I need to get a current catalog from OWS, and my grandad used to do this all the time, but he is no longer here to help, and I think I still remember how to. As for as I know all these cases have been fired with non corrosive primers.
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    To the best of my knowledge mercuric & corrosive primers aren't the same. The mercuric primers actually have fulminate of mercury as the ignition compound. If your using modern brass made during the last 30 years, I wouldn't sweat it.

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  • IconoclastIconoclast Member Posts: 10,515 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    If you plan to shoot these calibers reguarly, it may be more cost effective to buy new brass. Midway carried a good supply of the various British types and recently was making an effort to reduce / eliminate the inventory. These were produced by Bertram (Australia) in boxer configuration. OWS carries this line as well. Cost of brass is steep, but with the HazMat regs, obtaining any sort of primers via common carrier is difficult and expensive. Some of the British calibers are still being sold under the Westley Richards brand and there are a few operations which carry this line in the US. The WR brass is also boxer primed. RCBS has offered some of these calibers as well (probably made by Bell) - I think the pricing is roughly comparable to the Bertram product while the quality is superior. Bottom line is that OWS is often the only game in town on some of this exotic material, but you will pay blue sky prices for their offerings, so it pays to exhaust all other sources first. Good luck on the .600 NE, though; I don't recall seeing any brass offered by anyone for that caliber and original ammo goes $30 & up per round.

    "There is nothing lower than the human race - except the French." (Mark Twain) ". . . And DemoCraps" (me)
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  • RossRoss Member Posts: 156 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    OWS has relocated to Dayton, Nevada. When I was in last he had no prospects of getting Berdan primers except the CBC Magtech that fit the CBC brass shotshells he and others carry. I have a page from one of his old catalogs in my file, but cannot figure how to reduce it to screen size. It has dimensions and applications. If anyone wants it I'll be happy to email it to you. Just click on my profile to ask. Perhaps someone could return it to me in a reduced form so that I could print it out on a single page or two.
    Cheers from Darkest California,
    Ross
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  • v35v35 Member Posts: 12,710 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Didn't RWS have a line of Berdan primers?
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  • oldammooldammo Member Posts: 97 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have some sizes of Berdan primers. Email me what sizes you need and I will see what I have.

    Old Ammo, have lots always looking for more.
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