Welcome guest, is this your first visit? Create Account now to join.
  • Login:

Welcome to the NZ Hunting and Shooting Forums.

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed.

DPT ZeroPak


User Tag List

+ Reply to Thread
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 20
Like Tree2Likes

Thread: Anybody here successfully priming BERDAN for 303 British and / or 7.62 ?

  1. #1
    Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    Wanganui without an "h"
    Posts
    3,023

    Anybody here successfully priming BERDAN for 303 British and / or 7.62 ?

    Yup, I know plenty on Youtube on de-priming. That's not the problem.

    Even some on converting Brass Berdan cases to Brass Boxer.......That's not the problem either as I don't want to go there.


    I have a Berdan supplier, dies and press but the problem is getting the replacement Berdan primer in, because as neither of my 303 or 7.62 y cases Berdan primer pockets match the measurements any of the 4 primers conventionally used, the dies etc don't help with "priming".

    As I have a sh** load of 303 British and 7.62 Berdan primed brass and consider one bang then throw away a waste, I seek a solution for this final problem ( I hope) of reloading Berdan.



    Any assistance would be appreciated.
    .

  2. #2
    Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    BOP
    Posts
    20,760
    Berdan primers come in lots of different diamensions, that’s been my prob. Thought about drill them out for a shotgun primer.
    I made a hydraulicing machine but split to many cases, you need an old breech to stop this happening, 577/450 breeches r a bit hard to come by.
    Glue them in with nail polish, but you can get some blow by, black powder doesn’t affect the bolt face but smokeless might.
    I have some primers here.
    Boom, cough,cough,cough

  3. #3
    Member Marty Henry's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2014
    Location
    Tararua
    Posts
    6,635
    The 303 primer was the no 41 and is .251 in diameter and contained mercury and chlorate to the end. The chlorates ok but the mercury does bugger the brass it does something to the grain structure that makes it brittle in such a way annealing cant fix. You might get a few reloads if you are lucky though. The 308 military has a .217 diameter non corrosive non mercuric one hope this helps. I have about100-150 303 primers that would be somewhere between my age and maca 49s age old if you are game. They still go bang, grandson used a few on the railway line.

  4. #4
    Member norsk's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2016
    Location
    Norway
    Posts
    2,351
    Quote Originally Posted by Maca49 View Post
    Berdan primers come in lots of different diamensions, that’s been my prob. Thought about drill them out for a shotgun primer.
    I made a hydraulicing machine but split to many cases, you need an old breech to stop this happening, 577/450 breeches r a bit hard to come by.
    Glue them in with nail polish, but you can get some blow by, black powder doesn’t affect the bolt face but smokeless might.
    I have some primers here.

    Do you need a source of new 577/450 Brass?I get mine from a fella in the states,very good to deal with.It is reformed 24 gauge shotgun brass.
    "Sixty percent of the time,it works every time"

  5. #5
    Member jim160's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    Wellington
    Posts
    2,948
    I have the 303 berdan primers, and a mate reloads berdan primers into 303 British cases.
    I would do them myself but I don't have any cases to load, so I have 1000 odd primers and no cases to load.

    He does the berdan primers on the 308 MEN cases as well.

    Not sure what gear he uses, but would imagine he would prime them for a fee. Flick me a PM and we can go from there if that interests you.
    Micky Duck likes this.

  6. #6
    Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    Wanganui without an "h"
    Posts
    3,023
    Quote Originally Posted by Maca49 View Post
    Berdan primers come in lots of different diamensions, that’s been my prob....................

    Thanks for your response.
    I am reloading Snider and Martini Henry BUT as I have a box of "three set dies" for each, plus Magtech 24 Gauge brass which I have reformed,Large Pistol primers and have just this week started working on the bees wax, wads and packing issues, they hopefully will not be the problemare not the problem.

    My problem is with reloads of my 303 British and Australian Military 7.62 Berdan primed brass. Thanks for the mention of primers but I have a source, Gunworks, with the only "fly in the ointment" being they will not deliver....(The latest Courier problem)

    So I may just have to sit this one out to see if anything changes.
    .

  7. #7
    Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    Wanganui without an "h"
    Posts
    3,023
    Quote Originally Posted by Marty Henry View Post
    The 303 primer was the no 41 and is .251 in diameter and contained mercury and chlorate to the end. The chlorates ok but the mercury does bugger the brass it does something to the grain structure that makes it brittle in such a way annealing cant fix..................
    Thanks for your response and the offer of primer availability.

    I haven't de-primed the 7.62 so your 2.17 measurement will save me some work. As i mentioned to Maca below, as Gunworks have stopped delivering primers,
    I may just have to sit this one out to see if anything changes....Which still ain't going to solve my problem of how to get them in...
    .

  8. #8
    Member jim160's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    Wellington
    Posts
    2,948
    Quote Originally Posted by Kiwi Sapper View Post
    Thanks for your response.
    I am reloading Snider and Martini Henry BUT as I have a box of "three set dies" for each, plus Magtech 24 Gauge brass which I have reformed,Large Pistol primers and have just this week started working on the bees wax, wads and packing issues, they hopefully will not be the problemare not the problem.

    My problem is with reloads of my 303 British and Australian Military 7.62 Berdan primed brass. Thanks for the mention of primers but I have a source, Gunworks, with the only "fly in the ointment" being they will not deliver....(The latest Courier problem)

    So I may just have to sit this one out to see if anything changes.
    @Kiwi Sapper
    how many berdan primers do you need. I could send you a few hundred in the short term if you need some?
    Im in the Hutt so I could get some to you.

  9. #9
    Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    Wanganui without an "h"
    Posts
    3,023
    Quote Originally Posted by jim160 View Post
    ...................Not sure what gear he uses, but would imagine he would prime them for a fee. Flick me a PM and we can go from there if that interests you.
    Thanks for the response and your comment re your mate. I would be very interested in knowing "How he re-primes", so I will sort myself out and then PM you.
    Thanks again
    .

  10. #10
    Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    Wanganui without an "h"
    Posts
    3,023
    Quote Originally Posted by norsk View Post
    Do you need a source of new 577/450 Brass?I get mine from a fella in the states,very good to deal with.It is reformed 24 gauge shotgun brass.
    I think that I am using the same brass, "25 Special cases. Magtech reformed 24 Gauge." I reform and trim them for Snider and Martini Henry(wish the MH was as simple as the Snider) The last batch of 50 cases cost me NZ$170 delivered.

    I might be interested in your contact's "Delivered" price? if you would be so kind
    .

  11. #11
    Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    Wanganui without an "h"
    Posts
    3,023
    Quote Originally Posted by Mauser308 View Post
    I found the biggest problem with the ADI F4 ball was getting the original primer out and de-crimping.................. Hydraulic decapping doesn't work on the F4 ball, and it's a pain in the arse cutting each one out and de crimping.
    Hmmmmmmmm.. In between posting replies to helpful posters, I popped out for a decapping try with the 7.62............and found out you are sooooo right.

    I may have to rethink any actions on the 7.62....Bugger.

    thanks for the "head's Up"
    .

  12. #12
    Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    BOP
    Posts
    20,760
    Quote Originally Posted by Marty Henry View Post
    The 303 primer was the no 41 and is .251 in diameter and contained mercury and chlorate to the end. The chlorates ok but the mercury does bugger the brass it does something to the grain structure that makes it brittle in such a way annealing cant fix. You might get a few reloads if you are lucky though. The 308 military has a .217 diameter non corrosive non mercuric one hope this helps. I have about100-150 303 primers that would be somewhere between my age and maca 49s age old if you are game. They still go bang, grandson used a few on the railway line.
    2 years? Yr older than me?
    Boom, cough,cough,cough

  13. #13
    Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    BOP
    Posts
    20,760
    I bought 24g direct from the states for my snider, since sold the gun. Was a cheap as chips? Being shotgun they could send it, Buffalo Guns
    While where on “ old” things. Anyone got some No 2 Musket Brass?
    Boom, cough,cough,cough

  14. #14
    Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2015
    Location
    Bay of plenty
    Posts
    691
    Quote Originally Posted by Kiwi Sapper View Post
    Hmmmmmmmm.. In between posting replies to helpful posters, I popped out for a decapping try with the 7.62............and found out you are sooooo right.

    I may have to rethink any actions on the 7.62....Bugger.

    thanks for the "head's Up"
    Best to get one if the hydralic decappers produced by Phil in Christchurch
    I use a mini bottle brush to hook them out and you will need a good sledge hammer to bang them out.
    Also screw the base to a wooden block
    To remove the crimp I use an rcbs case prep debuting tool and just carefully grind the pointed end down until it's flat enough to ream the crimp
    I've found with the adi brass (AAF and MF F4) that the primers are also glued in
    I give them a touch with a candle and it seems to work.

    Much of the cac .303 brass and other brands like the Footsgray and dominion has become old and brittle and unless you annealling it your wasting your time even trying to use it

    For the reprinting u use a lyman single hole priming tool and got a slightly wider stem turned up
    Works perfectly

    It's all very time consuming loading berdan but worth it if you have the time and interest.
    I've loaded brass as old as 1918!!

  15. #15
    Member Cordite's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2017
    Location
    NZ Mainland (Dunedin)
    Posts
    5,478
    Quote Originally Posted by Mauser308 View Post
    It's the first decapping that takes the time with the Aussie brass - it's very good stuff but by all things equal did they need to go to a tight primer pocket, a heavy full rim crimp AND glueing the damn things in with sealant???? The brass isn't THAT good. Lapua is better and has slightly more capacity, without the neck wall thickness variations. And it takes English primers, not the US Berdan type (do not ask me why the yanks adopted the English-designed system and the English the US-designed one - that one hurts my head).
    Are you saying, Must've been a woman involved?
    An itch ... is ... a desire to scratch

 

 

Similar Threads

  1. Nazis successfully complete invasion 70 years later
    By Rock river arms hunter in forum Firearm Safety
    Replies: 112
    Last Post: 07-02-2019, 03:01 PM
  2. CMC AR15 Trigger - 7.62x39 Berdan Primed ammo ??
    By KiwiinSeattle in forum Firearms, Optics and Accessories
    Replies: 9
    Last Post: 30-06-2018, 07:14 AM
  3. Berdan priming
    By Tararua Phil in forum Reloading and Ballistics
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 15-06-2014, 11:21 PM
  4. Berdan primers
    By Maca49 in forum Reloading and Ballistics
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 13-12-2012, 10:45 PM

Tags for this Thread

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
Welcome to NZ Hunting and Shooting Forums! We see you're new here, or arn't logged in. Create an account, and Login for full access including our FREE BUY and SELL section Register NOW!!