Edit 9-1-2023, cleaned up excessive spacing. Note photoho deleted some pics and screwed up others. But thread still relevant.

This is how I loaded some Berdan primed 7.62 x 39 brass recently

Why load Berdan brass? Why not? I was always curious and wanted to learn how. Besides SHTF and all of that.

Besides I'm not in a hurry and all of my Boxer primed 7.62 x 39 brass is loaded.
Started by depriming the cases, I ruined a few learning how to adjust and use the RCBS decapping tool.

I get the Berdan primers at Powder Valley, Graf's, and Dag ammo. link to Dag Ammo, http://www.dagammo.com/shop/ At present, 8/01/2016 they are out of stock at all three places.




edit,

Now days I decap with a 5/16 cut off bolt mounted into a board that is bolted to holes in my bench for my 550.
The adjustment is the pin that pries out the primer. It is held tight by a set screw. Pin is what I call the part that pries out the primer.

Too little of the pin sticking out and primer does not come out.

Too much pin sticking out will damage the anvil in the case.

It's a trial and try it adjustment. Mine is adjusted for 7.62x39, 308, 30-06 and 6.5x55 size case heads.

Lots of crap in the primer pockets, I made a tool for cleaning them out.


Tried a modified RCBS PP cleaner. Worked a hole in the center of the brush. Had limited success with this. Bottom tool in pic.

Took a small tipped straight slot screwdriver, cut most of the shaft off (above middle tool) and filed a slot in the center of the tip.

This fits over the anvil of the case and works well when turned.

To remove shaft from screwdriver, clamp shaft in vice. Use hammer to tap off handle. Cut shaft to desired length, insert shaft back into handle.
The last part of primer pocket processing was to remove the primer crimp. Can't use a Dillon Super Swage here.

The top tool is what I used. It's a 1/2 inch rotary ball file. 1/4 inch shank meant to be used in a die grinder or drill. Just inserted into a handle.


It removed the crimp without touching the anvil in the case. Cases on left crimped, on right, crimps removed.
Now on to case prep.


Tumbled and cleaned out primer pockets again.

Next time will tumble first, then remove primers and clean PP's once, now that I'm more confident removing the spent primers.
Sizing was a problem for me. My existing single stage Boxer 7.62 x 39 dies are Lee and I didn't want to remove the decapping pins.


So I bought a set of RCBS dies that had easy to remove decapping pin. My new 7.62 x 39 Berdan dies.



Blue button is for .308 bullets, I will be loading .310 bullets so I used the large (red) button.

My color code is blue for small, red for large, just how I roll.
I used Dillon spray lube to size cases, checked sized brass with a case gauge, tumbled lube off in plain corn cob.

Trimmed cases with my RCBS lathe type trimmer, and deburred cases. No pics as this is nothing out of the ordinary.


Time to prime. This Berdan primer is larger in diameter than LR, so I modified my never used RCBS first model hand primer.


To get the primers to feed I had to remove a little plastic to make the shaft a little wider in the black plastic part.

Right where the pointer is on both sides. Used a box knife with a new blade.
The problem with seating Berdan primers is you cannot feel the primer seating on the bottom of the primer pocket.

You are actually crushing the primer on the anvil if you insert the primer too far.
The solution was mentioned by Morning_Wood in another thread. Link

Thanks for the help.

An adjustable stop is installed in the priming tool.


Dissemble priming tool, mark hole up from slot 3/4 inch as shown.


Drill with #34 drill bit for a 6x32 blind tapped hole. You could drill through, but then you would have a burr to remove.

After tapping, I screwed in a 6x32 bolt 1/2 long with a lock nut.

After adjustment, the bolt stuck up 7/16 of an inch above the primer body.


Will look something like this.


Adjust bolt and lock nut until primers are seated .002 to .006 below case head.

I was very happy with the positive stop, and the primers seated perfect.



edit, one of my funshow finds is this first gen RCBS bench primer. Works very well. Notice 6/32 bolt on bottom used a stop.


Now just a matter of charging cases and seating bullets.

I am using up some IMR-4198 I had laying around, with some 122 gr soft points. Don't know the brand of these bullets, they were a fun show bargain.

After bullet seating I used a Lee FCD die to apply a medium crimp.


Finished. I hope I can get out and shoot these this weekend and give a range report.

That was a lot of work taking pics, typing and organizing this post. Enjoyable work this.

eta, another method to decap cases;



Tools, vice, hammer and nail set punch. Also a 5/16 bolt cut off to support case as it's being decapped.



Case is setting on 5/16 bolt, tap nail punch into primer. Remember anvil is centered in primer. Notice punch is off to the side a little.



Pry out primer, done.

Got the primers at Powder Valley as mentioned, think they were $24 per K.

I got some to experiment with. Hopefully they will get in more sometime soon.

Like mentioned, the primer pocket of a modified (anvil drilled out) Berdan case is larger in diameter than a Boxer LR primer.
A Boxer primer will just fall out of a modified Berdan primer pocket.

There is a "guy" that does this on Utube, with steel Wolf 7.62 x 39 cases. He glues the primer in. A bad idea IMHO.
He posted this method here and was told he was unsafe, and he has a rant at the end of his video about this reloading forum.

There always seems to be a low budget way to do things.

Thanks for posting an alternate method.

Don't know if that would work or not, but I would not run water filled cases thru my dies or press. But that's me.

If you do want to try this, remove the decapping pin first.

note: I hit the wrong button and put this in machinisttx thread above. (that's why his post shows an edit by me)

Last weekend didn't work out, this weekend for sure. I hope.
 

edit, all of my loads shot well. No misfires or other issues.

Yes.  Gunwriter covered how to do it in a thread in the AR Variants forum on reloading steel cases.  IIRC he used a regular sizing die with the decapper (the decapper would actually punch a hole for you - though you'd occasionally break the decapping pin and some holes were unusable).  Then when installing a primer he used a bit of epoxy.  The funny thing is the second time the case was loaded the primer went right in like it was a Boxer primed case.

Archived Thread on using Boxer Primers in Beriden Primed Steel Cases (Team Members only)

I have read threads about using a Lee Universal decapping die and running it through a steel Wolf Berdan primed 7.62 x 39 case.

Well it didn't work for me. (Remember the case is steel.)

Even if it did work, using glue or epoxy to secure a primer in a case is not smart, or a passable reloading practice. No thanks here.

I haven't seen a pic of a glued in primer after it has been fired. How do you remove epoxy? Heat.

All a moot point now that Berdan primers are available again.



Far left, Silver bear steel nickle Berdan case next to factory round.
Next to that Wolf steel Berdan case next to factory round.
Right, brass Berdan cases next to factory round.
Cast bullets from a Lee 155 gr 2R mold.

So just load your steel Wolf Berdan primed cases with Berdan primers.

Bump for new intrest in this technique.

I got my Berdan primers at Powder Valley, Graf's also had them.

At present they are both out.

I check both sites weekly to see if they are back in stock.

If you are not familiar with those sites, they are up in Links.

Thanks, something I enjoy doing.

Takes a different primer. Same size larger priming compound charge for 308.

Primers I am using are for 7.62x39 and have less priming compound that the normal .271 LR Berdan primer.

Find the correct primers, and you can use my methods for 308.

Hurry, Berdan Rifle Primers Here

Update;



Got my 10k Berdan primer order in yesterday.

I was down to 511 primers.

Ordered them from Dag ammo.

I waited 3 years for Berdan primers to be stocked anywhere.

I got mine get yours.

I tried the hydraulic method before, it was a wet mess and didn't work for me.

Don't know if that tool in that link will work or not. All depends on the fit between the case mouth and the punch.

Been watching Powder Valley for years watching for the Berdan primers to be stocked again. Gave up and ordered from Dag Ammo.

Glad they have them back in stock.

Went out to shop and took pics.

I see that you are on line, give me a couple of minutes to down load pics.

Measured my RCBS 7.62x39 sizing die.

Just after the bevel measures .440, same as yours.



Wet tumbled, deprimed but not sized. A once fired in my AK Yugo case.



Wet tumbled, deprimed and sized. A once fired in my AK Yugo case.



Range brass steel case that just barely gauges.



This is what you are seeing. This was range brass I have loaded and fired twice in my AK.

It doesn't gauge, but runs through my AK fine.

I have noticed that some cases, brass and steel, have larger diameter rims and do not gauge. But they chamber and fire fine.

I suggest you try to chamber your sized case that doesn't gauge.

I'm thinking it will chamber fine.

Good luck.

Glad to help when I can.

What are the headstamps of your brass?

I have several hundred 308 Berdan cases I can deprime to see.

Remember 308 will use a different Berdan primer than 7.62x39.