Converting berdan cases to use boxer primers.

Berdan to boxer converion of steel or brass 7.62x54r and similar cases for reloading. Reloading steel and brass military surplus cases with lead cast bullets is a cheap way to stretch your shooting dollar. The prices and availability of ammo and reloading components is rising, it is time to start exploring other avenues such as reloading steel and berdan cases.

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Steel cases are quite reloadable and without much effort, it is the berdan primers that are a pain to deal with. See the following video for simple berdan depriming.

My ultra simple berdan depriming video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0q0E4GtSa4

At this point you have choices...

1. Reload with berdan primers,
2. Modify boxer primers to fit the berdan case
3. Modify the berdan case to be a boxer case

If working with 7.62x39 then see the following video:

Reloading steel case 7.62x39 berdan cases with boxer primers:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwmmsZ-aX4g

If you are working with cases that have a large berdan primer pocket like most 7.62x54r then no standard boxer will fit. In this video I show you how to modify the case to fit a large rifle primer. This involves swaging a copper bushing into the primer pocket. The primer bushing is made from simple 1/4" copper tubing. Copper tubing is ideal for this purpose because it is soft, easily swaged, and easy to obtain at any hardware store with little expense.

RCBS Primer Pocket Swager 2 model 9481
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/235832/rcbs-primer-pocket-swager-combo-2
http://www.cabelas.com/tools-accessories-rcbs-primer-pocket-swager-combo.shtml

The process of swaging the copper bushing extrudes excess copper from the bottom, this must be removed. I used a grinding wheel which is hard to use precisely but you can try a flat file, drill, sand paper, dremel tool, or the method of your choice.

After removing the excess copper I pass the pocket through the swager one more time to flatten out any burrs. The case can now be reloaded repeatedly like standard brass.

I loaded it with 180 grain lead cast bullets that I case from my NEI mold. Bullet casting is a great way to cut your reloading costs and ensure a steady supply of bullets even during times of limited availability. These cast bullets were sized and lubed in the RCBS Lube-a-Matic.

Need some tips on finding free and cheap lead for bullet casting?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4KmaXfoIKE

The press I used is the RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme
http://www.cabelas.com/product/RCBS-Rock-Chucker-Supreme-Press/728427.uts

The dies I used are RCBS 7.62x54 Russian model 29001
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/660339/rcbs-2-die-set-762x54mm-rimmed-russian-762x53mm-rimmed

The rifle in the beginning of this video is a PSL 54c, quite a formidable firearm.

The rifle at the end of this video is a ratty old 91/30 Mosin Nagant

You might also be interested in some other casting and reloading videos of mine...
500 S&W: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnBCm0kKISE
308 Win: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsGaIcCU3yQ

Видео Converting berdan cases to use boxer primers. канала The Ammo Channel