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New member.
Relatively new handloader.
I acquired a Prime hydraulic decapper and 1250 Kynock 81 Berdan primers recently and intend to reload - for interests sake.
The first, of probably many, questions:-

http://www.dave-cushman.net/shot/berdan ... sions.html

this site gives Berdan primer sizes and I suspect my Kynock 81's (Primer Nr 5608 - 0.11" high) and the Nr 5620's (0.10" high) will both suit the NATO cases - can anyone confirm this - and if so, it seems likely that I should set the primers down slightly from the face of the case - anyone know how much?

TIA

John

Edit - PS I mention the 5620's because it looks as if RUAG might stock them in the UK

Can I ask where you got Berdan primers from?, reason I ask is I've got tons of 54r Berdan primed steel cases I could reload.

They're like hen's teeth - I bought a load about a year ago at an auction.
RWS and the Russian Tula armoury make them still but I don't see them over here.

You can them from RUAG Ammotec UK Ltd as a special order, you may have to order in excess of 10k though.

I haven't checked with the following but they do advertise:-

http://www.ruag.co.uk/products/364-berd ... arge-rifle

If you follow their retailers list you might find a local RFD who can get them for you.

Regards

John

PS please let us know if you are successful.

I have deprimed 3500 RG with a bit of pipe, a piston, camping hammer & bucket of water ..... yes ITS TAKEN ME 3 YEARS! but I have 5k primers, so another 1500 to go & when done they will become one shot lead bullets for a 100yd small bore range & used for training. I recon my rounds will come in at about 15p a bang :-) taking into account free primers & cases & scrap value on the cases once used & range lead cast to bullets.

Prime with care, wear glasses & never look down the case because you are pressing a cup down onto an anvil its quite easy to set the odd one off. I was advised to use a lee hand primer, so the primers are on a flat plat & not on top of each other in a tube in-case one went off. They are loud too! Once primed put in Tupperware tubs with desiccant, store cool & keep dry. (a shelf of the beer fridge will do!) The compounds can be old & degrade & dry cool storage slows that down. Mine are like the Kynoch tin bottom of the link given & having tested 20 they were all ok. They have been in the fridge for 3 years.

Measure the depth & check seating but I would not seat them lower than the face - I would ensure they never go below the face. Berdan primers are slightly smaller diameter than Boxer so your press should be ok. If they go bang discard the case the anvil may be high.

Have fun. Then stock pile boxers they are so much easier to do!

Hmmm, we didn't realise that it was a realistic proposition to reload steel cases. Like snayperski, we have rather a lot of them...