Someone school me on BERDAN prime

[Spetsnazos]

I'm confused. I notice that it has 2 holes on the inside of the casing, but why exactly is this type of primer not good? People say not to collect brass with Berdan primer. Any reason for this??

Please school me!

[IrishJoe3]

I'm confused. I notice that it has 2 holes on the inside of the casing, but why exactly is this type of primer not good? People say not to collect brass with Berdan primer. Any reason for this??

Please school me!

Can't reload it, the anvil is built into the case, instead of incorporated into the primer (as in your conventional boxer primer).

Just broker my decapper yesterday on a piece of berdan brass that slipped into my lot

[iareConfusE]

Berdan primed brass is technically reloadable, but removing the berdan primer is very difficult, and berdan primers are very scarce, so it's not easy to acquire.

Functionally, the berdan primer works just fine, but the boxer primed brass is easily reloadable because of the single flash hole in the center of the case. The dies we have for reloading have a single decapping pin that goes through the flash hole and punches the spent primer out.

[Ergo the Qualmed]

I'd be happier to know why it is that my SKS seems to be the perfect decapping tool... I hate my berdan sofar.

[IrishJoe3]

Conventional Boxer primer:


Berdan Primer:

http://www.hallowellco.com/primer.htm

[Spetsnazos]

Can't reload it, the anvil is built into the case, instead of incorporated into the primer (as in your conventional boxer primer).

Just broker my decapper yesterday on a piece of berdan brass that slipped into my lot

ah okay so basically one is reloadable and the other isnt?

why would companies use berdan primers to begin with? is it cheaper??

[IrishJoe3]

ah okay so basically one is reloadable and the other isnt?

why would companies use berdan primers to begin with? is it cheaper??

As someone corrected me, it is reloadable, just a major PITA, and I've never seen berdan primers for sale anywhere. Most everyone prefers boxer because there is no advantage to berdan primers, and boxer are way easier to reload.

Why the difference, uh, both systems were developed in the 1800s, one by a guy in England, and why by a guy in the US, (Hiram Berdan of the 1 US Sharpshooters US Civil War). Both were probably developed independently of the other, and both solve the same problem, just slightly different ways of doing it.

I don't know how common modern manufactured ammo is with Berdan primers, I don't think I've seen any. The couple berdan primed cases I ran into the other day were european 1953 30.06 cases.

[Eat Dirt]

Nice posting Irish Joe on the primer pictures

Even got to explain it better to the wife with those Pic....

[50BMGBOB]

As someone corrected me, it is reloadable, just a major PITA, and I've never seen berdan primers for sale anywhere. Most everyone prefers boxer because there is no advantage to berdan primers, and boxer are way easier to reload.

Why the difference, uh, both systems were developed in the 1800s, one by a guy in England, and why by a guy in the US, (Hiram Berdan of the 1 US Sharpshooters US Civil War). Both were probably developed independently of the other, and both solve the same problem, just slightly different ways of doing it.

I don't know how common modern manufactured ammo is with Berdan primers, I don't think I've seen any. The couple berdan primed cases I ran into the other day were european 1953 30.06 cases.

Funny peice of trivia which I was just talking about today at the range is that Berdan primers where developed here in the US and used today mostly in Europe, while the Boxer primer was developed in Europe and is used mostly in the US.

[Vlad 11]

The funny thing is that Berdan priming was developed in the U.S. and primarily used in Europe and the Boxer was developed in Europe and primarily used in the U.S.

Berdan primers are entirely re loadable, however as others have pointed out they are no longer imported in any quantity. They can be removed hydraulically or pried out, it is more labor intensive to deal with Berdans even if you could find them. There are plenty (most) of European manufacturers that currently produce berdan primed cartridges.

[Vlad 11]

Funny peice of trivia which I was just talking about today at the range is that Berdan primers where developed here in the US and used today mostly in Europe, while the Boxer primer was developed in Europe and is used mostly in the US.

Ha ... beat me to it

[50BMGBOB]

LOL...
I actually have two cut-away 50BMG cases two show the difference when I teach. They are easier to see than the .223 cases I have. I even was using them along with a 510DTC dummy round at USI's 50th Anniversary today while we where demo'ing 50cals for people.

[Spetsnazos]

As someone corrected me, it is reloadable, just a major PITA, and I've never seen berdan primers for sale anywhere. Most everyone prefers boxer because there is no advantage to berdan primers, and boxer are way easier to reload.

Why the difference, uh, both systems were developed in the 1800s, one by a guy in England, and why by a guy in the US, (Hiram Berdan of the 1 US Sharpshooters US Civil War). Both were probably developed independently of the other, and both solve the same problem, just slightly different ways of doing it.

I don't know how common modern manufactured ammo is with Berdan primers, I don't think I've seen any. The couple berdan primed cases I ran into the other day were european 1953 30.06 cases.

great post thanks mate.

[sfguyhere]

This was probably one of the best short and sweet explanations I've seen here, and those pics were worth a thousand words !

[Alan Block]

To decap Berdan primers

Get a short piece of dowell that fits the case mouth snugly. Fill case with water insert dowel a smack with a hammer on flat surface with a hole in it for the primer to go. Hint from Dixie Gun Works.