Reloading Surplus.

[NaughtyMonkey]

The surplus ammo I ordered just came in. Was wondering if its ok to reload surplus?

Eventually the surplus will all be gone.

[five.five-six]

depends, berdan or boxer primed? steel or brass?

[NaughtyMonkey]

Don't no about how its primed. How can I tell? Its brass. I dont like shooting steel. Heard its harder on the guns. I don't no if thats true?

[Syntax Error]

Shine a flashlight on an empty shell casing. If you see two little holes for the primer at the bottom of the casing, then it's berdan primed. Most surplus ammo is berdan primed, but it would also be helpful what kind of ammo it is and its headstamps.

[NaughtyMonkey]

I can take some pictures of it. If its berdan primed I can't reload or what? I can still recycle the brass and get some money back for it. Here are the links to the stuff I bought.

7.62 X 54R http://www.ammunitiontogo.com/catalo...2x54r-fmj-ammo

8MM Mauser http://www.ammunitiontogo.com/catalo...litary-surplus

[Juicymeat]

The 7.62x54r you linked is steel cased and copper washed, not brass cased. It is berdan primed as per the product description. The 8mm Mauser says it is berdan primed in the description as well.

[NaughtyMonkey]

Still didn't answer my question. If its berdan primed can it be reloaded?

[MrSlippyFist]

I wouldn't bother with berdan primed.

The surplus will soon all be gone? Aren't they making stuff now, which will soon be surplus?

[ke6guj]

Still didn't answer my question. If its berdan primed can it be reloaded?

Berdan can be reloaded, but it is a pain in the *** to do so. Berdan primers are very hard to find, even when there isn't a primer shortage, are expensive, need special depriming tools to remove, etc.

[NaughtyMonkey]

So it would be better just to recycle the casings for money? versus reloading. I play to reload the commercial stuff I have. I recycle stuff I find at the range that can not be reloading, cracked casing etc.

[AEC1]

yes recycle

[NaughtyMonkey]

Ok thanks for all the info guys. I guess that 150 rounds of Russian surplus I picked up at the range, (empty cases) will go in the recycle bucket. haha.

[NaughtyMonkey]

Also just remembered another question I had. I bought some Russian 7.62x54R and some 9mm Luger, and its steel cased, is that stuff reloadable? Or is it brass only? This is not surplus, its Russian made.

This is a different caliber but its the only picture of a similar box I can find.

http://ee.ar15.com/uploadImages/20090918/36611/Uploaded_633888971744352500_File.jpg

-Thanks.

[Syntax Error]

Steel casing is a PITA to reform for reloading, so it's best to just toss those too. Generally, brass-cased, boxer-primed casings are the most suitable for reloading.

[NaughtyMonkey]

Thank you for all the helpful information. I can use those boxes for carrying the surplus haha. They came in wrapped brown paper.