Author Topic: Primer ID  (Read 365 times)

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Offline triggermortis

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Primer ID
« on: December 30, 2003, 11:38:23 AM »
hello boys,
   i just bought a russian nagant in 7.62X54, and I got a couple of boxes of army issue ammo for it.  I was told this ammo has the berdan primer, but the primer that's in the casing looks just like a boxer primer.  How do you tell the difference?  i'm sure this unmarked ammo came from europe, but i don't positively know this, the boxes are PLAIN.  

   is brass made commercially for this round with our boxer priming system?  i don't intend to try reloading these rounds even if they are boxer primed, the 'brass' looks like aluminum or some other metal, but i want to reload if i can find some good new brass.

   any info is appreciated.  

T. Mortis, 52 weeks to go (till retirement)
Your worst day off beats your best day at work.

Offline Old Syko

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Primer ID
« Reply #1 on: December 30, 2003, 12:08:46 PM »
Trigger, berdan primed cases have 2 holes in the base of the primer pocket.  Boxer primed cases have a single hole in the center of the primer pcoket.  Berdan primed cases cannot be deprimed using what is now standard methods.  Throw the brass away after you shoot them, as the primers are probably corrosive and the cases may well not be brass anyway from your discription.  Clean your firearm well after shooting this stuff.  Boxer primed 7.62 x 54 ammo, brass and loading components are readily available.

Offline Ross

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Primer ID
« Reply #2 on: December 30, 2003, 04:32:43 PM »
If the cases are brass, they would be suitable for reloading.  Russian Berdan primers are just now coming on the market, 0.217" dia.
Decapping is different, but not especially difficult, and repriming is no more difficult than with Boxer.
By the way, Berdan pockets are found with one, two and three vents.  IIRC it was the old Georg Roth cases that had the vent in the center of the anvil.
The CBC Brazilian Berdan primers are for their brass shotshells, and are unsuitable (too frail) for rifle pressures, or perhaps even shotshell pressures.
Russian 7,62x54R is inexpensive enough that few have felt the need to bother reloading it.  I enjoy loading as much as I do shooting.
Cheers from Darkest California,
Ross

Offline ricciardelli

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Primer ID
« Reply #3 on: December 30, 2003, 09:02:19 PM »
Since you have purchased loaded ammo the only realy way to tell if it is Boxer or Berdan without firing it is to measure the diameter of the primer.

Offline Louis Farrugia

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PRIMERS
« Reply #4 on: February 16, 2004, 09:35:51 AM »
HI RICCIARDELLI

THE DIFERANCE FROM BERDAN AND BOXER PRIMERS IS THAT BOXER
NORMALY IS WHITE AND THE OTHER IS BRASS COLOUR .


GOOD LOADING

LOUIS




Quote from: ricciardelli
Since you have purchased loaded ammo the only realy way to tell if it is Boxer or Berdan without firing it is to measure the diameter of the primer.