Converting Berdan 7.62 x 25 to something reloadable

[GDC]

Hello all

I've been hanging onto Berdan primed 7.62x25 brass for a while now and have a pretty good collection. I decided to have a go with converting it. I read all the threads I could find about converting, but all were about rifle caliber conversions. My main reason is to see if I can do it, but with brass getting harder to come by, if I am successful I will convert more.

I drilled several cases to accept 209 shotgun primers by drilling through with a C drill and counterboring with a 21/64 bit to seat the battery cup. The cases turned out nice and the primers set flush, but as I was looking at it I realized that the shotgun primer sticks into the case quite a bit, reducing case capacity. I typically load 5 grains of Red Dot behind a 93 grain cast round nose for the Tokarev round, but I figure on backing off to 2 to start and work up because of the reduced case capacity.

I also had the bright idea of drilling the Berdan pocket out with a #17 drill, 0.11" deep to seat a large pistol primer. Priming these cases is a little stiff, but they go in and I like the looks of them better than the shotgun primers. On these I figure on starting at 4 grains of Red Dot and working up from there.

I should know better than to ask this, but I will anyway: Any thoughts on this plan? Has anyone else attempted this with handgun brass?

Thanks
Greg

[GDC]

I just realized I posted in the rifle forum and not the pistol forum. Dyslexia fun can be.

[autofix4u]

Greg, I would not use the shotgun primers. I have however converted several hundred Romanian & Bulgarian cases to take large pistol primers. And a few Czech cases to take small primers. Based on my results with this I bought 500 Starline cases and have been very happy with them. I will loose them before they wear out. Anyhow all but the Romainan are a waste of time. On the romy cases if you look inside the fired case you will see a dimple where the flashole would be on a boxer case. Very carefully drill a 1/16th of smaller hole with the dimple as a pilot. Just through the anvil but not through the primer cup. Now you can deprime with normal dies. Once deprimed you can simply use a reamer or mill to take the primer pocket out to large pistol size. I think I used a .207 mill bit I had. I have found that after anealing the last as well as any others I have tried. Good luck & have fun. Josh DeLozier

[Ricochet]

I can find mighty few of the cases I fire in my Cz-52.

[GDC]

Autofix4U

Thanks for the heads up on drilling the dimple. I like that idea a lot, it should make fewer steps. I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one considering this. Do you worry much about pressure with your converted brass?

Ricochet

I built a brass catcher with some PVC pipe and window screen because originally I planned to recycle it for cash, but scrap isn't bringing in as much as it used to, at this point I'd just as soon load it again if I can.

[only1asterisk]

I only mess with berdan brass when I have to. With primers being scarce and 7.62x25 surplus still being fairly common, I'm inclined to forgo the converting brass for now.

I keep it, mind you. I just clean it up and put it away. Never know when you maight be able to get berdan primers again, the price of scrap brass might spike, or you might be in dire straits for some brass.

[docone31]

My thought is on availability of brass also.
http://users.ameritech.net/mchandler/primer.html
I wonder when/if it will all end.
I would rather not drill Berdan brass.

[jhrosier]

I made brass from 5.56 brass when I had a CZ52.
It was definitely a labor of love.
Many forming steps, trimming, and neck reaming.
The finished cases had less powder capacity than the original cases so the loads had to be adjusted down a bit.
I would do it again, only if there was no other choice.

Jack

[autofix4u]

Autofix4U

Thanks for the heads up on drilling the dimple. I like that idea a lot, it should make fewer steps. I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one considering this. Do you worry much about pressure with your converted brass?

I have not tried to push my converted brass too hard. I took my time and worked up to a load that cycled the action on all 5 of my cz52s and stoped there. It runs right at 1300fps. And my brass still winds up 15-20 feet away! But at least it not in orbit like the Czech surplus stuff. By the way I don't recommend using any brass other than Romanian. All the other surplus stuff WILL split on the first or second reload. I have pushed the starline cases up to 1750fps in the CZ and 1925fps from a bolt action carbine I built. A word of caution use small rifle primers & a cronograph if you want to play this fast. later Josh

[Three44s]

Brass going bye bye from a CZ52:

My enabler sold me an extra power recoil spring. Then I loaded down somewhat which resulted in the brass sailing about half as far.

But the gunsmith that sold me that spring told me that he could load even lower and have the cases just about land along side his feet.

Three 44s

[Lead Fred]

dudes,

a lot faster way ot make CZ-52 cases is to cut down 223 cases, anneal them, and stuff thru the sizer die. Use small rifle primers

and load them to 2000pfs like we used to do. (1700 is about the safe point)

I dont even shoot 223, jsut pick them up at the range, and use those

[GDC]

"...By the way I don't recommend using any brass other than Romanian. All the other surplus stuff WILL split on the first or second reload...."

When I bought my CZ52 I got a 70rnd package (can't call it a box as it was only paper wrapping the ammo) of Bulgarian and every case neck split on firing. I then learned about the bad Bulgarian proof loads and since then I've only bought Romanian surplus. I bought 2 boxes of loaded Boxer primed ammo at a Gun show about two years ago, but haven't been able to find any since. I've been waiting on a Starline order for almost two months now and the urge to reload is forcing me to spend time in the shop eyballing the ~1500 pieces of nice looking Berdan primed empties. I'm thinking that converting the brass might be a good winter project.

My load of 5 grains of Red Dot behind a 93 grain cast averages 1203 fps across my chronograph so I might be able to use it full up in the lg pistol primer conversion. Autofix4u, what powder are you using? I don't plan to change from Red Dot for a while as my wifes uncle gave me two 15# kegs of it when he stopped shooting Trap. I was just curious about relative burn rates between your powder and mine.

Lead Fred

Thanks for the heads up on the .223, Do you just lube the cases and run them through the die? The only other conversion I have done was several years ago, before 9mmMak brass was available, I cut down 9mm luger brass and fire formed it 9mmMak.

I have two boys who want to learn machining operations, I may turn the loose on the brass conversion.

Greg

[autofix4u]

"

My load of 5 grains of Red Dot behind a 93 grain cast averages 1203 fps across my chronograph so I might be able to use it full up in the lg pistol primer conversion. Autofix4u, what powder are you using? I don't plan to change from Red Dot for a while as my wifes uncle gave me two 15# kegs of it when he stopped shooting Trap. I was just curious about relative burn rates between your powder and mine.


Greg

Well I use a lot slower powders than you. Blue dot, wc820,&H110 are a lot more appropriate for the case volume. I currently load wc820 untill that runs out. Am also working on a load with aa5744. So far it will cycle the action most of the time, and makes HUGE FIREBALLS. But I like that sort of thing. Later Josh