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Thread: Reloading steel cases?
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November 10th, 2009, 08:23 PM #11
Re: Reloading steel cases?
Sure all you have to do is go through them one at a time, peek inside the empty case to determine if it is Berdan primed or Boxer primed and scrap the Berdan & keep the Boxers for reloading. Sounds like fun ;-) Maybe you'd be better off selling them for scrap and use the money to buy some cases you know to be be Boxer primed.
"Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities".
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November 10th, 2009, 08:24 PM #12
Re: Reloading steel cases?
Steel case and boxer?
http://www.aimsurplus.com/acatalog/New_Ammunition_.html
Sure enough, well that's a new development. You should be able to reload it. A few notes: as others have pointed out, expect a struggle with decapping, some military primers are staked in place in addition to the interference fit. RCBS reinforced their decapping pins just for military 223 brass, so the die is already out there.
Another feature of steel cases is they are frequently coated with paint or a non-ferrous metal. Typically copper wash, brass wash or zinc. This is to resist seizing in chambers, the coating acts as a parting compound or lubricant. Every time the casing goes through a firing cycle or a resizing die, it will lose a small amount of this coating. I never had a problem with stuck cases, I suspect this was an extra reliability enhancement for potential machinegun use. I recall seeing German W.W.II era ammunition painted, we were cranking out steel case 45 ACP around the same time.
Most of the steel cased ammunition I reloaded decades ago was 7.62x54R (berdan primed & corrosive) and 7.62x39 (also berdan), it resized just fine. I did need to use extra die lube, and resize a little more carefully as the steel cases require more force to resize.
The biggest challenge was decapping berdan primers in quantity, since this ammunition is already boxer you won't have this task.Gloria: "65 percent of the people murdered in the last 10 years were killed by hand guns"
Archie Bunker: "would it make you feel better, little girl, if they was pushed outta windows?"
http://www.moviewavs.com/TV_Shows/Al...he_Family.html
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November 10th, 2009, 08:32 PM #13Member
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Re: Reloading steel cases?
Of the two cases of Wolf ammunition I bought recently, the 55 grain is berden primed and the 62 grain is boxer primed (and marked on the box as such). Yes, its reloadable and no, you don't need any special equipment. I've reloaded 100 cases. In that limited experience, I've found that a number of the cases seemed hard to resize: the last quarter inch or so required enough additional force that I was concerned it would become stuck in the dye, although none did. I think I had this difficulity with 8 or 10 cases. This was with Lee full-length resizing dyes and using Hornady One-Shot. I will echo what another poster said about making sure the cases are properly lubed. I have since bought a bunch of once-fired brass and I don't think I'll bother with the steel cases anymore, but I'm strictly a range shooter where my brass is easily recovered. If I was running around somewhere I might consider reloading the steel cases. Oh, I used a mild load and all reloaded steel cases functioned fine. Also: speaking of saving brass, I learned that if you drape a rag (like a shop towel) over the ejection port, all the brass drops right at your feet.
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November 10th, 2009, 09:45 PM #14Grand Member
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Re: Reloading steel cases?
"The life unexamined is not worth living." ....... Socrates
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November 10th, 2009, 10:00 PM #15
Re: Reloading steel cases?
I reload and am well aware of decapping crimped in military primers. I use a Lee universal decapping die. It make quick work of crimped primers.
I may have to start looking for free steel Boxer cases on the range...
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November 10th, 2009, 10:36 PM #16Active Member
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Re: Reloading steel cases?
RCBS berdan decapping pin
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct...tnumber=134121
RCBS Berdan decapping tool
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct...tnumber=245983
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November 10th, 2009, 11:11 PM #17
Re: Reloading steel cases?
No problem. Have you tried searching through old posts or googled pafoa? Example: googling this phrase-
berdan depriming site:http//:forums.pafoa.org
brings up every instance of the terms berdan decapping on pafoa. Putting it in quotes:
"berdan depriming" site:http//:forums.pafoa.org
returns only the exact phrase.
The Lachmiller tools scoop out the old primer but has two process flaws:1. Requires a precision adjustment with a narrow range between failing to remove the primer and gouging the anvil, and 2. often results in tool breakage since the Lachmiller pin is both a very high stress component and expensive. I used this tool a lot, it does require a lot of trial and error before finding the setting where it reliably scoops out a primer and doesn't gouge the anvil. When adjusted, it does work. Unfortunately the pin (a critical part) has a service life that's shorter than what I prefer. I tried makign duplicates from steel, which was very easy but the original Lachmiller pins are heat treated to a very tough state. Even tempered piano wire won't work. Summary-okay for small batch decapping, but large batches can get expensive and tiring.
Hydraulic deprimers (another example) are far less destructive and better suited to bulk jobs. Unfortunately they appear to be out of production, at least on this side of the pond. There may be an annoyingly simple solution right around the corner to this. I recall using a shop trick involving filling 54R cases with water before resizing, but when com bloc ammo prices tanked in the early 90s, reloading wasn't cost-effective. Summary-more setup time, messy but yields perfect results. Too much trouble for small runs.
Also, you'll need a supply of berdan primers, which I understand are hard to find. Tip: use 0.310"-0.311" diameter bullets, US 30 cal bullets are 0.308".
More:
http://tinyurl.com/yzx4kds
http://www.surplusrifle.com/shooting...ding/index.asp
http://www.dave-cushman.net/shot/hydraulic.html
http://tinyurl.com/yfmkq7p
http://www.southernhuntingsupplies.c...ping_tool.html
http://www.outdoorsuperstore.com/pro...sp?prod=298660Gloria: "65 percent of the people murdered in the last 10 years were killed by hand guns"
Archie Bunker: "would it make you feel better, little girl, if they was pushed outta windows?"
http://www.moviewavs.com/TV_Shows/Al...he_Family.html
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November 13th, 2009, 06:07 PM #18Senior Member
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Re: Reloading steel cases?
So, reloading .223 steel cases is a do-able thing assuming that the cases are properly lubed. Does that mean a Qtip with a spot of lube rubbed into the case mouth? Anything else or special? I have reloaded Wolf steel in .45 acp but that was with a carbide pistol die set. No such animal for rifle. Anyone want to post a DIY or whatever for those of us who have lots of steel cases?
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November 13th, 2009, 06:56 PM #19
Re: Reloading steel cases?
Does that mean a Qtip with a spot of lube rubbed into the case mouth?
"Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities".
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November 13th, 2009, 10:58 PM #20Senior Member
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Re: Reloading steel cases?
Before you start looking at berdan primer removal, you need to find berdan primers. not worth the effort imo.
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