Reloading Steel Cased Ammo

[sqlbullet]

Anyone here done it?

I have been researching and it appears doable.  I am gonna give it a whirl with my Nagants.

Steps will include hydraulic depriming, removing the anvil from the primer pocket, drilling a center flash hole, swaging in a copper coller so the primer pocket is the correct size for a large rifle primer, full-length sizing and then normal loading from there.

I plan to load them with a Lee 200 grain cast bullet over WC872 surplus powder.  Should deliver 1800-2000 fps at about 30,000 psi chamber pressure.

If anyone has any info, besides rumors of dire results, I am interested.

[Yondering]

I have done it with the Wolf steel cases in 45 Auto, just to try it. No issues there, although I wasn't dealing with Berdan primers, and only loaded them once.

[gandog56]

Anyone here done it?

I have been researching and it appears doable.  I am gonna give it a whirl with my Nagants.

Steps will include hydraulic depriming, removing the anvil from the primer pocket, drilling a center flash hole, swaging in a copper coller so the primer pocket is the correct size for a large rifle primer, full-length sizing and then normal loading from there.

I plan to load them with a Lee 200 grain cast bullet over WC872 surplus powder.  Should deliver 1800-2000 fps at about 30,000 psi chamber pressure.

If anyone has any info, besides rumors of dire results, I am interested.

Nagant....NAGANT...NAGANT?? You aren't talking about a Nagant Revolver with a 200 grain bullet.......that's for sure.




It's a MOSIN NAGANT. Pushups forever...begin!

[gandog56]

By the way, your bottleneck dies are steel, so steel on steel cannot be good for your dies. Ran across some steel cased, boxer primed .223 cases once, the sizer die didn't work too hot on them. Brass is softer and doesn't stretch back like steel seems to. And most steel cases out there are Berdan Primed, not boxer. Have fun removing Berdan primers. I only know one US source for Berdan primers, they are NOT interchangeable, and Berdan primed stuff will break a normal decappiing pin. So if you are bound and determined to do it, shine flashlight down the case, two flash holes to either side instead of one central flashhole means Berdan, which I just toss as not worth the effort..

[sqlbullet]

Funny how you quoted my post, berated me over the colloquial use of Nagant to refer to a Mosin Nagant, and further critiqued my assumed amateur abilities with a diatribe about berdan vs boxer primed....

Yet failed to read and comprehend my post:

Steps will include hydraulic depriming, removing the anvil from the primer pocket, drilling a center flash hole, swaging in a copper coller so the primer pocket is the correct size for a large rifle primer, full-length sizing and then normal loading from there.

Yes, I know there is a difference between boxer and berdan primed ammo, and that my surplus Mosin Nagant 7.62X54R ammo will be berdan primed and will break decapping pins.  I knew this before I ever reloaded my first case low those many years past.

And I have already deprimed berdan brass using the hydraulic method with my Lyman M die. Easy as pie, by the way.  I have also swaged lots of different items just to see the process, but swaging a copper collar into a over-sized berdan pocket so it will fit a boxer large rifle primer will be a new experience.

I do appreciate your concern for my decapping pins, but the whole point of the exercise is to find out how enjoyable it is to convert berdan primed brass to boxer primed, not to search out boxer primed steel case 7.62X54R.

[REDLINE]

Anyone here done it?

I have been researching and it appears doable.

IMO, doable but not worth it.  I can though respect anyone wanting to give it an honest try.  You never know when some tinkering around ends up forming an idea for an invention that might be well recieved by a larger public.  Good Luck with your venture sqlbullet!

[sqlbullet]

The primary driving factor is the desire to shoot cast bullets in my mosin nagants, and the expense of boxer-primed brass cases for 7.62X54R.  Even the cheap stuff is $0.75 a pop for brass.

If I can find a way to build up a couple thousand steel cases that I can reload even 3 or 4 times, it will be worth it.

[DM1906]

I have a bunch of used brass Nagant cases, and make more all the time.  All Berdan primed, of course, but a lot better to "mess" with than steel cases.  I have no intention of reusing them.  Been there, done that, a couple decades ago.  They aren't worth messing with (Berdan conversion), so I won't.  I'll gather them up and make them available to you, if interested.

[REDLINE]

The primary driving factor is the desire to shoot cast bullets in my mosin nagants, and the expense of boxer-primed brass cases for 7.62X54R.  Even the cheap stuff is $0.75 a pop for brass.

If I can find a way to build up a couple thousand steel cases that I can reload even 3 or 4 times, it will be worth it.

It's certainly none of my concern, but my 2 cents is to go to one of the great cartridges that already exist without the hassle.  Too me it finally comes down to what's the point?  But I get it, different folks different strokes.  If it makes you happy stay with it!

[DM1906]

The primary driving factor is the desire to shoot cast bullets in my mosin nagants, and the expense of boxer-primed brass cases for 7.62X54R.  Even the cheap stuff is $0.75 a pop for brass.

If I can find a way to build up a couple thousand steel cases that I can reload even 3 or 4 times, it will be worth it.

It's certainly none of my concern, but my 2 cents is to go to one of the great cartridges that already exist without the hassle.  Too me it finally comes down to what's the point?  But I get it, different folks different strokes.  If it makes you happy stay with it!

What's the point?  Well....
A round that offers .30-06 ballistics, in a really cheap rifle, shooting really cheap ammo.  I paid less than $100 for the rifle, and the last lot of ammo I bought was less than the going rate for .22 LR.  A 1,000 meter rifle and 12K rounds of ammo for less than $500. Powerful accuracy. That's the point.  Of course, you can't find that deal today, but it is what it is.  Big-5 (a sporting goods store, in case you don't have them where you are) will have them again, someday, for $79.99.  It was an absolute brute in original form (shoulder destroyed due to professional wrestling), one piece hardwood stock and steel butt plate, but they are an absolute pleasure to shoot with a sport stock and (thick) recoil pad.  SQL says expensive, and it is by today's standard compared to what it was, but still 1/4 the cost of the nearest competitor (retail).

[sqlbullet]

Like DM1906, I have several Mosin Nagants I picked up for about $75.00 each a year ago.  Four in fact.  And I have several thousand rounds of ammo, all steel cased Soviet surplus.  About 1,000 rounds in stripper clips, and a 3-4 spam cans of paper pack.

So, I am not hurting for ammo, and don't have to immediately figure this out.  It is more of a "time to piddle around" exercise than anything.

And, yes, I would be interested if you have brass, even if it is berdan primed.  Once i convert it brass will last almost forever with my cast bullet loads.  Especially light gallery loads using 110 grain bullets and some Unique.  And they barely cost more than the primer.

[DM1906]

A friend bought about a dozen spam cans (we share/trade ammo), and all the rounds were paper wrapped, loose.  Nearly all of it is shot on my range, so getting the brass is just a matter of picking it up with the rest.  The stripper clips are handy, but useless as soon as you install a center-mount scope.  An offset scope would work with strippers, and you don't have to bend the bolt, although I prefer a bent bolt in any case.  It is funny though, having a weapon with a scope worth 10X the rifle it's mounted to (I actually have a few rifles fitting this description).

The brass I have is actual "brass".  Not the "bi-metal" cases (copper clad steel) that look like brass.  It looks good and very consistent, so it should do very well for your lead plinkers.  I don't normally clean them, but I'll run them through the tumbler.  I'll give a holler when I get a bunch gathered up and ready.

Also, my friend has an "adapter" he uses with his Nagant.  It allows the use of 7.62x25 in the rifle.  This is the cheapest of the cheap ammo (cheaper to shoot than cheap .22LR).  It shoots surprisingly well on paper, even out to 100+ yds, and has a report only slightly greater than .22LR, less than .22WMR or .38Spl (in a rifle).

[REDLINE]

No doubt, I fully understand where you guys are coming from.  Rock on.

[gandog56]

Funny how you quoted my post, berated me over the colloquial use of Nagant to refer to a Mosin Nagant, and further critiqued my assumed amateur abilities with a diatribe about berdan vs boxer primed....

Yet failed to read and comprehend my post:

Steps will include hydraulic depriming, removing the anvil from the primer pocket, drilling a center flash hole, swaging in a copper coller so the primer pocket is the correct size for a large rifle primer, full-length sizing and then normal loading from there.

Yes, I know there is a difference between boxer and berdan primed ammo, and that my surplus Mosin Nagant 7.62X54R ammo will be berdan primed and will break decapping pins.  I knew this before I ever reloaded my first case low those many years past.

And I have already deprimed berdan brass using the hydraulic method with my Lyman M die. Easy as pie, by the way.  I have also swaged lots of different items just to see the process, but swaging a copper collar into a over-sized berdan pocket so it will fit a boxer large rifle primer will be a new experience.

I do appreciate your concern for my decapping pins, but the whole point of the exercise is to find out how enjoyable it is to convert berdan primed brass to boxer primed, not to search out boxer primed steel case 7.62X54R.

No, I posted what I thought would yank your chain....just a little bit. Thought you would look at my pic and we could both chuckle a bit. Guess not, you being the "sensitive" type.  Well in answer to the original post....

I tried to reload some type of boxer primed steel cased .223 once. It was tough and needed LOTS of case lube. And the steel tended to spring back a bit after I resized it, and they did not tightly grip the seated bullets well. Fortunately I did not try a WHOLE lot of them, and won't try it again. Now if that answers your post, fine. Sorry you did NOT take mine as originally intended, as funny. Not really a personal dig. And LOTS of Mosin Nagant owners HATE the use of term, Nagant, when they are talking about the rifles. I just have fun with it, instead.

[sqlbullet]

Apologies all around.  One of the challenges with forums is the inability to see nuance like you can in person.  Sorry if I was overly defensive.

All my friends call them "Old Nags"

Between myself and my  two close shooting friends we have 10 of them.