Surplus "Brass" question

[conair]

First post.
Finely got a 91/30. Was wondering, is the Russian surplus ammo reloadable? What press do you guys use for reloading for your Mosins?

[Junk Yard Dog]

Welcome to the board, Surplus ammo, all of it from the East Block, is berdan primed, ( corrosive) and mostly steel case. It is possible to reload it using expensive and hard to come by Berdan primers , most reloaders will not consider that as dealing with these primers is not nearly as easy as dealing with the Boxer primers we use here in the west. Most western made cases are boxer primed, but be sure to ask if they are, or read the box, these will use the basic large rifle primer.

[conair]

Thanks for that. I'll make to get a couple tins of surplus while I look for some good brass and because it's still cheap. I do enjoy reloading for the Garand.

[boltaction]

Hello, If you insist on reloading the 7.62x54R.. In a brass berdan primed cases. The berdan primers can be found at Powder Valley. Not to many people, would try or spend the time to reload steel cases, not to say some don't. NOW, for my opinion,... Why reload a round that you can buy for less than .25 cents, surplus.. The bullet will cost you more than that, let alone powder and primer.. Steel cases don't hold up to the reloading process. Play safe..

[Ironnewt]

As to loading the brass cases, Various companies make die sets and brass, while pricy is available. I intend to load some lead "Bollits" in my most accurate M39 0r my M28/30 after they are "slugged" .

[BubbaDX]

I've bought lots of used brass on Craigslist, including Privi 7.62x54R. People pick it up at the local ranges to sell.

[conair]

I'm going to start getting some of the brass now for reloading later when I run out of surplus. Yep it's much cheaper to get the milsurp but there is a lot to be said for reloading your own rounds. Always a good feeling when I get to the range and let fly some of my reloads...especially when they work better in the rifle then milsurp.

[conair]

I've bought lots of used brass on Craigslist, including Privi 7.62x54R. People pick it up at the local ranges to sell.

Thanks for that. I'll check that out.

[matt167]

there is a youtube video of someone bushing a berdan primer pocket with a peice of copper tubing and resized to use boxer primers.. The guy makes it look easy but when you take into account the time it takes him to make the bushings and install them, it's totally not worth it... A box of PPU's is less than $20, and that is reloadable brass

[Longcolt44]

Did that video also show the little copper bushing embedded in the guys forehead? A shimmed primer?

[Tnic]

there is a youtube video of someone bushing a berdan primer pocket with a peice of copper tubing and resized to use boxer primers.. The guy makes it look easy but when you take into account the time it takes him to make the bushings and install them, it's totally not worth it... A box of PPU's is less than $20, and that is reloadable brass

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkKJfvMy ... re&index=3

[entropy]

The decapping tool for Berdan primers is not cheap either. Buy some PPU ammo or Brass from Graf's, stick with Boxer primers and brass cases, much easier and cheaper to do. Steel cases do resize, but are hard on the dies, and usually split the second time around. (I learned this from reloading Wolf 9mm cases.)