Reloading steel 7.62X39......

[MT Gianni]

Add the cost of the gas check and around 40-50 cents a lb minimum for your total costs. Even if you did not pay that for your lead you would have little trouble re-selling clean alloy for that.

[PDshooter]

Using light adhesives (nail polish in this case) to hold in the primer should not be a problem. The adhesive is only to keep the primer in place until firing. Pressure and the bolt face will hold it in place upon firing. The tell-tale sign of real problems would be residue from gas leakage.

I still think waiting for the Berdan primers to get back in at Graf's and using brass cases is a better idea.

I have reloaded a few Wolf cases with Berdan primers and it works fine. I just happen to have a few thousand Yugo brass cases, so no need to work with the steel ones at this time.

Thank you...

[MilSurpFan]

Thank you...

I still think it might not be the best idea since "better" options exist, but just wanted to point out that other forces are at play to hold the primer in place during firing.

My only real concern is if one backs out and causes a slamfire. A visual inspection before chambering can take care of this , but it does shrink the safety margins some.

[PDshooter]

I still think it might not be the best idea since "better" options exist, but just wanted to point out that other forces are at play to hold the primer in place during firing.

My only real concern is if one backs out and causes a slamfire. A visual inspection before chambering can take care of this , but it does shrink the safety margins some.

I concur.........

[n.h.schmidt]

Hi
Some time ago I converted a few FN 303 cases to boxer. I did have to use some sort of glue to hold the primers in. Much like has been already described above. These cases did fire and worked but there was one big problem. There was a lot of gas leakage around the primer. This caused a lot of bolt face erosion .It cut a nice circle on the bolt face the same dia. as the primer. Have you looked at your bolt face yet? I hope all is well.
n.h.schmidt

[Shooter6br]

what powder? i use H322 24g in my Chi - com SKS .Cycles in semi auto fine

[Lawyerman]

It's been a long time since I have bought any but are brass, boxer primed cases that hard to find or expensive? They seem to last a very long time in my experience, they don't get worked that hard in firing-not like magnum cases etc.....

[PDshooter]

It's been a long time since I have bought any but are brass, boxer primed cases that hard to find or expensive? They seem to last a very long time in my experience, they don't get worked that hard in firing-not like magnum cases etc.....

I never ever see 7.62X39 brass on the deck!...........Steel everywhere..I like to shoot as "Cheap as possible".........Because I'm cheap!...And maybe a little foolish

[JIMinPHX]

I never had any luck reusing steel cases, but I did fool around with changing Berdan brass to take Boxer primers. If you would like to see what I came up with, you may want to take a look here - http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=50789

[leadloader]

the ring on the bullets are left from the seating die i beleive.. i have had similar rings with soft nose hybrids..pd shooter correct me if im wrong...

[frkelly74]

If I had a rifle in 7.62X39 I would have to tinker with this concept. There is always a lot of steel laying around and I used to have a hard time leaving it lay. I am only occasionally afflicted by this now mainly because I have not got time to play with my ongoing projects as they are now. Fortunately SKS rifles have gone up in price enough so that I can resist the temptation to get one. But if I had one I would have to tinker!

[Andy_P]

I've got to hand it to the few folks who have an original idea, try it and share the results (both good and bad). If we always needed a good reason to try things ("but this way is easier and cheaper"), we'd never have discovered many of the innovations that have helped this sport.

[PDshooter]

the ring on the bullets are left from the seating die i beleive.. i have had similar rings with soft nose hybrids..pd shooter correct me if im wrong...

Seating die..........Yes

[acl864]

Interesting post. Not sure I'd choose to use this method but if other options were off the table it's nice to know that it can be done.

[45-70 Chevroner]

Seems to me like a lot of work for such little results. If you are shooting mostly cast boolits boxer primed brass cases will last for a lot of reloads. If steel cases were the only thing I could get for reloading I would probably go that route. Berdan primers are avialable you just have to search them out. Using boxer primers with nail polish is a recipe for disaster. If one of those primers ruptures the powder will take the least path of restance and that would be into your face. Not a pretty site.

[Rangefinder]

I've tinkered with this sam little project as well--I love tinkering. My conversion to boxer primers involved a propane torch, a little silver solder to tin the pocket, and a bit in my drill press to open up and reform the newly sized boxer primer pocket. Worked great--tight fit, no gas cutting, and ran through carbide dies without a glitch there-after. The down side? VERY TIME CONSUMING, but if I ever get in a pinch and my box primed brass runs out, I can still keep the AK fed.

[deltaenterprizes]

how soft is your alloy? the seater die is doing a number on your cast...maybe its the neck tension from the steel case..

Deburing the inside of the neck would help.

[deltaenterprizes]

I searched all ends of the earth for berdan primers...Would love to have them!

Dangerous Dave, The Old Western Scrounger had them at one time.

[deltaenterprizes]

I never ever see 7.62X39 brass on the deck!...........Steel everywhere..I like to shoot as "Cheap as possible".........Because I'm cheap!...And maybe a little foolish

Hospital bills are not cheap and eyes are priceless, unavailable at any price.

[deltaenterprizes]

I never ever see 7.62X39 brass on the deck!...........Steel everywhere..I like to shoot as "Cheap as possible".........Because I'm cheap!...And maybe a little foolish

Hospital bills are not cheap and eyes are priceless, unavailable at any price.

Not a little foolish a lot of foolish.