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    Berdan to Boxer

    Is it possible to convert Berdan primed brass to Boxer primed?
    I have about 50 old Berdan primed 303 cases in brass( don't know where they came from).
    Wouldn't it be possible to drill a single small hole between the two in a Berdan primed case then fit a large rifle primer?
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    A Collector's View - The SMLE Short Magazine Lee Enfield 1903-1989. It is 300 8.5x11 inch pages with 1,000+ photo’s, most in color, and each book is serial-numbered.  Covering the SMLE from 1903 to the end of production in India in 1989 it looks at how each model differs and manufacturer differences from a collecting point of view along with the major accessories that could be attached to the rifle. For the record this is not a moneymaker, I hope just to break even, eventually, at $80/book plus shipping.  In the USA shipping is $5.00 for media mail.  I will accept PayPal, Zelle, MO and good old checks (and cash if you want to stop by for a tour!).  CLICK BANNER to send me a PM for International pricing and shipping. Manufacturer of various vintage rifle scopes for the 1903 such as our M73G4 (reproduction of the Weaver 330C) and Malcolm 8X Gen II (Unertl reproduction). Several of our scopes are used in the CMP Vintage Sniper competition on top of 1903 rifles. Brian Dick ... BDL Ltd. - Specializing in British and Commonwealth weapons Specializing in premium ammunition and reloading components. Your source for the finest in High Power Competition Gear. Here at T-bones Shipwrighting we specialise in vintage service rifle: re-barrelling, bedding, repairs, modifications and accurizing. We also provide importation services for firearms, parts and weapons, for both private or commercial businesses.
     

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    It's not worth doing for .303 brass since there is LOTS of reloadable boxer .303 available.

    Converting brass is really only worthwhile for cases that are otherwise unobtainable such as:

    8mm Lebel
    7.5 Swissicon
    8x74R
    14.5x114

    etc.
    Союз нерушимый республик свободных Сплотила навеки Великая Русь. Да здравствует созданный волей народов Единый, могучий Советский Союз!

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    Tor

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    I know it doesn't make economic sense, but nevertherless if someone knows how to do it properly I'd like to hear about it.

    I have a Carcano and a couple of dozen original cases. All primers were dud. I extracted the primer and tried drilling a hole in the middle. Trouble is, a hole of the same size as the typical Boxer ignition hole breaks through into the two small Berdan holes. So I ended up with an oddly shaped long hole looking a bit like a figure 8 with an extra loop. The whole thing now looks a bit flaky, and I am not sure if the performance with a normal primer is going to be satisfactory. Has anyone done this with success?

    Patrick

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    I have converted over 3,000 rounds of surplus Berdan primed 8x50Rmm "Lebel" to Boxer primed succesfully and these cartridges have lasted me a long, long time. Every onece in awhile I lose a cartridge case as the primer pocket gets to big anymore to seat a primer tightly but that is part of the game converting the brass.
    Patrick

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    Thanks for the encouragement!

    Patrick

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    The primer hole is usually different sized as well, but it can be done.

    Eli

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    While it can be done, it's not worth the effort when unprimed boxer brass is everywhere. I would pick remington over winchester.

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    Check out this web site if your interested in converting berdan to boxer. It works, I've done it. http://parallaxscurioandrelicfirearm...on-Method.html

    Skeet1

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    Skeet1,
    I could not get the site to convert Berdan to Boxer, is there another site I could try?
    Howard

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    Converting Berdan to Boxer Primers

    http://users.ameritech.net/mchandler/primer.html

    Aloha, Mark

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