Reloading for the K31

[Smokey]

I use .284 Winchester brass necked up. The cases are pretty stout. Generally I just neck size with a LEE collet die.
I carry the rifle loaded with 180gr Remington bullets loaded to around 2550 fps with WW760; mainly due to my furry bad neighbors.
When those are fired, I reload with 110gr carbine bullets loaded to around 1900 fps with UNIQUE.
By alternating those loads I do not have a problem with cases stuck in the chamber after firing.
I've also noticed that I almost never have to trim them either.
After about 5 loadings or so the case necks are annealed.
There's a batch of cases that have been used over 25 times and are still going strong.

[Calfed]

I use Prvi Partizan cases, 175 gr Nosler Custom Competition and Re-17 powder.

I've got several thousand fired GP11 cases, which I would really like to load, but have never found an easy way to decap Berdan primers.

[professrh]

I bought one of these, after making a hydraulic decapper and then deciding that one bath a day is plenty, thank you.
https://ads.midwayusa.com/product/24598 ... gQodbvUBtA

To be fair, I haven't used it much, because I have a lot of boxer-primed brass on hand (I can be lazy when the need arises). However, I have used it, and it does work. I do have berdan primers on hand, and will probably use some of my summertime fun time to load up some berdan-primed GP11 brass.

My K31 load uses 165-grain SPs (Sierra or PPU) and Varget. I get about 2600 fps at the muzzle. Very effective on whitetails and feral hogs. I full-length size the brass; I use Lee dies, and (although I've seen some discussion about this) I've never had any trouble with them.

--Prof

[Calfed]

I've got a couple thousand PMC Berdan primers.

I've got one of those RCBS tools...can't seem to get it to work.

[diopter]

You need to adjust the length of the primer pin just right. Tiny changes until it's a smooth transition just like when you go over the top on a reloading press when resizing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfGTvWNI43s

[professrh]

Anybody tried cutting down appropriate-diameter drill bits to make replacement pins?

That's my plan. I've broken one so far, but (as I said above) it's been a while since I worked with Berdan-primed cases. . . .

[professrh]

In case y'all haven't seen this, Zeiland has reposted RapidRob's post on how best to use the RCBS berdan decapper:
viewtopic.php?f=65&t=301

[Rapidrob]

Swiss primers are never hard set into the pocket of GP-11. 99.9% of all RCBS decapping pins are broken by having the pin set too deeply causing a sideways force on the pin causing it to snap in half. What really helps is to place the RCBS mandrel in a padded vice. This stops the weak hand from turning when you are prying the primer out. You can direct all the force to the primer and remove it with little effort when the mandrel is held ridged.

[Rapidrob]

There has been many post recently about removing fired Berdan Primers. There seems to be a misconception that removing these primers are so hard to do.
It could not be further from the truth.
I will be showing you how to use the RCBS Berdan De-Capping Tool. It is in my opinion the best,fastest way to remove 99% of the primers you will ever need to remove. The other one percent were double crimped into the primer pocket.
It is of the utmost importance that you read and comprehend the instructions that come with the RCBS tool. Failure to do this will result in destroyed cases and broken,expensive picks.
First off,the tool pries,cams,levers out the fired primer after the primer has been pierced by the hard steel pick. You want to place the pick into the dent of the fired primer. If the dent is off center,you want the dent closest to the pick tip,not towards the rim of the case.
The pick is levered down and through the dent and inside of the Berdan primer. As you continue to apply force to the lever the pick is moved slightly to the side of the primer pocket. This breaks any normal crimp of the primer cup. The lever is pushed to the end of it's stroke and the pick is cammed upward removing the primer as the pick rises.
The amount of force required is about the same as using a bottle opener.
While the RCBS tool is designed to be used in both hands at the same time,I have found over the last 50 years it is better to hold the tools case mandrel in a padded vice. It is just so much easier and frees up your other hand to aid in setting the tools claw.
So the first step is to hold the mandrel in a padded vice or other means you may come up with. You can hold it in your other hand as well but your wrist will get tired very quickly.

After you have held the mandrel make sure you have room to swing the tools lever.
Use your free hand's trigger figure and keep the claw in the extractor grove or under the rim. While this is not 100% needed,it really helps the pick bite into the fired primers dent.
I'm showing you me doing it with one hand because the other hand is holding the camera.

Make sure the primers dent is closest to the pick. This allows the pick to dig under the largest amount of the primer cup.

Once you feel the pick dig through the primer, continue to keep the lever moving. you will "bend" the primer away from the pocket walls and start to move the primer upward.

At this point you will know if you have adjusted the pick to its proper depth. You will only need to do this one time per caliber of the cartridges you want to deprime. you do not want the pick to touch the Berdan "tit". You want to just clear it. This is what the two Allen's are used for in the tool. 99% of all problems are caused by the user not understanding how to make these adjustments.
If the pick tears the surface of the primer only rather than removing the spent primer, rotate the case 180 degrees and try again. You can keep rotating the case 90 degrees until you remove the primer. In most cases, the pick is a little too high. 1/2 turn of the "pusher" Allen is usually enough.
You push the lever all the way down and out pops the fired primer.



(sorry its out of focus a little)
There will be some debris in the primer pocket. This is normal as the Bradan Primer has foil or some other type seals that left crud behind. Notice if you have crimp stabs or rings. This is important that you remove them. If you don't you can be hurt! If the new primer hangs up as it is seated,the primer can jump onto the Berdan tit and fire! The two holes will not let all of the primers force out and can cause the case to fly off of the shell holder hitting you in the face!
I use a Berdan case "cricket". This tool will remove the crimp and allow the safe seating of the new primer.

Once you have removed the crimp you will have a nice beveled edge to guide the new primer into the cup.

http://s31.photobucket.com/user/Rapidro ... 6.mp4.html

[samsplacci]

I use both GP11 cases, using a hydraulic decapping method and priming with Berdan Primers and Prvi 7.5x55 cases. 50gr of Reloader 17 seems to do be the best powder to use. I have excellent results with Hornady Match 168gr BTHP.

[Smokey]

I've got some berdan primed cases that I'd like to reuse, thanks for the tutorial.

I have Quickload and use it a lot after starting with a reloading manual to select powders etc.
I noticed that Reloader 17 gives a lot more velocity than a similar weigh charge of WW760 or H4350.

[Rapidrob]

I use 44 grains of Reloader-15 under a 175 grain 7.62 M-118 "sniper/match" bullet. It is my go to load for 800 yard shooting and matches the sights of my M1911 long rifle.
I get very good case life,very clean burn and high velocity.

[samsplacci]

I use 44 grains of Reloader-15 under a 175 grain 7.62 M-118 "sniper/match" bullet. It is my go to load for 800 yard shooting and matches the sights of my M1911 long rifle.
I get very good case life,very clean burn and high velocity.

That's basically the 308W benchrest load, no? I actually found some R17 and R15 after 3 years of searching up here in Canada. I will be trying your load. What dies are you using Rob, as you know the Redding Dies I have only work for my K31 as the chamber has slightly different geometry.

[Rapidrob]

RCBS '75 dies and a LEE FCD. It is a dupe of the M-118 long range load.
Lee dies work as well in my 1911. I just back them off a little to neck size only.
You may want to start at 42 grains and work up. I found that some Berdan primers are hotter than others.

[samsplacci]

RCBS '75 dies and a LEE FCD. It is a dupe of the M-118 long range load.
Lee dies work as well in my 1911. I just back them off a little to neck size only.
You may want to start at 42 grains and work up. I found that some Berdan primers are hotter than others.

Thanks Rob. I remember you saying that when I was using Varget as well, that the Berdan primers are hotter so back it off a grain or 2.