I have just used up the last of a hoard of about 3,000 RWS 5.5 mm berdan primers. Cartridges loaded were mostly 7.62/.308, but also nny .303 and some early S&B .22 HPs blown out to .30-30. Plus a bunch of Kynoch 9x56 MS, and my whole supply of .358 Win made from Australian military 7.62 brass.
I have also done .303s with the big military primer, Kynoch .32-40s with a .200” berdan primer, Kynoch .32-20. and .44-40, and Sako 7x33, with the small berdan primer.
Decapping berdan cases is not the hassle it is made out to be.
The first method is to chisel out the primer, and that IS a hassle. It actually works pretty well but the case has to be supported, other than when using the old RCBS tool. A misplaced strike can destroy the anvil. It’s really not much of a proposition except for getting out crimped in primers the first time.
The next method is hydraulic – fill the case with water, run a close fitting metal rod into the neck, position the case over a suitable hole for the ejected primer, and strike the rod. The case does not have to be supported other than under the base. I have yet to bulge a case by this method. But then it gets simpler – I have done .32-20s with a case full of water and a Lyman M Die in the 310 tool, though this is best done outdoors. Hydraulic force will remove crimped in primers.
The best of the lot however came from a work colleague about 50 years ago when we were reloading .303 military brass. He gave me a punch comprising a piece of 5/16” rod with two .037" prongs for the flash holes. The prongs had to be about the right distance apart to match the flash holes, but the pins could be bent in or out to fine tune. The real secret however was in what was used for the prongs – fish hook shanks.
Later a friend made up another for military 7.62 brass. This used the slightly heavier 1 mm pins. To decap, insert the rod, fiddle it to find the flash holes, then tap the rod with a hammer. The primers come out so easily that the case can be decapped while held in the hand. Then use the pins to clean the primer pocket. These decappers can remove some crimped in primers, but at the risk of breaking the pins.
If the flash holes are too small for the more robust 1 mm pins, there is nothing stopping you drilling out the flash holes to 1 mm.
To deal with broken pins, cut a groove around the punch going in as far as the base of the pin. This makes it easier to get out broken stubs.
Most recently I have realised that a single pin is enough to knock out a non-crimped primer. I am currently using a single pin punch on Kynoch berdan .32-40s for which I have primers.
Using a single pin allows a smaller diameter rod to be used on the sub 30 calibers. The single pin punch is what I would use if I had to do any of the 6.5 mm militaries.
Edit re making the punches: I think one was drilled by eye, and the other by setting the rod up in a four jaw chuck with sufficient offset to get the pins where required. Number drills were involved.
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