Steel case reloading

[ID-shooting]

I have been considering it only becuase one caliber I shoot there is no brass available and thanks to Russian import bans affordable ammo to shoot in volume becoming more difficult to find. 5.45x39, I have 2k bullets, 4k in mil-spec small rifle primers, dies, load data, enough powder to last a very long time, just no stinkin brass for it anywhere! Hornady made some, once, but hasn't been in stock for a very long time avywhere. I was looking at kit that allows for boxer conversion on steel cases but the site is very old and the company may be defunct. I love shooting my 74, but hot dang gotta find a way to feed it.

 

[N555]

I have been considering it only becuase one caliber I shoot there is no brass available and thanks to Russian import bans affordable ammo to shoot in volume becoming more difficult to find. 5.45x39, I have 2k bullets, 4k in mil-spec small rifle primers, dies, load data, enough powder to last a very long time, just no stinkin brass for it anywhere! Hornady made some, once, but hasn't been in stock for a very long time avywhere. I was looking at kit that allows for boxer conversion on steel cases but the site is very old and the company may be defunct. I love shooting my 74, but hot dang gotta find a way to feed it.

If you want 5.45 ammo couldn't boxer brass made 7.62x39 be necked down and trimmed?

 

[ID-shooting]

If you want 5.45 ammo couldn't boxer brass made 7.62x39 be necked down and trimmed?

Sadly, no. case head on 5.45 is much closer to 5.56 that 7.62x39. There are soem case conversions using 5.56, 222 rem cases but the case heads are still enough apart to cuase issues. The best case for conversion is 350 Legend but still not a great process and those are mostly used by reloaders so not available quite yet

 

[12Bravo20]

If you decide to load steel case I would buy an inexpensive die set to start.

This is one. https://www.hornady.com/reloading/dies/american-series-dies#!/

The sizing die has a titanium nitride insert that would withstand steel cases well. I'm guessing you would have to lube those. I have used the 9x19 some and they don't run very well without lube. I've since moved on to carbide dies for all my reloading.

You definitely still want to use case lube even with TiN coated dies. Without any type of lube, the steel cases WILL start to gaul which will ruin the TiN coating. We use to use TiN coating on the punches inside metal stamping dies. Even with proper lube the coil steel would still start to gaul and mess up the TiN coating.

Carbide while strong and smoother is more brittle due to its hardness. Plus carbide doesn't work so well for bottle neck sizing dies due to its brittleness. That is why you don't see that name if any carbide rifle dies.

 

[N555]

Sadly, no. case head on 5.45 is much closer to 5.56 that 7.62x39. There are soem case conversions using 5.56, 222 rem cases but the case heads are still enough apart to cuase issues. The best case for conversion is 350 Legend but still not a great process and those are mostly used by reloaders so not available quite yet

That makes a lot of sense why no one makes 5.45 ammo outside of Ukraine/Russia.

 

[mdi]

I understand your fear/concern with lead poisoning. I had similar concerns. Having said that, my credentials are that I have been shooting and reloading for over 50 years, I was a range officer for over 5 years and I lunch with five, equally old f---ts, who have been shooting and reloading longer than me. Some of them even cast their own lead projectiles. They, like me, reloaded literally 1,000s of uncoated lead projectiles and none have suffered from lead poisoning.
Facts: Local neighbors wanted to shut down our outdoor range due to 'possible' lead contamination. After numerous state testings, no water runoff had suspended or dissolved lead.
The only case of lead poisoning that I knew of was a gentleman who worked for years in a poorly ventilated indoor gun range.
Disclaimer: It only makes sense to wash your hands after handling lead and/or after shooting. Same goes for washing hands before eating.

I have been shooting since 1968, reloading (38 Special 158 LRN) since 1970, cast my own bullets (thousands) since around 1988, shot once or twice weekly, all cast bullets , in an old indoor range for possibly 10 years, and recent blood tests reveal "normal" heavy metal content, along with 25 annual physicals mandated by my employer. I am convinced the "Lead Poisoning Scare" for casting/shooting is waaaayyy overblown. I have read only one factual report of lead poisoning from casting bullets and that was a man casting daily in an enclosed shed (in Alaska) for 30+ years. I'm sure there are just as many that will report their high lead levels as those that report "normal". The company doctor remarked my lead levels may be elevated due to LA smog more likely than casting lead. I have seen posts of those that suggest respirators, full face shields, full welding gauntlets, closed boots washing with "no lead" soap, and casting in a negative pressure air conditioned room. But, thankfully each has his own preferences and choices...

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

I have been shooting since 1068, reloading (38 Special 158 LRN) since 1970, cast my own bullets (thousands) since around 1988

I hear them catapults was a real pain to carry concealed.

Like the feller said though...

fear is rarely rational.

 

[mdi]

I hear them catapults was a real pain to carry concealed.

Yep, I had to wear a "tanker rig"...

 

[Bcwitt]

Sadly, no. case head on 5.45 is much closer to 5.56 that 7.62x39. There are soem case conversions using 5.56, 222 rem cases but the case heads are still enough apart to cuase issues. The best case for conversion is 350 Legend but still not a great process and those are mostly used by reloaders so not available quite yet

Make up a 556 barrel, perhaps? Or 222 barrel?

 

[OTShooter]

Hornady's 5.45x39 brass is really well made and worth your time searching for it.

If it were just a matter of the complications involved in reloading Berdan cases, it would be no big deal, but steel 5.45x39 uses the same size Berdan primer as Berdan Steel .223. As far as I can tell, that size has never been widely available for hand loaders.

I am less than thrilled about some Berdan to Boxer conversion systems, but the Russian Reloads system seems to be pretty solid.

 

[Demi-human]

Berdan primers. An American invention and our gift to the Com-Bloc.