I was going through some big boxes of random brass, and found a bag with some 7x64 brass. They are RWS and have the word BESCHUSS ! on them.
I dont know where I got them. I sized one in 280 dies with little trouble, took the three stakes out that held the primer in and actually set a primer in the pocket and watched it rattle around. I could see that the loads were hot, as all the primers were either very flat or pierced.
What is this brass, and what does BESCHUSS! mean? My guess is, KEEP YOUR HEAD DOWN WHILE SHOOTING THIS STUFF!

BESCHUSS is German for bombardment.

As for the brass...was the original primer Berdan?

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Nope, it's boxer primed, but three crimps/stakes holding it in too. Strange, but the chamber it was fired in must have been tight, as there is'nt any pressure swell above the web. It must have been hot to swell the primer pocket so much, .... unless it's an odd oversized primer to begin with.

Long ago, when the non-North American manufacturers began getting their feet wet with the Boxer priming system, some of them (can't remember which ones) used the Berdan .217" cap with a Boxer-type anvil in cases drawn with modified Berdan equipment. I THINK the flash-holes were drilled in these.

I believe what you have is that transitional type of case. The three stabs as primer crimps are evidence the manufacturer was aware of the inadequacies of this setup.

For all practical purposes, repriming these cases likely means starting with a salvaged anvil from a fired Boxer primer, plus a 5.5mm (.217") Berdan primer.

You will be the only kid on your block doing this.

Otherwise, it's a matter of crushing each case so no one else will be tempted to salvage them, then putting them with your fired primers and other scrap brass for a trip to the scrapyard to sell them all.

Sorry,
Paladin

The explanation lies in the word "beschuss". These cases were used to test-fire rifles with, in order to issue a proof-mark to the rifle in question.
Therefor they had to be loaded to pressures well over (50% or more?) CIP/SAAMI max pessures. This explains the loose primer pockets and the need for the 3 stakes you mentioned, just to prevent primers from falling out due to the extreme high pressure it was intended for. I am afraid theses cases are now best suited to reload your dustbin.