My brother in law got some ammo with Berdan primers the other day and was asking me about them. Well I've been reloading for 40 years and always knew about berdan priners but never thought much about the why of them. So any historians out there who can enlighten us as to why Berdan primers or Boxer primers for that matter. Avantages, disadvantages (other than the obvious reloading problems)?

I read somewhere that berdan is slightly cheaper to manufacture, and gives a little more reliable ignition due to higher velocity primer gases. Neither is really any problem with boxer primers though.

"Berdan" primers do not use the "anvil" common to boxer primers. The anvils are formed into the case head and thus there are two flash holes on either side of the anvil. This makes the Berdan much harder to reload.

Later folks put an anvil in the primer for detonation....we know them as boxer primers

Don't remember the years, but Berdan, an American disigned the primer style bearing his name and Boxer a Brit designed the style of primer bearing his name. I find it ironic that every piece of brass made here, at least that I know of is boxer primed, and some of the European brass,ammo is berdan primed. The only berdan primed ammo I have ever used was Russian made spire point ammo for a 7.62X54R.