Swimming in Brass

[alfsauve]

Not complaining, but for those who wonder about the cost of reloading:  For .38spl, 9mm, .40 and .45, I've never bought brass (okay, I did buy a little .40 used, but just once).  People don't save their brass, and all you have to do is ask.    I went to the indoor range 3 times this week.  I fired about 300 rounds of 9mm.   Here's what people gave me.

~940 rounds of 9mm, ~50 of .45, ~50 of .38spl, ~30 of .40, and ~10rd of .380.



And in case you're wondering, just for future "rule of thumb" measuring, 1,000 pieces of brass neatly fills the coffee can you see in the background.

[MikeBjerum]

As I've said before - Reloading is about more than just saving money.  Anyone that can give accurate inventories and knows how many pieces it takes to fill a coffee can it enjoying the hobby 

[alfsauve]

I have to sort them anyway, especially culling out the .380 from the 9mm.    Throw away the aluminum and steel garbage as well as the crimped stuff.  It's also my first inspection of the cases.   There were probably about another 100 damaged cases I threw away and there were 5 live rounds.   The live ones get their bullets pulled and then trashed.

[WatchManUSA]

Watch out for brass coated steal cases.  I would advise running a magnet over picked up brass.  The gun shop I work at has a range and when we close up I help the range people clean up.  We run a magnet over all the brass and there is an increasing amount of brass coated steal cases.  One of the offenders is some Sellier & Bellot cases and there are others, too.  It is not all Sellier & Bellot ammo, just some.

[MikeBjerum]

Alf -

Next time you are sorting throw that bad brass in a pail.  I through all my bad brass and rimfire in pails.  last spring when the club hauled theirs to the recyclers I sent three partial pails along (probably 12 gallons worth) and got back $75.  That isn't all my shooting, but it is culls from brass given to me, clean up around the range at fun shoots, everything from firearm safety range day, and my own playing.

[Sponsor]

[alfsauve]

Next time you are sorting throw that bad brass in a pail. 

That's a great tip.  I already got that covered.   My favorite outdoor range (owner run), will give me the day free in exchange for ~10# of brass.  All damaged or otherwise unwanted goes into a pail for him.

[jaybet]

I have been reloading pistol ammo for only about 2 years and I really enjoy it because it'a a part of shooting and it keeps me involved when I can't get out to shoot as much. I have to admit that I don't know how much empty brass I have, but I do have an excel spreadsheet where I keep track of the ammo.
I have all the loads I try and a critique of them compared to standard factory ammo. I keep track of what I pay for supplies and how many rounds of each caliber I make. (YES, i DO keep track at the range)  I have an active inventory of reloads and factory and know down to the round how much we have at any time.
I also have how many rounds are fired through each gun (which goes right to the inventory page of course) so I know how many rounds we have fired through each weapon, how many total rounds and when we fired them.

Maybe a little anal, but it's nice to know. And by the way,  for the last year, the average cost of a box of 9mm, .38, and .45 acp is just over $9. Plus I paid way too much for the primers in the crunch and was buying powder by the pound.  Not bad info to have.

[MikeBjerum]

jaybet -

All reloaders are anal.  It is part of the activity.  Attention to detail, record keeping, measurements, results, etc. all need to be watched very carefully.  If person isn't somewhat anal they can never be a good reloader.  And once a meticulous person begins reloading they become anal.

I can spend a day at the range with a group, and without looking at the ammo or listening to them I can tell you who are the reloaders and who aren't.  It is easy to pick out the guys that are spending hours on the "small stuff," and they are the reloaders that are hooked for life.

If you are looking for good ... really good used reloading equipment - talk to the guys that talk about reloading only in terms of saving money, put a "value on their time," and talk pennies rather than brands.  Develop a friendship with the guys at the gun shop, and contact the shopper that only cares about the price of a component rather than the brand.  Serious reloaders will have a set list that they work from.  Any shopping is done on those items and nothing else. 

I bought my MEC 9000 from a guy who said he had run 10,000 rounds through it.  I doubted it, because it looked like brand new.  My first night of using it I ran over a thousand rounds through it, and at 150 I had put more wear on the paint than he had.  The reason he was selling it - He started shooting trap and always bought AA.  He went to reloading to save money, but he found that he could buy cheap aluminum based crap for the same money as reloading, and as a "business professional" his time as worth too much to spend at the press.  Not a true relaoder, but that is my gain 

[alfsauve]

All reloaders are anal.  It is part of the activity.  Attention to detail, record keeping, measurements, results, etc. all need to be watched very carefully.  If person isn't somewhat anal they can never be a good reloader.  And once a meticulous person begins reloading they become anal.

I'm gradually growing out of my OCD tendencies.  Attention to detail....yes.   Do I care anymore whether there's 49 or 50 rounds in the box......no.   In fact, I don't even have any ammo boxes for 9mm.   I just load until I run out of components and put the rounds in a Zip-Loc bag, with a 3x5 card detailing the particulars.   I keep a log of loads, velocities and groups, but I'm becoming less obsessive about it all.

Serious reloaders will have a set list that they work from.  Any shopping is done on those items and nothing else. 

I wonder if this is more related to old-age.   I tend to find a brand and stick with it these days, be it clothes, shoes, shaving cream, or food. But you're right, I have definite components and don't even look at others.     I also quite buying the "deal du jour" in .22LR.   I've found what works best in my .22s and that's all I buy anymore.

[TAB]

A easy way to get rid of the steal and brass plated steal cases is a pick up magnet sold at hardware stores to pick up nails from the ground. 

I have mine attached to the lid of my vibratory case cleaner.   its not missed  one yet, but even if it did I alway inspect/sort the brass as step 2.  So I would find it then.