Why buy brass?

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  • Neutron

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Nov 20, 2014
    1,532
    severna park
    Why do reloaders buy brass? What am I missing? The only reason I can think of is if you want new brass for a special high accuracy load that you think used brass might not get as accurate a round from. Is this right? Other than that why wouldn't one just reuse the brass from the rounds you shoot? Even if just starting out as a reloader it would make sense to buy factory cartridges and reuse the brass from them. Having to buy brass really skews the economics of reloading.
     

    rseymorejr

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 28, 2011
    26,021
    Harford County
    A couple years ago a bought a sportorized 30-40 Krag rifle. I had a very hard time finding ammo for it so I bought a set of dies and 100 cases. I have never fired a shot through that rifle that I did not load myself
     
    Why do reloaders buy brass? What am I missing? The only reason I can think of is if you want new brass for a special high accuracy load that you think used brass might not get as accurate a round from. Is this right? Other than that why wouldn't one just reuse the brass from the rounds you shoot? Even if just starting out as a reloader it would make sense to buy factory cartridges and reuse the brass from them. Having to buy brass really skews the economics of reloading.

    Brass has a finite number of loadings before it is unsafe to use. Low pressure, straight wall brass can last a really long time (.38 Special, etc.). Conversely, high pressure, necked brass has a much shorter life (.300 Win Mag, etc.)
    I hope this helps.
     

    Melnic

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 27, 2012
    15,282
    HoCo
    Yes some people buy it for the accuracy or to seed their stock.
    I purchased 7.7JAP andI think at least one other caliber that was not easy to find fully loaded.
     

    atblis

    Ultimate Member
    May 23, 2010
    2,011
    What's your time worth? I buy primed wolf brass to load.
    I don't have to trim
    I don't have to prime
    I don't have to sort
    I don't have to clean
    I don't have to lube
    I don't have to size
    I don't have to clean after loading
    etc. etc.
     

    Neutron

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Nov 20, 2014
    1,532
    severna park
    I should have specified pistol caliber brass as that was what I was thinking about. Common calibers like .38/357, .45, 9mm.
     

    Neutron

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Nov 20, 2014
    1,532
    severna park
    What's your time worth? I buy primed wolf brass to load.
    I don't have to trim
    I don't have to prime
    I don't have to sort
    I don't have to clean
    I don't have to lube
    I don't have to size
    I don't have to clean after loading
    etc. etc.

    Then why reload at all? If you don't enjoy the process, it's not worthwhile just to save a few bucks on a box of ammo. You must have a specific recipe for your rifle cartridges I'm guessing?
     

    6-Pack

    NRA Life Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 17, 2013
    5,647
    Carroll Co.
    I should have specified pistol caliber brass as that was what I was thinking about. Common calibers like .38/357, .45, 9mm.

    I buy brass for reloading because I want to build up my ammo supply. I can mold my own bullets, but I still need primers, powder and brass. So if I don’t have empty cases lying around, I’ll just get some brass so I can reload. Also, have you ever priced out 38 S&W ammo? Brass and components are much cheaper.

    Also, range brass is fairy cheap. I just placed an order for 500 9mm cases for $15 and 500 45ACP cases for $17.50.
     

    Uncle Duke

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 2, 2013
    11,667
    Not Far Enough from the City
    I should have specified pistol caliber brass as that was what I was thinking about. Common calibers like .38/357, .45, 9mm.

    Much less reason to buy your examples mentioned above than some other rounds, because all of these rounds are (typically) readily available, and cases are either (comparatively) inexpensive via the factory ammo route, or are outright free via gifting from shooters who don't load, or via range pickup.

    The realities change with other less mainstream cartridges. 41 Magnum, one of my favorites, is an example. You're not going to find 41 Mag laying around as range pickup, and few handgunners shoot it. So you can scratch gifting and pickup as sources, where you can typically fill a drum with the 9mm you find laying around. Add to this reality that good 41 Mag factory ammunition is much more expensive than what I can make, and not necessarily the variation I would in fact make, given the much wider array of choices that handloading allows.
     

    Neutron

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Nov 20, 2014
    1,532
    severna park
    So it sounds like it may make sense for anything other than the common pistol caliber rounds. Or maybe .223 in rifle caliber.
     

    Bullfrog

    Ultimate Member
    Oct 8, 2009
    15,165
    Carroll County
    Brass has a finite number of loadings before it is unsafe to use. Low pressure, straight wall brass can last a really long time (.38 Special, etc.). Conversely, high pressure, necked brass has a much shorter life (.300 Win Mag, etc.)
    I hope this helps.

    I don't reload (not yet anyway), so this is just idle curiosity... but how do you know when the brass is no longer safe to reload?

    Does it thin out, or eventually become brittle and begin to crack?
     

    cstone

    Active Member
    Dec 12, 2018
    842
    Baltimore, MD
    I like reloading. As long as I have space for it, I don't need another reason. I haven't bought brass in some time because I have a nice quantity prepped and primed ready to be reloaded. Some sources of fired brass cases are better than others.

    I will lose a lot of fired brass before most of becomes unsafe, although I pick up as much as I can because scrap brass helps pay for other components.

    Inspecting brass is part of processing for me and it starts while decapping, sorting, and tumbling to clean. Cracks anywhere in the case, badly mangled case mouths, loose primer pockets; these are the primary reason cases will go into the scrap bucket. If in doubt, throw it out.
     
    I don't reload (not yet anyway), so this is just idle curiosity... but how do you know when the brass is no longer safe to reload?

    Does it thin out, or eventually become brittle and begin to crack?

    I like reloading. As long as I have space for it, I don't need another reason. I haven't bought brass in some time because I have a nice quantity prepped and primed ready to be reloaded. Some sources of fired brass cases are better than others.

    I will lose a lot of fired brass before most of becomes unsafe, although I pick up as much as I can because scrap brass helps pay for other components.

    Inspecting brass is part of processing for me and it starts while decapping, sorting, and tumbling to clean. Cracks anywhere in the case, badly mangled case mouths, loose primer pockets; these are the primary reason cases will go into the scrap bucket. If in doubt, throw it out.

    This
     

    303_enfield

    Ultimate Member
    May 30, 2007
    4,651
    DelMarVa
    Buy it cheap an stack it deep. If your on castboolits an you but 2K of sized 38spl for $50 shipped it's all good.

    Then you have 300BO made from USGI 5.56 brass cheaper then you can buy or make it.

    Why buy _____?
    Cause I can!
     

    Uncle Duke

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 2, 2013
    11,667
    Not Far Enough from the City
    I don't reload (not yet anyway), so this is just idle curiosity... but how do you know when the brass is no longer safe to reload?

    Does it thin out, or eventually become brittle and begin to crack?

    Yes, brass cases can indeed thin out, especially (and importantly) in the area of the case head. Such thinning can lead to what is called an incipient case head separation. NOT good, and a tell tale ring that you can see if you're paying close enough attention, and if you know what you're looking for. One clue to case condition that you really want to learn and understand, and be able to identify.

    And yes, brass can and does become brittle. And it is brittle brass/work hardened brass that will most often tend to split.

    Careful case inspection is what allows you to pick up on these and other case conditions. A good reloading manual, or a good book like The ABC'S OF RELOADING, will visually show you what problem conditions to look for.

    For you and for any other folks new to reloading, your very first and your very best expenditure on reloading equipment, in terms of value received?And comparatively speaking, also the least expensive? That is the money you spend on good solid information.

    Buy and use manuals for more than load recipes. They are all about greatly enhancing the piece of indespensibly important reloading equipment between your ears.
     

    Biggfoot44

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 2, 2009
    32,884
    And also , for certain loads in certain cals , specific brands of brass are preferable for various reasons . The desired brass might not be readily available , or particularly expensive in loaded form .
     

    Park ranger

    Ultimate Member
    Dec 6, 2015
    2,315
    I hate loading, but love shooting. But most of my guns are too high volume or no factory loads exist for the performance I need. Why would you load 9mm, it's way to cheap to spend time loading when you could be spending that time shooting.

    Ex cartridges:

    Service rifle 80 grain loads, even 77's. (2500 per year)
    308 155 palma loads to 3000 fps in a 30" barrel (1500 per year)
    45 colt with 325 grain bullets to 1100 fps (300 per year)
    44 mag pushing a 240 grain to 1500 fps (500 per year)
    6.5 CM with a 150 SMK to 2800 fps (2000 per year)

    So you have to cut corners where you safely can.

    9, 45, 556 I just buy.
     
    Are you talking about previously fired brass or virgin brass? I can buy range brass by the pound and reload common calibers cheaper than I can buy commercial ammo. $1.50 per pound will buy about 70 cases of 5.56, 100 cases of .40S&W, 80 .45ACP or 115 9MM


    The only virgin brass I ever bought was 500 10MM because the loads I use for deer hunting require a LOT of pressure (1200 FPS, 700+ foot pounds 220 grn out of a Glock G20 with a 6" barrel) and I have no idea how many times range brass has been fired.
     

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