Your thoughts on steel and aluminum

[DeanoBeanCounter]

Was at the makeshift range yesterday, picked up some brass and other casings. I need some thoughts on reloading 1. steel casings and 2. aluminum casings.
Dean

[lefty o]

dont bother. if there was no more brass left on earth, in a pinch the steel can be loaded once or twice. short of that, they go in the trash.

[rl69]

I wouldn't

[Tom W.]

Take them to the recycling place and trade them for cash....

[MT Gianni]

Life is too short and brass too available to mess with either.

[GhostHawk]

Not worth the effort.

[fatelk]

Same here, I've done it. If brass cases were not available for some reason, I would load steel and aluminum cases if I had to. It can be done. Since I have gallons of brass in common calibers the steel and aluminum go straight into the garbage or recycling. Brass is so much better and easier that the others just are not worth the time, effort, or risk.

[Hamish]

No, nope, un-uh, not in my dies.

[country gent]

Steel cases have a shellac varnish type coating that lubricates and helps them to seal and function. This gets thin wears pretty quick. I have never tried it but a polisher might remove it pretty quick. On aluminum cases Ive seen the split the necks on the first firing usually only .020 -.030 long but there. Again a coating is there to lubricate and lower the abrasiveness of aluminum also.

[Safeshot]

Aluminum: only if NOTHING else was available and then ONLY ONCE. A split case or leaking or blown primer in an aluminum case can mark a chamber or breech face.
Steel: Never, I won't even shoot steel case ammo at all. I have seen steel case .45 ammo break extractors in 1911 pistols.
Brass is available and cheap enough no need to risk damage to a firearm. Exception is firearms "made and designed" to function with steel cased ammo.
Just one persons opinion, Safeshot

[osteodoc08]

I don't bother with either. For me it's a one time use thing and their already used. Scrap at best

[runfiverun]

bunch of leverite.

[Bzcraig]

Don't...

[lightman]

Its been done. Its even been talked about on here. Mostly during the past shortages. But the shortages are over and brass is plentiful. I recommend leaving it alone. Plan to start stocking up now for the next shortage so you don't have to mess with aluminum or steel cases.

[phonejack]

Nope, won't do it.

[Preacher Jim]

Aluminum and steel belong on cars not ammo, my opinion.

[mold maker]

I always clean at least the range area I use and separate it at home by color and with a magnet. Only consider using it (other than brass) if no brass is available as in a very rare caliber.

[Smoke4320]

If you like your guns you will not proceed with either ...

[KCSO]

I had a T/A Buddy who scavenged everything. He got a load of steel 45 acp cases and polished and reloaded them. He carefully boxed them up, all 500 rounds, and put them in the closet. A couple years later he dug them out to shoot them and most of the cases were rusty and he got a ton of practice at malfunction drills. I still have a couple boxes of these I can send you if you need the practice. Aluminum cases do not resize well and they were losers too, once reloaded they tended to be sticky.

[deetee]

The aluminium cases I have (CCI Blazer 357Mag, 125gr SJHP) are marked "not reloadable," and probably better than 90% of the cases split on firing. Granted the loads seem quite hot, recoil is much harder than any of the 147 and 158 gr ammo I use.

[Artful]

Not a good idea as stated above - I have never done the Aluminum - I did do the WW2 Steel cases when I was in my Hotrod years and did 45 Super Loads. Use Brass

[EMC45]

I have loaded Russian steel .45 and 9MM cases. They both did fine. They were light grey in color and sized/flared/crimped just fine. Wanted to see if I could do it, and also so I wouldn't be too sore if I lost some at the range. I like brass better.

[bob208]

about 40 years ago tried to load some ww2 steel .45acp. never again.

[472x1B/A]

Best used for jewelry. Not reloading.

[shooterg]

.45 ACP is pretty low pressure. Have reloaded the boxer primed aluminum - get 4/5 loads out of 'em. It's my "company " ammo - let company bang my plate rack with it and don't bother picking up. 200 gr. beveled base and seat slooowwly minimizes splits.
Wouldn't ever deal with .357/9mm/steel.

[mold maker]

Although everything has value the steel and brass cases take up space and that is more valuable to me than even the scrap value. I have a bucket for each, but only because I haven't trashed them yet.
As a project to see if it's possible to reload them, I tried and was successful. That cured my curiosity and proved the point, but now it's a BTDT issue.

[rr2241tx]

Steel cases are useful for adding iron to soil around trees. Aluminum cases make nice fire ant mound casts. Neither are worth bending over to pick up for reloading.

[Duckiller]

I will add my voice to the "Don't bother" group. You may be short of brass right now ,but have patience. You will eventually have more brass than you know what to do with. Lot of aluminum cases use berdan primers. Steel just isn't fun to reload. There is a very good reason that God gave us brass. Use it for ALL reloads.