I Think I'm Gonna cry..

[Russel Nash]

from another forum I found this:

9mm, 59.46gr/ea, 117.7cases/#, 8.5#/1000

38spl, 68.06gr/ea, 102.8cases/#, 9.7#/1000

40s&w, 70.1gr/ea, 99.9cases/#, 10#/1000

.357mag, 78.3gr/ea, 89.4cases/#, 11.2#/1000

.45acp, 89.58gr/ea, 78.1cases/#, 12.8#/1000

.223, 95.28gr/ea , 73.5cases/#, 13.6#/1000

.44mag, 114.38gr/ea, 61.2cases/#, 16.3#/1000

50bmg, 865.26gr/ea, 8.1cases/#, 123.5#/1000

All weights are uncleaned fired cases with the primer remaining.

Individual case weights were derived using an average of mixed brass weights (except 50bmg)

So, if you picked up 8#?s of 45 brass: 8# X 78.1cases/# = 625 cases+/-

If you use 1gal ziploc freezer bags to store your brass, each (full) bag contains:

9mm, 15.6#, 1836cases
40s&w, 12.2#, 1219cases
45acp, 11.4#, 890cases
223, 11#, 809cases

or if you use the 5gal bucket method

9MM = 8500-9000 pieces
.40 S&W = 7000-7500 pieces
.45 ACP = 3800-4000 pieces

[Tom Herman]

Grainger also used to be extremely fussy about only selling "wholesale" which to them is retail pricing to established businesses only. Pretty silly. If you have a business license no problem, but if not look for other sources like McMaster Carr that are less weird about who they sell to. Grainger may also have changed since I jumped through all the hoops too.

Nope, Grainger is still fussy... They will typically do a few "courtesy sales", then they want you to produce a business certificate... Fortunately, by the time they started that crap I had already squirreled away 30 pounds of Tin at $7.50....

Happy Shootin'! -Tom

[Frank46]

Check out your local welding supply house that sells blasting material. Last one I checked here sold both corn cob media and walnut media. Same stuff you pay big bucks for from places like midway. Comes in 50 lb bags. Last corn cob media was $12
a bag. That should go a long way and cut down polishing $$$$. Frank

[mike in co]

Yup, I ALWAYS start an auction at a penny and I've never been disappointed with the outcome. Have over 200 on eBay and only a few on Gunbroker. People typically get into the "gotta win" thing and bid more than they should. Sometimes people get a good deal, but I've never felt bad about it.

if you auction...dont.....auctions take too long. establish a price and sell the stuff!( on the auction site)

i put all my brass at "buy it now"either one penny or one nickle over starting price.
all my prices included shipping.
i pass many auctions where no preset shipping is listed......you make a deal on the auction and get burned on the shipping.
remember you want it to go away quickly so you can put more up. if you put up two or more at the same time....no rush to bid.
just do one of each, and relist as soon as sold.
sell in increments....500/1000.........
do not over weight the box.
use lots of tape and del confirmation.

i suggest you deal in money orders only...one bounced check kills a lot of profit. postal mo are the best.

ask away
mike in co

[mike in co]

from another forum I found this:

9mm, 59.46gr/ea, 117.7cases/#, 8.5#/1000

38spl, 68.06gr/ea, 102.8cases/#, 9.7#/1000

40s&w, 70.1gr/ea, 99.9cases/#, 10#/1000

.357mag, 78.3gr/ea, 89.4cases/#, 11.2#/1000

.45acp, 89.58gr/ea, 78.1cases/#, 12.8#/1000

.223, 95.28gr/ea , 73.5cases/#, 13.6#/1000

.44mag, 114.38gr/ea, 61.2cases/#, 16.3#/1000

50bmg, 865.26gr/ea, 8.1cases/#, 123.5#/1000

All weights are uncleaned fired cases with the primer remaining.

Individual case weights were derived using an average of mixed brass weights (except 50bmg)

So, if you picked up 8#?s of 45 brass: 8# X 78.1cases/# = 625 cases+/-

If you use 1gal ziploc freezer bags to store your brass, each (full) bag contains:

9mm, 15.6#, 1836cases
40s&w, 12.2#, 1219cases
45acp, 11.4#, 890cases
223, 11#, 809cases

or if you use the 5gal bucket method

9MM = 8500-9000 pieces
.40 S&W = 7000-7500 pieces
.45 ACP = 3800-4000 pieces

just goes to show ya...two guys can do the same job and come up with different numbers....
they are close though.


12.5 for 45 but i ship 12.7, and for 223/5.56 i got 13.7...but actually deliver 14lb per k...just to cover dinged cases i miss.
8.7 for 9mm
9.9 for 40
9.75 for 38 spcl
17 for 44 mag( 15.25 for new unprimed)

mike in co

[Tom Herman]

Thanks, Frank! I never would have thought to check on corn cob at the welder's supply place. I take my hat off to you...

Happy Shootin'! -Tom

Check out your local welding supply house that sells blasting material. Last one I checked here sold both corn cob media and walnut media. Same stuff you pay big bucks for from places like midway. Comes in 50 lb bags. Last corn cob media was $12
a bag. That should go a long way and cut down polishing $$$$. Frank

[wheelgunner]

Housedad, get your self one of these: http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpag...eitemid=847836
I sort about 3 or 4 55 gal barrels a year from our club, this product is a godsend! Run a search on it, there's a thread on here about the best way to use it. Good Luck!

[opentop]

Housedad has been missing from this thread. I think we’re gonna have to round up a search party. He was last seen in the middle of a 3000 pound pile of brass.

[housedad]

Housedad has been missing from this thread. I think we’re gonna have to round up a search party. He was last seen in the middle of a 3000 pound pile of brass.

That's just about it. I've been drowned in brass!! I have been working on howto sort the stuff, and have worked out a system that works somewhat for now. It looks like using the Brass Sorter tubs will be needed to speed this up.

Sorting the rifle/pistol is pretty easy, so is the 45 and rimmed cartidges, but when I get to the 9mm, 40, 380, and smaller, it really slows down.

I've done about 100 lbs so far. I ordered the bucket sorters, and that should make a world ofdifference.

Everyone that wants brass, please be patient a little longer. I just started sorting yesterday, my hands only work so fast.

Just so you folks know, I have been reloading for myself for about 20 years. I curently have around 40000 rounds of ammo in my storage that I have loaded, and have probably loaded around another 130000 more over the years. Almost all of it in once fired brass.

I'm telling you this so that you understand why I was so blown away by this brass. I have gotten some crappy once fired before from dealers, and while this is not always the best I have ever seen, most of it is.

The top of the box that I am pulling from is from the commercial ranges,
After putting into a couple of big boxes and putting it in my trailer, here is a couple of pictures:

[housedad]

I also purchased a large cement mixer at Lowes yesterday. It is the Kobalt brand, with a poly tub 2.3 cu ft mixing capacity 4 cu ft tub. I had a coupon for 10% off and a $25 gift card. It should really make it easier. I will be making wood or plastic paddles for the inside instead of the steel ones. (this is good. I always wanted one to tumble my 50 BMG cases anyway) The closest that have to a picture of it is from a ad where a guy is trying to sell one:



I went shopping and got a couple of hundred pounds of walnut and corn media in the right grind size. Thanks for the tips everyone.

Spending today making the separator screen. Gonna put it over a big plastic tub.

Then do a pile of sorting.

[opentop]

Hey, I'm glad to see you came out of that pile alive! happy sorting

[madman]

Just my 2 cents worth. A small cement mixer from Harbor Freight with corn cob media, sold as pet bedding from pet supply stores. Makes a great tumbler. a 2 box set up one to sift the media from the cases (4 sides of wood open top with a 1/4 in wire mesh bottom)into another empty wooden box open top. solid bottom for catching the media. You can tumble and package thousands at a time.

[Russel Nash]

throw in some used bounce brand dryer sheets in with the brass and media.

it will help collect the dust, which theoretically contains the lead from the primers.

I'd still wear a dust mask if I was you.

I had read on another forum that using a concrete mixer will peen over the mouth of the cases, so I would recommend to use plenty of media to cushion the blow of cases hitting cases, just to be on the safe side.

[Russel Nash]

in that pic I saw some 5.56 blank cartridges. I'm guessing you're just gonna have to sell those off at scrap price...

although I do remember one old timer telling me you could cut down .223 cases and turn them into M1Carbine cases.

[uncle joe]

Yeah, me too. Looking around for 9mm, missed the last by the box sale in the classifieds by a couple days.

yeah me three
JE

[badgeredd]

housedad,

FWIW, I was at a local gun show and looking for some once fired 30-06 brass. Mixed headstamps, fairly clean was $15 per 100. It wasn't all once fired and it also had a few military cases in it. Like you, I prefer like headstamps, mainly because I've found the same load in different brands give different pressures.

Keep us informed as it progresses. Personally, I think it is a fine idea and a decent money maker for anyone that doesn't mind some work to get there.

Edd

[MakeMineA10mm]

I'm sending you a PM also. I'll buy some!!

[rhead]

If you have an old treadmill build a rack from one by fours with 1 inch dowel pins going across the belt spaced so that a 5 gallon bucket will lay in the gap. Remove the handles and place 3 or 4 bunjee cords around the bucket to act as wheels. Make sure the lid is secure,you now have a tumbler that will handle 10 or 15 gallons at a time, depending on the length of the belt. It is built from recycled materials and can be programed for time and speed. Make sure that the height of the dowels is enough above the belt to keep the buckets from jumping the dowels.
If yours gets the same use as ours you may have to get a coat rack to replace it.

[KSCowboy]

I'll take some 9mm, please. I'll send a PM.

[housedad]

Still sorting away. around 175 lb sorted so far just by caliber.......

I'll be glad when those bucket strainers get here.