Anyone using large magnets to pull the steel cased ammo out of the brass?

[nola jack]

If so, what are you using? If not, what are you using?

[zuke]

I use a 1 inch square neodyminum(?) magnet with my SS media, but I just eyeball the brass.

[ReloaderFred]

I use an automotive magnet that has about a 3" head on it, with an angled handle. I also use it to pull out steel jackets from the leftovers from smelting recovered bullets from the pistol berm. The copper jackets are sold to my recycler as #2 copper, as long as I remove the steel first.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[Bayou52]

My volumes aren't that big, so I just visually inspect all cases....

[MrWolf]

I just use a HF magnet with the handle on it. Run it over the dumped out brass or swish it around the bucket to get majority out before sorting. Of course that depends on your volume of brass.

[Green Monster]

+1 on mrwolf. I too use a magnet to pick off the steel from the pile.

[nola jack]

I just use a HF magnet with the handle on it. Run it over the dumped out brass or swish it around the bucket to get majority out before sorting. Of course that depends on your volume of brass.

This is about what I was thinking. I've been trying to use one of the ones Home Depot sells, looks like a car windshield squeegee. Doesn't work worth a ****, is too wide to get into a 5 gallon bucket, and isn't powerful enough to really pull the steel out. I've got 2 5 gallon buckets full of range brass and was looking for a better solution.

[Green Monster]

What i do is put the magnet over a bucket hanging on two coat hangers. Then pour the brass/steel combo over it slowly. Its faster then hand picking each bugger.

[TCFAN]

I use a hand magnet to pull the steel clips from wheel weights when I melt them down. Been doing it for years and it works very well..........Terry

[jmorris]

I do and also added a small magnet to the case feeder clips on my machines, just to make sure I don't miss any.

It is simple and always works.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?160471-Failsafe-way-to-catch-steel-cases-with-a-casefeeder-cheap&highlight=magnet

[nola jack]

That's a damn good idea. When I graduate to a case feeder I'll be stealing that one!

[Bonz]

I bought the biggest handheld 'retrieving' magnet that I could find on Amazon rated at 150 pounds. I pass the magnet over the brass while its drying.

[nola jack]

I bought the biggest handheld 'retrieving' magnet that I could find on Amazon rated at 150 pounds. I pass the magnet over the brass while its drying.

Yeah, I may just snag this guy.

http://m.harborfreight.com/retrieving-magnet-250-lb-pull-36905.html?utm_referrer=direct%2Fnot%20provided

[Bonz]

Yeah, I may just snag this guy.

http://m.harborfreight.com/retrieving-magnet-250-lb-pull-36905.html?utm_referrer=direct%2Fnot%20provided

LOL, I may just upgrade myself ;-)

[nola jack]

Yeah, for that price I'll give it a try.

[noylj]

Since all cases have to be inspected, I just pull out all the steel/aluminum by appearance. Magnet would be fast, if one has a magnet lying around.

[mdi]

I guess mebbe 'cause I've worked with metals most of my life I can generally tell just by picking up a case and looking at it. Most steel cases I've found are laquered, or painted, or plated, and can easily be spotted. But for doing a lot of cases quickly, I'd use my Snap-On "pick-up tool", a 1/2" magnet on a telescoping handle...

[Bonz]

I guess mebbe 'cause I've worked with metals most of my life I can generally tell just by picking up a case and looking at it. Most steel cases I've found are laquered, or painted, or plated, and can easily be spotted. But for doing a lot of cases quickly, I'd use my Snap-On "pick-up tool", a 1/2" magnet on a telescoping handle...

Recently found some 9mm Seller Belloit that were brass plated steel. Magnet got them and I was really surprised because I could not tell. Wish I would not have thrown them out, would have loved to mail you a couple. I process 15 pounds of brass at a time but normally I catch most of the steel cases by sight, the magnet grabs the ones that I miss.

[Hardcast416taylor]

I don`t use steel cased ammo nor do I salvage range bullets, so I don`t need a magnet for that purpose. What I do use a 1" round by 8" long magnet an electrician gave me that formerly was from a proximity alert to metal parts that was scrapped out from where he worked, is for snatching the metal clips out of my smelt pot when reducing WW to pourable state lead.Robert

[nola jack]

I guess mebbe 'cause I've worked with metals most of my life I can generally tell just by picking up a case and looking at it. Most steel cases I've found are laquered, or painted, or plated, and can easily be spotted. But for doing a lot of cases quickly, I'd use my Snap-On "pick-up tool", a 1/2" magnet on a telescoping handle...


I can can tell by sight also, but when I was going through a 5 gallon bucket it seemed less efficient than it could be.

[blikseme300]

I use a dial indicators magnetic base to remove the steel cases prior to sorting range pickup. The switch makes it simple to drop the steel cases once collected. The brass plated steel cases are a problem when using visual only.

[rondog]

I just use a HF magnet with the handle on it. Run it over the dumped out brass or swish it around the bucket to get majority out before sorting. Of course that depends on your volume of brass.

^This^ I have the same HF magnet on a handle, it's very handy and cheap, paid for itself many times. Not only for sorting brass, but for picking up the steel garbage to help keep our club range clean.

I also clean/polish large batches of brass on our concrete patio with a small cement mixer and SS pins, and some of those pins always get away. That magnet is priceless for nabbing those runaway pins.

I'd like to get one of those HF recovery magnets too to go "fishing" with, but with my luck I'd snag something I couldn't pull up.

[skeettx]

Magnet from a Hard Drive, wow, strong and effective.
Spread the cases out in a cardboard Coke can flat.
Move the magnet over the cases and the steel ones JUMP to the magnet.
Mike

p.s.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Reusing-Old-Hard-Drive-Magnets/

[jmorris]

I can can tell by sight also,

As noted by Bonz, you can not tell steel S&B cases from brass cases by looking at them. I have only found them in 9mm, so far.

[Bullshop Junior]

Hmmmm. Steel cases no. But now I'm wondering about waving one over my molten ww to pull all the clips out instead of skimming them out.

[Bullshop Junior]

As noted by Bonz, you can not tell steel S&B cases from brass cases by looking at them. I have only found them in 9mm, so far.

There is usually a pretty blatant diffirance..

[jmorris]

There is usually a pretty blatant diffirance..

There are a few ways you can tell a brass plated steel S&B case from a brass case but looking at it is not one of them.

It is not like looking at a wolf case. For that matter, in the link I posted to a soultion to catch them, there is a photo of a nickle plated steel case. It also looks the same as a nickle plated brass case.

[mold maker]

Have ya ever spilled a box of screws, bag of nails, fish hooks, or a tube of BBs? Need I say more?

[Hardcast416taylor]

Hmmmm. Steel cases no. But now I'm wondering about waving one over my molten ww to pull all the clips out instead of skimming them out.


Just touch the mag to the top clips in the smelt and lift up. Swing this over a can or something you want to drop the clips in and just wipe them off the mag with a gloved hand and go back for more clips. Been doing it this way for almost 20 odd years.Robert

[ROGER4314]

I use a visual inspection to cull cases. I'll double check with a magnet if need be but for some reason, I enjoy sorting the cases by hand!

Flash

[rondog]

I use a visual inspection to cull cases. I'll double check with a magnet if need be but for some reason, I enjoy sorting the cases by hand!

Flash

Me too. When I come back from the range with a bucket of brass, I like to dump them out on an old card table, sit down with a mug of coffee, and start sorting them! Some would consider this a PITA, I consider it theraputic.