>>BRASS<< How much is enough?

[Cargo]

In general, how many cases do you try to have on hand? Do you have a per caliber minimum or a per firearm minimum?

Curious as I'm trying to stay out of the deep dark stinky stuff with the spousal unit.

[rancher1913]

brass does not go bad, buy it cheep and stack it deep.

[memtb]

I would speculate that it would be based upon the number of expected reloads before discarding the case and the number of rounds you expect to fire from each firearm. Last but certainly not least.....are you fairly certain that the brass can be replaced/purchased.

For myself, expecting 10 reloads before “tossing”, assuming that replacement brass will be unavailable, combined with my predicted number of rounds fired from that particular firearm in my lifetime......it may be as little as 200 pieces of brass. With other firearms, the input values may be far different.....meaning a different amount of brass needed! memtb

[bakerjw]

I am an RSO at our local gun club. One of the benefits is the brass. Many reload but a lot do not and I scarf up EVERYTHING that I can get. EVERYTHING.
If I run into someone that needs some, it is freely given. But I get what I can because... Well, you know how it is now.

[square butte]

Depends on how old you are, how much ya got, and how much ya shoot

[Joe504]

Assign a space for brass storage.

Fill it up.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[Dunross]

Except for the largest rifle cartridges several thousand pieces of brass don't take up all that much space. If it's brass and reloadable I pick it up!

With a new to me caliber I start feeling OK when I hit about 500 reloadable cases. That's only OK though. If an opportunity comes along to get more I'll take it, but won't go out of my way or pay big for it once I pass 500.

[Randy Bohannon]

Depends on cartridge as some are more easily obtained than others. I like 300-500 pieces for each firearm on average,more for multiple firearms of same cartridge. 40-70 SS has taken me about 15 years to get 400 pieces of properly head stamped brass,375 Winchester was a challenge for a while as some others as well so I get as much as I can.

[blackthorn]

Assign a space for brass storage.

Fill it up.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

Expand assigned space-----There you go, fixed it!

[brass410]

Hi I'm brass410 I have a problem I'm a hoarder of cartridge cases.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

How much to buy in these times of scarcity is kind of a Moot point. If you can find what you need to shoot, buy a quantity you can get by with for now. When prices and availability come down, then buy everything you can afford...that will likely happen when we get a more 2A friendly WH.

[FISH4BUGS]

Years ago I bought 10,000 9mm cases for $100 shipped.
I stock no less than 3000 for the standard calibers - 38, 380, 357, 44 special, 44 mag and 45 acp.
500 for 25-20 and 32-20. Will get more 32-20 when available.
223? 3 5 gallon buckets full.
308? 2000 or so.
Never enough brass.
You can always sell it for scrap or use it for trading material.

[gwpercle]

When the producers of the tv show Hoarders want to do a show on you ... then you have enough .
Till then ... pick up all you get for free or as little as possible and store it in platic bins ...it doesn't go bad . Clean and polish it and make sure to spray some lube on the cases to keep corrosion away.

I had a box of military 7.62 (600) in an old cardboard box for about 25 years ... a few were starting to get corrosion on them . I cleaned , polished , decapped, removed primer crimp and have them all ready ... all I have to do is buy that 308 rifle I been thinking of buying for the last 35 years ...
yeah , someday ...I'm going to have to do that .

You can't have too much brass ...might be a shortage one day ....
Gary

[JimB..]

I store prepped brass in 50cal ammo cans, I have about 100 of them. Most are full, but there are oddball calibers with less, like 41spcl. I’ve greatly reduced inventory the past couple years, but at one point I acquired 20 5 gal buckets of 45acp, I felt that was more than sufficient and gave away half. About the same time I had 5 5gal buckets of 38spcl and accidentally gave it all away thinking that I had more...still building that back up. I also have cans full of 40s&w, 357sig, 380acp, 45gap, 308win, and a few others for which I do not own guns, I’ll find a use for it one day.

I find it relaxing to prep brass, so I don’t store much dirty. OTOH, if I die my wife is gonna kill me.

[2A-Jay]

I have collected several Wood Cigar Boxes, I fill them up with Tumbled and Dried .38, .45acp, 30-06, 30-30, I have at least 1'000 of each, my most reloaded are 30-06 and 45acp I collect brass from Yard Sale finds, range Pick up, I for some reason got over 900 .40s&w in Cigar Boxes resting on my shelf units in my Garage I no longer own a gun chambered for 40S&W. I also have a display case of Ammo I have some interest in older military Ammo. I do not have guns to match all the Ammo in my Display. I get strange looks from people when they see my Dummy 8Inch 38 Projectile Naval standing on my Patio.

[kerplode]

I'm more or less out of room to store brass and I have enough to last me several lifetimes at the rate I've been shooting over the last few years, but I still pick up every case I find. Just can't help it.

What I need to do is stop picking it and spend that time prepping what I've got. But then again, it'll be a shame for someone to dump buckets of prepped brass at the recycler when I die.

[MostlyLeverGuns]

I am more concerned with my 303 Savage or 218 Bee than my 308's, 300 Savage... Cartridges based on the 308 or 30-06 can be formed. The pistole/revolver cartridges don't take up much room. A couple thousand 9mm fit in a shoe box. I do have a storage building where a BUNCH of stuff sits. You didn't say what you were reloading/shooting but 500 plus for stuff like the 218 Bee, 303 Savage, 375 Win and other hard to find, whatever you can find/afford for the rest. Brass keeps, just keep it dry, waterproof boxes and bags for storage.

[Bwana John]

Are we talking about how much brass you need for a caliber you do or do not own?

[Conditor22]

depends on how old you are, how much ya got, and how much ya shoot

this

[Cargo]

Well so far I feel better, my wife may end up adding most of you to her list though lol.

There are five shooters in my family and four in my best friends family. I reload more or less for all of them. A trip to the range normally runs around 600-700 rds of handgun ammo (9mm, 10mm, 45acp, 40 s&w, 38sp, 357mag), 75-150 rds of 12 + 20 gauge and 500 rds or so of .22lr. We'd probably shoot more but with primers these days...

.38/.357 is most definitely my #1 choice to reload for. I have a few 1000
.38 sp brass and 500-600 .357 mag brass. I conservatively estimate reloads at 5 per piece because it makes adding inventory a little easier with the wife.

[PrestoColumbus]

...just a little more

[Gator 45/70]

My goal for years was to leave the range with more brass than I carried out there, It's been a tough year to achieve that goal.

[bimus]

You don't have to much brass what you have is not enough guns to shoot it . Buy another gun for every 1000 brass you have .

[Krag 1901]

When I was shooting more I tried to keep 1,000 round of .38s and 1,000 round of .357 loaded. Now I just load for what I need to shoot this month. Except for Krag, and 308 I keep ~200 rounds each in rotation.

[sigep1764]

My goal is always 1000 per gun, minimum. 1000 rounds of 9mm, 380, 38, or 5.56 takes up almost no space. 30-30 and 270 seem to take up more space, but its just a couple of ammo cans. Once I get to a thousand, thats when I start looking for deals on more, but it cheap, and start prepping it. Ill shoot it down to 500 loaded rounds, then start loading again.

[Pete44mag]

Collecting brass is an addiction I can't kick. I pick it all up no matter how dirty or corroded. I wet tumble so I can make some pretty grubby looking brass like new. If I don't have a gun to use it, I always run into someone who does. It's goodwill that goes a long way.

[samari46]

Have a large cardboard box of LC 68 M72 match I bought when companies like Talon were demilling loaded cartridges. Since I have more than one 30-06 that comes in handy. 308/7.62 is a mix of match national match, match, ball and commercial. 45acp and 38 spl have one 40mm ammo can each. The 38spl is all once fired from a buddy that did concealed carry courses and got tired of sweeping it up. Probably have more but you get the idea. Frank

[ioon44]

Years ago I bought 10,000 9mm cases for $100 shipped.
I stock no less than 3000 for the standard calibers - 38, 380, 357, 44 special, 44 mag and 45 acp.
500 for 25-20 and 32-20. Will get more 32-20 when available.
223? 3 5 gallon buckets full.
308? 2000 or so.
Never enough brass.
You can always sell it for scrap or use it for trading material.

The last time I sold brass at a scrap yard I was paid $1.90 per lb, it is always worth something.

[dale2242]

I sold 40+ lbs of junk brass yesterday for $1.58 lb.
In common handgun and 223/5.56 I have buckets full.
In calibers like 218 Bee, 22 Hornet, 25-20 and 44 Auto Mag I have a few hundred.
For the calibers we hunt with I have at least 100 for each.
Driving to the hills and picking up brass at favorite shooting spots is a hobby for my wife and myself.
I clean and sell the excess brass here on S&S.

[BrutalAB]

Enough that if production stops you arent worried.

Used to be a back of the mind thing....

[Burnt Fingers]

I get real antsy if my supply of brass gets low.

My minimum levels are:

9mm - 10 gallons
45 ACP -10 gallons
10mm - 5 gallons
38 SPL - 3 gallons
357 Mag - 3 gallons
44 Mag - 2 gallons
327 FM - 1000 rounds
223 - 10 gallons
300 BO - 5 gallons
350 Legend - still working on getting a minimum of 1000 rounds
7.62x39 - 2000 rounds
308 - 5 gallons
.30-06 2 gallons



I've got a bunch of brass I don't have firearms for. I should gather it all up and put it in the S&S.

[Bmi48219]

Cargo, When it comes to maintaining spousal harmony while pursuing manly things you have to play to your strong suits. You have a big family & friends group that benefit from your hobby, are any in-laws or your wife’s friend’s husbands? If so they are good reasons / excuses for having more brass than your wife thinks necessary. Something like: ”...honey, you know dad’s birthday is coming up. I wanted to give him a gift he’ll really like” or “your brother needs to practice more...”.
You can show her ads from retailers with exorbitant brass prices, then explain the super deals you get on 1X brass so she realizes “all that junk” is a valuable commodity that can be quickly and profitability liquidated.
If need be, admit shooting & reloading requires a certain financial investment. Be prepared to present receipts that demonstrate your cost per reloaded round versus current factory ammo prices. You get the idea, accent the positive benefits your stuff has to everyone, including her.
The other thing you need to think of is how your brass storage/ reloading area looks. It doesn’t matter if the wife’s closet looks like Hiroshima the day after, ( and if it does NEVER make that observation while discussing your reloading area). Your space will be always held to a higher standard. The neater it is the less friction it will cause. That rules out overfilled 5 gallon pails, coffee cans and boxes of various sizes spilling dirty brass all over the basement / garage. Get some uniform rectangular storage containers (doors are a must) that will use all the space in the storage cabinets you find or buy at a thrift shop. Sort & process & store brass as you get it; out of sight is out of mind. And keep the loading bench clean, it also helps to have a few framed photos of her and/or her family on walls you’re not using for storage cabinets.. Get rid of brass you don’t use.
If you’re spouse doesn’t shoot get her started! A shared interest will smooth over issues resulting from you’re occasional failure to follow the above suggestions.
One final caution, Women don't always view things objectively so repress ANY urge to compare your reloading possessions to her shoe, jewelry or any other collection. That seldom ends on a positive note.
It has taken me a few years to figure this out. In that time my reloading space has tripled in size. Yours will too.

[Cargo]

That is definitely solid advice.

[Walks]

How much do You shoot ? how often do You want to reload ?

[lightman]

In general, how many cases do you try to have on hand? Do you have a per caliber minimum or a per firearm minimum?

Curious as I'm trying to stay out of the deep dark stinky stuff with the spousal unit.

Tough question. I do not have set quantities but I have more than I'll ever use. But I still pick it up. Just can't help it! Like many of you I have gifted new or needy reloaders brass and I have sold quite a bit over the years in calibers that I don't load. Its a sickness!!!

[Bad Ass Wallace]

I'm a 'wildcat' tragic, 17AH, 17/222Rimmed, 17MachIV, 218 Mashburn Bee, 270 Savage, 303 Epps, 12.7x44R - I like to keep at least 200 loaded rounds and 150 'spare' fireformed cases just in case of uprising or invasion by sabre-toothed field mice!

https://i.imgur.com/6AFUHJM.jpg