spent primers

[Sasquatch-1]

For lack of finding a better place to put this question I will post it here.

I am sure there are some of you out there who load tens of thousands of rounds a year. Has anyone ever scapped the spent primers and how much did you get? Was it by the pound or 1000lb?

This question has been eating at me for years. I don't run enough to make it feasable but I have to know.

[G__Fred]

I drop the spent primers in the recycle brass bucket.
Locally brass is at 2.00/pound.

My last 5/gal bucket scored $135.00.

[ReloaderFred]

They go in with the spent brass. Two weeks ago it was $2.05 a pound here.

Just be sure there aren't any shotgun primers mixed in, as they're steel, not brass. Run a good magnet over your scrap to get all the steel and steel/copper washed cases out. You'll get a better price if you do.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[Roundgunner]

I have a bunch of Fedral primers, silver colored, are they nickel plated brass like cases are? I guess the question is are they worth keeping too?

[ReloaderFred]

Yes, they're brass. Just throw them in with the brass cases and don't mention them when you take it to the recycler. Some won't take it, and some will discount for primers. Others don't care one way or the other and pay the same as brass. There is no standard, just what the individual recycler feels like taking.

When recycling non-ferrous metals, a magnet is your friend.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[Sasquatch-1]

Glad I asked the question. Maybe I need to go through that trash can I have been throwing them in.

[BossHoss]

Dont forget ,

you should save some to re-prime with caps from Walmart

Waste not, want not....someday, we may have to.

[sabrecross03]

I learn something new everyday. I will begin recycling my spent primers.

[hornady]

Up to you but as said above some scrap dealers will not take loose spent primers. Last time I took a bag in at the local guy he had me pick out the cases and would not take the loose spent primers. I would call first, setting on the loading dock sorting brass from primers is a pain.

[Sasquatch-1]

Dont forget ,

you should save some to re-prime with caps from Walmart

Waste not, want not....someday, we may have to.

I'm sorry, Primers arn't as cheap as they use to be but I cannot bring myself to that function yet. Maybe one day I will, but by the the left coast will have outlawed kids caps.

[Sasquatch-1]

Up to you but as said above some scrap dealers will not take loose spent primers. Last time I took a bag in at the local guy he had me pick out the cases and would not take the loose spent primers. I would call first, setting on the loading dock sorting brass from primers is a pain.

How hot do you have to get them to pour ingots?

[BoolitSchuuter]

How hot do you have to get them to pour ingots?

1652ºF to 1724ºF, depending on composition.

[Sasquatch-1]

Up to you but as said above some scrap dealers will not take loose spent primers. Last time I took a bag in at the local guy he had me pick out the cases and would not take the loose spent primers. I would call first, setting on the loading dock sorting brass from primers is a pain.

Did he say why he would not take them?

Could you pick up an inexspenive arbor press and crushed them in a pipe to make a scrap bar that the dealer might take?

[hornady]

It seemed odd to me but he said the spent primer still in the scrap brass was ok, but he could not take the de-capped primers. I did not ask why, you run into all sorts. I also tried to buy lead at the same place, He said he had contracts to fill and would not sell locally.

[bobthenailer]

About 10 years ago i sold a 5 gallon bucket of discarded brass , spent decapped primers they took them all 83 pounds of it
I now am about ready to go agan as i have a 2 1/2 gallon bucket overflowing. if they wont take the primers go to another junk yard ! for me at least the spent decapped primers weigh more than the brass.

[AaronJ]

My local scrapyard has no problem with brass or spent primers. I typically trade my scrap brass for lead.

[mold maker]

The scrap yards are afraid of live primers in the mix. They don't like the excitement. Some yards wont take brass for the same reason.
Can you imagine a live round in their smelter, at brass melting temps?

[uscra112]

Another reason for them to decline primers may be that they're so thin. I worked in an aerospace machine shop for a while. We generated an awful lot of aluminum chips, which the scrap guys wanted "bricked". Reason being that too much of the feathery chips would actually vaporize in the smelter.

[Lloyd Smale]

theyve allways taken mine as scrap.

[shotman]

I found that if you soak them in kerosine and drain, they will take them if there is a smell of oil. Used to do 22 brass that way and scrap dealer would take them everytime