>>BRASS<< How much is enough?

[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!