Once fired brass????

[rondog]

I've been picking up brass at my club and selling it for years. Vast majority of it is obviously new, right down to the boxes in the trash cans. But I never make the "once-fired" claim because I didn't buy it and shoot it. That's just not honest, IMO.....

[Three44s]

I have been processing a large quantity of commercial and former mil .223 for some time during this season of shortages.

If you look at the case head itself you can tell the very old worn “dogs” pretty quickly. Some have rounded heads. Some have head stamps so battered over the lettering is barely distinguishable.

Three44s

[FISH4BUGS]

I really don't care.
I reload the brass until there is something wrong with the brass then recycle it. I bet some of my 38 special brass has been reloaded 10 times or more. All my handgun brass is like that.
223/308? Same thing. Use it until you can't.
What's the big deal?
Even a case head separation can be dealt with.

[bedbugbilly]

1 X fired? It would be interesting to know just how much "range brass" that gets picked up and sold as 1X fired is actually 1X fired because who really knows.

Probably 95% of all the brass in different calibers has been used and range brass - with the exception of some starling or other and even new brass needs yo be sized and inspected.

A good lesson from was when I started reloading - I have been shooting for over 55 years but didn't start reloading until maybe 25 years ago - have lost track of the time. Like many - wanted to do it right, get the right equipment and so on - and like many, I started with 38 spl. I wanted the "right brass" too - so bought a box of 500 new starling. Then a few guys who knew I was starting out would hand me a big bag of used 38 spl. brass to get started - and it was ? how many times it was fired but it worked just fine. I threw it all in a small tote and along the way i would pick up brass at the range - if it was something I didn't load, I gave it to someone who did. If I ran across used 38 spl at a good price, I picked it up and tossed it in the tote. When it splits, I toss it but I have some I have marked at nd it is still going strong after 18 or so loadings. And - I, too, have handed bags of it to some young fellows getting started.

The original box of 500 Starline 38 spl that I bought? LOL It's still in the box,

[4719dave]

Some of these are very hard to read it even funny ,the best one is range brass is usually fired 3.4.5 times .really how many range guys reloads vs new shooters that's funny ..... I sell reworked brass ,I shoot it all the time with no issues even in machine guns yes sir 20,000 $ guns no problem been at this since I was 16 years old .I have over 3k invested in a commercial roll sizer ,over 5k into my Dillon press and mark 7 drive and case gauges .

[FISH4BUGS]

Some of these are very hard to read it even funny ,the best one is range brass is usually fired 3.4.5 times .really how many range guys reloads vs new shooters that's funny ..... I sell reworked brass ,I shoot it all the time with no issues even in machine guns yes sir 20,000 $ guns no problem been at this since I was 16 years old .I have over 3k invested in a commercial roll sizer ,over 5k into my Dillon press and mark 7 drive and case gauges .

As do I. I don't roll size but the Dillon has probably a half million rounds through it. My customer number at Dillon is 19XX.
I pick up brass and use them in the MG's and don't worry about it. Split neck? Scrap.
My worry is not the brass - it is a double charge. You will never guess how i learned THAT lesson!

[gwpercle]

I've always been a brass scavenger . Early on Sunday mornings , about daylight , I would drive to the local public outdoor range with broom and dust pan to clean up . Very few people reloaded in 1967 and fired brass was everywhere . Some lying on the pavement and lots put back in factory box and dropped in trash barrel ... I would take everything reloadable , no rimfire and no berdan if I could help it .
It has been 50 years and only recently have I bought any new brass ...Starline 357 Magnum , 100 cases . I did buy some 9mm luger but that was range brass from local indoor shooting range .
I did buy some 284 Winchester cases in 1968 to form into 7.5 Swiss for reloading but they were also once fired .
Seems like most everything I've loaded has been with once fired brass ... besides , after you shoot it that first time ... it's once fired brass !
I still have several 5 gallon buckets of fired brass I'll never load .. but I'm glad to have them if I do need it .
Gary

[.429&H110]

I have found in my .44 that if I load to max (!) I will split some necks. 95% of max and I can shoot them for 30 cycles or more, I retire them at 30 and the walls mike fine I haven't lost a casehead (yet). A box of 50 makes 1500. I sort by case length and crimp to length on a rockchucker. Seems like the brass stops stretching after a point. After a dozen cycles the primer pockets need to be uniformed again, easy enough.

Thank you for this forum!
glad I met the guy who taught me
"The future of shooting is learning reloading"

An optimist says the glass is half full
pessimist: half empty
reloader says, fill it up again.

[abunaitoo]

I could care less how many times it's been fired.
When it splits, it goes into the recycle bucket.
I do try and save the 7.5x55, 7.7x58, 8mm, 6.5 anything, but annealing the necks.
They do get hardened.
When I sell brass, it's listed as range pick-up.
I'm sure most of it is once fired, but how would I know????
Those who ask for once fired only, are just asking for problems.
Get em, clean em, inspect em, sort em, and reload em.
Been working for me all these years.

[tankgunner59]

Like you I use my once fired brass. I also use range brass that I and others have policed. I figure the same way, that I'll scrap it when the signs of age show up. As for the fascination with once fired I believe it's that "certified" once fired can be fired several more times with proper care, on average.

[Cosmic_Charlie]

I got 500 primed 7.62 NATO brass from Everglades just before this covid nonsense hit. Loaded it up with cast boolits and 2400. It looked kind of tarnished and there was about 40 pieces with folds on the case mouth which is why it was pulled down most likely. It all goes boom. It tumbles clean and reloads nicely. At the rate I shoot it, it will keep me in .308 brass till the end.

Also got 500 once fired 30-30 brass from a different outfit that was in fine shape.

[bakerjw]

In another post, I spoke of being an RSO at our club. I scarf up all of the bras that I can find. If someone is shooting and doesn't reload, I tell them to leave it and I'll get it. If someone does reload, they are usually very picky about getting it back and I help them.
Had an Aussie and his New Zealand wife shooting one day. All IMI in 308 and 5.56. Now that was a good day to be an RSO.

God forbid I ever score several thousand SRPs as I will then put some of this brass to good use.

[Three44s]

In another post, I spoke of being an RSO at our club. I scarf up all of the bras that I can find. If someone is shooting and doesn't reload, I tell them to leave it and I'll get it. If someone does reload, they are usually very picky about getting it back and I help them.
Had an Aussie and his New Zealand wife shooting one day. All IMI in 308 and 5.56. Now that was a good day to be an RSO.

God forbid I ever score several thousand SRPs as I will then put some of this brass to good use.

I know it’s a typo but can’t resist ..... You must have some women libers there if you are scooping up “bras”!

What’s your wife say when you drag them home. Mine would beat the tar out of me .......



Three44s

[FISH4BUGS]

I know it’s a typo but can’t resist ..... You must have some women libers there if you are scooping up “bras”!

What’s your wife say when you drag them home. Mine would beat the tar out of me .......



Three44s

I had to chuckle at the typo also....just the scene would be very funny.
A bunch of women's libbers making a DOUBLE political statement....removing their bras and shooting.