10 gallons of once fired

[goldpelican]

Think I did okay today - two 5 gallon buckets of indoor range brass for $175. Paid about $1.30 a pound.

Only about 100 aluminum cases and no steel - I think it had had a magnet run over it before I got it. Not too much 22LR either - less than a pound.

The big surprise was the amount of live ammo (dropped over the edge by shooters at the range) - a pair of 357 Magnums, ten 9mm, about twenty 22LR (six with soft firing pin marks), some 380s...

I now have a 5 gallon bucket full to the brim with unwashed/unsorted 9mm/40SW/10mm (a lot more 10mm than expected), a third of a bucket with washed 223/5.56, a huge pile of 45 ACP, a few hundred 38/357, some 44 Magnum and over fifty 50AE. I found a *single* 308 which was a bummer (the range is rated for them), about twenty 30-06, some brass boxer primed 7.62x54R, and that was about it for rifle.

Plan is to pick what I can use, and trade the rest for more components. The 5 gallon of 9mm etc is the "urgh do I have to" pile!

 

[Havok7416]

So the question would be (in my head anyway), what can you use and what needs to go? I'm sure there are many here who could likely help you out.

 

[jmorris]

I guess it depends on what you were wanting and how much work your into not just sorting but selling what you don't want but for around $35 more per bucket, you could buy 5 gallons of say .233 or .40 already sorted.

http://www.coloradooncefiredbrass.com/Once-Fired-Bulk-Brass-Cases-s/1814.htm

As far as sorting 5 gallon buckets of brass I built this contraption that makes it much less work.

 

[goldpelican]

Yeah I know I could have just bought bulk brass of a single caliber - but where's the Sunday arvo fun in that. When I get around to it some will go on the PIF thread, and some I will sell - the large primer 45, 40SW and 10mm I have no intention of hanging onto.

 

[hdwhit]

goldpelican wrote:
...two 5 gallon buckets of indoor range brass...

You just posted that to make me envious of you, didn't you?

Congratulations on the brass.

The 5 gallon of 9mm etc is the "urgh do I have to" pile!

I'm sure you can find some cash-strapped reloader who would be willing to sort them out for you on a "2 for you, 1 for him" basis. I'm not cash strapped and I'd be willing to do it; I find it helps me keep my sanity.

 

[dredd]

When you get ready to liquidate the left overs, I'd sure be interested in the 10MM Cases.

 

[Sunray]

Aluminum cases you should demand a refund for. Mind you, you still know nothing whatever about that brass. What's been done to it. Or how many times.

 

[goldpelican]

Store policy where the range is at is new manufacture ammo only, no reloads or remanufactured. I think I saw two cases with "that should be a gold primer not silver!" hints of being reloads snuck in. Only three reject cases in the two buckets so far.

Less than a pound of aluminum cases out of ~135lb of brass. Was expecting a lot more. I knew it was going to be floor sweepings, so the lack of shotgun hulls and steel cases was a bonus in my eyes.

They tried to get me to buy a full 44 gallon drum which is how they normally sell it - this was a one time deal.

Have processed about half of it. For some reason I decided to deprime all of the 45 ACP even though I will be trading it. Sitting in line waiting to be put in the vibrator - it's been running all day. Won't be depriming the 40SW!

 

[wally]

a lot more 10mm than expected)

A large reason as to why I don't shoot my 10mm pistols much -- the ejection is so violent that I lose most of the brass!

 

[goldpelican]

Had a box from Midway arrive today. Mental blank for a minute trying to remember what I had ordered. Was the set of Shell Sorters - made quick work of the 5 gallons of remaining brass (which turned out to be 4.5 gallons of 380/9mm). Should have bought the 380 plate to go with the set :/

Cleaned all of the remaining 22LR out in no time. Just need to separate 40SW from 10mm to finish cleaning out what I'm not keeping, and I'll be down to just the 380/9mm to sort, which I have heaps of already, so I'm putting the lid on that bucket and forgetting about it for now.

 

[wally]

Just need to separate 40SW from 10mm to finish cleaning out what I'm not keeping, and I'll be down to just the 380/9mm to sort

Culling the 9mm from the .380 and 9mm Mak is my biggest frustration!

We don't shoot a lot of .380, but when we do I don't worry about finding the brass as I've got more than enough that got picked up along with my 9mm brass. More than a few .380 cases has snuck through and been loaded as 9mm, never caused an issue when shot, but I still try to catch them before I reload or shoot them.

 

[goldpelican]

I usually sit them all on the counter and run my eye over them to spot the "shorties". Do the same with 38/357 but the difference is a lot more apparent, and I'm usually dealing with fewer cases.

 

[Toprudder]

Here is a good way to sort 380 <> 9mm