Buying Used Brass

[eddiememphis]

It really depends on who you are buying it from. Throw out some names and we can point you to ones that are reputable.

Maverick Reloading and Range Brass come up on AmmoSeek.

 

[Pottimus]

Years back I bought 2,000 9MM from Everglades, one dud 2 extras, they were clean, shipped free. I loaded them and they shot.

 

[sparkyv]

I have only bought/traded used brass from forum members or at swap meets. I've come across a few culls, but otherwise have had excellent results. I agree with Highland Lofts.

I've sold brass meself... including .38's and .357's. Having to look at myself in the mirror every day, I sold it as reloaded brass, not specifically 'once fired,' because I know I'd reloaded it all at least once before, and priced it accordingly.

I've bought some from JOJO on this forum. Maybe 5k worth of 9mm.

I have a sold well over a ton of range brass in lots of rifle * pistol calibers since last October with out any complaints.

Most reloading guys will not screw you.

 

[packetloss]

I've had good luck with used brass. Sure there will be some discards in there, but i'd say at least 95% of what I got was good. There is simply no way to know if brass is truly "once fired" as even from ranges that only allow factory rounds, it still doesn't guarantee that some reloaded cases won't find their way in. Still, of more importance than how many times a case has been reloaded is the quality of the firearm it was shot in and was it a max or above max load(s). Really no way to know as it's all mystery brass unless you fired it yourself.

 

[DanK3Pos]

I’ve bought thousands of cases used. It’s been my experience that I will usually get a few lemons that get pitched right away, a few that go one, two or maaaybe three reloadings then split a case mouth, and the rest get loaded time and time again with no issues.

Stay safe.

Ditto.

 

[twarr1]

A lot of used brass companies buy brass, and sell ‘once-fired’ brass.
That begs the question; if I sell them my 4x fired brass, do they resell it as ‘once-fired’? Unless you know the provenance, the term ‘once-fired’ is meaningless.

 

[jebova2301]

A lot of used brass companies buy brass, and sell ‘once-fired’ brass.
That begs the question; if I sell them my 4x fired brass, do they resell it as ‘once-fired’? Unless you know the provenance, the term ‘once-fired’ is meaningless.

They absolutely will sell it as "once fired" brass. Before I was aware of this, I would always just take brass that I knew was nearing the end of it's life to a range where I would let it drop and not care. After realizing this, I started keeping all my 223/5.56 brass that has been through 5 reloads and just started crushing it and giving it to my neighbor to take to the scrapyard, then he would bring me however much lead the brass scrap was worth. I feel a lot better about it, since I know it won't potentially fail on someone, and I also get lead I can cast into 9mm and 10mm bullets to keep me going. Everybody wins.

 

[Encoreman]

Even once fired brass can fail. I got some 30-30 brass from my son and upon examination of the RP brass at least 2 had split necks, this was truly once fired and I understand 30-30 brass has thin necks. That is why this hobby isn't for the careless people that are in a big hurry. If you are in that big a rush, go and buy some new ammo.

 

[bullseye308]

I have bought brass once, and I didn’t even use it and sold it a couple years later. The rest of my brass is range pickup. As long as you go over it thoroughly when you get it, and don’t be afraid to scrap any that are questionable, you will most likely be just fine. Same with buying “once fired” brass from anyone. Most will probably be once fired, but even some of that could be bad or about to be bad. Quite a few times at the range I have seen folks shooting factory and had cases fail on the first firing.

 

[NMexJim]

Names, please? Thanks.

Check your local CCL trainers. They tend to request you don’t use reloads. Some sell mixed brass by the bucket load.

 

[eddiememphis]

I bought 250 from Maverick Reloading. Came nice and clean. 264 pieces and only 2 questionable.

 

[Elkins45]

Unless your dies have issues or you are loading to insane levels straight walled pistol brass will last for dozens of loading. There was a test published in one of the gun magazines back in the 70s where they loaded 38 special cases from the major brands to see which lasted longer. The cases were sore durable they eventually resorted to reducing thr sample size to one piece, and all lasted over 100 firings.

 

[roque5]

Quality brass sellers will always add more than was ordered to compensate for the occasional bad one, For your target rounds you can shoot them more times than you can count, For your EDC social loads just save the best you can find, When I go to the range with a friend that does not reload I get his real once fired brass that I separate for social loads. I always give him some of my target loads as a thank you. Yes I know one is supposed to NOT carry reloads for SD but these are goofy times.

 

[eddiememphis]

For your EDC social loads just save the best you can find

There are a lot that look like new. There were 19 different brands, mostly Federal and Starline. Any I should avoid?

 

[bluejay75]

It’s hard to shoot out 38 SPC, 357, 44 and 45 Colt.

Bottle neck rifle brass is a whole different animal. You won’t be able to tell if it’s been fired once or 20 times. Typically for rifle brass, I only sell headstamps I don’t use. When the batches I use are worn out, I toss them.

 

[roque5]

There are a lot that look like new. There were 19 different brands, mostly Federal and Starline. Any I should avoid?

I do not want to disparage any one in particular so will not name anyone, overtime you will develop your own likes and dislikes.

 

[bluejay75]

There are a lot that look like new. There were 19 different brands, mostly Federal and Starline. Any I should avoid?

Out of the thousands and thousands of 357 loads that I have shot I really can’t say that there’s a bad HS out there.

 

[cfullgraf]

In the 1980's and 1990's, I never had any issues with buying used, fired handgun cases. At the time, I was not shooting much rifle so I do not have any opinion of once fired rifle cases.

As time turned into the 2000's and beyond, I feel cases are not as represented by the seller. I could manage with handgun cases and cull the poor examples but I've been shooting more rifle and for the most part, the condition of "once fired" rifle cases are poor.

I did get some once fired 308W cases from a THR member a few years ago that are excellent. So, knowing the source can provide good, used cases.

Generally, these days, I either buy new cases or use once fired cases I generate.

 

[Hondo 60]

With a reputable site, they'll add 5-10 extra cases.
In some shipments you'll find no junk, in some 5-10.

I just bought 500 nickel 38 spec +p from Capital Cartridge..
I found zero junk & probably 15 extra, meaning 515 cases total

 

[AR. Hillbilly]

This last winter I bought 1000 used 223/556 from the range master. He told me he threw in a few extra to make up for culls and that if I had a bunch to let him know. upon the initial inspection I counted around 1250. Of these maybe 25 went immediately to the scrap. Along the prepping and sorting process I tossed a few more. I separated the 556 and gave them back to the range master and he gave me more 223.
I have a lot of time wrapped up in this brass and it’s got many different head stamps.

 

[hdwhit]

I have been hand-loading for 43 years. I have bought approximately 230 rounds of loaded ammunition in my lifetime (although I did also inherit about 350 rounds from my grandparents).

My advice is to:
1) Consider any "used" brass - regardless of whether or not it is advertised as "once-fired" - as having been been fired many times.
2) The one exception to the above would be brass that still had a crimped-in primer.
3) Deprime the brass, clean it (by tumbling, weak acid soak, etc.) and then inspect it thoroughly.
4) While you are learning, don't hesitate to buy a cheap caliper and compare critical dimensions on your "once-fired" brass to SAAMI specifications. It takes time, but it puts you in intimate contact with your brass and that's how you develop an "eye" for what to accept and what to throw out.

While you build experience, be very critical and toss anything out-of-the-ordinary or that you don't understand. Recyclers are paying good money for scrap brass. Don't hesitate to post pictures here on HighRoad and ask the advice of experts. That is, after all, how we learn a subjective skill.

Good luck.

 

[JFrank]

I do not buy any used brass nor would I re load anything but my own brass fired in my chamber.
Its not that expensive to buy new so that's what I do.

 

[gnappi]

I'd personally have little reservations about buying once fired 357 brass because in my experience buying used brass has more often than not been once fired. Reloaders would not likely leave brass at the range with the exception of at a competition. So what I would do with 357's is a simple handful of brass "chink" test, shaking it to listen for split cases. In 38 / 357 brass this will show even the smallest crack, and any unlikely bulges will easily be seen when handling for reloading.

 

[Reloadron]

I found some .357 online but am hesitant to purchase it, fearing a lot of junk.

Obviously each case will need careful inspection. How much waste can I expect to find in a bag of 250?

I would suggest you read all of the post. You will see names of reliable vendors. Also consider you can buy 1,000 new cases from a retailer like Starline Brass for about $161 delivered. My last "backordered" took about a week. Anyway, it pays to find a reputable seller or you risk getting garbage brass.

Ron

 

[The Glockodile]

I was once suckered by this guy purporting to be a veteran needing some extra cash, selling once - fired Lake City 7.62x51mm brass.

I bought three thousand.

Upon receiving them, the case lips appeared peened from excess STM tumbling - whatever, I can fix that...

...but, guess what!

I got my first examples of case head separations!

Because STM tumbling obfuscates the external incipient separation lines heralding such!

Thank goodness that I was paranoid enough to use them in my bolt guns first!!!

Imagine the KABOOMs I would've had if I fired them through my ARs!!!

Bottom line - always be suspicious of second - hand brass!!!