I seem to remember reading somewhere that people take used/spent primers to a salvage yard to sell them. I know it may vary by area but what do you get for them? Is it worth the trouble to save them? Do you have to do anything with them so they will take them? Thanks
Spent primers-Value??
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buck460XVR
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I just dump my spent primers in with my other brass when I take it to the scrappers. They are worth whatever scrap brass is worth apparently.
LiveLife
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Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc.
I do what buck does, toss the spent primers in with the split/damaged brass (I use a large plastic Folgers coffee can) and when full, take to the recycler for scrap metal pricing along with other metal recyclables.
Primer cups/anvils are made from brass (regardless of anvil finish/color and cups can be nickel plated brass) and last time I checked, scrap brass was around $1 - $1.50 per pound (but price can change from location/state and depending on market price).
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ReloaderFred
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I've been recycling spent primers for years. My current recycler requests that I keep them separate, since they're so small, just so he can put them in a container for small stuff. I took over 300 pounds of brass to the recycler two months ago, and the price at that time was $1.52 a pound for "cartridge brass", which is what primers are. About 20 pounds of that was spent primers. It's considered "yellow brass" by some recyclers, and others just classify it as "cartridge brass" for simplicity. Prices vary by locale, and sometimes whether or not they have competition.
Some recyclers won't take primers, simply because they don't want to mess with them. It's a good idea to check with your local recyclers (if you have more than one) and see if they will take them, and if they'll pay the same as cartridge brass. I've had recyclers in the past pay less for primers, and their simple explanation was, "they're primers, and we pay less for them". I no longer do business with that company.
As a side note, I also take the slag from casting bullets to the recycler. They paid me .15 cents a pound for it the last time, as it's considered "dirty lead" in the recycling business. I had asked in the past if they would take it, and he told me to "bring it in, everything has some value", which is much better than throwing it away.
Hope this helps.
Fred
Some recyclers won't take primers, simply because they don't want to mess with them. It's a good idea to check with your local recyclers (if you have more than one) and see if they will take them, and if they'll pay the same as cartridge brass. I've had recyclers in the past pay less for primers, and their simple explanation was, "they're primers, and we pay less for them". I no longer do business with that company.
As a side note, I also take the slag from casting bullets to the recycler. They paid me .15 cents a pound for it the last time, as it's considered "dirty lead" in the recycling business. I had asked in the past if they would take it, and he told me to "bring it in, everything has some value", which is much better than throwing it away.
Hope this helps.
Fred
LiveLife
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I tell people reloading is the great recycling hobby activity as just about everything related to reloading is recyclable.
Even amazon cardboard boxes get recycled as target backing and when I am done with them, they get recycled full of holes.
buck460XVR
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Generally right around $1.50 a pound. I usually take my brass in when I have a trailer full of aluminum cans to recycle, so most of the time I don't care what the price is, it' just an easy way to get rid of it and get a few cents in return. How many primers I have in the bucket is dependent on how much reloading I've done. Many times, when I have other folks shoot with me at my personal range and their caliber/calibers are different than mine, and they don't reload, their brass, regardless of condition goes into my scrap bucket. Same goes for when I go to the local Sportsman's Club range. Any brass I pick up off the ground or empty outta the trash cans that I don't reload, gets thrown in the scrap bucket. Never amounts to a whole lot, but sometimes amounts to a pound of powder or a thousand primers. The scrap man does not care if the primers are still in the brass or loose.
OK, thanks everyone. If it's anywhere near $1.00 per pound it's well worth it IMO. I've got about 2-3 years worth right now. That's 3 1pd powder containers full to the top. I only pick up range brass I shoot-9mm-but maybe I need to start getting it all from now on.
Just don't do like I did and throw live primers in with old primers. I messed up some loads (100) and had to resize them and punch the primer out. Those primers went into the scrap can with the old primers. I was just going to trash can them, but cases get recycled. Like @bds I recycle boxes from work as target holders and when shot up they get burned instead of recycle bucket. I try not to let the local trash guys or neighbors know I have firearms.
LiveLife
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ArchAngelCD
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When the catch tube is half full on my Lee CTP I also just dump it in the scrap brass bucket. When the car little buckets full it goes to the recycler, about 40lbs. Last time I was there brass was 1.36/lb. Years ago I used to use that money to buy components, now days the $54-$60 is used to take the wife out to dinner.
buck460XVR
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That's too bad. My local trash guys and neighbors are all avid hunters and/or gun owners. Several of us have bird dogs from the same local breeder. Some of us shoot sporting clays together on Wednesday nights. Several of us have hunted pheasants together over the years. Have had the privilege to teach hunter safety to many of the neighbor kids. Had a range set up in my backyard for many years, where my boys, their friends and the rest of the neighborhood kids would come and shoot BB/Pellet guns.
Things have changed buck. I live in the country, but have neighbors close enough I can’t shoot big stuff and they can see when I transport stuff. Lady next doors kid has been in and out of prison and he’s not a fan of us after hitting his handicapped mom and pulling the phone out of the wall. I called the sheriff on him when he tried sneaking back in several days later after running from them when the incident occurred. Other neighbors are cool though. Most the sanitation workers are from more rural parts of our county and would be okay but we also get former inmates from the prison 1mile away walking home after release.
One day I left work early and was sitting in the chair with the blinds turned where I could see out but not in. A female walked up and looked in the windows and then pecked ever so slightly on the front door, talking to herself. She walked around the porch peaking in the window and then did the same to my neighbors while talking to herself. I called the sheriff and they stated she was a mental released from the jail. When the deputy was talking to her she was making faces at me and smiling and laughing. Said she wanted a drink of water. The less people know about what I have the better. Friends and family know what I have and even how to get into it, but unfortunately the world we live in is getting worse and worse by the day.
Toprudder
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My shooting buddy runs a metal reclamation place, so I save up all my scrap and give it to him. He lets me know when a range brings in a bunch of brass, and he will sort out some of the larger calibers that I reload. I swap him pound-for-pound, my scraps for new brass.
He told me that brass casings are worth about 10 cents less per pound than most other brass, since shipping it to China is forbidden (nothing ammo related allowed). I think the going price right now is about $1.40.
He told me that brass casings are worth about 10 cents less per pound than most other brass, since shipping it to China is forbidden (nothing ammo related allowed). I think the going price right now is about $1.40.
LiveLife
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Sweet deal!
Around here, the scrap metal places give you NOTHING for range brass or primers. A few years ago I got a little over $1/lb. Now it's like 0.37 cents/lb
The just don't want it. Aluminum cans are worth more per pound.
My collecting brass from the range for a retirement fund is done! It costs more in gas to drive to the salvage yard.
The just don't want it. Aluminum cans are worth more per pound.
My collecting brass from the range for a retirement fund is done! It costs more in gas to drive to the salvage yard.
iShoot17
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Two local places were paying $0.80 and $1.00 for cartridge brass about 1.5 months ago. It included primers and they didn’t seem to think twice about it!
The place that was giving $1.00 is a good company. They are Christian, they want to know ya, and they help out new scrappers. (The one gentleman will hop in the back of your truck and sort though you shredder to try and get you more money! I know I appreciated it when I first started scrapping.)
The place that was giving $1.00 is a good company. They are Christian, they want to know ya, and they help out new scrappers. (The one gentleman will hop in the back of your truck and sort though you shredder to try and get you more money! I know I appreciated it when I first started scrapping.)
Highland Lofts
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I pick up any range brass at the pit I shoot at with my grandson left by other shooters. I toss the damaged brass in a three gall9n bucket and the knocked out primers go into mayo jars. When i get six or so meyo jars full I dump them into a gallon & a half plastic bucket.
The recycle yard I go to paid 90 cents a pound for the cases and primers.my grandson gets the cash from the scrape.
We also save the aluminum soda & beer cans for him to recycle. They are paying 25 cents a pound for them.
I bought a can crusher from Harbor Freight for him to crush the cans so they don't take up so much space.
We also pick up the aluminum cans people leave at the pit.
It all adds up.
The recycle yard I go to paid 90 cents a pound for the cases and primers.my grandson gets the cash from the scrape.
We also save the aluminum soda & beer cans for him to recycle. They are paying 25 cents a pound for them.
I bought a can crusher from Harbor Freight for him to crush the cans so they don't take up so much space.
We also pick up the aluminum cans people leave at the pit.
It all adds up.
My scrap yard pays the same for gun brass as spent primers, last I checked it was $1.20/lbs a week ago. When I get to 70 lbs of scrap I start checking the price per lb. I don't like to have to much of it in my way, space is precious.
That is still money.
Zaydok Allen
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I bought a new oven a month or two back. My local scrap dealer gave me 3 whole dollars for the old one. I enjoyed me that half a beer on their dollar.
Seriously though, I feel kind of stupid. I've just been pitching my spent primers. I have a scrap brass bucket that rimfire and junked cases go into, but I'll have to call them and see if they'd take the primers also. If so, I'll start dumping them in a coffee can. No reason to waste.
Seriously though, I feel kind of stupid. I've just been pitching my spent primers. I have a scrap brass bucket that rimfire and junked cases go into, but I'll have to call them and see if they'd take the primers also. If so, I'll start dumping them in a coffee can. No reason to waste.
lightman
Member
I suggest that you call around some before loading up and driving very far. Some of the yards around here won't buy cartridge brass. And sometimes there is a big enough difference in price to justify the effort.
Like many of you, I can't pass up a cartridge case laying out the ground. I save the dented and damaged cases for scrap along with my spent primers. I did sell the calibers that I don't load but I recently joined a forum made up of brass traders. Sometimes I swap cases that I don't load for cases that I need. As you can guess, theres not much market for 223's, 9mm's or 40 S&W right now.
I even save wheel weight clips when I smelt wheel weights. I recently sold 628 pounds, 2 30 gallon barrels! Pretty much paid for the propane from melting the weights. I've never sold the dross like another poster says he did. The way I flux, my dross is nothing but charred paint, dirt and carbon.
Like many of you, I can't pass up a cartridge case laying out the ground. I save the dented and damaged cases for scrap along with my spent primers. I did sell the calibers that I don't load but I recently joined a forum made up of brass traders. Sometimes I swap cases that I don't load for cases that I need. As you can guess, theres not much market for 223's, 9mm's or 40 S&W right now.
I even save wheel weight clips when I smelt wheel weights. I recently sold 628 pounds, 2 30 gallon barrels! Pretty much paid for the propane from melting the weights. I've never sold the dross like another poster says he did. The way I flux, my dross is nothing but charred paint, dirt and carbon.
lightman
Member
I bought a new oven a month or two back. My local scrap dealer gave me 3 whole dollars for the old one. I enjoyed me that half a beer on their dollar.
Seriously though, I feel kind of stupid. I've just been pitching my spent primers. I have a scrap brass bucket that rimfire and junked cases go into, but I'll have to call them and see if they'd take the primers also. If so, I'll start dumping them in a coffee can. No reason to waste.
They make a nice April Fools joke too! You can post up a for sale add for a thousand once fired primers!
jmorris
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Rough night so someone check me but...
At $1.50 per pound for spent primers, there would be 1750, 4 grain spent primers in a pound.
So dividing $1.50 into 1750 pieces gives a value of $0.00085714285, per spent primer.
Every 12 you save will earn you a penny. 100 would get you $0.08 and 1000 would get you $0.85.
At $1.50 per pound for spent primers, there would be 1750, 4 grain spent primers in a pound.
So dividing $1.50 into 1750 pieces gives a value of $0.00085714285, per spent primer.
Every 12 you save will earn you a penny. 100 would get you $0.08 and 1000 would get you $0.85.
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