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Buying used brass


B_RAD

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I'm at the point in my life where I want to shoot a lot. For me that means reload a lot. Which means prep a lot or buy already prepped components like cleaned brass. Of course there's got to be a balence between time (mine) and cost.  So, I'm looking into starting to buy processed or cleaned brass in bulk. I've found a few places that it can be bought for <$0.04 ea shipped. That adds up over the 20k rounds I want to shoot next year. However, when I think about the cost (of materials) to do it myself, I'd guess it's really only about $0.02 ea. Again, that's more money that can be spent on other stuff but then there's the time it takes to do it (which can be spent doing other things) So,...there's a trade off on both sides. For me time is more important as long as the cost isn't too much. Plus I HATE picking up brass!

 

Is anyone else buying used brass? If so, do you have anyone you'd recommend?

 

 

Edited by B_RAD
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I recently bought some from Sage's at $24 per 1k cleaned. They are good brass, mostly non-crimped, not enough to bother me on a 650.  Prompt shipping and ready to load.

 

Capital Cartridge in Houston sells big lots of brass, drum of 27,500 pieces for $787 shipped. Comes to about $0.028 cents per piece. 

If you want to clean in bulk, sack up and buy a cement mixer from harbor freight or northern tool and go Miculek on cleaning.

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1 hour ago, spencerhut said:

First, get over picking up brass, try a brass wheel / nut wheel. Makes life a little better. Also bring a tarp and place it where most of your brass lands in practice.

I've used this guy before and his stuff was fine. https://brassmanbrass.com/

I usually just buy new Starline and take the time to pick it up.

I don't need to get over picking up brass. Sometimes you can't pick it up.  

I've used tarps when practicing. Definitely a time saver!

Never used the wheel. 

 

Edited by B_RAD
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14 minutes ago, SCTaylor said:

I recently bought some from Sage's at $24 per 1k cleaned. They are good brass, mostly non-crimped, not enough to bother me on a 650.  Prompt shipping and ready to load.

 

Capital Cartridge in Houston sells big lots of brass, drum of 27,500 pieces for $787 shipped. Comes to about $0.028 cents per piece. 

If you want to clean in bulk, sack up and buy a cement mixer from harbor freight or northern tool and go Miculek on cleaning.

I don't.  That's the point. I'd rather spend the money vs time. 

I'll check those places out. Thanks. 

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2 hours ago, B_RAD said:

I'm at the point in my life where I want to shoot a lot. For me that means reload a lot. Which means prep a lot or buy already prepped components like cleaned brass. Of course there's got to be a balence between time (mine) and cost.  So, I'm looking into starting to buy processed or cleaned brass in bulk. I've found a few places that it can be bought for <$0.04 ea shipped. That adds up over the 20k rounds I want to shoot next year. However, when I think about the cost (of materials) to do it myself, I'd guess it's really only about $0.02 ea. Again, that's more money that can be spent on other stuff but then there's the time it takes to do it (which can be spent doing other things) So,...there's a trade off on both sides. For me time is more important as long as the cost isn't too much. Plus I HATE picking up brass!

 

Is anyone else buying used brass? If so, do you have anyone you'd recommend?

 

 

There are a lot of trustworthy guys selling it right here on the forums generally

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What caliber?

9mm can be had for $20-25/1,000 nearly everywhere these days, except for some people who haven't realized the ammo shortage is mostly over. I buy 1,000 at $25 and 5,000 is like $105.

.40 is as cheap as 9mm from my experience, if not cheaper in some cases.

.45 has crazy swings. I buy mine at $30 or less per 750. I see lots of people charging that for 500. 380 auto is the same way. $40-$60 per thousand.

 

I pick up whatever I can now and just add it to a pile to be cleaned at some point. When I get enough of a pile together then I'll dump a bunch into the bin and let it work while I watch television or load something else. Still haven't used a single case that I've cleaned as I'm still working my way through brass that I've purchased from others. I've bought one batch of 9mm from a guy on Ar-15 and a batch of .40 from a guy I know on another forum. Everything else I've ever bought was local from a gun show. Usually at the show you can buy in bulk and the person is usualy willing to knock off a few bucks a bag if you are buying a hundred bucks in brass. The downside is carrying it all back to the car. Hopefully since i plan on shooting in 2017 in USPSA, I'll be able to pick up all the brass I can get my hands on once i get done helping tear down at the end of a match. Then I won't need to spend a dollar on brass anymore.

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Mostly looking for 9mm. 

Theres no such thing as a free lunch. So, you buy brass and depending on where from, it could have problems. Different problems depending on what's going on.  

 

Unless you want to just buy new brass which I don't. That's too much cost for me. Gotta draw the line somewhere.  

 

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I bet every area has one shooter (my area does) who picks up all the

brass he can get over 4-5 different ranges, cleans it and sells it for

pennies.   Voila, no shipping.   FTF.   You'll bump into him every week or month

at the local shoots ..   Very convenient.  

I see you live "Somewhere" - I'd start "there" and try to find Your Local Shooter who sells clean brass.    :) 

Most of your shooting should probably be practice vs competition - you should be able to save

most of your practice brass and shoot it again, and again.   Reduces the cost of brass a lot.

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When I shoot at my property, I lay down tarps to collect my brass.  Everywhere else, I don't pick up brass, too much hassle.  I also won't pay more than $0.02 per piece delivered.  Occasionally you will see a deal that comes along and I will buy 5 or 10K at,that price.  There is a,reloading group on Facebook called Reloading Central, occasionally you will find 2 cents delivered.

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15 hours ago, Jollymon32 said:

When I shoot at my property, I lay down tarps to collect my brass.  Everywhere else, I don't pick up brass, too much hassle.  I also won't pay more than $0.02 per piece delivered.  Occasionally you will see a deal that comes along and I will buy 5 or 10K at,that price.  There is a,reloading group on Facebook called Reloading Central, occasionally you will find 2 cents delivered.

Check Will Scott on FB. 4K for $85 shipped.

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Check out Dominion Defense on facebook

https://www.facebook.com/DOMINIONDEFENSELLC/?fref=ts

The owners name is Gary Latta.  His brass is fully processed, roll sized and sized/decapped.  It runs awesome in my press and I have very few rounds that dont pass the gauge any more.  I was getting frustrated with other brass in .40 and did not want to invest in my own roll sizer.  Tell him Billy sent you. 

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On 12/7/2016 at 1:46 PM, Sarge said:

There are a lot of trustworthy guys selling it right here on the forums generally

And for cheaper than most of the places I've seen online that specialize in dealing in used brass.

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