Range Brass Quality - Newb Q&A

[triplepete]

I am gonna invest in reloading equipment for pistol ammo and I have started collecting 9mm, .40sw, and .45acp.

The range I attend rents guns and all shoot factory ammo so I have a good collection of 9mm, but some members reload and shoot all 3 calibers. So I am wondering how can tell if the brass is okay to reload?

 

[Hotwheels81]

When the primer pockets loosen up to the point it takes little or no effort to seat a new primer... You will develope a feel for it.

Cases that are split or buldged.

Pistol brass lasts a very very long time compared to bottleneck rifle cartridges.

 

[ATOM]

Other ones to avoid:

• If it's badly scratched from being stepped on on rocky gravel
  
  
• If it's badly corroded
  
  
• Some brands come with primer pockets that are just a hair too small for normal primers. You can ream them out or use special primers, but it's a PITA. S&B 9mm comes to mind. Winchester NT ammo uses odd sizes - small pistol primers for .45. All that's a personal choice.
  
  
• similarly, MILSPEC ammo will generally have the primer crimped in place, which will make reloading a new primer difficult. Once you swage or grind or drill out that crimp, they last forever.
  
  
• anything with Berdan priming or non-brass cases (which do turn up from time to time)
  
  
• any piece of brass somebody much larger than yourself is reaching for at the same time.

Oh, and physically look into each case you glean. I broke a depriming pin on a rock wedged inside a 9mm early on. Learned from that and my roommate of the time learned some new words.

Woops! Late edit! If you're shooting range ammo, check the rules with them first. Many ranges sell cheaper ammo so they can resell the brass. Some will get very pi**y about you helping yourself. Check first.

 

[colinjw]

I agree 100% with the comments already posted.
Another thing to watch for. Winchester now loads their .45ACP with small primers. All the other companies have remained with large primers. When you collect them I would suggest sorting them into small & large.

 

[oneskilledshooter]

All great tips.

One thing you can look at to get an idea of how many times it has been fired is look for extractor marks on the sides and count them.

 

[triplepete]

Other ones to avoid:

• If it's badly scratched from being stepped on on rocky gravel
  
  
• If it's badly corroded
  
  
• Some brands come with primer pockets that are just a hair too small for normal primers. You can ream them out or use special primers, but it's a PITA. S&B 9mm comes to mind. Winchester NT ammo uses odd sizes - small pistol primers for .45. All that's a personal choice.
  
  
• similarly, MILSPEC ammo will generally have the primer crimped in place, which will make reloading a new primer difficult. Once you swage or grind or drill out that crimp, they last forever.
  
  
• anything with Berdan priming or non-brass cases (which do turn up from time to time)
  
  
• any piece of brass somebody much larger than yourself is reaching for at the same time.

Oh, and physically look into each case you glean. I broke a depriming pin on a rock wedged inside a 9mm early on. Learned from that and my roommate of the time learned some new words.

Woops! Late edit! If you're shooting range ammo, check the rules with them first. Many ranges sell cheaper ammo so they can resell the brass. Some will get very pi**y about you helping yourself. Check first.

LoL, great tips, thanks. I am lucky this range is very busy and the staff just sweep it all down range. Ladies nights are super busy so they sell a lot of factory ammo those nights. They don't mind if you de brass the floor for them.