Who here saves spent primers and dead brass cases for scrap?

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I was wondering about this, then checked some U.S. sites and it is very common. Due to the fact of the drying up pure lead supplys,

and having to buy from scrap dealers for pure lead. It does bring down the cost and for some, it pays off big time!

Usless brass is worth cash! pistol and rifle primers are worth cash! Even shot shell primers add up but do not mix them up!
 
i use to keep the old brass , got lucky one time buying some Romanian 7.62x39mm that were brass , i filled a full crate of empty and one of steel and got 54$ not much for the steel but for the brass it was good ^^
 
I'm no expert but from talkng with few reloaders they get rid of used primers as it does contain lead (very fine powdery lead) so it can easily off gas, they might be correct or might be wrong but I do get rid of mine when reloading.
 
elnady said:
I'm no expert but from talkng with few reloaders they get rid of used primers as it does contain lead (very fine powdery lead) so it can easily off gas, they might be correct or might be wrong but I do get rid of mine when reloading.
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You are correct the primer compound is Lead styphnate. Read about it here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead_styphnate

Primes are super toxic but they can be sold to scrapyards as yellow brass which is more valuable than the lead content. The trick is not to expose yourself or your family to the dust. Vibratory tumblers to a great job of polishing brass and contaminating your workspace with lead. It is best to use wet tumbling when polishing brass cases.
 
# 2 on the tumbler sheets. I use ones that have been through the dryer and I discard after each use.
I also use Nitrile gloves while handling the freshly tumbled brass.
I used to cover the top of my Lyman tumbler with a plastic bag, between the basin top and the slotted cover, then screw it down.
My new Hornady tumbler already has a solid cover.
 
I save my old primers, just haven't filled an old laundry detergent bottle full enough to bother with the scrap yard. Yet. I'm getting there.

I also save my old scrap brass, and have been known to pick up and ice cream pail of brass from the gravel pits on a Monday morning. Sometimes there is some brand new brass that can be used for trading purposes, and sometimes the brass is old balloon head "scrap".

Someday it will all be worth something.
 
Useless brass is worth squat. Takes far too much to be worth the drive. Average price Stateside for scrap brass as of 10 Aug is 2.2157US per pound. Cost you more than that to drive to a scrap yard.
Spent primer cups are contaminated mild steel, not brass. Nobody wants contaminated anything.
Drying up pure lead supply's has nothing whatever to do with scrap brass or primer cup.
 
sunray said:
Useless brass is worth squat. Takes far too much to be worth the drive. Average price Stateside for scrap brass as of 10 Aug is 2.2157US per pound. Cost you more than that to drive to a scrap yard.
Spent primer cups are contaminated mild steel, not brass. Nobody wants contaminated anything.
Drying up pure lead supply's has nothing whatever to do with scrap brass or primer cup.
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That's horsecrap.

I sold 125 lbs of scrap brass for $2.10/lb. Gas for the trip cost $10. Do the math.
So of course it is worth the cost of fuel to take brass to a scrap dealer, unless you are taking it one pound at a time. LOL
I do toss the primers. Not worth the effort.
 
I save cases, not primers. spent cases take up as much room as the 5gal pail they are sitting in. I take them to the scrapyard when I have a load of scrap copper/aluminum. They ARE worth good money.
 
Lots of shotshell primers these days have battery cups made of steel. The first pic shows primers stuck to a fridge magnet (the only magnet I had handy). The second pic is of a Winchester Upland shell and a Winchester AA shell.



 
sunray said:
Useless brass is worth squat. Takes far too much to be worth the drive. Average price Stateside for scrap brass as of 10 Aug is 2.2157US per pound. Cost you more than that to drive to a scrap yard.
Spent primer cups are contaminated mild steel, not brass. Nobody wants contaminated anything.
Drying up pure lead supply's has nothing whatever to do with scrap brass or primer cup.
Click to expand...

Maybe I should have been more clear. I have to go scarp yard anyway to buy pure lead! So, might as well take in brass and stuff to sell to them to bring down my cost,
I am paying $1.00 per lb for pure lead, and selling brass to them for $1.60 lb. So the cost of going there is a mute point for me.
 
I save scrap brass so it doesn't scare the curbside recycling guy. When I have a couple of pails full, they go to the metal recycling yard.
 
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