Observations after sorting several months worth of range pickup brass

[DenverGP]

Finally sorted all my range pickup brass from the past several months.

It seems like I've been getting lots more AR brass lately. When I first started reloading for the AR, I was lucky to collect as much as I shot. I feel like I've been seeing more ARs at the range over the past 6 months or so.

And I saw a large dropoff in 40s&w brass. After sorting a 5 gallon bucket full of brass, I was under 50 cases. Wondering if maybe there is a trend away from this caliber?

Not sure if these are general trends, or just random trends, or maybe even some kind of selection bias based on when I'm at the range or when I collect brass....

[beast556]

The last 5 years there have been lots of AR's at the range. For many years I would be the only one at the range with an AR getting dirty looks. I still see lots of 40 brass left behind at the gun club.

[Great-Kazoo]

Probably due to people not reloading with ammo prices.
After a sorting range brass a few times, i no longer pick up brass. As i mentioned in another thread, it's left there from too lazy a shooter, not a reloader, or a reloader who knows it's about past it's prime.

Not worth my time to figure out which is which.

[ben4372]

My thinking is lots of newer shooters that don't know that you can reload. Or folks that have been hording for a while and are lousy with brass. Last time I went to the range I really only worried about my less common stuff.

[rondog]

I still pick up all the brass I see, but sometimes I'll pass on 9mm, I just have too damn much and it's just too common. But yes, .40's have been dropping off, they used to be much more common. Strange, but sometimes I'll find an assload of brand-new shiny 10mm all in one area.

One day, I found a big pile of .44mag and .44 specials, and about 60 LIVE new factory .44's as well! That was wierd, why would anybody would just dump those and leave.....

[Gman]

One day, I found a big pile of .44mag and .44 specials, and about 60 LIVE new factory .44's as well! That was wierd, why would anybody would just dump those and leave.....
Might have got a squib and said "Screw these crappy cartridges! I'm done messing with this dangerous crap."

[Irving]

I think USPSA might be keeping .40 alive, and I bet most of those shooters reload.

[Ridge]

.40 becomes more popular when the popular rounds like 9mm and .45 are harder to find, because there isn't as much of a run on them. During 8 years of Obama, .40 S&W and .357 SIG were the ones I could always find at the store.

[ruthabagah]

.40 becomes more popular when the popular rounds like 9mm and .45 are harder to find, because there isn't as much of a run on them. During 8 years of Obama, .40 S&W and .357 SIG were the ones I could always find at the store.

Yep. Thats why i keep a couple of 40 handgun around for shtf situations. G22 with 9mm barrel conversion. Best of both world for me.

[Martinjmpr]

With all the cheap Russian 5.56 (Tula, etc) on the market I'm surprised anybody reloads .223. Ditto for 9mm at least at outdoor ranges. Most indoor ranges don't let you shoot the cheap steel case 9mm so I can see buying brass case ammo for that.

[Jeffrey Lebowski]

Yep. Thats why i keep a couple of 40 handgun around for shtf situations.

x2.
Never shoot it, but I’ll never part with my 40SW. Plus, it was my first purchase. I’d 10x rather shoot 9 or 10.

[ray1970]

During 8 years of Obama, .40 S&W and .357 SIG were the ones I could always find at the store.

Yep. When all of the popular calibers are out of stock only the stuff nobody wants or needs remains.

[wctriumph]

I use outdoor ranges and sweep off the pad(s) that I shoot from and pick up all of my brass, even the .22 brass. I have also found a lot of live rounds; once I found almost a whole brick of .22 LR just laying all over the ground. I swept it up, cleaned it and it shoots just fine. One early morning at Baker Draw there was a 100 round value pack of 9mm just sitting on one of the benches at the 50 yard range.

Most of the empties I see are .22, 9mm and .223 with lots of steel 7.62X39.

[cstone]

I usually pick up anything somewhat shiny until my back gets sore. Off the top of my head, I believe I recover about 90% of what I shoot and odd amounts of what others have left behind. Sorting and inspecting while decapping with a Harvey deprimer is sort of a stress reliever when the weather is nice and I can just relax on the porch. If it isn't reloadable but it is brass, it gets tossed in the scrap bucket. Always keeping an eye on brass prices. After it is tumbled clean, it gets sized and primed (pistol), swaged, sized, trimmed, and primed (rifle) before being stored by caliber in five gallon buckets. If I don't shoot it, I don't prime it but I will hang onto it as trade fodder.

If you shoot on a range used by LE you will probably see more .40 S&W left on the ground. Most LE I know wouldn't reload and they don't think about the value of the spent brass. Obviously there are exceptions but the majority of LE are not avid shooters but shooters out of necessity, IMO.

I agree with the notion of the G22 with three barrels; .40 S&W, .357 SIG, and 9mm conversion. I've been known to throw the extra barrels in my bag when I travel just in case. No matter where I am, and what happens, I should be able to find something that will fill my magazines.

[Great-Kazoo]

I usually pick up anything somewhat shiny until my back gets sore..

Get with the new millennium old man . Cheaper than 2 chiro or Dr. visits.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Ammo-Brass-Broom-Pistol-Rifle-Telescoping-Collector-Portable-Shooting-Range-Kit/322589946128?hash=item4b1bdbf110:g:MGcAAOSwFlxZZog Y

[Ridge]

Get with the new millennium old man . Cheaper than 2 chiro or Dr. visits.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Ammo-Brass-Broom-Pistol-Rifle-Telescoping-Collector-Portable-Shooting-Range-Kit/322589946128?hash=item4b1bdbf110:g:MGcAAOSwFlxZZog Y

I don't know if I want the ghost dog's severed head by my hand, though.

[00tec]

With all the cheap Russian 5.56 (Tula, etc) on the market I'm surprised anybody reloads .223. Ditto for 9mm at least at outdoor ranges. Most indoor ranges don't let you shoot the cheap steel case 9mm so I can see buying brass case ammo for that.

Thought about it, but my time is worth something. I wouldnt reload .223/5.56 or 9mm unless I had a blue 1050.

My bolt gun's .223 is a different story. It seems to really like the 40gr nosler BT at 3715fps.

[cstone]

Get with the new millennium old man . Cheaper than 2 chiro or Dr. visits.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Ammo-Brass-Broom-Pistol-Rifle-Telescoping-Collector-Portable-Shooting-Range-Kit/322589946128?hash=item4b1bdbf110:g:MGcAAOSwFlxZZog Y

I've never seen them work on dirt and grass. We use to have a couple of those and some of the rubber finger wheels and they worked well on concrete. Smooth concrete was the best as we could police a range in 15 minutes using the cardboard backers as plows pushing the brass into piles and then a dust pan to scoop the piles into buckets. 36 shooters times 200 rounds in a course. I always cringed at the idea of leaving 7200 once fired, quality brass cases an hour in a bucket for someone else. [my precious

[rondog]

I've never seen them work on dirt and grass. We use to have a couple of those and some of the rubber finger wheels and they worked well on concrete. Smooth concrete was the best as we could police a range in 15 minutes using the cardboard backers as plows pushing the brass into piles and then a dust pan to scoop the piles into buckets. 36 shooters times 200 rounds in a course. I always cringed at the idea of leaving 7200 once fired, quality brass cases an hour in a bucket for someone else. [my precious

Mine is called a Brass Mower, but it's the same thing. Works great on hard dirt, but loose dirt, sand, grass, and rough ground - not so great. But I still use the hell out of it, it's a tremendous labor saver. Just gotta do it the old fashioned way sometimes.

[buffalobo]

Policing brass is one of the reasons minions were created.

If you're unarmed, you are a victim

[KS63]

I must be in the minority then because I reload all my .223/5.56 rounds for P-Dogs and 9mm. Send me all your brass.

[hollohas]

I've taken a full week worth of pistol and carbine classes where only me and maybe one other guy was a reloader. Brass heaven.

[Martinjmpr]

Thought about it, but my time is worth something. I wouldnt reload .223/5.56 or 9mm unless I had a blue 1050.



That's why I got out of reloading last year. When I was going to school in Wyoming I was (a) single (b) poor (my only income was from the National Guard) and (c) living in Wyoming where the winter temps could be a balmy -30, reloading made sense - I had very little money but lots of time.

Now that I have a career, a wife and a house to maintain, I have money but no time! [Coffee]

[Great-Kazoo]

I've never seen them work on dirt and grass. We use to have a couple of those and some of the rubber finger wheels and they worked well on concrete. Smooth concrete was the best as we could police a range in 15 minutes using the cardboard backers as plows pushing the brass into piles and then a dust pan to scoop the piles into buckets. 36 shooters times 200 rounds in a course. I always cringed at the idea of leaving 7200 once fired, quality brass cases an hour in a bucket for someone else. [my precious

Read the instructions before using;) Mine works good in dirt, just have to be willing to sort the rocks and large dirt clumps when separating brass.
https://www.amazon.com/Shell-Sorter-380ACP-3pc-set/dp/B00BFN5TTI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1516639401&sr=8-1&keywords=brass+separator

[Ronin13]

Just a question- as I'm looking into getting into reloading this year (I'm thinking only doing rifle 5.56/.223 and .308/7.62x51)- you collect up all the brass, what do you do with the stuff you don't reload (ie: your "trash')? Do you recycle or sell it? Also, slightly OT- is it worth it to start reloading with prices where they are? I'm looking at it for the hobby aspect just as much as the money aspect.

[Irving]

Is it worth cooking when food is cheaply found everywhere?

[crays]

Perfect time to start.
Components are readily available and priced reasonably, and ammo is is too.

Start stocking up on components, and start honing your skills. That way, if we should run into another ammo drought, you are already prepared.

As you get into It, you can choose to shoot factory, and stock up on components for the future, or you can shoot reloads and stash your factory ammo.

One opinion of many.

ETA: Or, you could focus your reloading on accuracy, and plink with factory.

Sent from somewhere

[Great-Kazoo]

Just a question- as I'm looking into getting into reloading this year (I'm thinking only doing rifle 5.56/.223 and .308/7.62x51)- you collect up all the brass, what do you do with the stuff you don't reload (ie: your "trash')? Do you recycle or sell it? Also, slightly OT- is it worth it to start reloading with prices where they are? I'm looking at it for the hobby aspect just as much as the money aspect.

For a decent single stage and components to load depending what you want to load (volume) in the long run reloading is more cost effective. You have the capability to load rounds tailored to each firearm, increasing one accuracy. Even a progressive type, you'll come out ahead.

If all you want to do is shoot not really caring about MOA or sub MOA (long gun) and consistent grouping with hand gun then buy in bulk and call it good.

[Ronin13]

Is it worth cooking when food is cheaply found everywhere?
Touche! Point well taken!

Perfect time to start.
Components are readily available and priced reasonably, and ammo is is too.

Start stocking up on components, and start honing your skills. That way, if we should run into another ammo drought, you are already prepared.

As you get into It, you can choose to shoot factory, and stock up on components for the future, or you can shoot reloads and stash your factory ammo.

One opinion of many.

ETA: Or, you could focus your reloading on accuracy, and plink with factory.

Sent from somewhere

Good opinion nonetheless. Makes perfect sense. I had a friend tell me that reloading can lend you much more customization with precision loads/hunting, which is 99% of what he does- he's even gotten to the point where he's tinkered with his precision marksmanship loads to right where he wants it in .308.

[kidicarus13]

Is it worth cooking when food is cheaply found everywhere?

Only if you're time is worth $1.07 an hour.

[DenverGP]

you collect up all the brass, what do you do with the stuff you don't reload (ie: your "trash')? Do you recycle or sell it?

I just stick it in a ziplock bag. When i have a bunch of it, and don't need it, i've either sold it off, traded it for a caliber I needed, or hang onto it in case I get a gun of that caliber in the future. I've currently got big ziplocks full of 38spl, 357 magnum, 7.62x39, 300bo.


Also, slightly OT- is it worth it to start reloading with prices where they are? I'm looking at it for the hobby aspect just as much as the money aspect.

4 main purposes I see for reloading:

1. Precision: Lets you reload rounds that perform best in your guns. Usually low volume.

2. Save money: At the current time, it's tough to save money reloading regular plinking/range ammo in common calibers. The hardcore reloaders who cast their own bullets can still save some money reloading the common ones. For things like 308 and 30-06 reloading will save money. And it's possible to reload hunting/defensive ammo and save a bit over buying the expensive stuff. I bought a couple boxes of Federal Fusion 223. It's usually close to a buck a round. I got some surplus/overrun federal fusion bullets cheap (10 cents per bullet), so I was able to reload up a few hundred rounds that are equivalent to the federal fusion rounds much cheaper. Of course the value of your time comes into play, which leads to #3

3. Hobby: I have days where I can't get by the range, am burnt out on work, and want to do something gun related. I'll spend an hour or two loading up some ammo. It's relaxing for me.

4. As a safeguard against future ammo shortage (or stupid ammo restricting laws, etc). I know that if we get another big ammo shortage, I'd be able to reload enough ammo to keep shooting for quite a while.

[DenverGP]

Is it worth cooking when food is cheaply found everywhere?

I can't find cheap food that is the same quality as what we can cook at home. So we often cook at home, but will still go out to eat when we don't have time to cook, or just don't feel like it.

Exactly the same as reloading: I'll often reload, but will buy ammo when I don't have time to reload or just don't feel like it.

[Ronin13]

I just stick it in a ziplock bag. When i have a bunch of it, and don't need it, i've either sold it off, traded it for a caliber I needed, or hang onto it in case I get a gun of that caliber in the future. I've currently got big ziplocks full of 38spl, 357 magnum, 7.62x39, 300bo.



3 main purposes I see for reloading:
1. Precision: Lets you reload rounds that perform best in your guns. Usually low volume.

2. Save money: At the current time, it's tough to save money reloading regular plinking/range ammo in common calibers. The hardcore reloaders who cast their own bullets can still save some money reloading the common ones. For things like 308 and 30-06 reloading will save money. And it's possible to reload hunting/defensive ammo and save a bit over buying the expensive stuff. I bought a couple boxes of Federal Fusion 223. It's usually close to a buck a round. I got some surplus/overrun federal fusion bullets cheap (10 cents per bullet), so I was able to reload up a few hundred rounds that are equivalent to the federal fusion rounds much cheaper. Of course the value of your time comes into play, which leads to #3

3. Hobby: I have days where I can't get by the range, am burnt out on work, and want to do something gun related. I'll spend an hour or two loading up some ammo. It's relaxing for me.

One other reason to reload as mentioned above would be as a safeguard against future ammo shortage (or stupid ammo restricting laws, etc). I know that if we get another big ammo shortage, I'd be able to reload enough ammo to keep shooting for quite a while.

Thanks for that! I'll use that as ammo (pun intended) to convince the wife to let me get started this year.

[DenverGP]

I sometimes point out to my wife "look at all this 357magnum brass I've got... I really should get a nice revolver to use it... it's a waste not to..."

Doesn't really work, but I keep trying.

On the ammo shortage thing.... I got into guns later than most on the board here... about 6 months before the colorado mag laws went into effect. For 6+ months around then, it was hard to find even regular old 9mm range ammo. It took several late-night walmart trips to grab some as it got unloaded from the truck in order to be able to do IDPA matches. I'm not going to find myself in that spot ever again. Of course that led me to get into reloading right as reloading supplies hit their bad shortages. $40 a pound for some titegroup from Dads... Which is why I now have a few 8 pound jugs of my common powders saved up for a rainy day.

[Martinjmpr]

WRT an "ammo drought" just remember that the choke point on reloading is primers. Powder, brass and bullets are always easy to find but when ammo supplies get tight, primers can be tough to find and prices can skyrocket very quickly.

Not sure if stockpiling primers is a good idea, though. My two worries would be (a) the explosive nature of primers (I always wore eye protection when priming) and (b) the possibility that primers could go bad if stored in an area with moisture or excesses of temperature.

Unlike a finished cartridge, an unloaded primer has a portion that is exposed to air until it is loaded into a cartridge. Having said that, I have stored primers for years and never had a failure of a cartridge that was subsequently loaded with one of my long-stored primers. Perhaps if we lived in a wetter environment this could be more of a concern so I'd say if you're going to stockpile primers, make sure it's in a dry, stable location (and obviously protected from fire as well.)

[DenverGP]

Perhaps if we lived in a wetter environment this could be more of a concern so I'd say if you're going to stockpile primers, make sure it's in a dry, stable location (and obviously protected from fire as well.)

I picked up a few extra boxes, vacuum packed them with the food saver, and put them on the shelf with the powder jugs.

[rondog]

Who, me??

[Ronin13]

I sometimes point out to my wife "look at all this 357magnum brass I've got... I really should get a nice revolver to use it... it's a waste not to..."

Doesn't really work, but I keep trying.

I guess I just picked right- she fully supports my plan for reloading, and has even said when we finish the basement (sometime around 1990-Never) that we'll have a dedicated reloading room down there. Now it's just getting the equipment figured out.

[DenverGP]

Yeah, my wife was good with the reloading (even bought me several pieces of reloading equipment), just doesn't think having some brass for new calibers is a reason to start shooting those calibers...

[laportecharlie]

WRT an "ammo drought" just remember that the choke point on reloading is primers. Powder, brass and bullets are always easy to find but when ammo supplies get tight, primers can be tough to find and prices can skyrocket very quickly.

Not sure if stockpiling primers is a good idea, though. My two worries would be (a) the explosive nature of primers (I always wore eye protection when priming) and (b) the possibility that primers could go bad if stored in an area with moisture or excesses of temperature.

Unlike a finished cartridge, an unloaded primer has a portion that is exposed to air until it is loaded into a cartridge. Having said that, I have stored primers for years and never had a failure of a cartridge that was subsequently loaded with one of my long-stored primers. Perhaps if we lived in a wetter environment this could be more of a concern so I'd say if you're going to stockpile primers, make sure it's in a dry, stable location (and obviously protected from fire as well.)

I have bought a lot of primers at estate sales that had to be 40 or 50 years old. All worked just fine.