Was at my local Walmart and decided to buy some 45ACP for my new 625 JM. I grabbed 5 boxes and while at the checkout the clerk said you have mixed boxes. 2 were brass and 3 were aluminum. Being somewhat of a newbie it took me a few moments to decide what to do. I put the aluminum back and went with all brass. Is there a significant difference between brass and aluminum cartridges? And what is the best application for my 625 using moon clips?

If you are not reloading there is nothing wrong with the aluminum casings...they are usually a bit less in cost.

If you are a reloader then by all means use the brass....there is NO difference in performance however.

Randy

The aluminum cartridges are not suitable for reloading.
The brass are suitable for reloading.
Both are suitable for shooting in your 625 for whatever shooting you wish to do, which includes several shooting sports such as Bowling Pins, Steel Challenge, USPSA, etc.

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Science plus Art

Not reloading. Was just wondering about the performance and application. Thanks.

Maybe. Buy a box & try it but some guns wont like it. Alum cases can have extraction issues. Should be fine on a rev.

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NRA Cert. Inst. IDPA CSO

I was messing around with aluminum cases, trying to see for myself WHY they are not reloadable. I got a 9mm aluminum case stuck in my sizing die. The shell holder just ripped the rim off the case when the ram was lowered. It was pretty "fun" to get out.

So now I know why.

If you are not reloading or never plan to in the future, I would buy whatever is cheaper. I occasionally find Blazer Brass cheaper than the aluminum cased stuff, which seems weird.

Mike

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NRA Certified Pistol Inst.

Isn't CCI Blazer Aluminum case Berdan primed? This would add to the reloading problems.

In a revolver, there should be NO difference in performance on the target.

Randy

The alum. cases are also Berdan Primed. The can not be punched out like a Boxer primer

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A Snider squibbed n the Jungle

Even though you are now NOW reloading I suggest you stick with brass and save the empties.

The older CCI cases were berdan primed. The newer cases are boxer primed.

Mike

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NRA Certified Pistol Inst.

You can reload brass ....pick up your empties , one day you might decide to "save money " by reloading.
Don't bother picking up the aluminum , except to clean up the range.
Gary

Get the BRASS! Even if you do not reload now, save the Brass for when you will. Most serious shooters usually do as the economics, convenience and load tailoring are at your finger tips. I could not imagine spending the money on ammo for the quantities and frequency that I shoot. I also get to dial in the load I want in each situation.

What he said ^^^^^^^^^^

The boxer primed aluminum cases can be reloaded. However case life is much shorter than brass cases.

Basically, just about any centerfire cartridge can be reloaded (and even 22 rimfire can be reloaded), BUT, the extremely short life of aluminum makes the reloading problematic. On occasion I have a hard time accepting a plain old "no you can't do it" so I try things not normally done and sometimes I pay for it. I tried reloading some Boxer primed 45 ACP alum. cases. Out of 10-12 or so one split in my press when sizing, a couple split when seating bullets, and I got a few that made it through the cycle. The rest fired, some split, and some were banged up but all stayed at the range. Not worth reloading. They are not designed to shoot more than once and my results proved that...

Even if you don't reload, or know anyone who does, if the price of the aluminum and brass ammo is identical, I'd buy the brass. You can always:
1) keep the empty brass and either give it away, or sell it to a reloader.
2) sell the brass to a recycler (junk yard) as scrap, and thus keep it out of the landfill.

Think green!

Lou

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NRA Certified Instructor & RSO

Up until yesterday I've been buying per-primed aluminum cases for one time loads in my 1911 .45acp. I've probably run about 3000 through without incident. Yesterday at the range I had a couple hang on me and on closer inspection found two were starting to split and one had a hole in it!
One of the worst things that can happen is to have a shell rupture while in the chamber and it's probably the most common cause of injury from shooting. I'm now re-thinking this whole aluminum case idea!

If they were the same price, I would get the brass. If the aluminum was cheaper , I would go with the aluminum.

Oddly enough, I can usually get Blazer Brass for less than the aluminum case Blazer. That makes the choice pretty easy. Wal-Mart usually has a Federal version of the aluminum cased ammo pretty cheap.

Mike

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NRA Certified Pistol Inst.

Indeed, I picked up 100 rounds of Federal aluminum-cased .45 ACP FMJ for $27. I abhor the thought of shooting factory, but I'm going to a thing that requires it--or rather, the collection of halfwits that wrote the rulebook.

Just FYI, the good once fired "brass" cases are worth about .05 apiece, so if you don't reload, you can sell them to someone who does.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

I would put the 9mm brass at about .02 each. I bought 3,000 rounds of range pickup for $40 about a month ago. It was actually about 3,300 (I have cleaned and sized them all now).

Other calibers are worth more.

Mike

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NRA Certified Pistol Inst.

It depends heavily on what the cartridge is. .40 S&W and 9mm are dirt-cheap, less-common (in terms of range find rates) cartridges like...well, most revolver cartridges, are worth more.

It's always good bartering material, or something to hand over as a "thank-you" item.