.30-06 brass: sell or recycle?

snowman · Jun 11, 2018

I'm interested in hearing your opinions re: which way to go with these. They are taking up space and need to go. I don't shoot centerfire rifles anymore due to a disability, and don't hunt generally for the same reason. It seems to me that someone could still get a good bit of use out of them before they go to the recycler, but. . .?

Here are the major details: There are 276 cases, approximately 70% of which are military, and the rest mixed commercial headstamp. The vast majority of them are once-fired, and the rest are twice-fired. I tumbled them but wasn't able to remove all the stains on a number of them(2nd picture; some are cleaner, some not as clean as those pictured). However I haven't seen any corrosion on any of them after several inspections. A handful have small flat spots at the mouth(3rd picture); I'm thinking that the sizing die can correct that, but you tell me. They were stored in a dry but sometimes humid closet area for a number of years.

I thought maybe someone who shoots M1s a lot, or uses several different loads for various purposes, might be interested. If not, the recycler is just a few miles away.

What would you folks do with them in my situation?

Thank you for your time & input.
Andy

2152hq · Jun 11, 2018

Mixed headstamp 30-06 that has been tumbled but not further processed is about $20/100 at it's cheapest (bought in lots of 1000).,,plus shipping usually.
It's always advertised as 'once fired' of course.

I don't know what the recycle price of cartridge brass is today, some places won't even take it around here.

Weigh it and call and ask the days brass prices. See if you can score more by simply recycling than trying to sell it at a 'please go- away- quick price' for the lot in a pre-paid USPO Flat Rate Box included.

Just my thought..

muddocktor · Jun 11, 2018

I would offer it for sale here for around $40 plus shipping. I would think 276 cases would fit into a medium flat rate box, so that would put the total cost to the buyer at less than $55. As for the flats on the case mouths, that comes right out in the resizing die. They have a forum section for selling stuff like these cases right here on these forums.

Nevada Ed · Jun 11, 2018

I load "G1" and factory cases............... no big deal.

I am sure they will be bought, one way or another.
I am like you...... handicapped and slowing on shooting rifles.

Keep up those exercises !!

Alk8944 · Jun 11, 2018

Sell it! What you will get for this amount of brass as scrap won't pay for the gas to drive to the re-cycler if it is much farther away than across the street.

rwsmith · Jun 12, 2018

I'd buy it....

...if I didn't already have a ton. I can't help but think that somebody would pay more for it than scrap value. Four years ago I would have paid much more for it.

mikld · Jun 12, 2018

I'd "pay it forward" and give them to a new reloader. Free but pay for shipping...

MichiganScott · Jun 12, 2018

mikld said:
I'd "pay it forward" and give them to a new reloader. Free but pay for shipping...

I cleaned my reloading room a couple of years ago and ended up with 20 gallons of various calibers of brass, plus a couple of handguns that had forgotten about. I originally thought about selling the brass, but decided that scrapping it was the way to go because I could not find anyone that wanted to buy larger quantities. Small quantities are really a pain to deal with. People will question you on whether or not it is actually once fired even if it has crimped primers. I gave away brass like the .300 and .303 Savage and any other that was unique and hard to find.

My club has hosted a CMP program with monthly shoots for over 21 years. Some of the guys have accumulated hundreds of pounds of milsurp brass. My point is .30-06 brass is not rare and selling it may be a bigger hassle than it's worth.

rwsmith · Jun 12, 2018

Might be a good.....

Might be a good Karma for some reloaders here. That way you know they are going to someone who can use them.

snowman · Jun 12, 2018

I appreciate the input; definitely some things to consider. I've sold .22 brass to my recycler before and got a current price from them several weeks ago. I guess that there's something in me that resists going that route when there appears to be a good bit of life left in whatever I'm wanting to dispose of, but MichiganScott may be right about the potential hassle involved in trying to sell. I'll think it over.

Thanks again,
Andy

P.S. I really like the giveaway idea; unfortunately I'm not in a good position to be doing that at this time.

muddocktor · Jun 12, 2018

You know, it doesn't cost anything to advertise it here in the forums in the "Accessories/Misc - For Sale or Trade" forum and see if there is interest. I personally think that if it were priced at $40-50 plus shipping it might get a buyer and give you a little spending money for something you need. I don't know your situation and whether it would be a major hassle to bring a box to the PO to mail, but the mid sized USPS Priority Flat Rate boxes are free to pick up and they ship for $13.65 anywhere in the US.

snowman · Jun 12, 2018

Thanks, muddocktor. I think what MichiganScott was referring to as a hassle had more to do with several people wanting smaller lots, resulting in multiple shipments, finding boxes to fit all of them, keeping track of several different names and addresses, etc., etc. -that, or just the difficulty of finding a buyer at all, given the already plentiful supply. I live in a village and the PO is only a couple blocks away, and there is no traffic to fight nor lines when you get there. A week or so ago I took the brass in and they weighed it and recommended the box you mentioned. I've also sold items in the Misc. for Sale forum in the 15 years I've been a member here, and that is where I will list the brass should I decide to try to sell it. And I may well do that in the next day or two. I do appreciate your desire to help.

Regards,
Andy

fredj338 · Jun 13, 2018

I hate seeing good brass in any caliber sold for scrap. Either post it for sale or karma it to a reloader.

rwsmith · Jun 14, 2018

Frankly....

It sounds like the money is important here so you may have to go through some hassle to get money for it.

What will you get for it as scrap? If that's not enough:

If you have to do multiple orders each will have to pay shipping.

Can you add value to it? Cleaned, sized, primed, sorted?

Maybe the stuff is 'common as dirt', but when I need some, it doesn't just fall into my front yard. I see people selling it on the net.

Because of that, I think it's worth advertising as long as it's free. The more you buy, the lower the unit cost. Minimum 100, or 250 or 500 or whatever you want.

PS There are other reloading forums that have for sale sections.

rwsmith · Jun 14, 2018

Just because its plentiful NOW......

fredj338 said:
I hate seeing good brass in any caliber sold for scrap. Either post it for sale or karma it to a reloader.

...doesn't mean that it will be in the future. During the shortages of the past years, brass was like gold, especially calibers like .357 or .44 mag.

If the stuff gets melted down, it won't do us or our progeny any good in the future.

22shtur · Jun 14, 2018

On the forum selling the 1911'a and M1 Garands, brass that has the military crimp intact is sold there regularly from .16 to .18 cents apiece which includes shipping. Sellers that state their brass has the military primer and crimp intact, get their brass bought.

yeti · Jun 14, 2018

Sell it to someone. Don't destroy usable brass.
Price it ~$45 shipped and send it all to a forum member. Good deal for them & you get extra $...win-win.

rwsmith · Jun 14, 2018

Really???

22shtur said:
On the forum selling the 1911'a and M1 Garands, brass that has the military crimp intact is sold there regularly from .16 to .18 cents apiece which includes shipping. Sellers that state their brass has the military primer and crimp intact, get their brass bought.

People want crimped brass? I suppose that if the primer and crimp are intact it shows that they are once fired.

rwsmith · Jun 14, 2018

Oh, a small hint.....

Do you still want to shoot center fire rifles? I make 'gallery loads' with light bullets (100-110 gr) and reduced charges of power. Makes my 30-06 feel like a .22.

IMR 4895 can be reduced by fully 30% for velocities down to 2200 fps....

SR 4859 can be loaded in the 1500 to 1700 fps range.

Unique can go even lower but I haven't tried it.

I have a light rifle (Savage), therefore it kicks with full loads and my wife is sensitive to recoil and blast.

I just like to shoot them because they are really fun. So you might want to save out some cases if you think you'll try this.

LittleCooner · Jun 14, 2018

Nobody wants crimped brass, but that crimped primer pocket proves its truly once fired. Lot of life left in a piece of brass that has only been in a chamber once. It does take a little effort to remove the crimp. I hope snowman decides to keep this brass in "use" and not send it off to the scrape and recycle people.

.30-06 brass: sell or recycle?

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