Trading brass

[Mikeinkaty]

My advice to newbies that come into a lot of varied brass is to pull out what you want and keep the rest for trading. Eventually you will find local reloaders that need some calibers you don't need. I was able to trade for 6+ lbs of 357 brass. It's good manners to clean the brass first!!

 

[Wise_A]

Indeed. Even a cartridge you think you'll never need can some in handy. Mostly because you're going to need it!

I left a lot of (other people's) 9mm brass on the floor over the years. Then one day, I decided to start loading 9mm.

I despaired for a bit, and considered buying some bulk range brass, and then remembered I had a couple "bucket dump" bags--the bagged contents of brass buckets from the range that were too dirty and mixed to pick through, that I glommed because they had a decent number of the .45s and .38s I was looking for.

So I pulled on a pair of nitrile gloves and went to work. An hour later, I had ~300 pieces of 9mm brass, ready to go. Plus another 100 .45 ACP cases, and half of a dog treat container's worth of mixed .40 and 10mm. Just enough to get started with the 9.

Now, I'd never think about reloading those pipsqueak .380s. But...yeah, I saved them.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

I started picking up 410 hauls about 9 years before I ever had one. The guys normally left the non- AA"s so I would pick them up and save them. I got a good deal on a 410 Sporting clays gun, so I bought a press and components. I shot those "junk" hauls for a couple of months before I bought a couple of cases of Winchesters. I kept them put back, and when a friend's son got a Rossi single shot 410, I made him a deal on about 200 once fire hauls (plus the reloaded ones), about 1000 wads, and a Lee "whack-a-mole" Loader.

Ivan

 

[bigggbbruce]

I sold my extra brass for more than $1000.

 

[JBnTx]

My local range provides me with all the brass I need.

It's all swept up and right under that sign that says something about not taking brass that doesn't belong to me.

 

[feelinlucky]

Range sweepings get sorted into three bunches.

1) The good stuff I will keep for reloading.
2) The good stuff I can trade or sell to other reloaders for powder/bullet/primer money.
3) The scrap I can sell to the scrap metal place for powder/bullet/primer money.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

Having some extra brass around lets you experiment a little. 30-30 and 303 British are very handy to use. You can make 44-40 and 444 cases from 303 B. That 444 case can be run in a 44-40 size die trim die and made into a 44-40 shotshell, or the 444 case can become shotshells for your Judge/Governor. 30-30 brass will do the same in 41 mag.

There aren't many pistol rounds you can make from 45-70, but they are still cool to have around. I'll have to make some salt and pepper shakers that won't poison me! Brass for pepper and nickel for salt!

Ivan

 

[Mr.Shield]

I pick up everything I can find off the ground for reloading. Anything I don't reload goes into 5 gallon buckets in the garage. I save that to sell or trade.


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