Brass from shooters to reloaders

[Mindflayer]

I've started collecting brass as I can when I shoot. Today's collection is meager - part of the problem with going to the NRA Range later in the day is the stupid amount of brass and steel already there. I'm really disappointed in the amount of .223 Horandy brass I was able to recover.

Back to point - I am collecting the brass when I shoot. I know CowboyT reloads .38 Special. Would anyone else like .45 ACP, 9mm, and .223? I'll start collecting as much as I can when I shoot to give you.

[VBwoodie]

i would like both .223 and .45 acp. thats pretty damn nice of you to collect brass for other folks.
i live in the hampton roads area.

[Jim]

I doubt if you'll find very much, but I could use some .45 Colt and .45-70. Thanks!

Jim

[nickf829]

I could use .45 or 9mm. Where are you located? I live in Luray and work in Warrenton, if your within a halfhour I could come pick up, or if you f you wanted to throw them in a flat rate box and mail them I'd give you what you think is fair for them, and cover the shipping too of course. Let me know

[CowboyT]

Wow...thanks, Mindflayer! That is *very* nice of you to do that.

[KaosDad]

I've got about 4 pounds of brass/poly coated steel. .223, 9mm, .45 ACP and I think some .38 I borgarted.

[Mindflayer]

Since I got some PMs and emails about this - I don't have a lot of it yet. Like I said, the NRA range was stacked with brass, and picking mine out was a pain in the ass. I'll start collecting names and send/trade it out when I have enough to make the time worthwhile. Hell, I don't mind collecting it from anyone locally to coordinate it all.

I wish I knew what the NRA does - if they just recycle, or otherwise don't get paid, I'd just scoop all of it left around me up next time I shoot.

[meadmkr]

I'm usually on the lookout for 45Colt but typically only find what comes out of my Ruger straight into the bag. I have a good stash of .38, 5.56, 9mm, .380, .40 and .45ACP, the latter of which I save for a buddy. Anything that ends up near my firing point typically ends up in my brass bag (after checking with the shooters next to me) to be sorted after running through the vib.cleaner. More often than not I've had others throw their brass into my bag rather than the bucket

Always on the lookout for free/cheap lead wheelweights as well.... Maybe we outta set up a 'cast&greet' in addition to the shoot & greet

Cheers
Chris

[Utah]

I'll take all the 223 you want to get rid of...beltfeds get hungry fast.

[Mindflayer]

Chris - that was my thinking. At some point, coordinating, storing, and getting economies of scale would be best served with a in-person gathering!

[nickf829]

A shoot & greet that ends in a cast & greet may be the smartest thing ever said, ever. Seems some people can get lead for free and in huge quantities, what better way to pay them for that lead than to smelt/clean the lead and give it back in bullet or ingot form, while "paying" the laborers in lead for themselves.

[meadmkr]

A shoot & greet that ends in a cast & greet may be the smartest thing ever said, ever. Seems some people can get lead for free and in huge quantities, what better way to pay them for that lead than to smelt/clean the lead and give it back in bullet or ingot form, while "paying" the laborers in lead for themselves.

"FREE" Lead is getting harder to find but its out there it seems. Some folks may have some around but not facilities to smelt it down or even try out casting for themselves. One buddy decided he'd rather buy from Missouri Bullet Co. than spending the $$ to start casting himself. Makes sense as he mostly shoots 45ACP and some .357 Time & weather permitting a Cast&Greet would give folks a chance to try out casting, sizing equipment and some different molds as well...

I need to get a decent smelting pot to turn a bunch of 5# ingots to 1# to fit my Lee pot. Right now I only have 2 molds (9mm and 45 200g) and am working through several boxes of cast from MBC.

Cheers
Chris

[CowboyT]

Even if the lead's not "free" anymore, I find it's still worth it. I got a bunch of WW and melted them down in a Dutch Oven into muffin ingots. These fit great in a Lee Pro 4-20 pot. If you get the Lee gear, it's not that expensive to get started.

[jrswanson1]

The NRA Range takes the brass and sells it to recyclers to offset the cost of running the range. I used to rifle through the buckets they have in the back for .223 brass, now I look for .40 and anything interesting. I would love to find 10mm and 6.8 SPC brass, but the term "hen's teeth" comes to mind. I need to head out there next week and get some practice in before Contagion 2010. I would love to shoot my SPR but I broke it Monday, so I'm scrambling for parts to get it running again.

Jim

[meadmkr]

Once Halloween is over (and the graveyard is put up for the year) I'm all for having a group get together (say at Silver Eagle maybe) and then possibly hosting a casting session. Don't know who all would be interested...

Cheers
Chris

[CowboyT]

Hmm...I could be up for that; sounds like fun.

[Mindflayer]

I'm up to 5-10# of brass now. I'll sort it by caliber soon so when we have the meet, it's easier for everyone.

[CowboyT]

You are a saint, Mindflayer.

[KaosDad]

Can the russian steel cases be reloaded? What about Poly Coat?

[Mindflayer]

KaosDad, I am not a reloader, so take my intel on this with appropriate caution.

I have read that the steel cases are not easily reloadable. It is evidently rough on the gear used. Some people do it, but most reloaders I have talked to said it's not worth the royal PITA.