Start saving brass?

[donut757]

To start with Im not a every weekend shooter but when I can shoot I do and reloading is something I wanna get into in the upcoming years. I would guess that ill go through 300-400 or so rounds .38/.357 and 300-400 or so rounds 9mm and a couple hundred .45 yearly, so i guess about 1000 rounds a year give or take. I dont enjoy going to the indoor ranges but i will a few times during the winter but in the spring and fall I do enjoy going out and shooting on private land. And if i begin reloading im sure it will allow me to increase my rounds by a bit once costs can be cut a bit.

As stated, Id like to start reloading more as a hobby but also to shoot a little more. I normally shoot the cheapo Federal or Winchester White Box and was thinking I should start saving brass.

Will the brass from these cheap rounds be sufficient for the reloading process so I can start saving the brass and not have to buy any when i begin?

Also ow many reloads could i expect to get out of these case?


thanks a lot for the help as I am lost when it comes to this reloading process

 

[810wmb]

yes!

almost all my reloaded brass is from white box. it does great.

as far as how many reloads per case, from what i have seen, most use the brass until it splits.

inspect and use

 

[slippingaway]

That brass is just as good for reloading as almost any other you'll find. Depending how hot you're loading them and how much you flare them, you can get 10, 20 or more reloads before they start splitting.

By all means, start saving them!

 

[contender]

I can't add much to the above posts except to say that you need to save your brass & learn to reload.

 

[Bucks Owin]

NO! Gather them up and send to PO Box..... :wink:

 

[nvbirdman]

Bucks Owin is doing you a big favor. He will sort through your brass and seperate the good ones from the bad ones. You can expect no less than a 99.9% reject rate.
This should have been posted yesterday.

 

[Donaldjr1969]

As stated, Id like to start reloading more as a hobby but also to shoot a little more.

I guarantee that if you begin to reload, you will NOT be shooting a little more. Rather you will be shooting a LOT MORE! :lol: It has been said by other members here that reloading does not necessarily cut your ammo costs by ¼. Rather it allows you to shoot 4 times as much!

Seriously, save your brass. It will be worth it in the long run. You will enjoy being able to shoot more and reloading will be the economically sound way to do that. You do not have to get high end progressive press. You can start out with a Lee press. They load very accurate ammo as Iron Mike Golf can attest to from shooting my loads from a Lee press. Then if you feel the need to upgrade, you can go from there. I spent about 325 for my Lee Turret Press kit and accessories. That included a caliper, tumbler, media sifter, and 25lbs dry media, collet style bullet puller die, Redding profile crimp die, hand primer (highly recommended!) and the little things like loading blocks, ammo cases, powder funnel and trickler. Being that I shoot 44 Magnum in both lead and jacketed loads, it probably will not take me more than 700 rounds to recoup the costs of the components I bought. At this point, after only having had my press set up for 3 weeks or so, I have already loaded over 200 rounds! So...it is not going to take a long time to recoup my costs!

You mentioned shooting 9mm and 45. What 45 is that, if I may ask? 45acp or 45 Colt? If it is the latter, you will really recoup your expenditures quickly.

So...go ahead and make the jump to reloading. I am glad I did! While one does have to exercise a little bit of common sense while reloading with things like making sure you do not overcharge your cases, reloading is not some super delicate operation and it surely is not as dangerous as carrying nitroglycerine while on a pogo stick.

 

[Rick Courtright]

Hi,

Agree w/ all the others who say "Start saving it" and that WWB brass will load as well as most any on the market. The cost savings w/ "promo" loads are generally in areas other than the brass...

It's a good time to start reading about reloading (see the sticky at the top of this forum page for lots of good ideas) and asking around about reloading. When the time comes to start, hopefully you'll have befriended a mentor who can help you get a much faster (and perhaps safer?) start than if you try to teach yourself as many of us have had to do.

As for cost savings, I'm of the opinion that if you start small and work up, you'll actually be able to save a little. For a while! Very soon, though, you'll see how this "hobby" will morph into the "Spend the same, shoot more" monster already mentioned!

But even if you start "big" w/ more expensive equipment, it will amortize itself out quickly. Even a big Dillon progressive press is probably moving well into "cost effective" territory within 100 boxes of some calibers.

And if Bucks forgets to pay the bill for his PO box, I can give you a backup...

Rick C

 

[drdarrin]

All good advise. The only thing I would add is when you're at those indoor ranges, talk to the guys and gals around you. If they don't save their brass, ask them if they mind if you pick it up. Ask your buddies as well. They will most likely be supportive. A buddy of mine brings me his range pickups; in return he gets some loaded rounds. Win win.

The $29.95 I spent on a RCBS press and a set of dies back in 1968 was a lot of money to me way back then but has long since been paid for with years of service and thousands of rounds down range.

 

[Pal Val]

I saved my brass for years while debating with myself when I would start repoading. The result is that I have enough brass to last me for years. It's the way to go.

 

[jeffegg2]

Yes, save it when you can. I have heard dozens of times for reloading. The big problem is finding them after shooting.

I average finding about 85 out of 100.

 

[BigJ71]

The big problem is finding them after shooting.

No such problem here....they all fall out of my Blackhawks right into my hand. LOL 100% recovery rate! :wink:

 

[drdarrin]

No such problem here....they all fall out of my Blackhawks right into my hand. LOL 100% recovery rate! :wink:

Funny how that works! :lol:

Since I typically shoot at an indoor range and am almost always surrounded by people who like to leave their brass on the floor, coming home with more brass than I arrived with is almost never a problem. I do have to watch out for those pesky .380 casings sneeking in with the 9mm's. Fortunately, I reload both.

 

[44shootist]

Federal, and Winchester brass are 2 of the best money can buy, I get more reloads per case useing those 2 brands than any others, the brass is the most valuble part of the cartrage don't leave them laying on the ground.
Even if you don't reload you can sell them to someone that does, look up the price for brass for what ever round you shoot and I bet you never leave any more behind, when you see how much it cost to replace it.

 

[dennie]

I was in the local Bass Pro shop the other day just looking around. Was thinking of buying some 9mm brass, that is until I saw the price! $24.00 for 100 pieces of Winchester brass! I can buy 100 rounds of Federal, and maybe Winchester, ammo for that! But then I have once fired brass. :wink: Went back home and called our local reloading supply and bought 200 rounds of once fired 9mm for ten bucks. Yes, there is a reason to pick up your brass, especially if you are going to reload.

 

[volshooter]

Been keeping/collecting brass for some time. Keep all reloadable brass! 8)

 

[toysoldier]

I pick up ALL reloadable brass I find on the range (not so much, lately ). Calibers I don't reload, I save up till I get enough to swap for something I can use, or give to a buddy who can use it. Non-reloadable brass (Berdan-primed, damaged, etc) goes in my brass scrap box. Every few years, I have enough for a trip to the recycler, which nets me enough for a box of fresh ammo. Yeah, I'm cheap.