Once fired brass?

Bullet94 · December 11, 2006, 07:12 PM

When people buy once fired brass how do you know it has only been fired once?

TimRB · December 11, 2006, 07:15 PM

I think most often "once-fired" brass is military with crimped primers, so it is easy to tell. If someone is claiming to have commercial once-fired brass, then I would be skeptical.

Tim

tINY · December 11, 2006, 10:05 PM

You don't know - but you can tell if it's good for "one more" by inspection....

-tINY

MISFIRE · December 12, 2006, 08:36 PM

For years I kept track of my .45 ACP brass, "once fired", "twice fired", etc. After about ten or so reloads I quit all that. They all go in the same box. I suspect some have a dozen trips through my 550B. A few cracked cases here and there but I can't tell any difference with the many reloaded cases and new Starlines. But then I'm not a bullseye shooter. I just enjoy lots of .45 ACP shooting. I think I step on and/or lose enough brass to keep my supply reasonably fresh. I also do not hesitate to add range brass when the opportunity arises, and pay no attention to brand names. Extra good cleaning cures lots of evils. Heresy!

Don H · December 12, 2006, 08:56 PM

From Brassmanbrass.com

Quote:

All Of Our Once Fired Brass Is Collected From Police Departments, Or Indoor Ranges That Only Use Factory Ammunition. All of our rifle brass comes from firearms manufacturers.

rem33 · December 12, 2006, 11:28 PM

This does not always hold true as there are exceptions I've heard but. Most after market primers seem to be silver and lots of factory primers are brass colored. I have not check this much just observations from reloading and looking at once fired brass.

qajaq59 · December 13, 2006, 07:51 AM

Just check up on the vendor. If his reputation is good then likely the brass will be as well.

XD-Guy · December 13, 2006, 09:40 AM

I have found this to be true of Winchester and some Federal only however I may be wrong

dahermit · December 13, 2006, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Most after market primers seem to be silver and lots of factory primers are brass colored.

Winchester small pistol and large pistol primers as sold for handloading are brass colored (not plated).
Regards,
dahermit

rem33 · December 13, 2006, 08:01 PM

Quote:

Winchester small pistol and large pistol primers as sold for handloading are brass colored (not plated

Interesting as today I was loading some 41 mag using Winchester large pistol (magnum) primers and they are silver. I purchased these 10 years or so ago so maybe they have changed the color.

gandog56 · December 13, 2006, 08:43 PM

They must have. I just opened a package I bought recently of Win WLP, and they are brass colored.

SteveinAK · December 14, 2006, 03:49 AM

Another way to check is take a look at the extractor groove (rim), and base of the case. You can normally get a decent idea of how many times its been chambered and extracted. Some of my brass has been loaded so many times the headstamp is almost gone and the rim is scarred up, but like said above, with .45 ACP, I shoot 'em til the cases start to crack.

Ausserordeutlich · December 14, 2006, 04:11 PM

I don't buy any once-fired brass except .223 from Scharch's. So far, so good.

When I pick up brass @ the range I can usually tell that the brass is once-fired, particularly when I watch the guy load his mags out of a fresh box of factory ammo.

rem33 · December 14, 2006, 06:35 PM

Also if rifle or bottle neck brass has been reloaded it will or should have been debured so the inside wall of the neck will have that slight beveled edge and not straight like once fired is.

jsflagstad · December 16, 2006, 10:06 PM

You watch him load it, man that is like stalking.....

Brass stalker!! LOL

Just funin..

JSF

December 11, 2006, 07:12 PM	#1
Bullet94 Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2004 Location: Kansas Posts: 723	Once fired brass? When people buy once fired brass how do you know it has only been fired once? __________________ PRO-SECOND AMENDMENT - Live Free or Die

December 12, 2006, 08:36 PM	#4
MISFIRE Member Join Date: October 21, 2000 Location: Aliso Viejo, Ca Posts: 86	For years I kept track of my .45 ACP brass, "once fired", "twice fired", etc. After about ten or so reloads I quit all that. They all go in the same box. I suspect some have a dozen trips through my 550B. A few cracked cases here and there but I can't tell any difference with the many reloaded cases and new Starlines. But then I'm not a bullseye shooter. I just enjoy lots of .45 ACP shooting. I think I step on and/or lose enough brass to keep my supply reasonably fresh. I also do not hesitate to add range brass when the opportunity arises, and pay no attention to brand names. Extra good cleaning cures lots of evils. Heresy! __________________ MISFIRE

December 13, 2006, 07:51 AM	#7
qajaq59 Senior Member Join Date: November 15, 2005 Posts: 139	Vendor is the key. Just check up on the vendor. If his reputation is good then likely the brass will be as well.

December 13, 2006, 08:43 PM	#11
gandog56 Senior Member Join Date: May 31, 2006 Location: Mobile, Alabama Posts: 949	They must have. I just opened a package I bought recently of Win WLP, and they are brass colored. __________________ Some people think I'm paranoid because I have guns. If I have guns, what do I have to be paranoid about?

December 14, 2006, 03:49 AM	#12
SteveinAK Member Join Date: September 20, 2005 Location: Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan Posts: 27	Another way to check is take a look at the extractor groove (rim), and base of the case. You can normally get a decent idea of how many times its been chambered and extracted. Some of my brass has been loaded so many times the headstamp is almost gone and the rim is scarred up, but like said above, with .45 ACP, I shoot 'em til the cases start to crack. __________________ -Steve Col. Colt made 'em equal, more or less...

December 11, 2006, 07:15 PM	#2
TimRB Senior Member Join Date: May 18, 2004 Posts: 1,028	I think most often "once-fired" brass is military with crimped primers, so it is easy to tell. If someone is claiming to have commercial once-fired brass, then I would be skeptical. Tim

December 11, 2006, 10:05 PM	#3
tINY Senior Member Join Date: April 26, 2005 Location: Orygun Posts: 2,589	You don't know - but you can tell if it's good for "one more" by inspection.... -tINY

December 12, 2006, 11:28 PM	#6
rem33 Junior member Join Date: March 31, 2006 Posts: 1,528	This does not always hold true as there are exceptions I've heard but. Most after market primers seem to be silver and lots of factory primers are brass colored. I have not check this much just observations from reloading and looking at once fired brass.

December 13, 2006, 09:40 AM	#8
XD-Guy Senior Member Join Date: November 20, 2006 Posts: 102	I have found this to be true of Winchester and some Federal only however I may be wrong

December 14, 2006, 04:11 PM	#13
Ausserordeutlich Junior member Join Date: May 27, 2006 Posts: 996	I don't buy any once-fired brass except .223 from Scharch's. So far, so good. When I pick up brass @ the range I can usually tell that the brass is once-fired, particularly when I watch the guy load his mags out of a fresh box of factory ammo.

December 14, 2006, 06:35 PM	#14
rem33 Junior member Join Date: March 31, 2006 Posts: 1,528	Also if rifle or bottle neck brass has been reloaded it will or should have been debured so the inside wall of the neck will have that slight beveled edge and not straight like once fired is.

December 16, 2006, 10:06 PM	#15
jsflagstad Senior Member Join Date: January 29, 2005 Location: Up Nort Posts: 381	You watch him load it, man that is like stalking..... Brass stalker!! LOL Just funin.. JSF