Favorite source of once fired brass?

TriumphGuy · January 21, 2012, 11:25 PM

I'm looking for some .40 and .45acp brass. I'm not terribly picky about headstamps.

Normally, I can find it cheap at gun shows in the area or scrounge some extra at the range but I'm starting to run dry. Seems like I lose a few every trip to the range.

oldreloader · January 21, 2012, 11:33 PM

The last I bought was from oncefiredbrass.com and I was very satisfied with them.

m&p45acp10+1 · January 22, 2012, 12:06 AM

The only brass that I have ever purchased has been new.

All the other stuff I picked up at the range, or someone gave it to me.

Usualy at the range I go to there is more brass than you could carry out in .40 S&W, and .45 auto. Though they emptied the buckets this week due to the fact that they were over flowing. I did however manage to scrounge up a couple hundred .38 spcl today.

lockinload · January 22, 2012, 07:36 AM

Quote:

The last I bought was from oncefiredbrass.com and I was very satisfied with them

.

+1 clean and tumbled, arrived promptly.

Shootest · January 22, 2012, 07:45 AM

This guy is good too.
http://tjconevera.com/oncefiredbrass.html

Huskerguy · January 22, 2012, 07:59 AM

Have your tried this forum?

http://thefiringline.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=17

I have ordered brass from several different people on this forum and never had a problem. Some was tumbled, some not, some included extra to fill out flat rate boxes, all easy to work with. There is some advertised on there right now although I have never purchased from this person. You might try putting your own add on there for WTB brass. Just recently a person was on there and had a great price on a lot of 3,000 I believe. If I didn't already have a boat load it would be on my bench right now. good luck

TriumphGuy · January 22, 2012, 08:44 AM

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I used to scrounge most of it from a nearby indoor range, but the place has gotten downright scary lately.

amathis · January 22, 2012, 09:51 AM

I just ordered from Brassman.com on Tuesday. I just got my packages yesterday. Prices are great. He's got a great supply and great service. I'll buy from him again.

aarhunt · January 22, 2012, 09:54 AM

Try starlinebrass.com its all new brass i belive but they sell it at a good price

jepp2 · January 22, 2012, 10:27 AM

For pistol brass I found some dealers on GunBroker that routinely have brass available. They have access to police firing ranges and you know you are always getting once fired factory brass. It is very clean and tumbled. In very nice condition and inexpensive. You might watch the auctions and ask the seller the source of their brass.

3kgt2nv · January 22, 2012, 11:13 AM

Kbar has the cheapest brass but they are a zero contact vendor. I have ordered about 10k brass from them in the last 2 years and all has arrived in good condition. A 1k bag of brass is normally about 1100

chris in va · January 22, 2012, 02:27 PM

If I had to buy brass, it would negate any savings I see from reloading.

3kgt2nv · January 22, 2012, 03:07 PM

Quote:

If I had to buy brass, it would negate any savings I see from reloading.

then your over paying for your components.

or what do you do when you wear out your stock of brass?

or get a new gun you dont have brass for?

1SOW · January 23, 2012, 01:53 AM

I agree with chris in va:

Brass is THE most expensive component for pistol reloading.

For pistol, I've never bought brass. I have over 20K cleaned and tumbled 9mm on hand sorted by headstamp. I'm lucky to have several outdoor ranges where shooters don't pick up their pistol brass--mostly 9mm Luger and 40 cal with a smattering of 45acp, 380 and others. I shoot an avg of 250rds/week and my stock is growing.

TriumphGuy · January 23, 2012, 08:59 AM

So do you guys not police your brass when you're done shooting? Just curious. You're absolutely right about it being the most expensive component, but it's also the only component that you can use more than once. I used to pick up almost all of my brass from a local indoor range. I'd go on a busy Saturday when people were there just making noise, but it's getting to the point that I'm very honestly afraid that I'll get hit by a ND.

jal5 · January 23, 2012, 10:51 AM

I have a lot of 40s range brass cleaned and i don't use them. Maybe we can set up some kind of trade, what do you have? Joe

3kgt2nv · January 23, 2012, 11:00 AM

i police everything but i shoot about 1000 rounds per week at practice and more before a competition. I annually shoot about 80-100,000 rounds. i wear out brass a little quicker than most.

most of the ranges around me are always picked clean of everything even steel cases and berdan primed. 22's are about the only things you find.

for about every 50 shots i loose 1 piece of brass. that adds up to about 1600+ pieces of brass that go awol.

plus range pick up brass is not always up to passing my quality control. i still take it but it goes in a separate bucket.

even with buying brass i still come in cheaper than buying retail and it supplements my brass stockpile.

with shooting competitions i like to run larger lots of ammo for consistency. usually around 5000 round lots.

just to test a load i will run 1000 rounds and shoot it in a day or two.

CowTowner · January 23, 2012, 11:12 AM

If I can't find enough on the ground at the range, then my next choice is
http://www.reloadersauction.com/index.php?

rbf420 · January 23, 2012, 12:10 PM

There is a range (in a secret place) that picks up all the brass and put it on sorting tables and sells em for 3cents per rifle and 2cents per pistol. Just gotta get the hands dirty to find the ones I need.

FrankenMauser · January 23, 2012, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Brass is THE most expensive component for pistol reloading.

.... maybe if you actually pay for it.

Like you and Chris, I don't pay for brass to feed my auto loaders. I pick it up out of the mud, sand, rocks, and illegally-dumped trash in the desert and mountains. (I don't do public ranges. I always feel like I'm going to be shot in the back of the head, after the benches give me multiple STDs.)

Revolver brass is a different story, but so is the life of that brass. I don't have an issue with paying for good revolver brass. Thirty plus loads out of the cases? No problem...

johnmcgowan · January 23, 2012, 04:55 PM

Today I just ordered 200 rounds of Winchester 270 brass from Kevin at oncefiredbrass.com. Nice guy to deal with and good prices. 100 rounds of once fired was $17.50 plus shipping.
It does not matter if you buy 100 or 1000, still the same shipping charge of 13 bucks, so I got me 200 rounds coming.
John

Crankylove · January 23, 2012, 09:11 PM

Quote:

I don't pay for brass to feed my auto loaders. I pick it up out of the mud, sand, rocks, and illegally-dumped trash in the desert and mountains.

Quote:

Revolver brass is a different story, but so is the life of that brass. I don't have an issue with paying for good revolver brass.

Ditto for me.

When I pickup brass, it ALL gets picked up. Doesn't matter if we have a gun to use it in or not, or if it has been run over a few times, or is filled with mud or spider webs............if it is a brass case, it gets picked up and goes home with me (except rimfires).

If I don't have a use for brass I pick up, i send it to one of my brothers, my dad, or my uncle and they send some back my way. Between the 5 of us, just about everything we pick up can be loaded and shot again.........and anything to damaged to load goes into the scrap bucket.......and gets cashed in to buy more brass.

warbirdlover · January 23, 2012, 10:50 PM

Other then the factory ammo I fired (Remington) I always bought new Remington cases. It seemed to last much longer then the other brass without having to trim as often. I also kept track of how many "trims" and would discard after four trims.

kalevatom · January 24, 2012, 09:28 AM

The floor at the indoor range.

10 acre woods · January 24, 2012, 07:07 PM

have you tried a scrap yard I found buckets of brass for a bit over scrap price around me.

January 21, 2012, 11:25 PM	#1
TriumphGuy Senior Member Join Date: October 5, 2009 Posts: 559	Favorite source of once fired brass? I'm looking for some .40 and .45acp brass. I'm not terribly picky about headstamps. Normally, I can find it cheap at gun shows in the area or scrounge some extra at the range but I'm starting to run dry. Seems like I lose a few every trip to the range.

January 22, 2012, 12:06 AM	#3
m&p45acp10+1 Senior Member Join Date: May 3, 2009 Location: Central Texas Posts: 3,930	The only brass that I have ever purchased has been new. All the other stuff I picked up at the range, or someone gave it to me. Usualy at the range I go to there is more brass than you could carry out in .40 S&W, and .45 auto. Though they emptied the buckets this week due to the fact that they were over flowing. I did however manage to scrounge up a couple hundred .38 spcl today. __________________ No matter how many times you do it and nothing happens it only takes something going wrong one time to kill you.

January 22, 2012, 07:45 AM	#5
Shootest Senior Member Join Date: February 9, 2011 Location: Just outside Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 722	This guy is good too. http://tjconevera.com/oncefiredbrass.html __________________ The private ownership of firearms is an American Heritage. Anyone who disputes that is Anti-American and unpatriotic. NRA Life Member

January 22, 2012, 07:59 AM	#6
Huskerguy Senior Member Join Date: March 28, 2009 Location: Kansas Posts: 348	right here Have your tried this forum? http://thefiringline.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=17 I have ordered brass from several different people on this forum and never had a problem. Some was tumbled, some not, some included extra to fill out flat rate boxes, all easy to work with. There is some advertised on there right now although I have never purchased from this person. You might try putting your own add on there for WTB brass. Just recently a person was on there and had a great price on a lot of 3,000 I believe. If I didn't already have a boat load it would be on my bench right now. good luck

January 23, 2012, 01:53 AM	#14
1SOW Senior Member Join Date: December 2, 2007 Location: South TX Posts: 269	I agree with chris in va: Brass is THE most expensive component for pistol reloading. For pistol, I've never bought brass. I have over 20K cleaned and tumbled 9mm on hand sorted by headstamp. I'm lucky to have several outdoor ranges where shooters don't pick up their pistol brass--mostly 9mm Luger and 40 cal with a smattering of 45acp, 380 and others. I shoot an avg of 250rds/week and my stock is growing. Last edited by 1SOW; January 23, 2012 at 02:01 AM.

January 21, 2012, 11:33 PM	#2
oldreloader Senior Member Join Date: May 31, 2009 Location: Magnolia, Arkansas Posts: 251	The last I bought was from oncefiredbrass.com and I was very satisfied with them.

January 22, 2012, 08:44 AM	#7
TriumphGuy Senior Member Join Date: October 5, 2009 Posts: 559	Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I used to scrounge most of it from a nearby indoor range, but the place has gotten downright scary lately.

January 22, 2012, 09:51 AM	#8
amathis Senior Member Join Date: March 20, 2009 Location: Champlain Valley, Vermont Posts: 161	I just ordered from Brassman.com on Tuesday. I just got my packages yesterday. Prices are great. He's got a great supply and great service. I'll buy from him again.

January 22, 2012, 09:54 AM	#9
aarhunt Junior member Join Date: January 17, 2009 Location: Chippewa Lake,Ohio Posts: 104	Try starlinebrass.com its all new brass i belive but they sell it at a good price

January 22, 2012, 10:27 AM	#10
jepp2 Senior Member Join Date: December 24, 2008 Location: Loveland, CO Posts: 1,476	For pistol brass I found some dealers on GunBroker that routinely have brass available. They have access to police firing ranges and you know you are always getting once fired factory brass. It is very clean and tumbled. In very nice condition and inexpensive. You might watch the auctions and ask the seller the source of their brass.

January 22, 2012, 11:13 AM	#11
3kgt2nv Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2012 Location: hudson valley NY Posts: 517	Kbar has the cheapest brass but they are a zero contact vendor. I have ordered about 10k brass from them in the last 2 years and all has arrived in good condition. A 1k bag of brass is normally about 1100

January 22, 2012, 02:27 PM	#12
chris in va Senior Member Join Date: December 26, 2004 Location: Louisville KY Posts: 13,806	If I had to buy brass, it would negate any savings I see from reloading.

January 23, 2012, 08:59 AM	#15
TriumphGuy Senior Member Join Date: October 5, 2009 Posts: 559	So do you guys not police your brass when you're done shooting? Just curious. You're absolutely right about it being the most expensive component, but it's also the only component that you can use more than once. I used to pick up almost all of my brass from a local indoor range. I'd go on a busy Saturday when people were there just making noise, but it's getting to the point that I'm very honestly afraid that I'll get hit by a ND.

January 23, 2012, 10:51 AM	#16
jal5 Senior Member Join Date: January 12, 2009 Location: NE Ohio Posts: 419	I have a lot of 40s range brass cleaned and i don't use them. Maybe we can set up some kind of trade, what do you have? Joe __________________ We live in the greatest country on Earth- always be thankful!

January 23, 2012, 11:00 AM	#17
3kgt2nv Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2012 Location: hudson valley NY Posts: 517	i police everything but i shoot about 1000 rounds per week at practice and more before a competition. I annually shoot about 80-100,000 rounds. i wear out brass a little quicker than most. most of the ranges around me are always picked clean of everything even steel cases and berdan primed. 22's are about the only things you find. for about every 50 shots i loose 1 piece of brass. that adds up to about 1600+ pieces of brass that go awol. plus range pick up brass is not always up to passing my quality control. i still take it but it goes in a separate bucket. even with buying brass i still come in cheaper than buying retail and it supplements my brass stockpile. with shooting competitions i like to run larger lots of ammo for consistency. usually around 5000 round lots. just to test a load i will run 1000 rounds and shoot it in a day or two.

January 23, 2012, 11:12 AM	#18
CowTowner Senior Member Join Date: October 17, 2007 Location: Cowtown of course! Posts: 1,747	If I can't find enough on the ground at the range, then my next choice is http://www.reloadersauction.com/index.php? __________________ NRA Chief Range Safety Officer, Home Firearms Safety, Pistol and Rifle Instructor *“Today, we need a nation of Minutemen, citizens who are not only prepared to take arms, but citizens who regard the preservation of freedom as the basic purpose of their daily life......”* President John F. Kennedy

January 23, 2012, 12:10 PM	#19
rbf420 Senior Member Join Date: August 1, 2009 Posts: 166	There is a range (in a secret place) that picks up all the brass and put it on sorting tables and sells em for 3cents per rifle and 2cents per pistol. Just gotta get the hands dirty to find the ones I need. __________________ My Calibers- 9mm, .38spl, .357 mag, .45 acp, 30/06, 303 brit, 7.7 jap, 7.5 french.

January 23, 2012, 04:55 PM	#21
johnmcgowan Member Join Date: January 19, 2010 Location: Alabama, USA Posts: 91	Today I just ordered 200 rounds of Winchester 270 brass from Kevin at oncefiredbrass.com. Nice guy to deal with and good prices. 100 rounds of once fired was $17.50 plus shipping. It does not matter if you buy 100 or 1000, still the same shipping charge of 13 bucks, so I got me 200 rounds coming. John

January 23, 2012, 10:50 PM	#23
warbirdlover Senior Member Join Date: December 13, 2009 Location: central Wisconsin Posts: 2,324	Other then the factory ammo I fired (Remington) I always bought new Remington cases. It seemed to last much longer then the other brass without having to trim as often. I also kept track of how many "trims" and would discard after four trims.

January 24, 2012, 09:28 AM	#24
kalevatom Senior Member Join Date: October 28, 2010 Location: northwestern Michigan Posts: 198	The floor at the indoor range.

January 24, 2012, 07:07 PM	#25
10 acre woods Member Join Date: December 1, 2011 Location: the commie state of il Posts: 73	have you tried a scrap yard I found buckets of brass for a bit over scrap price around me.