Old Brass Reloading

riverwalker76 · February 17, 2011, 11:08 AM

A buddy of mine dropped off some brass to me this morning, and I'm not sure I want to reload them. They are in a late 60's Western Super X Silvertip box, and have R-P headstamps. The box is vintage and has the price "$5.55" written on it

Should I just hang on to these for nostalgic reasons, or reload them? I'm leaning towards holding onto them since they are so old.

What are your thoughts?

Brian Pfleuger · February 17, 2011, 11:13 AM

Brass doesn't exactly "get old". If they were stored correctly and look normal, there's no reason you couldn't reload them.

On the other hand, I assume you mean "a box", as in 20 pieces. If that's the case, I'd probably just keep them. Brass is cheap and plentiful, I wouldn't sweat it over 20 cases.

Shootest · February 17, 2011, 12:11 PM

The headstamp and box do not match. The Western Super X Silvertip was/is made by Winchester and should be stamped WW. The R-P headstamp is made by Remington-Peters. If they are loaded with Silvertip bullets they are probably already reloads and not worth saving.

riverwalker76 · February 17, 2011, 01:35 PM

I'll probably just keep them together for the sake of the old box. I like antique, old, boxes anyway, and, like you stated, probably worth the brass just to let them sit.

I also thought it worth mentioning that he gave me a handful of the old 308 'Accelerator' cartridges. I'll probably not fire them due to accuracy issues with them, but I thought they were neat anyway. They are a .308 R-P headstamp with a saboted .22 bullet in the case neck. I've heard that these things were basically made for a 'fun' load and impractical for hunting. I'd be scared to shoot them from my .308 precision bolt rifle.

Do any of you remember these cartridges?

Brian Pfleuger · February 17, 2011, 02:49 PM

Quote:

I also thought it worth mentioning that he gave me a handful of the old 308 'Accelerator' cartridges. I'll probably not fire them due to accuracy issues with them, but I thought they were neat anyway. They are a .308 R-P headstamp with a saboted .22 bullet in the case neck. I've heard that these things were basically made for a 'fun' load and impractical for hunting. I'd be scared to shoot them from my .308 precision bolt rifle.

Do any of you remember these cartridges?

I think they still make them. You can definitely still get the components for reloading. They have long range accuracy issues but they are neat.

larryf1952 · February 17, 2011, 03:00 PM

Insofar as reloading the old brass is concerned, I came across about 100 nickel .45ACP Winchester cases with headstamps from the early '60's. They all looked good, so I loaded them up and used them. Some of those cases have been reloaded several times using 185 JHP's without ill effect.

HawkeyeNRAlifer · February 17, 2011, 05:16 PM

I have a bunch of 70's WW brass in rotation. Some has been reloaded upwards of twenty times. No problems.

Edward429451 · February 17, 2011, 06:17 PM

Old brassI treat just like new brass. Inspect it, process it, and shoot it. A friends G-pa died 30 some years ago and the G-ma finally decided to clean out his room. I received most of the mans componants and dies, and some of the Western brass just as you describe, and 4 boxes of virgin R-P brass. It all shoots good. The rule with brass is...When in doubt, throw it out.

riverwalker76 · February 17, 2011, 06:49 PM

Upon further inspection of the brass in the box that I received ...

it appears that my buddy just filled the box with whatever brass he had on hand at the time he was shooting it. There are 6 brass that have the R-P headstamp, and the remaining 14 brass say WW SUPER .308 Winchester.

As I stated earlier, I have so much .308 brass as it is that I think I will just leave these in the box as they sit. Kind of neat to see an old box like this that isn't in circulation any longer.

Rifleman1776 · February 17, 2011, 07:36 PM

There are millions of WWII brass still being reloaded all the time.
If in doubt just anneal and load away.

Russ45 · February 17, 2011, 11:10 PM

I have a lot of that old brass that I have loaded a dozen times and expect to load it many dozens of times more.

medalguy · February 18, 2011, 12:31 AM

I still reload 1940's vintage 30-06 brass all the time. Heck, 1960 dated brass is fairly NEW.....I don't think I have any 30-06 newer than 1972.

Win_94 · February 18, 2011, 01:32 AM

Quote:

and has the price "$5.55" written on it

That's nothing!

When I got my Eddystone US Model of 1917, I got a partial box of ammo with it.

I shot them, then reloaded them. I don't remember ever leaving any reloadable brass behind.

radom · February 18, 2011, 07:03 AM

I dont get the idea where folks tend to think ammo and cases are like ground round on the kitchen counter.

cornbush · February 18, 2011, 09:36 PM

Keep the box, load the brass.... it's nothing special.

February 17, 2011, 11:08 AM	#1
riverwalker76 Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2010 Location: Kentucky Posts: 993	Old Brass Reloading A buddy of mine dropped off some brass to me this morning, and I'm not sure I want to reload them. They are in a late 60's Western Super X Silvertip box, and have R-P headstamps. The box is vintage and has the price "$5.55" written on it Should I just hang on to these for nostalgic reasons, or reload them? I'm leaning towards holding onto them since they are so old. What are your thoughts? __________________ *Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto* - “You cannot invade the mainland United States. There would be a rifle behind each blade of grass.”

February 17, 2011, 11:13 AM	#2
Brian Pfleuger Moderator Emeritus Join Date: June 25, 2008 Location: Austin, CO Posts: 19,578	Brass doesn't exactly "get old". If they were stored correctly and look normal, there's no reason you couldn't reload them. On the other hand, I assume you mean "a box", as in 20 pieces. If that's the case, I'd probably just keep them. Brass is cheap and plentiful, I wouldn't sweat it over 20 cases. __________________ Nobody plans to screw up their lives... ...they just don't plan not to. -Andy Stanley

February 17, 2011, 12:11 PM	#3
Shootest Senior Member Join Date: February 9, 2011 Location: Just outside Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 722	The headstamp and box do not match. The Western Super X Silvertip was/is made by Winchester and should be stamped WW. The R-P headstamp is made by Remington-Peters. If they are loaded with Silvertip bullets they are probably already reloads and not worth saving. __________________ The private ownership of firearms is an American Heritage. Anyone who disputes that is Anti-American and unpatriotic. NRA Life Member

February 17, 2011, 01:35 PM	#4
riverwalker76 Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2010 Location: Kentucky Posts: 993	I'll probably just keep them together for the sake of the old box. I like antique, old, boxes anyway, and, like you stated, probably worth the brass just to let them sit. I also thought it worth mentioning that he gave me a handful of the old 308 'Accelerator' cartridges. I'll probably not fire them due to accuracy issues with them, but I thought they were neat anyway. They are a .308 R-P headstamp with a saboted .22 bullet in the case neck. I've heard that these things were basically made for a 'fun' load and impractical for hunting. I'd be scared to shoot them from my .308 precision bolt rifle. Do any of you remember these cartridges? __________________ *Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto* - “You cannot invade the mainland United States. There would be a rifle behind each blade of grass.”

February 17, 2011, 06:49 PM	#9
riverwalker76 Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2010 Location: Kentucky Posts: 993	Upon further inspection of the brass in the box that I received ... it appears that my buddy just filled the box with whatever brass he had on hand at the time he was shooting it. There are 6 brass that have the R-P headstamp, and the remaining 14 brass say WW SUPER .308 Winchester. As I stated earlier, I have so much .308 brass as it is that I think I will just leave these in the box as they sit. Kind of neat to see an old box like this that isn't in circulation any longer. __________________ *Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto* - “You cannot invade the mainland United States. There would be a rifle behind each blade of grass.”

February 17, 2011, 03:00 PM	#6
larryf1952 Senior Member Join Date: July 17, 2004 Location: KCMO Posts: 615	Insofar as reloading the old brass is concerned, I came across about 100 nickel .45ACP Winchester cases with headstamps from the early '60's. They all looked good, so I loaded them up and used them. Some of those cases have been reloaded several times using 185 JHP's without ill effect.

February 17, 2011, 05:16 PM	#7
HawkeyeNRAlifer Senior Member Join Date: September 6, 2007 Location: Iowa Posts: 316	I have a bunch of 70's WW brass in rotation. Some has been reloaded upwards of twenty times. No problems.

February 17, 2011, 06:17 PM	#8
Edward429451 Junior member Join Date: November 12, 2000 Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado Posts: 9,494	Old brassI treat just like new brass. Inspect it, process it, and shoot it. A friends G-pa died 30 some years ago and the G-ma finally decided to clean out his room. I received most of the mans componants and dies, and some of the Western brass just as you describe, and 4 boxes of virgin R-P brass. It all shoots good. The rule with brass is...When in doubt, throw it out.

February 17, 2011, 07:36 PM	#10
Rifleman1776 Senior Member Join Date: April 25, 2010 Location: Arkansas Posts: 3,309	There are millions of WWII brass still being reloaded all the time. If in doubt just anneal and load away.

February 17, 2011, 11:10 PM	#11
Russ45 Junior Member Join Date: February 14, 2011 Posts: 4	I have a lot of that old brass that I have loaded a dozen times and expect to load it many dozens of times more.

February 18, 2011, 12:31 AM	#12
medalguy Senior Member Join Date: August 31, 2009 Location: New Mexico Posts: 1,033	I still reload 1940's vintage 30-06 brass all the time. Heck, 1960 dated brass is fairly NEW.....I don't think I have any 30-06 newer than 1972.

February 18, 2011, 07:03 AM	#14
radom Senior Member Join Date: January 21, 2000 Posts: 1,353	I dont get the idea where folks tend to think ammo and cases are like ground round on the kitchen counter.

February 18, 2011, 09:36 PM	#15
cornbush Senior Member Join Date: September 29, 2008 Location: The retarded place below Idaho Posts: 1,408	Keep the box, load the brass.... it's nothing special. __________________ The best shot I ever made was an accident