Sold my Brass!

Prof Young · October 3, 2020, 01:15 PM

After about 15 years of shooting and reloading I've sold off my scrap brass. In pic below it's hard to discern that it's a five gallon bucket full of brass that's within about five inches of the top. 44 pounds netted $63. This is bungled brass, 22 brass of all sorts, calibers I don't reload mixed in with my range brass and a few small brass plumbing fittings.

Life is good.
Prof Young

BJung · October 3, 2020, 01:53 PM

I have access to brass but was thinking that if I could get a hold of the dimensions of one of those 3000BC brass swords, I can make a mould and cast my own ancient swords.

**Unclenick** · October 3, 2020, 04:39 PM

They'd only be ancient if you can go back in time to make them and then come back and dig them up. Might be a fun hobby if you can work out the technical kinks.

Lots of brass sword parts are out there (hilts, pommels, etc.) but I don't know of brass blades other than in decorative or ceremonial weapons. The Egyptians had work-hardened copper blades. Lots of bronze-age swords made of bronze with varying copper-tin ratios. They also made some of copper-arsenic alloy. But hardened brass is not as hard as cold-worked copper (BHN 78 vs BHN 89). Its resistance to bending is not quite as strong, either (shear modulus of about 5800 ksi, verses about 6700 ksi).

std7mag · October 3, 2020, 05:17 PM

It took you 15 years?
3 years of range pickup, plus the pieces i've decided are scrap filled the same 5 gal bucket.

markr6754 · October 5, 2020, 11:40 AM

Here’s a pic of my scrapped brass bin. I’m catching up fast. Another 20 - 30 years and my heirs will be able to get that $63...plus whatever inflation adds by then.

ballardw · October 8, 2020, 03:40 PM

A few years ago the local recycling place near my house was paying $2 a pound for cartridge brass.

Sunday Shooter · October 9, 2020, 10:50 PM

I'll be taking 24 five gallon buckets of brass to the recycler on Tuesday. Three months of range scrounging. I do pull what I need and sell some through a local gun shop. Not uncommon to get 2 buckets a weekend at my range.

Sevens · October 10, 2020, 02:52 PM

I'm glad someone opened this conversation as I'm looking for hints.

I have kept all my scrap brass (berdan primed, split cases, otherwise non-reloadable but only the brass, no steel and no aluminum) and I have a decent collection of .22LR and .22WMR also. In addition, I have 31+ years of spent primers. Since they never occupied much physical space, I never had any problem holding on to them.

I couldn't tell you or even accurately guess at the weight of my recyclable "reloading" brass, but I can tell you that there must be a minimum of 150,000 primers in there.

1) The spent primers are just as recyclable as the cartridge brass I hope?

2) Is there is a "best time" to make my run to the scrap yard for the most proceeds? What kind of rate should I be looking for or waiting for, can anyone offer insight in to the market? Google will return a result but some specific search terms might help me.

I figure the only way to truly make all these years of collecting it worth my while is to make just ONE single trip and do it when the price reaches a decent spot. (yeah, I'll do it again maybe 20-25 years from now too)

Hints and tips appreciated!

COSteve · October 10, 2020, 06:48 PM

I sell my scrap brass when I get over 100lbs of it to a re-cycler near me. I was getting $2 lb but a few years ago the price dropped to $1 lb so I'm holding on to it. Currently, I have over 210 lbs of scrap brass.

gnystrom · October 11, 2020, 02:40 PM

I work at a range owned by four different LE agencies and we are open to the public a couple days a week. We regularly send off a couple 55gal drums of assorted brass to the recycler.
I finally talked them into sorting some of it by caliber when they are looking for live rounds that are not allowed into the scrap bins so we can give that to our customers that reload. I gave a guy about 25# of .357 brass one day and I thought he was going to cry.
Also noted much of the 45acp is now small primer which takes even more sorting time.

October 3, 2020, 04:39 PM	#3
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,743	They'd only be ancient if you can go back in time to make them and then come back and dig them up. Might be a fun hobby if you can work out the technical kinks. Lots of brass sword parts are out there (hilts, pommels, etc.) but I don't know of brass blades other than in decorative or ceremonial weapons. The Egyptians had work-hardened copper blades. Lots of bronze-age swords made of bronze with varying copper-tin ratios. They also made some of copper-arsenic alloy. But hardened brass is not as hard as cold-worked copper (BHN 78 vs BHN 89). Its resistance to bending is not quite as strong, either (shear modulus of about 5800 ksi, verses about 6700 ksi). __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle

October 3, 2020, 05:17 PM	#4
std7mag Senior Member Join Date: June 23, 2013 Location: Central Taxylvania.. Posts: 3,611	It took you 15 years? 3 years of range pickup, plus the pieces i've decided are scrap filled the same 5 gal bucket. __________________ When our own government declares itself as "tyrannical", where does that leave us??!! "Januarary 6th insurrection". Funny, I didn't see a single piece of rope...

October 8, 2020, 03:40 PM	#6
ballardw Senior Member Join Date: September 19, 2008 Posts: 1,475	A few years ago the local recycling place near my house was paying $2 a pound for cartridge brass. __________________ -+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ All data is flawed, some just less so.

October 10, 2020, 02:52 PM	#8
Sevens Senior Member Join Date: July 28, 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 11,775	I'm glad someone opened this conversation as I'm looking for hints. I have kept all my scrap brass (berdan primed, split cases, otherwise non-reloadable but only the brass, no steel and no aluminum) and I have a decent collection of .22LR and .22WMR also. In addition, I have 31+ years of spent primers. Since they never occupied much physical space, I never had any problem holding on to them. I couldn't tell you or even accurately guess at the weight of my recyclable "reloading" brass, but I can tell you that there must be a minimum of 150,000 primers in there. 1) The spent primers are just as recyclable as the cartridge brass I hope? 2) Is there is a "best time" to make my run to the scrap yard for the most proceeds? What kind of rate should I be looking for or waiting for, can anyone offer insight in to the market? Google will return a result but some specific search terms might help me. I figure the only way to truly make all these years of collecting it worth my while is to make just ONE single trip and do it when the price reaches a decent spot. (yeah, I'll do it again maybe 20-25 years from now too) Hints and tips appreciated! __________________ *Attention Brass rats and other reloaders:* I really need .327 Federal Magnum brass, no lot size too small. Tell me what caliber you need and I'll see what I have to swap. PM me and we'll discuss.

October 3, 2020, 01:53 PM	#2
BJung Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2019 Posts: 849	I have access to brass but was thinking that if I could get a hold of the dimensions of one of those 3000BC brass swords, I can make a mould and cast my own ancient swords.

October 9, 2020, 10:50 PM	#7
Sunday Shooter Junior Member Join Date: August 30, 2016 Posts: 10	I'll be taking 24 five gallon buckets of brass to the recycler on Tuesday. Three months of range scrounging. I do pull what I need and sell some through a local gun shop. Not uncommon to get 2 buckets a weekend at my range.

October 10, 2020, 06:48 PM	#9
COSteve Senior Member Join Date: September 6, 2009 Posts: 1,344	I sell my scrap brass when I get over 100lbs of it to a re-cycler near me. I was getting $2 lb but a few years ago the price dropped to $1 lb so I'm holding on to it. Currently, I have over 210 lbs of scrap brass.

October 11, 2020, 02:40 PM	#10
gnystrom Senior Member Join Date: July 30, 2006 Posts: 308	I work at a range owned by four different LE agencies and we are open to the public a couple days a week. We regularly send off a couple 55gal drums of assorted brass to the recycler. I finally talked them into sorting some of it by caliber when they are looking for live rounds that are not allowed into the scrap bins so we can give that to our customers that reload. I gave a guy about 25# of .357 brass one day and I thought he was going to cry. Also noted much of the 45acp is now small primer which takes even more sorting time.