Is there a market for scrap brass?,,,

I collect my brass (revolver shooter; it's pretty easy) and sell it for scrap. A big zip-loc bag full of it can get me $10.
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You could probably get 5x that amount selling it on this forum. If you shoot .38 or .357, it's worth $50-60 per thousand. Most folks sell it by the 500-round lot.

If you shoot .41 Mag or .45 LC, more than that. New brass is $77-85 per 500. Your once fired brass can command about 70% of that. Figure $100 per thousand and you won't have to expend much time getting rid of it.

Actually, email me and I'll take it.
 
orionengnr,
I had maybe a few hundred cases of .38spl and .44spl, with a bunch of .22s mixed in. It came out to about 6 pounds. I'm working on a new bag though, with some .357 thrown in this time. I'll keep your offer in mind.
 
I use a spot that is remote, and little known in the woods for most of my shooting. Except for .223 and 5.56, which I take home and save for some reason, I have been piling up the 9mm, 45 ACP and 7.62x39 (steel) in piles off in the weeds up a slight embankment where I figure no one would ever walk. In 9mm, I had two piles. One for aluminum cases, and one for brass. Probably around 1500 rounds of 9mm in brass. I figured I’d take it home some day. I was up there twice this week, and two days ago when I was up there last, my pile of 9mm brass and .45 ACP were gone. Must be worth something to someone. Some of that brass has bee laying there for a very long time, but should still be good. I figure it was a reloader that took it, but maybe it’s just someone looking to sell it for scrap. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do with it, but it didn’t set well with me that someone just took it.

Anyway, I must have well over 1k rounds of .223/5.56 in several gallon zip lock baggies. The stuff gets heavy. What would you, as a non reloader, do with these cases? I was in a store this summer where they had clean .223 brass for $15 for 100. Seemed kind of steep to me, but I’ve never priced components before.
 
If I came across a pile of brass shells out in the woods I might assume they were unwanted and help myself. No sense in leaving good brass lying around.
 
Crazy88Fingers said:
If I came across a pile of brass shells out in the woods I might assume they were unwanted and help myself. No sense in leaving good brass lying around.
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Of course, but I’ve been piling brass there for almost 3 years, and no one ever touched it till recently. I now have coffee cans labeled with the different calibers that will go to the range with me from now on.

I’m wondering, since I’m sort of on this subject, is it a good idea to separate .223 from 5.56?
 
Brass that's left outside can get weathered and turn black.
I'm not sure why some of it turns black, if it's due to acid rain or from being in contact with the wood chips that covers the ground at my club range.
Once it's in that condition it may even lose some of its appeal to the reloader.
 
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A lot of the brass had turned dark, but I assume that’s what tumblers are for. To clean that off. I don’t reload, so I’m just guessing. Someone thought it was worth picking up. Lots of it has been laying there for almost three years.

I have quite a large pile of 9mm in aluminum casings that they left. I wonder if there is a use for that.

I'm not leaving anymore brass out there. It now goes into cans separated by caliber. However, I will leave them all the 7.62x39 steel casings they want. :D
 
I think the DoD has agreed to sell GI brass to China or some such place.

I saw a comment from a manufacturer that claimed domestic bids for reloadable brass would not be considered in the U.S. market. Given the curent political climate, it could be true. Lots of on loan Garands aren't coming home.

I don't know how to verify, or not, the brass statement. Maybe someone with skilled Google-fu/snopes can put that assertion to rest.

salty
 
My range sells there scrap brass to there customers. They have a small barrel full of it and you pick out what you want. I have priced brass at the local recycling center and the range is making more from selling to us than to the recycling plant but its still cheaper than buying used brass online.

I found 2 pieces 50 BMG brass in there once. I typically keep 357 magnum. I would keep 45/70 but have yet to ever find any, I think its because its a popular reloading caliber so most people that shoot it keep there brass.

It is kind of a pain sorting through large amounts of brass but I am willing to do it for cheep brass. You occasionally see a piece or two of odd brass, I think its probably from people who shoot a lot any may be loose a piece or two of brass. I like going in there after CAS matches! Typically find a good amount of 357/38 special as well as a few 45LC and 44mag
 
Technosavant said:
It takes a fair amount of it to be worth anything.

The reloadable brass (centerfire, boxer primed) can be worth something as actual spent cases... it's not unusual for a range to have a business relationship with somebody who does commercial reloading.
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The indoor range where I shoot has a guy who buys their empty brass for $2/pound. The guy is a small, commercial reloader. The range collects the brass in 5-gallon sheetrock pails, and one pail typically weighs between 65 and 70 pounds. (It depends on the mix -- it isn't sorted by caliber, although I have shot at other ranges that DID have separate buckets for each caliber.)

The owner told me a few days ago that two guys came in recently and tried to strong-arm him into selling it to them as scrap for $1.50/pound. Their argument was that they could only sell it for $1.75/pound as scrap. So that may be the going scrap price -- it's worth more if you find a bulk reloader.

Saltydog452 said:
I think the DoD has agreed to sell GI brass to China or some such place.

I saw a comment from a manufacturer that claimed domestic bids for reloadable brass would not be considered in the U.S. market. Given the curent political climate, it could be true. Lots of on loan Garands aren't coming home.

I don't know how to verify, or not, the brass statement. Maybe someone with skilled Google-fu/snopes can put that assertion to rest.
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I believe that was true, and my recollection is that the decision created such a firestorm of protest that the DoD rescinded the policy and has reverted to selling used brass to U.S. commercial reloaders.
 
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