Once fired 7.62x51 GL-government liquidators, the contractor to auction milspec surplus. Currently once fired brass, mostly 5.56 and 7.62 but pistol also, is in process of bidding on line. One lot of 292 #/LC 01-04 in one drum is currently at $3.2/# at the auction site in Pennsylvania. This lot is clean-weight meaning the container and or pallet are not included in the bid weight, where most lots do no separate the tare/product The final 6 hours of bidding - May 14 @ 5pm becomes quite active for the popular 5.56 and 7.62. Cost for handling shipping and processing would be added to the final bid - then the retailer would purchase and add additional costs. End price?
Since Dec 2012 there have been thousands if not hundred of thousands of pounds of 7.62 auctioned. 5.56 is the hottest item a loose tracking of this has about 400,000 plus pounds auctioned total in the past 5 months. The non-popped/heated all goes for $3-7/#, while the popped goes for less than the current max yellow scrap price.
Who is purchasing these lots? One lot went for $100,000 plus. Not a co-op of avid shooters-reloaders. Have not seen the retail availability of 5.56 and 7.62 once fired DemilQ on the market of the recent past 5 months auctions total pounds. Perhaps the Jobber/wholesaler requires longer handling prep etc. Significant outlay-investment at the wholesale level to hold for a better market price may be, but spent brass is not gold. There are, perhaps unqualified and only in part, cloudy answers to the Who.