Stupid question

LiveLife said:

Lead in primer gets blown out to coat inside of cases and barrels. So should we throw out spent brass and buy new brass for reloading due to lead dust? Of course not.

How do we treat spent cases to reduce exposure to lead? We handle/process/clean them so as to not breath in lead dust (or work outside with good ventilation) and clean our hands afterwards (or wear gloves).

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I feel like I got lectured. I've worked in an indoor range and understand good hygiene. My scrap brass is contained. My rockchuckers spit primers on the floor. I don't leave them there. I could go on. I didn't tell anyone what to do. Just said what I do and why in one sentence.

LiveLife said:

Twocanary said:

Spent primers contain lead so I throw them away soon as possible. I also cast bullets so want to keep my exposure to lead dust to a minimum.

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Lead in primer gets blown out to coat inside of cases and barrels. So should we throw out spent brass and buy new brass for reloading due to lead dust? ... We handle/process/clean them so as to not breath in lead dust ... and clean our hands afterwards (or wear gloves)..

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Twocanary said:

I feel like I got lectured. I've worked in an indoor range and understand good hygiene. My scrap brass is contained. My rockchuckers spit primers on the floor. I don't leave them there. I could go on. I didn't tell anyone what to do. Just said what I do and why in one sentence.

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If you feel as though you got lectured, my apologies.

My reply was to point out that not all reloaders throw out spent primers (Especially now with material/component shortages with need for recycling) and lead dust concern on spent primer would be similar to lead dust on spent brass so similar precaution be applied in their handling, processing and cleaning with washing of hands and use of gloves (if desired), all of which are just good safe reloading practices (And you should know that since you worked in an indoor range and understand good hygiene).

That's all.

Save and recycle. Every little bit helps.

Mine go in the brass scrap bucket.
The goldish color is brass.
The other is nickel plated brass.

On my Dillon 550 I have tube with a funnel on one end under the primer shoot and the other end attached to a plastic jug. When full I bring it to the recycler.

Has anyone ever wondered if they should save their spent primers. For the possibility of making a batch of priming compound. And reusing them?

In the scrap bucket. Money is money and every little bit helps especially when added to scrapped cases.

vongh said:

Has anyone ever wondered if they should save their spent primers. For the possibility of making a batch of priming compound. And reusing them?

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maybe earlier this year, but primers are coming back and at a ok prices.

Mark_Mark said:

primers are coming back and at a ok prices.

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I bet we never see $14/1000 ever again ...

And I am even wondering if $20/1000 is wishful thinking.

LiveLife said:

I bet we never see $14/1000 ever again ...

And I am even wondering if $20/1000 is wishful thinking.

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Nothing suprises me anymore, we might see those prices. I’m just buying a box of what I need

Personally I will wait for $40 or less to buy for now.
I have tried to reman primers and it can be done. Still, they were corrosive and I have several primer material kits if it comes to that but for now......... I wait.

Brass I don't need for reloading, I sell to the recycler. Years ago I asked them if I needed to de-prime the brass. They said no, when the cases are melted the primers separate from the brass.

Carl N. Brown said:

... when the cases are melted the primers separate from the brass.

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More like brass primer cups and anvils will melt with the brass cases.

greyling22 said:

huh. I've been throwing them away. didn't realize they were recyclable. but them, I give my scrap away. any idea how much a 5 gallon bucket of brass might bring at the scrap yard? (and I know it depends on the weight, and that changes with the calibers in the bucket. I'm just trying to get a rough idea if it's worth going to the yard)

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Where I live, I made a deal with the scrap yard to bring in at least 200 lbs at a time and they would pay 10-15 cents a pound more than the going rate for scrap brass. They don't particularly like nickel plated. That was before the shortage. Don't waste time with very small quantities. Note that the box from a case of motor oil holds about 45-50 lbs. Used to make pretty good money scrapping 9mm and .223. disposing of spent primers mixed with the brass was never a problem.