223/5.56 Conundrum

[TheClasonater]

Got an interesting situation that I thought I'd bring to the gray beards. About a year ago, I inherited a 5 gallon bucket of 223/5.56 brass. Been sitting there collecting dust, so I thought I'd start pokin around. Some have been decapped, some have not, and some have live primers... like the person I inherited it from bought a 'lot' of primed LC cases and had plans but they got dumped in by mistake after his passing.

Its not like 20 or 30 either, I'm already at a full size Folgers can and got another gallon or two worth of brass to work through.

I dont load 223. Even if I do down the road, I'm years out because of other projects, and it would be for varmint purposes, not AR purposes. Do I sell/trade these, to purchase a couple things I could use now? Are they safe to sell? Would anybody even buy them with unknown provenance?

 

[hoardingthemanual]

I think sell/trade is a good idea. I believe there's a market for primed cases. Norma and 2A Warehouse both sell primed cases and, in neither shop, does the manufacturer state the brand of primer used. I have also been told by people on this site that they buy and shoot remanufactured ammo. Thus, there is a market for primed cases, and some market participants don't care about unknown provenance. Good luck!

 

[length_of_pull_1]

I suppose someone could have primed that brass with pistol primers making for a less than ideal situation. But if I was looking for components in that caliber I'd give 'em a whirl. If you weren't sure about selling or trading them you could always pop the primers out and use or sell/ trade them separately.

 

[kmw1954]

If there is Norma brass in that heep I'd be interested.

 

[film495]

I'd certainly cull out the ones with live primers and go from there. maybe measure a few lenghts and see if they were trimmed and sized correctly. check the headstamps and see if they are mixed or if he used the best brass for those. You gotta know what you got before you figure out what to do with it.

 

[GHinNH]

.

 

[TheClasonater]

This is great advice

If there is Norma brass in that heep I'd be interested.

I remember picking up a couple hundred last year at the range. I threw them in the bucket. Planning on separating by headstamp anyway. I can pm you if you'd like when I get there.

Can primers be reused if punched out without setting them off? I can definitely put on my bubble suit and safety squint and start knocking them out if thats the case, and if the brass would be easier to sell without the primers.

 

[dgod]

Yes, just press them slowly so you don’t damage the anvil, they will work for reloading, I have done it..

 

[TheClasonater]

Sounds good! I still might try to sell them first, see what happens I guess, but I could use 'em in lighter pistola reloads too. Might see if somebody wants to trade for IMR 4064. Since yall answered here first, yall get first dibs once I finish getting them sorted out if I decide to go that way.

As for the deprived brass.. gonna take me awhile to sort and clean up.

 

[TheClasonater]

Not trying to make this a "for sale" for the moderators. Just continually lookin for advice.

 

[FROGO207]

Yes removing primers and reusing them will work. I use my universal decapping die to do this and will work well if you dont have a 223 die. Also something like a Lee 44 MAG die will work as there is no sizing ball on the decapping pin. I have used primers over with zero problems. As stated above go slowly and gently push the primer out there should be no problems.
Primed brass has to be shipped like live ammo so UPS or FED-X not USPS. Spent brass with spent primers can go flat rate USPS and that is the least expensive way to ship. Swapping primers for propellant would be a local face to face thing only. We have a trade and sell reloading componants area on the site as well. This is comming from a guy that's sitting on 3 five GAL buckets of mixed 223/5.56 brass that is once fired.

 

[kmw1954]

This is great advice

I can pm you if you'd like when I get there..

Yes please PM if you fins any.

 

[TheClasonater]

Yes please PM if you fins any.

 

[hdwhit]

If you don't load it, sell or barter the brass. I assure you someone will be happy to buy/trade for it.

 

[jmorris]

Yes, just press them slowly so you don’t damage the anvil, they will work for reloading, I have done it..

I would chamber a few and see if they are still good before I spent much time trying to save them.

Safety glasses, ear protection might not be a bad idea too but I have done more than a few like that myself and never set one off.

Primers are still a pretty hot item though, I’d probably forgo the work and offer the primed brass for sale (you can ship primed brass just not the primers by themselves).

The OP could put the money into something he wants now, at that point and still have his “for some day” brass.

 

[TheClasonater]

I am going to try and sell the primed stuff locally first, see if I can get some powder out of the deal.

I would chamber a few and see if they are still good before I spent much time trying to save them.

That's the deal.. the more I think about it, the less amount of time and work I want to spend on it. If I can't move em locally, than I will put them up here.