Are primers brass?

[CMV]

Do spent primers go in the scrap bucket with bad brass for recycling? I'm a long was off from filling my bucket, but will stop putting spent primers in there if I'll have to cull them out later to cash in the bucket of scrap.

 

[jcwit]

Yup

 

[ReloaderFred]

I took over 70 pounds of brass to the recycler yesterday and about 8 or 9 pounds of that was spent rifle and pistol primers. Just be aware that shotgun primers aren't brass, but rather steel.

If in doubt, run a magnet through them, as well as your brass. The recycler may do the same, and you want to be ahead of the game, since it may affect the price you're paid. I received $2.05 a pound yesterday.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[rori]

I think most primers are steel but check them with a magnet to be sure. FRJ

 

[Walkalong]

Primers are brass, except for shotgun primers, as Fred noted.

The magnet will back this up.

 

[1SOW]

Brass or nickle-plated brass (EG. FED spp).
I also keep mine to sell at the scrap yard with the bad cases.

 

[LiveLife]

Brass or nickle-plated brass

 

[rori]

I stand corrected!!! What's the anvil made of? FRJ

 

[medalguy]

Anvil is brass too.

 

[LiveLife]

Anyone know what Tula SR primer cup material is? It is non-magnetic, like other primer cups/anvils. Perhaps copper-washed brass?

 

[kingmt]

As far as I know all primer cups are brass & most anvils are brass but there are steel anvils. Seems like it was ether Tula or Wolf that had steel anvils but may have been something else.

 

[medalguy]

Just rub a FIRED copper primer with some sandpaper or a fine file and see what color is under the copper. Yellow color is brass. Red color is copper/gilding metal. Silver color is cupronickel, 75% copper and around 25% nickel.

 

[Jasper1573]

I am working on filling up a bucket of spent brass for recycling...do I need to decap the brass and take the brass and primers separately, or can I leave the primers in the brass?

 

[1SOW]

The salvage yard accepts and weighs mine with primers in or out separate. I save all my deprimed primers and toss them in with the salvage brass.