Buying New Brass vs New Ammo and Reusing Brass.

[gonoles_1980]

I bought new brass for my 357 and 44mag because I wanted to shoot softer than the full house loads, and the brass is easy to collect. Never did a cost analysis to see if buying new ammo would have been cheaper. But then I didn't want to shoot full house loads either, or go through enough factory loads to get the amount of brass I wanted.

Now for my wife's 380, it looks like buying new ammo and just reusing the brass is cheaper for several reasons, the biggest being, much of her brass runs out onto the range and can't be retrieved.

What kind of decision points do you guys use to determine whether to buy new brass, or just new ammo to build up your brass stockp

 

[otisrush]

I just went through this decision - but for rifle not pistol.

For me it comes down to plinking ammo vs precision ammo (or.....relatively precision ammo). I've been loading 9mm, .38 Spcl and .223 for a few years. In all of those instances what I got via range scrounged brass (as well as truly once-fired brass my buddies give me because they don't reload) resulted in ammo that delivered results on the target that met my objective. I've been fortunate to basically get almost more brass than I can use....in all three calibers.

However I just decided to load for a couple of bolt guns I have. Both because of precision as well as the drastically lower volume I decided to go with purchased new brass. Although I would have liked to buy Lapua - all I could find were packages of 100 cases - which seemed like more than I wanted or needed to have. I bought some Nosler. Factoring in the price of new brass I've guessed/concluded I'll come out ahead as compared to buying ammo and using the brass. (A major assumption is that I'll get more reloads out of new, high quality brass as compared to reusing factory ammo brass. We'll see if that turns out to be true.)

OR

 

[hdwhit]

I don't shoot any exotic calibers, so I just buy (or scrounge) fired brass.

.25 ACP, 9mm Luger, .38 Special, .45 ACP, .223 Remington and the 5.7mm Johnson wildcat (which starts with 30 Carbine brass); all of my guns have fired less than 50 rounds of factory ammunition.

If I was shooting something for which used brass was expensive, I would probably buy loaded ammunition and then I would know that the brass was truly "once fired".

 

[Wreck-n-Crew]

Once .38 special brass can be found relatively cheap and it last for many reloads and would be the cheapest way besides range pickup If I had a .38 or .357.

For .357 brass it runs about 22 cents a piece. do your own math on components. However Starline .357 brass is on sale right now at Midway USA for $15.49 per 100. That's less than 16 cents before shipping. Not bad.

For rifle brass it varies as to how common the brass is. I just buy .270 ammo and shoot it to get the brass for it. It runs around 55+ cents a piece for Winchester. Tax and shipping around 70 cents if you have no LGS that carries it. Bullets run about 30 cents a piece. Primer 3 cents. Even if you get brass for 55, bullets for 27, and primers for 3 your in about 85 cents. Then add the powder and your in about a buck or better. I can get a box of 20 for under $20 out the door so procuring my own .270 brass is simple enough. Once I have my brass I can reload Full power for around 50-55 cents a piece.

Now for 10mm I just bought most of it because I wanted good brass ( Starline ) and 10mm was not plentiful at the time. I procured 150 and bought 500. Losses on bad days over 2 years has me down to 500. Brass catcher is up and running though or those losses would be much worse. I can get it for about the same as .357 brass.

9mm brass is all range pickup other than 1,000 I bought when I started loading larger quantities for $35. Now I'm up to ,3000+.

 

[Rule3]

For 380 bass I would just buy once fired brass.

Buying new loaded ammo is not cheap and the odds of you finding 50% of it aer slim to none. It disappears into black hole somewhere.

Just an example. you can search around. I know folks have purchased from this place.

http://www.evergladesammo.com/brass/handgun-brass/380-auto-fired-range-brass.html

 

[tcj]

I think that the only times I bought new brass were for 357,44 and 30/06 (Garand loads).

 

[cfullgraf]

I buy mostly new brass these days. Most of my reloads are not duplicated by factory ammunition so why waste money on stuff I do not care to shoot.

There are exceptions but they are few and far between.

To add, I shoot out back at the house so the only range brass are ones I generate.

 

[25-5]

I generally have bought the ammo. Pistols and my steel & wood milsurps rifles. Only exception would be to top off some lost .45 ACP or the .44 which I only load mag brass to the spl or mag specs. At this point I rarely buy brass or ammo. Just components.

 

[z7]

For pistol i have purchased once fired brass here in the trading post for 9mm and 40s&w. I also pick up as much as possible off the ground. . .i

For range fodder for the wife i would try for some once fired brass, either here or through a site like brassbombers, spend $50 and try to collect where you can

For .223, there is so much laying around.. . .i have collected way too much

For 308 i am shooting winchester currently and when i need more brass for it i will switch to lapua.

 

[kingmt]

I traded some brass once & bought a few fired cases once. Most of the time I just pick up brass that I keep what I use it convert to something I use & give away the rest.

 

[VINTAGE-SLOTCARS]

Other than duty ammo in 9mm and .45acp, I haven't bought ammo in 35 years. I've been luck enough to pick up cases after range practice for years.

 

[kcofohio]

What kind of decision points do you guys use to determine whether to buy new brass, or just new ammo to build up your brass stockp

I have only bought new brass in 357, 380, and 223. And that was when I just started reloading for those cartridges. Kind of like a kick start. Since then, with range pickups, trades, and buying once fired, I have acquired enough to continue a decent supply.

 

[mstreddy]

For common calibers, rifle and handgun, I have been able to build up a good stash from range pickups.
9MM, 40 S&W, 380 ACP, 45 ACP, 38 Spcl, 357 Mag, 223 Rem, 308 Win, 30-06, 30-30, all of those have been pretty easy to find at the local ranges. I've even built up a fair number of 44 Mag and Special, even though I don't own any guns for it. I also have been able to pick up some 9, 223 and 308 from a military range.

For the less common calibers, 32 ACP, 7.62x39, 38 Super, 45 GAP, 45 Colt and 7.62x25 I've had to buy some once fired and/or new brass. For 300 Blackout, I picked up some formed brass from one of the sellers here.

For my MilSurps I've bought new brass to build up the stash, as once fired isn't as common for them and some of the milsurp ammo is corrosive, or non-reloadable.
I haven't bought much factory ammo since October of 2012, except for 22 LR when I can find it, and some 303 Brit and a couple of odds and ends.

A couple of my buddies ended up buying 1K each of 380 ACP once fired when they started loading for it, as it's not as common at the range where we shoot, that way they built up quickly. There are some good vendors for used brass, both on the web, and here on THR.

I'd say, compare the price of once fired brass, new brass, and factory ammo and see which way works best for you.

As an aside, I factor the price of the brass on the first load, and then I don't on any subsequent loads.

 

[kingmt]

Just wait until you find that you need to start looking for a fun to load for just because you have all that brass. So far I've been able to stay away from 308 but I ended up with 243 & 223 just because I had the brass to load for it. Nether my 243 or 223 have ever seen factory ammo. I may have even owned the dies first. I even have dies for 270 & have never owned one.

 

[drec]

I buy factory ammo when I can find deals on it, with the idea of reloading it; which is mostly 9mm.

 

[rfwobbly]

Now for my wife's 380, it looks like buying new ammo and just reusing the brass is cheaper for several reasons, the biggest being, much of her brass runs out onto the range and can't be retrieved.

No ideas on the cost, but some on brass retrieval.
• Simply stepping back 12-15" from the firing line will help the brass go to rearward rather than forward
• No personnel are allowed in front of the firing line, but it's OK for the push broom to go out there and sweep "my brass" back behind the line.

Hope this helps.
.

 

[reddog81]

I've seen .380 for .055 per piece for range brass on other forums. That's the route i'd go.

I've bought range brass in .357, .38, 44 and 45 ACP. 9mm and 40 S&W are easy to find excess at the range. I have a couple hundred .380 but don't even shoot it but it gets swept up with everything else.

The only new brass i've bought was in 10mm and 38 ACP. 10mm used brass isn't cheap and you never know what kind of crazy loads someone was trying out. 38 ACP is next to impossible to find anything other than new.

 

[W.E.G.]

It is highly unlikely that your wife will ever shoot enough .380 to make it worth your while to do all the due-diligence and grunt-labor necessary to produce quality .380 handloads.

If your .380 won't feed Federal Premium and Hornady Critical Defense, there is something wrong with the gun.
Otherwise, find a cheap-brand range ammo to maintain a degree of familiarization.

95% of what needs to be practiced with a .380 doesn't require any ammunition at all.
The important task is fishing the weapon out of concealment, and pulling the trigger as fast as you can before a goon can choke you.
Pointing. Not aiming.
No dainty trigger tricks.
Fast and hard under stress and discomfort.

Your time has value. Spend it wisely.

 

[GBExpat]

Now for my wife's 380, it looks like buying new ammo and just reusing the brass is cheaper for several reasons

A Wag once wrote that ejected .380 brass can even disappear when shooting on a tennis court.

I have found merit in this observation.

 

[BrocLuno]

I buy factory ammo if it's a reasonable price ... I help friends and buds sight in their rifles. So I usually have something they don't. That way they can buy a box off me to see how their grouping works with other weights, or sources of ammo (say PPV, or Win), and I get all the brass when they are done

So it's little cost to me, other than stocking stuff for a while. They don't have to scrounge other factory loads. Win-win

I really don't want other folks shooting my hand loads. I'll do a few for real close friends who I have helped build their rifles. But otherwise it's all factory stuff.

 

[DownInTheDark]

Each caliber is completely different for me, and I will state a disclaimer: None of my logic is supposed to make sense.

9mm: You can find brass everywhere, but doesn't make much sense to reload except for hollow points.
40 cal: I got a box full of brass which ive picked up off the ground, but refuse to own anything that shoots 40 cal (hence the Glock 32)
45 acp: Got a box full of it I've picked up off the ground, but my only 45 acp is converted to 460 Rowland.
460 Rowland: Buy the brass new, refuse the buy factory ammo.
10mm: Buy the brass new, refuse to buy ammo
44 mag: Refuse to buy ammo now, but I have bought brass.
357 sig: They basically give away the used brass, refuse to buy ammo.
270: Buy the ammo, reload the brass
223: Boxes of used brass. Buy the ammo, reload some hollow points
35 Whelen: Refuse to buy ammo, bought some brass, make some brass out of 270.
45-70: Have bought some ammo, reuse the brass.
308: Buy the ammo, reuse the brass
357 mag: Refuse the buy ammo now, just reuse brass
380: Throw away

 

[Don McDowell]

I bought new brass for my 357 and 44mag because I wanted to shoot softer than the full house loads, and the brass is easy to collect. Never did a cost analysis to see if buying new ammo would have been cheaper. But then I didn't want to shoot full house loads either, or go through enough factory loads to get the amount of brass I wanted.

Now for my wife's 380, it looks like buying new ammo and just reusing the brass is cheaper for several reasons, the biggest being, much of her brass runs out onto the range and can't be retrieved.

What kind of decision points do you guys use to determine whether to buy new brass, or just new ammo to build up your brass stockp

For cartridge's like the 357 and 44 where you want something different from the factory loads, buying brass to supplement your factory empties makes good sense.
But when it comes to some of the other things like 9mm and 223, you can often get those for about the same price as reloading your own, when you start figuring in the cost of bullets primers etc.
For the majority of my rifles I reload for because the hand loads will perform better than the factory stuff, same goes in a number of the handguns I shoot factory ammo is pretty expensive and I can taylor the loads for the gun with the handholds and I cast most of my own bullets.

 

[midland man]

I hope someone would share where's a good place to buy 45 colt brass?

 

[Bartojc]

I hope someone would share where's a good place to buy 45 colt brass?

For 45 Colt I just bought new Starline brass. You could go the route of buying the cheapest cowboy loads out there (relatively speaking) and save the brass. Brass for 45 Colt should last a good while so I didn't mind buying new, and it's tough to find at the range here. It seems pretty expensive to buy as well so your savings add up fast.

-Jeff

 

[Don McDowell]

Haven't bought any 45 Colt brass since before the big shortage, but Cabela's and Graf's usually had the best price on winchester and remington bulk brass.
I see there's a good supply of Hornady brass on the dealers shelves now.