Fair Price for Once-Used Brass

[Centuriator]

First, please know I have nothing to sell, I'm just looking for information. Thanks.

Hey, Reloaders:

First, I'm not a reloader and do not want to get into reloading, so yes, I should be reloading, but I'm not. Now...

What can I reasonably expect to get for once-fired commercially loaded, brass cased, 45ACP and 45 Long Colt? I picked up a Ruger Redhawk through which I can fire both and using a revolver makes collecting the spent brass a piece of cake.

It's been a while and I wanted to get an idea of a fair/reasonable price to ask for once-fired brass. I would sell it just as it comes out of the handgun, no cleaning, etc.

Anything to be aware of watch out for when I buy ammo and the kind of brass favored by reloaders?

Thanks for any information you might have for me.

 

[WestKentucky]

.45acp will be cheaper. I have seen it locally as range pickup for $5 per hundred. I don’t shoot it so I’m not sure that’s a good price but it seems it would be. 45lc is rare to find locally.

If you are forced to buy online then there are several guys who process brass from ranges and sell it reasonably. That’s one of the few reasons I still have Facebook...the brass dealers.

 

[Centuriator]

NOTE: I'm asking what I can expect to sell it for, I'm not looking to buy brass cases. Thanks.

 

[bbqreloader]

go to sites that sell brass, average their prices and there ya go...

 

[Centuriator]

Right, got that part, but as I indicated in my post, I would not be offering the brass cleaned or de-primed, so am wondering about fair prices for brass in that condition.

 

[edwardware]

I see pickup, unprocessed 45ACP going for around $80/2k, shipped. You can pay twice that in fools tax, or sometimes do a little better.

45 Colt is rarer, so more variable, but I recall paying $0.12-0.15/ea shipped, in bulk.

 

[Centuriator]

Actually, thanks for that suggestion to check places. I'm totally new to this, so didn't even know where to look. This place sells stuff in the same condition I would be selling it. I'm pretty impressed at the value of 45LC once-fired brass. That will help cut way down on my ammo prices.

It looks like this place is selling 45LC once-fired, not cleaned or deprimed, for .22 per piece, per 100, plus $8 USPS Priority Mail.

https://elitereloading.com/reload/once-fired-brass/

 

[Jack B.]

Maybe this will help.
http://www.monmouthreloading.com/shop/45-long-colt/

 

[dgod]

I usually pay about $0.03- $0.04 for 45ACP in batches of 1K, Which would be $30 - $40 per 1K. 45 Colt is closer to $0.09 - $0.10, in batches of 500. Which would be $45 - $50 for 500.

Hope this helps
Just my $0.02
dg

 

[Centuriator]

I usually pay about $0.03- $0.04 for 45ACP in batches of 1K, Which would be $30 - $40 per 1K. 45 Colt is closer to $0.09 - $0.10, in batches of 500. Which would be $45 - $50 for 500.

Hope this helps
Just my $0.02
dg

Wow, that's quite a huge difference in price per case than what I've seen on the websites recommended and mentioned above. It appears from what I've seen that .15 per piece is more what it is going for.

 

[brewer12345]

Put a no reserve penny start auction on gunbroker and you will find out soon. You will get more if you include the original boxes.

 

[Centuriator]

Put a no reserve penny start auction on gunbroker and you will find out soon. You will get more if you include the original boxes.

Thank you for that suggestion, with a revolver, that's really easy to do.

 

[Fine Figure of a Man]

You could put an add on craigslist.
Keeping your brass sorted and in the original boxes may bring a higher than average price and a local buyer would save on shipping and sales tax.

 

[Allen One1]

I have been able to buy used mixed brass here for $3 a pound. If you keep it sorted and since it is once fired maybe $4 a pound.

 

[brewer12345]

Thank you for that suggestion, with a revolver, that's really easy to do.

I mostly shoot revolvers, so not chasing brass is always a nice thing.

 

[edwardware]

Wow, that's quite a huge difference. . .

There's a huge price difference between retail and private sale fired brass pricing. I have rarely seen retail prices less than 150% of common private sale prices.

 

[slowr1der]

You can usually find 45 ACP brass for about $40 per k shipped. Figure that you're going to need a medium flat rate box to ship it, so you're going to end up with about $27 per k for it. 45 colt is quite a bit more. I'd expect to be around $.10 per piece as said.

 

[Centuriator]

.10 a piece is a bit low from what I've been finding today online, but I'll keep that in mind. Seems to me the minimum for quality once-fired brass is .15 per, and up.

 

[SamT1]

Keep in mind when your thinking prices are low that the .15 45 colt is cleaned and some may be decapped. If the brass is dirty from powder it will go cheaper. The Taurus judge has drove down the 45 colt brass price tremendously the last 5 years.

Same with the 45. $ .06 is clean, all large primer, 1nc fired. .04 would be range pickups. .03 for small primer pickups, you may get .04 if they are cleaned.

A tumbler may pay you back if you shoot or pickup a lot. I know I paid for mine back when I took care of a small local range. I sure miss the free brass flow and backstop digs.

 

[Centuriator]

Keep in mind when your thinking prices are low that the .15 45 colt is cleaned and some may be decapped. If the brass is dirty from powder it will go cheaper. The Taurus judge has drove down the 45 colt brass price tremendously the last 5 years.

Same with the 45. $ .06 is clean, all large primer, 1nc fired. .04 would be range pickups. .03 for small primer pickups, you may get .04 if they are cleaned.

A tumbler may pay you back if you shoot or pickup a lot. I know I paid for mine back when I took care of a small local range. I sure miss the free brass flow and backstop digs.

Thanks, that's really helpful!

 

[ATLDave]

A small, private seller who has a modest quantity of a commodity good is generally not going to be able to demand the same prices as a going concern that has consistent availability, customer service/accountability in the event of a mess-up, perhaps some leverage on shipping costs, etc.

Let's say you happened to come into possession of a 1lb bag of flour. Would you expect to be able to sell it for exactly the same price as the grocery store?

 

[Centuriator]

A small, private seller who has a modest quantity of a commodity good is generally not going to be able to demand the same prices as a going concern that has consistent availability, customer service/accountability in the event of a mess-up, perhaps some leverage on shipping costs, etc.

Thanks, very wise counsel.

I have to say, I've posted this same question on a number of different guns forums but THIS ONE has provided the fastest and most helpful input.

Kudos to THR

 

[ATLDave]

If you were interested in really maximizing your return, it might be best to wait for the next (inevitable) panic shortage. All kinds of ammo-related stuff jumped up in prices in 2013. If you can spare the storage space, you could wait around for favorable market conditions and make a lot more. Heck, you might make an extra couple hundred dollars or so... you could retire!

 

[Centuriator]

If you were interested in really maximizing your return, it might be best to wait for the next (inevitable) panic shortage. All kinds of ammo-related stuff jumped up in prices in 2013. If you can spare the storage space, you could wait around for favorable market conditions and make a lot more. Heck, you might make an extra couple hundred dollars or so... you could retire!

Funny, thanks.

 

[cp1969]

Starline sells brand new .45 LC brass for $0.21 each, plus freight, in lots of 500. Yours will probably bring about 60% of that.