How much brass do you buy

[AJC1]

I'm guessing I am far from normal when it comes to brass purchases, I have never bought a single piece from the store. My dad did it for many years and I saved brass from any ammunition I shot. Some ranges dont let you pick up brass or only your brass if they do. Curious if our community buys a lot. The only brass I have paid for was from this board.

 

[cfullgraf]

I'm able to shoot at home so I do not have the opportunity to pick up other's discarded cases.

But, even so, I've gotten tired dealing with the inconsistencies between manufacturers so I've stopped buying once fired cases and buy only new cases. Generally, I stick with one manufacturer. I buy a sufficient quantity, 500 or 1000 pieces or so, to last a while anytime I do buy cases whether from my preferred manufacturer or not.

 

[LeftyRed]

I shoot odd ball calibers, I have to buy and when I do I hoarde.

Lefty

 

[Ru4real]

I set a goal for how many rounds / cases I want in a particular caliber and then figure out the cheapest way to get there. I always pick up brass when I see it on the range or in the field to add to what I have or give to someone else.

For example, I shot 45 ACP in competition for years, and I’d buy case lots of S&B hardball for about the price that I could load them for. In our league, we helped each other pick and sort brass after competition. Thus, I have thousands of S&B cases and will never have to buy cases. Factory rounds were cheap and met my needs.

I shoot 7mm Rem Mag and have never bought a factory round, only cases, most recently 150 PPU cases from Graff. I can load accurate 175 grain bullets at 3000 fps, not possible or available in factory loads, so my thought is why waste money on lesser factory ammo? I think I’ve seen and then picked up 20 or so 7mm cases over the years, so obviously range pickups won’t work for this caliber.

30-30 Winchester factory cases have been handed down thru 3 generations in my family, when I hand down, it will be 4th generation.

223 / 5.56 mostly started as factory rounds from case lots of IMI and Federal LC, but I’ve got a bunch of range pickups as well. I’ve sorted and matched cases to make match ammo and the matched cases stay together which I reload in batches.

Just a few examples of my mixed approach.

 

[reloaded_in_pa]

I buy new rifle brass when needed. Handgun brass is a mix of new or once fired. I shoot on private property so the only range pick up is my own.

 

[FROGO207]

In the last 30+ years I can count on my hands the times I purchased any brass. Factory new brass only about four times. The rest of the time it has been recovered from ammo I have shot or found at a range, pit, or traded for.

 

[bersaguy]

Like the OP, the only brass I've ever paid for was from members here on THR. Got caught a little short on 9mm brass of all things last year. But very few times have I ever needed to supplement my scrounging abilities. But, speaking of which, if anyone has some 30 Carbine brass, let me know. I'm sure I have something to trade if not purchase outright.

 

[edwardware]

I've paid for less than 15% of the brass I own, mostly .375H&H and some 45 Colt. The rest came to me as a reward for bending over and picking it up.

 

[Hooda Thunkit]

Mostly I shoot on private property. Mine. Any brass is mine to start with, or from invited guests.

I've rarely purchased new rifle brass, unless it came loaded from the factory. I have purchased new 7.62x54r, but can't recall any other rifle cartridge for which new brass was purchased.

I have purchased new handgun brass, all of it from Starline. Mostly revolver brass, 44 Mag and Spl, 360 DW, and most recently some 32 Long.

I've also purchased used brass, traded brass, picked up brass.

 

[Pottimus]

I would rather buy brass than buy the loaded ammo for the brass, 30-40 Krag and even British .303 come to mind. I found some new PPU .303 brass a few years back. A local gun shop had some once fired '62 LC Match 30-06 cheap, wish I had bought more. I love finding brass...I don't mind buying brass, I don't like wanting to buy brass and not finding it...

 

[Akula69]

I recently bought some 7.62x39 once fired brass, but only because it appears no one shoots the caliber down here. Most of my brass comes from a LEO range and is absolutely once-fired (cause those guys never pick anything up).

However, I am actively searching for some 30-30 brass....

 

[RKRCPA]

It does not grow on trees. Much of what I have acquired was purchased as new, unfired brass when I first purchase a new caliber but maybe 15% is from factory ammo.

 

[Dale Alan]

I buy new Lapua brass for competition , all the rest is stuff I have traded for or range brass I have picked up . I have about,4000 Lapua and 40 thousand processed range brass . I would never own that much brass if I was buying new for all my rifles . I mostly shoot 6 BR Norma (Lapua brass),223(Lapua & Range) . I use range brass for .223.308,30-06,6 x45, .270, and 7.62 x 39mm ,etc. all get range brass .Some of this common stuff gets fire-formed into wildcats also . If primer pockets are tight I will treat range brass just like new stuff when it comes to annealing and prep. .

 

[forrest r]

Used to buy a lot of brass mostly from the cmp up at camp perry. After the nationals you could by 30cal ammo cans (can included) full of 30-06, 38spl & 45acp once fired brass from the nationals for $3 a can full.

I'm actually down to my last 2000 45acp WW match brass from back then.

 

[tightgroup tiger]

I buy mine because I don't have a free source. I get some from my friends like Dudedog, and I can also pick up my own from the range. I usually bring home more than I take but not always.
In 9mm I buy once fired used brass, in all other calibers, I buy new Starline brass.

 

[BCR#1]

I bought a couple boxes of 303 Brit ammo so I would have a starting point at which to reload with. I would never buy empty brass though, too much lying on the ground.

Bill

 

[RCB]

I have never bought brass, but I don't have any obscure rounds. Of course I'm just getting into reloading now, but I've been buying pieces for a long time. I've always tried to keep all my brass, except 380... which I now am going to have to find 380 brass.

 

[kerreckt]

When I shoot at my club, I always come back with more brass than I arrived with. I also have club friends who give me brass. Life is good. Best wishes!

 

[kcofohio]

I voted wrong. I have bought brass from a few members here in the past. Mainly 45 Auto, 380, 223, and 357 SIG. 357 SIG is the only one I really needed. The others I thought I needed, but I have found plenty of good range brass over the years to last a while.

 

[Charlie98]

I voted that I buy all of it, but that's not necessarily true... it depends.

I shoot a few odd cartridges... .41MAG, .348WCF, even things like .45-70, which no one leaves laying. I prefer to buy all of my own brass, or source it from my once-fired factory ammos.

Unlike some here... I'm really, really picky about what I pickup at the range and actually use. It is a rare event that I will keep range pickup rifle brass, and this goes back to my misfortunes with 'once-fired, processed' military brass in 7.62mm.

I will pickup 9mm and 45ACP range brass... depending on the headstamp. I'm really picky about what headstamps I load... so if it's something I like, great, if not, it goes in the scrap bucket. I do not pick up brass I don't reload for... 38SPC, for example, or 40 S&W... I just leave it lay.

I will buy brass in as big a lot as I can. I'm still shooting my RP .41MAG brass that I bought in a 1000cs lot back in the 90's, for example; same same with some .45ACP brass, although that is pretty tired brass and I'm starting to retire it. With something like 9mm, when I get low on brass, I buy a 500 or 1000round case of factory ammos, shoot it, and then I have more brass to load. I do the same with 7.62mm brass for my M1a.

 

[kidneyboy]

All the brass I own has been purchased. Some new and some used. Pretty sure what I have will outlast me.

 

[WeekendReloader]

Pistol brass is collected at the range and saved from factory ammo.
30-30 brass is purchased new and saved from factory ammo. Very few 30-30s at my range.

 

[Dunross]

I pick up reloadable brass whenever I have an opportunity so for some calibers other than factory ammo I've shot I've never bought a single piece.

Other calibers though are uncommon so for those I buy brass.

 

[Jim Watson]

Hardly any for ordinary use, target shooting, sure.
When in F class, I bought a supply of same lot WW .223 and Lapua .308.
When in BPCR, I bought .38-55. .40-65 either bought as such or necked down .45-70.

Pistol brass, naw. Of course I save what I shoot for refamiliarization with carry ammo, but most of it is range pickup. I still have most of a large bag of .45 TZZ Match I bought years ago.

 

[Mark_Mark]

My range makes it easy to buy brass. They pick up the brass, sort it by rough size, put it in a bucket. They sell to members for scrape price