Once Fired Brass-Is It Safe to Reload

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gerrym526

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I'm a beginning reloader-just finished my first batch of 45 ACP on a Lee Classic Turret press.
Have both the Hornady Handbook and the Lyman Reloading Guides. In studying both, found that Lyman was adamant about not using once-fired brass. Their reasoning was that you didn't know the quality of the brass, whether it had only been fired once, etc.
I like to shot, and reloading makes ammo affordable for me. Once fired brass seems like a good deal.
What's the opinion here?
I should also add that I'm reloading with starting powder weights, and wouldn't be creating "hot loads" with used brass.
Is once-fired brass safe to reload?
Thanks for the help.
 
I have used it with no problems, some was 5.56 which I bought 100 pieces for for 10 bucks at a gun show, and other was .308 that I fired my self, if you fire the brass yourself there is NO issue, the problem could be a crooked company selling range pickup brass they don't know the condition of, IMO, I wouldn't order any, but if you see it for sale at a gun show or a gun shop and can inspect it for overpressure or wear signs you should be good to go.
 
I have not bought any 9MM, .40, or .45 brass in years. I scrounge it at the range where non reloaders shoot it and leave it. Same for .223. I am working up some loads in .30-30 and .35 Remington with range brass right now.

Yep, once fired, twice fired, thrice fired, well, you get the idea. 99.9% of us have bought or scrounged once fired brass to use. No worries. Inspect it for obvious damage.
 
"Have both the Hornady Handbook and the Lyman Reloading Guides. In studying both, found that Lyman was adamant about not using once-fired brass."

Both are lawyering up, plus Hornady wants to sell new brass.
 
Chalk some of Lyman's language up to lawyerese, but they have a point if you don't inspect found brass. I haven't had a problem with my range finds either, but I do look them over carefully.
 
It's pretty difficult to reload ammo without using once fired brass :)

I have buckets full of .45ACP brass I've reloaded god knows how many times, the vast majority of it was picked up off the range. I lose brass long before it ever wears out, don't worry about it in the least.
 
I'd probably not buy it. However, Of course I'd reload it if it was shot by me, or a good friend that I trust.

The reasoning for this is I ordered some online from a seller than he claimed was once fired. When I got it, a couple of pieces had the case separating on them. The rest did look fine though, but obviously this wasn't all only once fired brass. So I sent him a message, and turns out it was range pickup brass that he just assumed was once fired. He was great about it and refunded my money and told me to just keep the brass, but I was too afraid to try to load the other pieces even though they looked fine. After this, I highly doubt I'd buy any used brass again.
 
I can't even imagine buying .223 once fired, I can get buckets of it at the range. As far as how many times its been fired [1] reloaders generally don't leave their brass, so the odds are good it's 1x fired. [2] Count the ejector marks on the base. [3] Unless it has a stretch ring above the web, I don't care.
 
I think there is a certain amount of risk, sure. There is a certain amount of risk in reloding period. The same with shooting factory ammo. Everyone just has to make up thier mind how much risk they are willing to accept.
 
Aside from certain loads (Heavy .44, .357) I haven't bought pistol brass in years also.
As long as it measures out correctly and there's no real bulges, cracks, or separations I'd say good to go.
 
"...Is once-fired brass safe to reload?..." Yep. As long as it actually is 'once fired'. If you don't know the seller, other than a retailer(liability issues means they won't sell stuff that they don't know about for sure.), don't.
Brass that has been fired out of another rifle must be full length resized. Handgun brass gets FL resized anyway.
"...can get buckets of it at the range..." All of which you have no idea what has been done to or with it.
 
I don't worry much about allegedly "once fired" or range pickup pistol brass. I don't load .40 so I don't get into that debate.

I don't use mixed rifle brass, except for some old plinking grade .30-06, all my rifle loading is done in fresh same lot number cases for best consistency.
 
"...Is once-fired brass safe to reload?..." Yep. As long as it actually is 'once fired'. If you don't know the seller, other than a retailer(liability issues means they won't sell stuff that they don't know about for sure.), don't.
Brass that has been fired out of another rifle must be full length resized. Handgun brass gets FL resized anyway.
"...can get buckets of it at the range..." All of which you have no idea what has been done to or with it.
Click to expand...

Such as?
 
"...Such as?..." Number of times loaded, with what powder, how often trimmed if at all, over loaded, etc, etc.
 
Sunray-All of which are either unimportant or if they are, weeded out with a good inspection. I see crusty brass with 5 ejector marks leave it alone. Shiny brass with 1 ejector mark go's home with me.
 
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I've got .223 cases that have been reloaded over 70 times now and still going, may have to bump the shoulder one of these times but haven't had to yet.

Got 45 ACP cases that have been reloaded so many times you can barely read the head stamp and as long as the primer pocket is OK and the case isn't split they'll be reloaded again.
 
Inspect the brass, and re-use, gerry.

A good thing to look for on the range pickup is factory primers- a sure fire sign of once fired brass.

Not being able to inspect allegedly once fired brass from vendors over the internet can be sketchy- but there are reliable vendors out there...

As has been stated, most company lingo is on the safe side of legalese- or the sales counter, or BOTH !

Brass will come and go in your reloading life....save the good, recycle the bad for $$$

When in doubt, pitch it in the recycle bin- it ain't worth it !
 
and gun manufacturers recommend against reloads at all.

Clean brass (no surface or embedded grit) will not hurt good dies. Brass is much softer and weaker than steel and extremely unlikely to damage your dies.

I speculate that gun manufacturers recommend against using reloads at all for the same reason that Hornady has their recommendation. They don't trust you to inspect and reload with due care and don't want to get blamed, much less, sued, for any mishap you have.

Lost Sheep
 
if you are looking for quality brass that you can trust being as described, there is a user here named Evan Price. Look him up. He sells brass frequently. You will get what you pay for.
 
Some of you guys would faint if you could see some of the brass I've drug home, cleaned up and refilled.
 
Jcwitt:

70 times???

Are you serious? I reloaded a 9mm case 30 times. 70 times for .223 is an outrageous claim.
 
All I have ever reloaded is fired brass. Once, twice, doesn’t matter as long as you inspect it. I have over 8,000 rounds in 14 different pistol & rifle calibers in my ammo locker right now and all but a few hundred are previously fired brass. Mine, range pick up, gun show buys, doesn’t matter, tumble it, inspect it and reload it. Never had a problem in 50 years and some of it has been reloaded 15 to 20+ times. That includes the non-reloadable aluminum cases (They're good for a half dozen reloads before hitting the recycle bin.)
 
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