Selling empty casings?

Status
Not open for further replies.
W

wiscoaster

Member
Joined
Sep 19, 2019
Messages
3,634
Location
Nowhere
Hi, new member here, needing to check my facts and also get some advice. I got into collecting milsurp rifles over the last couple years and I like to shoot them as well as own them. Being already in the habit of collecting my empty brass to be saved to sell by the pound as scrap, that's what I've also been doing with my milsurp caliber rounds. Talking with the RSO at a local range, he noted me collecting my brass and began a discusssion assuming I was a reloader. I said, no, I just collected my brass to sell as scrap. He assumed a shocked expression and said, "No!! Don't do that with those rounds!!" Then he explained to me that other milsurp shooters who were also reloaders would be happy to buy those empty rounds, paying by the piece. Well, this was news to me, but sounds like pretty good news since many of these calibers are a buck and a half to two bucks a shot, and if I can recoup a reasonable fraction of that this is something I might want to do. So, my two questions are: #1 - is he correct about that, and #2 - how do I go about doing it? Over ebay? Gunbroker? Your responses and advice appreciated!! Thanks & regards, Tim E. aka wiscoaster (just coasting in Wisconsin post retirement). BTW as an aside, your gun legislation thread is awesome!!
 
#1 yes he is correct, many shooters are reloaders and want to buy once fired brass.
#2 there are many options for selling. You could go back to the range and leave a note on a bulletin board, ask the range officer who mentioned it to you.
You could run a free ad on this site or maybe Armslist.com
Do your home work on prices.......try to be reasonable in your prices.
 
Yes, there's a robust market for brass.

No, you can't sell them on fleaBay. Gunbroker seems really expensive. You can sell them here (once your post count is up to fully vested), or on many other forai, especially any dedicated to milsurps.

In the last great peace (until March-20) 9mm was hardly worth shipping, but everything else was worth more as brass than scrap. Now. . . everything is worth shipping.

Welcome to THR.
 
What cartridges do you have? There is a forum here for buying and selling reloading components.
 
Well, I don't think most people are going to pay "by the piece" any more than the scrapyard does. Example being if the brass has 100 cases per pound, and they are giving you 2 bucks a pound, they are paying you 2 cents a piece. Depending on what calibers, most people are going to want to buy them in lots of 100/250/500/1000/etc in that particular caliber.

What calibers do you have?
 
The RSO mentioned 40 or 50 cents per casing, do you think he's right about that? There is the issue of time & effort sorting. Calibers so far: 6.5x55 Swede, 7.5x55 Swiss (as GP11 and as new production), 7.62x54R, 7.7x58, 7.35x51, 8x56R (as milsurp & as new prodn), 303 Brit, and 30-06. New production casings are mostly PPU and Steinel.
 
wiscoaster said:
The RSO mentioned 40 or 50 cents per casing, do you think he's right about that? There is the issue of time & effort sorting. Calibers so far: 6.5x55 Swede, 7.5x55 Swiss (as GP11 and as new production), 7.62x54R, 7.7x58, 7.35x51, 8x56R (as milsurp & as new prodn), 303 Brit, and 30-06. New production casings are mostly PPU and Steinel.
Click to expand...

I would think the 6.5 swede, 303 brit, and 30-06 would be the easiest ones to sell.. Now about that 7.62x54R you need to inspect them to determine wether they are boxer or berdan primer type casings. Both are reloadable although berdan primed cases are more difficult to reload and are generally more expensive to do so. Boxer primed cases are the norm for 95% of reloaders.
 
OK, Sneakshot, good advice - I don't know a thing about the differences in primers so there's some research & learning I need to do first.
 
The calibers you have are worth selling to reload. I sell a bunch of range brass from a gravel pit I take my grandson to shoot at.

I see what to local price per case is selli g for and go from there.

If that 7.35 x 51is 7.35 csrcano I'd be interested in it and any 6.5 carcano brass.

I have dies for each caliber.

If you can't find the going price for yoir brass I can look around and give you a general fair price.
PM me if you want help geting what it is worth.
 
Just an FYI, we don't mind folks asking about stuff like this, but we don't allow selling or trading outside of the buy, sell, trade area.
 
wiscoaster said:
The RSO mentioned 40 or 50 cents per casing, do you think he's right about that? There is the issue of time & effort sorting. Calibers so far: 6.5x55 Swede, 7.5x55 Swiss (as GP11 and as new production), 7.62x54R, 7.7x58, 7.35x51, 8x56R (as milsurp & as new prodn), 303 Brit, and 30-06. New production casings are mostly PPU and Steinel.
Click to expand...
OP, keep in mind that the 40-50 cents is getting close to what new brass costs for some of those calibers. So, on some yes, you may be able to get close to that, on some maybe more. But, you have to have an idea of what used/once fired brass goes for.
And yes, your time to sort them may have value, but you may not be recouping the $1 or more per round you paid in the ammo. Also note, the GP11 is Berdan primed. Most PPU is Boxer. How do you tell the difference? Shine a flashlight in the case and look at the bottom. If you see 1 hole in the center it's Boxer and reloadable. If you see two small holes it's Berdan and though not commonly reloadable, there may be some folks out there who would want it.
And, since you are in the reloading forum -- you could always keep your brass and start reloading it.
Take a look at the Reloading BST forum here and you may get an idea of what once-fired brass goes for. And belated welcome to THR.
 
With 7.5 Swiss unfortunately the GP11 will be Berdan primed however the PPU should be boxer primed. Berdan primed being harder to reload and therefore worth less, if anything.

I think it’ll be pretty common for the old milsurp rounds to be Berdan primer and the new brass cases to be boxer primed but there might be some exceptions. Of course any US rounds should be boxer primed. It’s rare for .30-06 to be Berdan primed unless it’s imported from elsewhere.

I’d try in sell in lots of 100 or at least 50. Anything smaller and the shipping charge is prohibitive.
 
How much brass do you have? Do you have a steady source?

I suspect you really have small lots gathered from your local demographics. Post on local range bulletin boards, gun shops and depending on your community there may be other opportunities. Any local online clubs? Try to stay away from shipping.
 
PWC said:
How much brass do you have?
Click to expand...
Most would say I have a bit too much, ha ha. Seriously, though, very few other milsurp rifles seen around here at local ranges, so I don't think much local interest for the empty brass for these calibers that I generate from what I shoot, and I have no interest myself in reloading, so the idea of selling what I would otherwise scrap would most likely have to involve a remote transaction and a shipment. The RSO suggested shipping via a flat-rate USPS box so for a fair number of rounds I don't think the cost would be prohibitive to shipping. Is there some other reason you're thinking of why I should stay away from shipping?
 
Hooda Thunkit said:
forai ?

Thinking back in my 2 years of Latin classes, admittedly close to 50 years ago, I'm not certain of that plural.

Maybe 'fora'? :)
Click to expand...

Since when did THR turn to grammar???
Either way it gets an A+ for a good chuckle!

Now then. When I use the term forum I'm generally referring to THR as a whole. i break it down similar to a legal document. Chapter and sub chapter/article per se.

Such as right now. THR is the whole document. We are currently under the Ammo, Gear & Firearms chapter under sub chapter Handloading & Reloading. The thread title falls under the term Article and its contents.
My head hurts from 'splaining that. Haven't had to think like that since Senior English class...:confused:
 
Last edited:
Sneakshot92 said:
THR is the whole document. We are currently under the Ammo, Gear & Firearms chapter under sub chapter Handloading & Reloading.
Click to expand...

To be technically correct from a website software perspective, and having been a forum owner, administrator and moderator years ago (PHP BB engined) what you refer to as a "chapter" we referred to as a "forum" with the entire website a collection of "forums". I don't remember what the groups were called. But...that being said, this site uses a different engine and the terms may not be the same here. Sorry 'bout that.

In any case, the former moderator in me warns me that these several posts are OFF TOPIC!! and subject to being moderated!! Again, depending on local culture and policy, something of which I'm still ignorant and learning. When I was a mod I was pretty lenient because sometimes it's a hoot watching where threads go (hee hee, hah hah).
 
Last edited:
It would be worth it to advertise them on armslist.com, it’s free and you would be able to sell them locally. Might even meet someone on there who could end up being a steady customer for you. I’ve never had a negative experience buying or selling on there outside of emails that are obvious to ignore.
 
The funny thing is cases are highly dependent on head stamp. 6.5 sweed from ppu and from Norma are not in the same class. I have a 7.7×58 that I would like brass for. Hornaday makes runs and that brass is something I would like. Random milserp brass that's over 50 years old with an unknown number of firings not interested at all.
 
Depends on the caliber. Some brass milsurp is Berdan primed an not usable. Much milsurp ammo is steel cased. Those that do reload milsurp calibers (myswelf included) often toss the cases, loadable or not, and buy commercial loads for the brass, or just buy brass new in those calibers.
 
wiscoaster said:
To be technically correct from a website software perspective, and having been a forum owner, administrator and moderator years ago (PHP BB engined) what you refer to as a "chapter" we referred to as a "forum" with the entire website a collection of "forums". I don't remember what the groups were called. But...that being said, this site uses a different engine and the terms may not be the same here. Sorry 'bout that.

In any case, the former moderator in me warns me that these several posts are OFF TOPIC!! and subject to being moderated!! Again, depending on local culture and policy, something of which I'm still ignorant and learning. When I was a mod I was pretty lenient because sometimes it's a hoot watching where threads go (hee hee, hah hah).
Click to expand...
I had to stick my $0.02 worth in there lol.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

Coldfinger
  • Locked
Keep it, sell it or scrap it
2
Replies
37
Views
2K
dgod
dgod
jeeptim
  • Locked
Large lot of brass options to maximize $$$
2
Replies
30
Views
1K
lightman
L
D
  • Locked
My indoor range is willing to sell me unsorted brass for $2.50/lb. Good deal or not?
Replies
22
Views
2K
Fishslayer
Fishslayer
3
  • Locked
Once fired brass $ question
Replies
16
Views
1K
hAkron
hAkron
M
  • Locked
50 BMG Brass?
Replies
12
Views
1K
50 Shooter
5
Back
Top