Shell Case Collection?

[wuchak]

Does anyone else have a collection of shell cases from the popular handgun calibers? Since I only own a .357, .22, and .380 I looked around the local range and acquired spent cases from the calibers I was missing. I keep them in a plastic insert from a box of ammo and I find that comparing them when looking at ballistics is an interesting exercise. The 45 Colt case just dwarfs everything else and looking at the 45 acp and the 9mm side by side I find it amazing that they could even have close to the same effectiveness. The .380 looks downright tiny compared to everything else but it's only a fraction of an inch shorter than the 9mm.

In the box I currently have:

17 hmr
22 short
22 lr
22 mag
380
9 mm
357 sig
38 spcl
357 mag
40 S&W
10 mm
41 mag
44 mag
45 acp
45 colt

Still need a .32 acp and 32 H&R for the smaller calibers. I'm hoping to come accross a 454 Casull, 460 S&W, 480 Ruger, and 500 S&W. Given the cost of brass for these and that most shooters of the larger calibers are probably handloaders I don't think I'll find any soon.

 

[TMM]

.22LR, .22mag, .25, .222, .223, 9mm, 40s&w, .45acp, .308, 7.62NATO, .50BMG, 12 gauge, 20 gauge, 12gaugeFH [from hell - see post in rifle forum], 40mm

That's my collection...

~tmm

 

[EddieCoyle]

PM me with your address and I'll send you a 500 S&W Mag, 25 ACP, 32 ACP, 30 Carbine, and 7.62x25mm.

 

[tuna]

I don't actively collect, but I seem to find casings for guns I don't have in my range bag all the time.

Scary thing is that I have the first impression to hide the "evidence" lest my wife find out. I'd rather her find panties in my glovebox than odd ammo in my range bag. (I'm a faithful husband, so my wife would believe any story I came up with about the glovebox, including "I never saw them before!" I'm not so sure she would believe I wasn't buying new guns, though)

 

[Sisco]

I have a .38 S&W and 9mm Largo you can have. The 9mm is a CCI Blazer aluminum case.
PM you address if you're interested.

 

[Skywarp]

I work in a range where we rent the 454 460 and 500. If you need some i got tons, and have easy access to both. Hell we usually have a few live rounds that fall ahead of the firing line if you like hornady SSTs

 

[xiphur]

Wow and here i was thinking that i was the only one who did that. Here is my collection.
.500s&w
.50AE
.45auto
.44mag
.40s&w
.357mag
.357sig
.38spcl
9x19para
9x18mark
9x17brown
.32h&r mag
.32auto
.25auto
.22lr
.22short

No rifle cases cus i shoot at a pistol only range. I'd like some of those extra shell casings too

 

[doncameron]

give me a PM with your address and I'll send you a .25 acp, .32acp, .32 S&W

 

[Jorg Nysgerrig]

I usually keep oddball cases I find. But what I'd rather have would be the full cartridge, inert or otherwise. I've always like the look of the framed cartridge displays with all the different cartridges. I've just never been willing to pony up the $150+ bucks for 20 inert cartridges and a frame.

 

[Skywarp]

In my room I actually have a few pieces of random 460 , 454, and 500 brass if anyone needs it.

 

[max popenker]

ok, here's older version of my small collection - current version is a bit bigger:

have a good time guessing what is what =)

 

[griz]

Hey Max, what is that bottleneck pistol round just to the right of the 22 mag?

 

[max popenker]

the three rounds after .22WMR case are, L to R: 5.45x18 MPTs, .25NAA and .32NAA
If you don't know, 5.45x18 MPTs is a Soviet / Russian round for PSM concealed carry pistol

 

[wuchak]

Thanks to everyone for the offers of the shell cases. The generosity of the people on this site never ceases to amaze me.

I sent a note to Starline brass to ask about purchasing a sample pack with one of each of the ~70 different handgun calibers they sell. They responded today that they do offer such a sample pack. The best part is it's only $20! It's not listed on their order form so I sent back an email to find out how to go about ordering one. When I get the ordering information I'll post it here in case anyone else wants to get one.

 

[Seancass]

man, you guys are awsome sending wuchak stuff. thats very generous. i have a collection about the same size as yours, probly a little smaller. the big thing about my collection is that i shot all the rounds. and most of them are from the first time i fired that gun. I'm at college and the shells are at home so i cant give a full list, but the stand-out is a 40mm grenade(that i didnt fire). i tell people its from the revolver i'm getting I really need to find some guys with magnum revolvers so i can properly add them to my collection. Any hoosiers volunteering?

 

[wuchak]

I heard back from Debbie at Starline. You can order a sample pack for $20 by:

1. calling their customer service number, 800-280-6660, they'll take your credit card number over the phone.

2. mail them a check with a note requesting one.
Starline Brass
1300 West Henry
Sedalia, MO 65301

My order is in! It should only take a day to get here once it's mailed since it turns out they are only about 2 hours away from me. I'm hoping to have it by the end of the week.

 

[Seancass]

here's my collection. suddenly seems Really small.

the left most shell is the first shell i shot out of the first gun i owned. the second [shot] shell is the first shell i shot out of the first shotgun i owned. and you guys can guess at the rest of them.

 

[wuchak]

I like that you have shells you actually fired. If I limited my collection to that it would be much smaller.

 

[moewadle]

I have two 20mm

in my empty shell collection. In 1965 while walking across the hangar deck of the aircraft carrier I was on (We were in the South China Sea, check a map.) I found a guy from an attack squadron emptying the empty 20mm casings from a Douglas Skyhawk attack plane. I could hear the empties rattling as he dumped them from the plane into a giant burlap bag. I asked him if I could take some and he said to take all I wanted; that he was dumping them overboard. So, I took about 5 and 41 years later I still have two. I know, it is not relevant really, but wanted to share an old story from the waters off Vietnam. US Navy 1960-67

 

[Sisco]

My "collection". It's calibers I reaload: .270, 25.06, .308, .22 Hornet, .30 carbine, .41 mag, .357 mag, .38 spcl, 45acp, 9x19

An Uncle of mine has a outstanding collection, several hundred. Lots of rare rimfire and pinfire stuff as well as some obscure and foreign calibers. I think I'll order a bag of the Starline stuff and give them to him for Christmas or something.

 

[Ohio Rifleman]

I thought I was weird cause I do this myself, though my collection is small. I just pick up brass I see at the range that catches my eye. I've got 22 brass, 7.62x39 brass (both of which I shoot) a 38 special shell, a 45ap, and a huge rifle casing, not sure about the cartridge, but it looks to be around .30, and it says HXP 70 on it. Anyone know what kinda round this was?

 

[Seancass]

this weekend i properly added two notables: the .44 Magnum and the .444 Marlin. both a lot of fun to shoot.

 

[MachIVshooter]

Complete cartridge collections are not easy to put together. I have about 40 different handgun rounds and about 90 different rifle rounds, which is about 15% of what is out there. Then there's wildcats.............

The most complete collection I've ever seen in person had ~400 cartridges in it. It was for sale and came with two glass cases for $3,500. It did have some of the most uncommon rounds, like 3mm Kolibri and 4.85 Brit.

 

[Magnum Wheel Man]

If I said I had cases ( I actually use cartridges in my collection ) from most "normal" calibers... the regulars would beat me up as a newbie, & prompty display several I don't have... but I do have between 100 - 150 different rifle & pistol cartridges & shot shells in my collection... & my collection is no where near the 300- 400 cartridge collection of one of my buddies ( takes up a whole small wall in his reloading area )

my collection spans from 22 CB caps to 20 mm with just the "normal" stuff

 

[beardownwildcat]

wasn't there someone on here that had a picture of different shells he had, but they were unfired? it was a picture from the top, looking down at the primers, and some were intricately detailed, painted, or just obscure. i remember one was some special loaded pistol round that had the SOG logo/face painted on the primer. as for me, i try and hide or toss all my casings, in case my girlfriend actually finds out how much ammo i go thru in a week