Reloaded brass management

Armory » Reloading

Site Notices

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Reloaded brass management

Posted: 9/17/2022 10:19:06 PM EDT

Something I have been thinking about lately.
I mostly reload 9mm and a little bit of .223.

I probably have around 1500 9mm brass in current rotation.
I reload as needed and stage batches as I feel like it.

So how do you guys manage varying reloaded brass of the same caliber?
Do you meticulously keep once reloaded, twice reloaded, thrice reloaded separated?
I really havent tried to keep it segregated and sometimes I get extra from a fellow shooter or friend and that just went into the mix.
Im about on my 3rd reload cycle but some is once fired as well.

When should I just chuck it all? I have to think that as I approach a certain reload amount I will have lots of culling in the batch?

What are some of y'alls methods or mindsets?

Posted: 9/17/2022 10:30:22 PM EDT

[#1]

Bro its 9mm who cares? If it was your precision rig I'd say yeah mark your brass with a pen and don't pick up randos, but its 9mm... Just run it through and shoot it.

Cull it when the case walls crack

Posted: 9/17/2022 10:58:26 PM EDT

[#2]

Last few years been getting rid of surplus 9mm. My methodology is to pick one or two headstamps, I settled on WIN and RP, keep those segregated.

Anything with a NATO cross (crimped primers) gets scrapped. Everything else gets sold or used for friends that come over and reload 9mm and don't have any brass.

When I get too much WIN and RP I'll scrap the RP by swapping new range pick ups WIN headstamped brass for used RP brass which will then be scrapped. Long term goal is to have only Winchester brass.

Posted: 9/17/2022 11:09:20 PM EDT

[#3]

I don't keep up with the number of reloads for pistol brass. The usual failure mode is a split in the case mouth or body and sometimes a loose primer pocked. Except for the failures I throw it all in the same bucket and reload it again. I only sort by head stamp if I plan on shooting for group size or I am planning on some hot reloads. I mostly shoot middle of the road loads and I don't really have many case failures. 45 ACP seems to be the worst to have failures and they are usually splits in the case body.

Rifle cases are a different matter. I have had plenty of neck splits and a few case head separations. I do keep these cases separated by the number of firings/trimmings. On the fourth trimming I will shoot them one more time and toss them. Back when I would shoot high power matches I would not shoot any brass but twice in a match. I would continue to shoot it for practice. Most of my shooting is with semi autos and they are pretty rough on brass and usually require trimming every firing.

I have been reloading for 40 years and have lost count of how many rounds I have reloaded but it is probably over 100,000. This includes at least 5 different pistol cartridges and 6 rifle.

Posted: 9/17/2022 11:33:01 PM EDT

[#4]

I'm with Greenspan on this but I must say I usually follow AssaultRifler like a shadow.

Posted: 9/18/2022 12:07:43 AM EDT

[#5]

9mm, I load them until I lose them or they crack. Loads for the AR 9's. Plated or cast PC bullets.

Some loads I use sorted to headstamp brass and keep it seperate.

These would be for test loads with new to me bullets and powder.

223 I have cases of one headstamp I've prepped for precision loads, they are separate and tracked.

All same headstamp batches for different bullets, exploring new to me bullets and powders.

Then I have my FMJ (55 and 62 gr FMJBT's) any headstamp cases ( I sort out FC and americ).

These sometimes get mixed in with range pick up cases, but I can spot my cases because the primer pockets are uniformed.

I just look for the tooling marks in the bottom of the primer pocket. Easy to see after wet tumbling,

Then my cases are set aside and the pick up cases get crimp removed if needed and uniformed.

I trim every loading because running them through the Giraud is faster than measuring them.

I load my cases until the mouth cracks or they split. A cracked case go's into the "make into 300 blk" brass can.

They get annealed as part of the conversion and last many loading.

Posted: 9/18/2022 10:13:07 AM EDT

[#6]

Cool that is what I was leaning towards.
Thanks for the info.

Dryflash,
I know you uniform/remove crimp the primer pockets.
I was going to ask how you managed new brass not processed among your already processed.
Based on your post, I read that after you have decapped, you inspect each piece and find any that are not processed.
I was wondering if you just processed them all again.
But you said you can see the difference.

Are you also inspecting for cracked cases as well?
Im specifically referring to pistol cases.

I have not been inspecting my cases after wet tumbling.
I have only had a couple cracked cases so far and I found them while I was loading them by the obvious difference in feel.
But I am not using a progressive yet.

Posted: 9/18/2022 11:08:00 AM EDT

[#7]

I also have the new brass getting mixed in with old brass problem.

My approach is similar to 'flash's, but I rely on the RCBS military crimp remover to tell my cases apart from new ground pick ups. Requires that the case be deprimed though but the bevel it creates is noticeable.

Attached File

Another technique is to scrounge for once fired brass before shooting your brass and that'll get the bulk of the once fired segregated on the spot, but when picking up my own brass will get some once fired not noticed until down the road.

Usually you can still tell once vs non-once fired. If it has primer sealant, it's not mine. If you see case coloring from annealing, it's not mine as wet tumbling removes all that. Does it have a nickel plated brass vs just a brass primer? If my reloads use nickel plated primers and find a case that has non plated primers, it's not mine.

The bevel on the primer pocket is my last level of defense.

Now if you swage vs ream, hard to eyeball a swaged vs unswaged primer pocket, so that's a plus for reaming vs swaging

Posted: 9/18/2022 12:56:39 PM EDT

[#8]

Most pistol cartridges I don't pay much attention to. Rifle cartridges, separated by firing count. 223 is larger batches
precision for my Grendel and Creedmoor's small batches. It be the same for the 6ARC and 6.5 PRC when I start loading those

Posted: 9/18/2022 1:23:28 PM EDT

[#9]

Quote History

Quoted:
Cool that is what I was leaning towards.
Thanks for the info.

Dryflash,
I know you uniform/remove crimp the primer pockets. Then I wet tumble to get a sparkling clean primer pocket.
I was going to ask how you managed new brass not processed among your already processed. New brass gets sized and uniformed. In my world new brass is just never fired and not ready to load.
I have been burned in the past with unsized necks. Here you are, have a loading block full of charged cases and the bullets fall into the case on top of the powder. Because neck has not been sized properly. Only made that mistake once.
Based on your post, I read that after you have decapped, and wet tumble, you inspect each piece and find any that are not processed.
I was wondering if you just processed them all again. Ones already processed get set aside in the "ready to trim" box. Otherwise they get crimp removed if needed and uniformed. Once thats done they go into the "ready to trim" box.

But you said you can see the difference. Yes you can see tool marks (scratches) in the bottom of the primer pocket and can see that the crimp has been removed.

Are you also inspecting for cracked cases as well? Cracked wall, cracked neck, signs of incipient separation, deep scratches, dents are not a problem.
Im specifically referring to pistol cases. The above goes for all cases.

I have not been inspecting my cases after wet tumbling.
I have only had a couple cracked cases so far and I found them while I was loading them by the obvious difference in feel.
But I am not using a progressive yet.

View Quote

Open Quote and view my answers in blue.

Posted: 9/18/2022 1:29:36 PM EDT

[#10]

One last comment, I made a bunch of these so I can keep track of where I'm at in case prep.

I keep brass in ziplock bag during processing and one of these "score cards" is in every bag.

RTL=ready to load

Unknown means I have no history of these cases, like bought them at the funshow or pickups.

The 223's I've removed the crimp on is an easy "once fired".

Posted: 9/18/2022 1:59:12 PM EDT

[#11]

9mm shoot till it cracks or is lost.

45 ACP is sorted WW and Fed is only for use in moon clips for 625.
Balance goes into pail for use with auto loading ammo.

Precision rifle brass kept in MTM boxes and tracked.

223 bulk is simple.
I color code the brass. Sharpies! Blue Green Orange Red Black
It is sorted into buckets....Black goes to scrap bucket.

38 Special shoot till it cracks

357 Magnum shoot till it cracks

357 Sig shoot till lost.

Posted: 9/18/2022 4:37:24 PM EDT

[#12]

Quoted:
Something I have been thinking about lately.
I mostly reload 9mm and a little bit of .223.

I probably have around 1500 9mm brass in current rotation.
I reload as needed and stage batches as I feel like it.

So how do you guys manage varying reloaded brass of the same caliber?
Do you meticulously keep once reloaded, twice reloaded, thrice reloaded separated?
I really havent tried to keep it segregated and sometimes I get extra from a fellow shooter or friend and that just went into the mix.
Im about on my 3rd reload cycle but some is once fired as well.

When should I just chuck it all? I have to think that as I approach a certain reload amount I will have lots of culling in the batch?

What are some of y'alls methods or mindsets?

View Quote

For 9mm?

Pppffffttttt!!!!!

Forget about it!

It is not worth the time or trouble to keep it separate by once fired vs. twice fired vs. three times fired.

On the other hand, now, most of my .223 (5.56) brass I do keep separated.

Most of that brass started out like this:

Attached File

So being just once fired, it still has the primers crimped in.

I use a Swage-It tool mounted on 650 to take care of that.

When that stuff gets loaded up again and fired, it goes into a GI surplus can marked “2X Fired”, That way I know the primer crimps have already been taken care of.

EDIT:

I also keep it separated by Lake City year group. So like “LC19” or “LC15”. If I go on a reloading “binge”, then I take whatever ammo can has the most brass in. If it is the LC15 can, so be it. Then I try to bring up all that LC15 ammo to the same level. Either completely prepped and “ready to load” (RTL) . Or fully loaded ammo.

EDIT #2: whoops! I forgot about the Lapua brass in .223 and .308 that I bought as brand new virgin brass. OH! YEAH! That stuff is kept totally separate from the Lake City brass. I probably still have some virgin Lapua brass that I haven’t touched yet. And then there is maybe 20 to 40 pieces each of once fired Lapua segregated all by its lonesome.

Posted: 9/18/2022 5:11:19 PM EDT

[#13]

Thanks gentlemen,
I appreciate all the responses.

Posted: 9/18/2022 5:13:26 PM EDT

[#14]

I don’t track firings on pistol brass. On my rifle brass like 6.5 creedmoor I write the number of times it’s been fired on the label with the load data.

Once it’s been fired if I’m sticking the brass in a ziplock bag I’ll write the number of firings on a 3x5 card and put it the bag.

If I want to wet tumble brass from two different lots or with a different number of firings I’ll leave the spent primer in one lot and deprime the other lot. Then I can separate them into the correct lot/number of firings after drying the brass

Posted: 9/18/2022 5:19:19 PM EDT

[#15]

Quote History

Quoted:
Last few years been getting rid of surplus 9mm. My methodology is to pick one or two headstamps, I settled on WIN and RP, keep those segregated.

Anything with a NATO cross (crimped primers) gets scrapped. Everything else gets sold or used for friends that come over and reload 9mm and don't have any brass.

When I get too much WIN and RP I'll scrap the RP by swapping new range pick ups WIN headstamped brass for used RP brass which will then be scrapped. Long term goal is to have only Winchester brass.

View Quote

Why WIN brass? I mean I like it, as much as FC. Dont like RP brass, just doesnt feel as righg

Posted: 9/18/2022 5:22:48 PM EDT

[#16]

Shoot 223 in an AR three times

More than three firings in an AR, an risk of head separation goes way up

Posted: 9/18/2022 5:50:08 PM EDT

[#17]

I segregate by headstamps for precision, self defense and hoarding.

9mm and 45acp for example have 3 categories. Winchester is for self defense and hoarding. RP, FC and Blazer are for shooting paper or steel where I may or may or pick them up.

For 223 I keep Winchester for hoarding and LC for everything else. Some calibers are shot so little that it’s easy to keep track of firings. Necked rifle brass gets annealed every third firing. I don’t bother trimming pistol brass.

For all of that, I try to use lots of 1-5k, depending on caliber, and use that lot until they need to go to recycling heaven.

Anything I don’t need gets sold off.

Posted: 9/18/2022 6:05:18 PM EDT

[#18]

Quote History

Quoted:
Bro its 9mm who cares? If it was your precision rig I'd say yeah mark your brass with a pen and don't pick up randos, but its 9mm... Just run it through and shoot it.

Cull it when the case walls crack

View Quote

Posted: 9/18/2022 7:02:07 PM EDT

[#19]

Quote History

Quoted:

Why WIN brass? I mean I like it, as much as FC. Dont like RP brass, just doesnt feel as righg

View Quote

All three is fine. I think I settled on Winchester because I had more of it than the other headstamps

Posted: 9/18/2022 9:17:56 PM EDT

[#20]

To like connect all the dots… bring it full circle…

If I am going to be heading to the range with an AR and just like zipping through a bunch of ammo, I will check which pile of Lake City year group once fired brass I have the most of.

Let’s say it’s LC14.

Then I will check those Federal factory ammo cans of XM193 or XM855 for LC14 stamped ammo.

Then when I get back home, I can add to that pile of LC14 brass. Then eventually the LC14 pile will get big enough to set up the 650 with the prep toolhead and then the load toolhead.

Posted: 9/18/2022 11:29:42 PM EDT

[#21]

Quote History

Quoted:
Thanks gentlemen,
I appreciate all the responses.

View Quote

I dug out my sheet of "brass score cards".

Just take this sheet and run copies, then cut them out leaving one sheet for copying in the future.

If OP wants one, IM me, and when you sent a self addressed stamped envelope, I will send you one.

I have 5 more that the first 5 other posters to IM me (to get my address) can have.

Or just copy the idea and make your own.

Posted: 9/19/2022 3:37:48 AM EDT

[#22]

I have a similar system for tracking brass processing. It's nice having this an xls file so it can be easily changed as the steps for processing evolve.

I always batch process and this list works as a traveler document. I know what's been done, what's left to do and what wasn't done... also a small area for notes/dimensions. I only put a date on the loaded rounds.

Attached File

I don't keep track of the number of firings of range brass. A piece of brass gets culled when a defect shows up.

Posted: 9/19/2022 7:01:03 AM EDT

[#23]

Quote History

Quoted:
Thanks gentlemen,
I appreciate all the responses.

View Quote

@networkguru

You’re welcome!

Just to put the bug in your ear….and to muddy the waters even more….

RCBS makes an X sizer die.

Sooooooo…. If you have to trim brass with a lathe type trimmer, or Giraud, or a Gracy…or Possum Hollow Qwick case trimmer chucked in a drill….

Then trim your brass to 1.740” after the initial resizing.

Then with subsequent firings and reloadings and resizings, if you screw the RCBS X-sizing die’s mandrel down a few turns, it keeps the brass from growing.

So you don’t have to trim every time.

So, yeah, in that instance, you are going to want to keep your recently once fired brass that could be 1.750” to 1.760” + long separate from your twice fired (or three times fired….or four times fired) X-die’ed 1.740” long brass.

Clear as mud, right?

Posted: 9/19/2022 4:04:36 PM EDT

[#24]

Any more I don't track brass beyond carefully watching for damage..every piece of brass I shoot will get inspected at least 5 times if not more per loading...Since doing that I have not had an issue with brass failure...

Posted: 9/20/2022 9:19:24 AM EDT

[#25]

For pistol brass I keep a few 1000 once fired cases in one or two head stamps squirreled away as extras then all the rest go in a big ammo can to be reloaded, shot and returned to the can. Every once in a while I stir the can around to mix up the brass. During brass prep and reloading I keep an eye out for cracked cases. Some of the larger caliber pistol brass I do track each firing but this is just for a few 100 pieces of hunting type loads.

For rifle I use a tracking sheet, like posted above, and zip lock bags to keep track of number of firings.

A good spreadsheet inventory system is a big help when you are tracking 1000's of pieces of brass for multiple calibers especially when reloading isn't your everyday deal. I can go a day or a year between reloading sessions and know what I have and where I left off due to good info tags in each lot of brass as well as good notes left when needed.