View Full Version : Where do you get your brass?
I'm in need of some 9mm brass, but I notice there is a huge variation in price ($30-$60/1000). Some may have more split necks, different headstamps, etc. The difference has to be in the quality, but the less I have to shell out the better. I've used PowderValley for 223 brass, but never 9mm. Overall it was a good experience, but they are on the higher $$ end for 9mm. I would prefer it to be wet tumbled, crimp removed, etc. but no sizing. I'm the only one I trust to size my brass.
I don't need the same headstamp,, top quality, etc., but I don't want junk. I do want to load them more than once though, so I don't want soft brass.
In general, where have y'all had good experience with geting brass online?
I've bought a bunch off the equipment exchange. Mostly Lake City once-fired stuff.
We just pick it up. I generally just toss 9mm into the recycler. I had to load up some subs for a buddy and ended up digging through my Recycle buckets like a fool. ;)
Brass Bombers is where I get my 5.56 / 7.62 brass. I buy it in large quantities from them, the quality is very good and they ship fairly quickly. (LCXX)
Brass Bombers (http://www.brassbombers.com/main.sc)
Brass Bombers is where I get my 5.56 / 7.62 brass. I buy it in large quantities from them, the quality is very good and they ship fairly quickly. (LCXX)
Brass Bombers (http://www.brassbombers.com/main.sc)
That's the main site I was looking at for LC brass because they will remove crimps. I don't trust pre-sized brass and don't mind trimming. But removing crimps REALLY f-ing sucks.
Have you ever got 9mm there? They say they are crimped (ugh) and cleaned. I'm trying to avoid crimps on pistol brass.
We just pick it up. I generally just toss 9mm into the recycler. I had to load up some subs for a buddy and ended up digging through my Recycle buckets like a fool. ;)
I would pick it up, but the dills at the range I go to pick it up and resell that shyt. I can definitely get it cheaper online than what they charge.
I just started loading pistol, so I am limited on brass for now. I do plan on buying in bulk.
Have you ever got 9mm there? They say they are crimped (ugh) and cleaned. I'm trying to avoid crimps on pistol brass.
Nope, no 9mm from them but in my experience I'd use them without hesitation.
I've purchased both swaged and crimped rifle brass from them and it is a pain when you buy the crimped. I bought the Dillon Super Swage 600 and it saves a lot of time as it looks like crimped is your only option with pistol brass. That is more money but a good tool to have in your reloading arsenal. Of course there are other ways to get rid of the crimp, although they are harder on your fingers.
I get my brass from IDPA for pistol, and carbine classes. I'm so fat on brass right now that I'll be a very long time in needing to restock.
..I don't trust pre-sized brass and don't mind trimming. But removing crimps REALLY f-ing sucks.
...
...Of course there are other ways to get rid of the crimp, although they are harder on your fingers.
My crimp remover V1.0
V2.0 has my 1 gal shop vac used on my Dillon trimmer clamped down next to the head of the brass to suck up the trimmings.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-rrJrML5feUU/T3GX4dm8wQI/AAAAAAAABcA/SDKbn0EqBtM/s640/IMG_20120324_101345.jpg
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Uaofdllv_IY/T3GX5vjiJLI/AAAAAAAABcE/e45rRgi-irk/s640/IMG_20120324_101410.jpg
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-O5ZroBU1YZs/T3GX7J5NpXI/AAAAAAAABcI/pGb3ZQh1ruU/s640/IMG_20120324_101425.jpg
I can ream the crimps about as fast as I run them through my loadmaster.
Is there a local range that hosts USPSA or IDPA matches? You can probably shoot a match and pick up all the 9mm you want in just a few matches. The shooters in most of our local matches are more concerned with picking up 40/45 than 9. I don't believe I've ever had to buy 9mm and I'm sure that I've never resized any of it(other than station 1 when loading). Brassman Brass is a good online source. You may be able to find it on the EE for Brianenos.com or find a local shooter to sell you some.
I just picked up a crapload of 9mm brass from the range yesterday. I don't think I'll be needing to buy any after all.
A year ago people would fight you on the range for brass. Now the outdoor one I go to asks you to take all you can pick up. I brought home over 500 pieces of LC 308 last week and have collected buckets of 9mm and 45 as well as a 30 gallon trash can full of mixed headstamp 223/5.56 over the past year. Doesnt matter how dull, dirty or tarnished an hour or two in the wet tumbler and it shines like new.
A year ago people would fight you on the range for brass.
Yeah. I noticed that too. When it gets dry and hot here, we have to shoot at the public range because of fire restrictions. Normally we'd leave with about a gallon of .223/5.56 brass every visit. For a little while after Sandy Hook, there wasn't any brass left on the ground. It's gotten back to normal for the most part now.
Yes, it appears the brass-tards are now flush with brass as I too am now finding some decent brass at the range!
Yes, it appears the brass-tards are now flush with brass as I too am now finding some decent brass at the range!
I think it was panic across the board. A lot of people seemed to be looking at handloading... judging by the demand for dies and stuff.
I hope that whole thing crashes hard so powder drops back to near $20/lb
I hope that whole thing crashes hard so powder drops back to near $20/lb
You and me both.....I got extremely lucky, I stocked up on reloading supplies exactly one week before Sandy Hook. At least it is available now, for a very long time you couldn't find primers, powder or bullets. I'll never get caught short again. I now have a very large cabinet stocked with a variety of powder and bullets. 9mm/357 - 45ACP - 44Mag - .224 - .300 with a pretty nice variety of powders to load them under.
I've bought a few molds and have gotten down the basics for casting pistol bullets, so even if things go crazy, I have enough lead to cast bullets if I need them. I've found if you befriend the range officers at the local range, you can get pretty good deals if you are buying bulk brass.
As a quick side question, where are the best places to get bulk primers? I think I was on Widners and they were selling wold primers for about 20 bucks/k. What is the shipping/hazmat if you were buying 20-50,000 at a time?
Years ago when I first started reloading I bought 1000 pieces used 9mm brass. Since then I just try to pick up a little more than what I shoot at the range. I have 2 five gallon buckets of 9mm brass now and I only pick up new, shiny once fired brass at the range. .45 Auto and .38 spl/mag brass is also common and easy to just pick up, after I ask of course..
Now .38 Super Auto is something else...
As a quick side question, where are the best places to get bulk primers? I think I was on Widners and they were selling wold primers for about 20 bucks/k. What is the shipping/hazmat if you were buying 20-50,000 at a time?
Wideners is a good place. Hazmat is $37.50 for up to (I think 50k primers). So the more you can put on one hazmat charge, the better.
I picked up a bunch of IMI 9mm brass last weekend that had an extra cup at the bottom of the case. I'm guessing these were +P or +P+ rounds. I don't plan on loading them with my normal load, but I thought it was quite interesting.
texasgunhand
01-23-15, 10:51
That's the main site I was looking at for LC brass because they will remove crimps. I don't trust pre-sized brass and don't mind trimming. But removing crimps REALLY f-ing sucks.
Have you ever got 9mm there? They say they are crimped (ugh) and cleaned. I'm trying to avoid crimps on pistol brass.
I just ordered some of their pistol brass,its crimped but for me, just starting up times not a problem ill just remove them with a reamer. But ill let you know if its to big of a pain. I just ordered a sample pack of 500 cleaned 9mm ,,says all wcc headstamps. The reviews are all good though. And iam hopeing to pick some up when i get to shooting at the ranges again. If not ill order 1000 from them cleaned is like 57 bucks and 1000 cleaned,swaged .223 is like 93 with free shipping.
I dont think brass worlds 9mm is crimped but their out right now,plus no free shipping.
Removing crimps SUCKS. Easily the most painful part of brass prep.
I don't normally load 9mm at all... but I did a batch of Subs for a buddy who just got a can. That WCC crimped 9mm is a pain. I reamed mine off and still mashed some primers. I won't even mess with it ever again.
steyrman13
01-23-15, 13:44
I don't normally load 9mm at all... but I did a batch of Subs for a buddy who just got a can. That WCC crimped 9mm is a pain. I reamed mine off and still mashed some primers. I won't even mess with it ever again.
I just throw the WCC in the scrap bucket when sorting 9mm. It gives me the same issues
Wideners is a good place. Hazmat is $37.50 for up to (I think 50k primers). So the more you can put on one hazmat charge, the better.
Thanks. I think I have a group of us who can pony up for the whole 50K. Is the $37.50 shipping and hasmat, or just hasmat? If shipping is in addition, any ballpark on the cost? I ask because I will probably end up being the one who collects all the money and places the order because I already have an account with Widners.
Thanks. I think I have a group of us who can pony up for the whole 50K. Is the $37.50 shipping and hasmat, or just hasmat? If shipping is in addition, any ballpark on the cost? I ask because I will probably end up being the one who collects all the money and places the order because I already have an account with Widners.
The last time I ordered from Widener's, hazmat was $27.50. Shipping is a separate charge and hazmat fees are law.
I knew the hazmat was required, the 38 bucks seemed a little high for just hazmat. $27.50 is what I remembered as what hazmat costs, so I was wondering if the shipping was the 10 dollars extra. Either way, buying in bulk like that seems like the way to go. Thanks all for the info.
27.50 is probably right... wasn't there talk of them trying to jack it up to 37.50??
texasgunhand
01-28-15, 18:56
That's the main site I was looking at for LC brass because they will remove crimps. I don't trust pre-sized brass and don't mind trimming. But removing crimps REALLY f-ing sucks.
Have you ever got 9mm there? They say they are crimped (ugh) and cleaned. I'm trying to avoid crimps on pistol brass.
I got my 9mm brass from them,nice stuff..the crimps seem easy to get out. I just used a lyman small pocket hand reamer then beveled them with the rcbs neck deburring tool. They seem to come out fast and easy enough i did one right fast primed it,went in fine,loaded it in my glock and popped it,then did it again. No problems so far.
The crimps seem light compared to what ive seen on you tube,seems easy enough to me so far. If everything keeps going this easy iam gona order 1000 more. Like i said iam just useing the lyman pocket reamer,put it in there twist a couple of times then bevel with the neck deburring tool and done. Try priming a random one right fast....grabbed one random primmer went in nice.
I got my 9mm brass from them,nice stuff..the crimps seem easy to get out. I just used a lyman small pocket hand reamer then beveled them with the rcbs neck deburring tool. They seem to come out fast and easy enough i did one right fast primed it,went in fine,loaded it in my glock and popped it,then did it again. No problems so far.
The crimps seem light compared to what ive seen on you tube,seems easy enough to me so far. If everything keeps going this easy iam gona order 1000 more. Like i said iam just useing the lyman pocket reamer,put it in there twist a couple of times then bevel with the neck deburring tool and done. Try priming a random one right fast....grabbed one random primmer went in nice.
Yeah, I removed the crimps on ~1,000 rounds of LC brass and I am swearing it off for the rest of my life. I will pay someone else to do it from now on.
Yeah, I removed the crimps on ~1,000 rounds of LC brass and I am swearing it off for the rest of my life. I will pay someone else to do it from now on.
I've done 1k of LC OFB by hand over the course of a week and it is frickin miserable. That was over a year ago. I recently bought another 1k from Wideners and after the first 200 I thought "**** this". The rest has been sitting unprocessed ever since. I need to buy one of those fancy power case prep tools. I'm so damn cheap though. :(
.46caliber
01-29-15, 06:44
I've done 1k of LC OFB by hand over the course of a week and it is frickin miserable. That was over a year ago. I recently bought another 1k from Wideners and after the first 200 I thought "**** this". The rest has been sitting unprocessed ever since. I need to buy one of those fancy power case prep tools. I'm so damn cheap though. :(
I use an RCBS swager and its not so bad. Not nearly as hard on the hands. I've read a lot of folks like the Dillon over the RCBS.
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About the only thing worse than reloading 9 mm is reloading 380, I would only do it for a speciality or self defense load and for those I would use new or non crimped brass. With all the cheap blasting ammo available 9 is definitely on the wrong end of time vs expense equation for me. YMMV.
texasgunhand
01-30-15, 00:46
Ok it sucks..lol my finger hurts. Its such nice brass . but its a pain in the finger,and butt from sitting so long doing it...
That is why they make power tools for that crap.
100 or so for match or hunting is not so bad. 500 and up. Screw it, I need a tool.
That is why they make power tools for that crap.
100 or so for match or hunting is not so bad. 500 and up. Screw it, I need a tool.
It still sucks with power tools. I'll clean up a few if they need it, but any more than a dozen or so and I'll pay someone to do them all.
BuzzinSATX
01-30-15, 08:23
I'm in need of some 9mm brass, but I notice there is a huge variation in price ($30-$60/1000). Some may have more split necks, different headstamps, etc. The difference has to be in the quality, but the less I have to shell out the better. I've used PowderValley for 223 brass, but never 9mm. Overall it was a good experience, but they are on the higher $$ end for 9mm. I would prefer it to be wet tumbled, crimp removed, etc. but no sizing. I'm the only one I trust to size my brass.
I don't need the same headstamp,, top quality, etc., but I don't want junk. I do want to load them more than once though, so I don't want soft brass.
In general, where have y'all had good experience with geting brass online?
If you are anywhere near San Antonio, check out the LoneStar Handguns Range. They sell brass pretty cheap. Vet owned business who hires lots of vets, several wounded warriors.
http://www.lonestarhandgun.com
Take Care,
Buzz
The CH4D swager is the easiest tool I have found, once you figure it out. I broke several rims but now I can do them fairly efficiently. I am trying to build my brass inventory so for now I am just buying fully processed LC brass.
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