Gents I am looking at buying a considerable amount of used brass. Only the best will be used for reloading. There is also a lot of blanks as well that are of no use to me. I am trying to put numbers together for a major reloading / ammo manufacturing business. I am trying to come up with some kind of scrap rate and waste percentage numbers. I am looking at a start up rate of about 100000 lbs so this number becomes real important. I know what I can buy at but I don't know what the market for scrap brass is and I really don't want to spend 4k to get a subscription to the metals market just yet.
Thanks
Mike

Mr. Mike,

You may want to talk to the scrap yards in your area and tell them exactly what type of scrap you will generate.

Around here I talk with the ladies and gentlemen who collect brass from the various public ranges for recycling. Two years ago scrap yards would not pay much for cartridge cases because they claimed it had to be "cleaned", but with the current run up in metal prices the scrap yards apparently are paying a pretty penny now.

At least that's the story I hear.

Good luck with your venture.

quote:

because they claimed it had to be "cleaned"

I know and the same scrap yard would pay a premium for a nasty clogged up scrap radiator.

quote:

because they claimed it had to be "cleaned",

or was it because of the non copper primer in it?

It's hard to buy the "clean" thing!!!

Imagine the smelters running into a live round now and again!!! roger

When running large quantities of used brass it is fairly simple. You run them all through a popper first.