I'm new to this and in the process of accumulating reloading items. I will be reloading for a .223 I have and I see brass for it on ebay all the time. Is it worth the savings or should I just go buy new stuff so I know what I'm getting into? Thanks

To each his own...Personally I like to know the history of my cases. I would by new or get once fired from a known and trusted source.

lg2469,
.223 is cheap and plentiful. Since ypu have internet access, just find a catalog (like Graf&Son) and get the new stuff. Either way you're spending $ on postage, so go for the new stuff.
Another good reason is that the .223 is a high pressure round, so used brass is a poor way to save a few shekels.
P.S. Avoid Federal brass as it is rather soft.

I've bought brass from ebay several times even have a business card to one shop in Utah that sells once fireds through ebay.

As long as they are once fired factory brass you really can't go wrong w/ the ebay stuff in the standard cals. The only problem I've ever run into was w/ mag cases, every now and then you get one that was fired in a sloppy chamber and can't hardly be sized down enough w/ a regular die to fit you chamber and you need a mag brass die(can't remember the name.) That was only w/ very few of the mag brass I've bought from ebay, 99% was good once fired stuff. All of the standard oncefired I've gotten off ebay was good stuff.

FL size it, load some rounds, and you should be ready to go.

Often the once fired stuff is much more pleasant to deal w/ than brand new stuff as far as dents and concentricity are concerned.

Good Luck

Reloader

LG2469
As you say you are "new" to this I would recomend you start with some new brass. When you are a little more seasoned, by all means try out some used brass if you want.

muck

Check here, I've heard good things about them although I have never used them.

http://www.brassmanbrass.com/index.html

I agree w/ muck, new relaoders need to narrow the variables. What are you loading for, AR, bolt gun, blasting ammo or precision longer range stuff? OF stuff is ok for blasting ammo but buy from a known source not a guy on e-bay that says it's all OF.

lg2469,

Take a look at this listing in ebay, it's not an auction from any ole' boy in the world, it's from an ebay store of an outfit (Dave's Gun sighting) up in Utah. They are first class folks to deal w/ and I've bought alot of Brass from them at great prices. They tumble it for you for free in corn cob media and you can get up to around 1200 223 brass shipped for a flat rate of 8.10! Can beat that w/ a stick. Right now they've got 223 brass for $10 per 200 polished and bagged. I don't think you'll find another place that can deliver to your door 1000 polished and bagged 223 brass for less than $60. The brass is sorted by head stamp and they have several different brands to choose from as well.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1700...ORE:PROMOBOX:NEWLIST

Have a Good One

Reloader

Thanks to all who contributed. Here is what I did and why. My .223 is a single shot TC encore. I'm looking to do some coyote shooting with it here in the great Arizona desert. As a place to start, I bought 50 pieces of new brass. I don't have to worry about any of it being military issue and dealing with crimps. If I get to a point I think I'll need more I will definitely be going the once fired route just for the savings. Thanks for the interest.

It's too bad you don't want to mes with GI brass. I was going to say that if you're anywhere near Tucson, you could stop by and I'd give you enough to last a life time and then some.
While the crimp is a bit of a PITA, there are quick ways to handle them. The nice thing about the crimp is it's a guarantee that the case is truly, once fired.
Paul B.

quote:

Originally posted by lg2469:
I'm new to this and in the process of accumulating reloading items. I will be reloading for a .223 I have and I see brass for it on ebay all the time. Is it worth the savings or should I just go buy new stuff so I know what I'm getting into? Thanks

I just bought a bag of once-fired .38/55 brass off e-bay. It looks like new, but of course, Winchester factory .38/55 ammo is loaded to very low pressures....

I have never bought brass on ebay, but have gotten used brass at gun shops, picked it up at the range, ordered it through shotgun news, bought from friends and almost any other way immaginable. I almost never polish, just reload and shoot, and have good luck with used brass for the most part. I bought a huge lot of GI 38 spec. brass years ago that was crimped and it was a pain, but I got an eight pound powder can full of brass for $5.00. Thats a deal in anyone mind to my thinking.

I guess what I am saying is used brass is ok if you are careful about inspecting it and use caution. With that in mind, buy away and have fun blasting ole Wiley E.
Good luck and good shooting,
Eterry

I have bought alot of brass on ebay, and it is a lousy place to buy brass.

Still, where else are you going to find odd used brass, like small primer 7.62x39mm?

There are better places to get .223 brass:
http://secure.cartsvr.net/catalogs/categories.asp?catid=23696

tnekkcc..

Check out southernbelle brass or Cabelas for 223 brass... both are sources with better prices than the site you listed.. after checking it out...

cheers
seafire

I don't buy a lot of brass on e-Bay but, I did buy 2K .40 S&W and a hundred .300 WSM all once fired. I have had zero problems with it and would do it again under certain circumstances (massive reloading project or brass I can't find anywhere else).

I've had good luck finding some good deals on once fired and new 45-70 and 45 colt brass on ebay.

Unless you know the actual history of trhe brass, not the supposed history, used brass is always a bad idea.

About 20 years ago, I moved to a new town and hence, to a new shooting range. This range had a 50 gallon oil barrel for shooters to dump brass. On my first trip to that range, I dumped some of my brass into that barrel without really thinking about what I was doing. I had loaded and fired that brass the maximum number of times. I saw a man walk to the barrel and take out some brass. I intercepted the man and told him that if he took out any of my brass, he ought to put it back becasue it wasn't safe. He denied taking any brass out of the barrel. I looked in the barrel and saw that my brass was gone. I started carring a pliers and crimping the neck and middle of any brass that I tossed.

quote:

Originally posted by YUMAN:
Check here, I've heard good things about them although I have never used them.

http://www.brassmanbrass.com/index.html

YUMAN has it right I've been getting my brass from this source since the mid 90's. John is a standup guy.

You can buy never fired military pulldown brass from places like www.gibrass.com No worry about history there.

I've never found prepping GI a problem. Decap with a guaranteed for life Lee Universal Decapper, and cut the crimp out with a chamfering tool chucked in a drill. It's no problem to do 10-15 a minute.