Can anyone provide input on the use of "once fired brass?" It is readily available on the internet and at gun shows, and the reloads that I have purchased are made using it. BUT my Lyman reloading book explicitly reads not to use it, as well as any brass picked up from the range etc.

It is my understanding that if one is cautious and inspects each case for signs of excessive pressure or lack of integrity, it's good to use. Any thoughts?

the lyman manual says not to use range pickups because you never know how many times a piece of brass left on the ground has been reloaded.

I'm suspicious as to the claims of once fired brass unless it is from military or leo training sources. I once bought some once fired 5.56mm casing that were fed through a belt fed m249 saw and they were pretty beat up. I wouldn't do it again, it just wasn't worth it

I buy and use once fired brass all the time. I even do some range pickup IF it is the local LE range since I know they do not reload. Best find I ever made was the Hornady match 308 brass from the sniper unit when they vacated the LE range.

Yes, if you buy it on-line, you need to inspect it carefully. I buy a lot of mine from the classified forum here.

If I didn't use range pickups and 1X brass, I'd have to do a lot less shooting. Just like buying a used car, you have to know what to look for. Brass that has been shot several times takes on a "tired" look. Multipul imprints from the ejector, multipul little dings and devits around the rim.
I wipe it down with a soft cloth and eyeball each piece for neck splits and such. I f/l resize the stuff and run it through the tumbler for a while.
I've never had what I would call a bad experience from 1X or range pick up brass.

I been using once fired range pick up for decades. But after finding out I can get $1.82 a pound for scrap brass I have 200 pounds of calibers I don't use anymore going to the recycler tomorrow
Just use common sense when picking it up or buying it. If a shooter was at the range generally they leave all the same head stamps and matching primer colors. You can get a feel for how once fired brass looks after awhile.
Besides, I will never hunt with new brass anyhow. All of my reloads are shot once then the brass is prepped to be the same.

Once fired brass can be a good buy. My problem is once fired 7.62 that's been through a machinegun. The chambers are large and the brass usually has streatched and it can be a challenge to get the brass back to size. Even then if the streatch has been large case head separations can be a problem, especially if subsequently fired in a semiauto like an M1a. So once fired pistol is usually OK but I stear away from once fired military 7.62 and, for the same reason, I'm a bit leary of 5.56.

Jerry Liles

I have thousands of once fired brass and have never had a bad result with brass that I could see before I bought it. I have had a few dishonest or careless types sell me brass that was not really once fired. Some of that brass had to be tossed before loading.

I have been reloading for a long time and it is easy for me to tell once fired from anything that has been reloaded. The most difficult brass to judge is brass in new off brand ammo.
Ammo from eastern Europe may have good brass or it may be crap. You never know until you fired it and see if the primers leak or if a new primer will even seat.

Lyman is making recommendations for newbies. I doubt that the people writing that manual have as much real expericence as any of the top 100 reloaders on this site.

My wife has ran 5k worth of 1X or ?X through her AR15 with zero problems

I never step over a piece of range brass.....it's like picking up money to me.

I buy once fired brass whenever the price is right and I'll use every bit of range brass I run across. If you know how to inspect the brass you bought new for reloading, you should know how to inspect range brass to see if it's servicible.

Inspecting range pickup brass includes running a wire down the inside of the case to check for an incipient head separation.

quote:

Originally posted by Grumulkin:
I buy once fired brass whenever the price is right and I'll use every bit of range brass I run across. If you know how to inspect the brass you bought new for reloading, you should know how to inspect range brass to see if it's servicible.

Inspecting range pickup brass includes running a wire down the inside of the case to check for an incipient head separation.

+ 1 I have used a lot of once many times fired brass and range picked up brass. Most none belted cases are reloaded 10 or more times belted brass around 5 some times more.

quote:

Originally posted by NC Mike:
the lyman manual says not to use range pickups because you never know how many times a piece of brass left on the ground has been reloaded.

I look for factory primers on range brass. That indicates it has indeed been once fired @ factory authorized pressure.

As another said I too have suffered the case of once fired brass that has been fired almost to death.

There are some wicked people out there and in one way it behoves us to crush those of our cases that are no longer serviceable to stop such folk doing this.

I've also suffered range rats who try to steal YOUR brass or somehow "confuse" it with theirs. The odd Berdan primed 9mm case thrown down used to stop that the next week.

A broken decapping rod and bent decapping stem being suitable punishmant for said thief!

quote:

Originally posted by Wstrnhuntr:

quote:

Originally posted by NC Mike:
the lyman manual says not to use range pickups because you never know how many times a piece of brass left on the ground has been reloaded.

I look for factory primers on range brass. That indicates it has indeed been once fired @ factory authorized pressure.

How do you indicate if it is a factory primer or not?

+1 to Mac's question

quote:

Originally posted by McKay:

quote:

Originally posted by Wstrnhuntr:

quote:

Originally posted by NC Mike:
the lyman manual says not to use range pickups because you never know how many times a piece of brass left on the ground has been reloaded.

I look for factory primers on range brass. That indicates it has indeed been once fired @ factory authorized pressure.

How do you indicate if it is a factory primer or not?

On Federal rifle brass you will see some colored sealant around the primer. On other brands I just look to make sure all the primers match colors and the cases look good.
No need to over think the process of using once fired brass you might pick up. It should look pretty new, matching primers, and usually all the same calibers laying around the same bench.
Bring them home and prep then like normal. If the primer seats good and you don't see any sign of head separation go for it.

How can you lose by finding it for free and then seeing if it works for you?

ja sure and why would yoou hire a once fired brass when it was already fired??? probably didn't get the job done the first time

butchloc, you need to turn the heat up in that ice shanty.

I cant understand why any serious shooter would want to mess with anything other than new brass.

I can't understand why any serious shooter would hesitate to use once fired brass for reloading. Practice makes perfect.....

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Originally posted by Snowwolfe:

quote:

Originally posted by McKay:

quote:

Originally posted by Wstrnhuntr:

quote:

Originally posted by NC Mike:
the lyman manual says not to use range pickups because you never know how many times a piece of brass left on the ground has been reloaded.

I look for factory primers on range brass. That indicates it has indeed been once fired @ factory authorized pressure.

How do you indicate if it is a factory primer or not?

On Federal rifle brass you will see some colored sealant around the primer. On other brands I just look to make sure all the primers match colors and the cases look good.
No need to over think the process of using once fired brass you might pick up. It should look pretty new, matching primers, and usually all the same calibers laying around the same bench.
Bring them home and prep then like normal. If the primer seats good and you don't see any sign of head separation go for it.

How can you lose by finding it for free and then seeing if it works for you?

On the rifle brass with sealant ok. But on others I am doubtful. I have about every commercially available primer on my shelf. Brass colored ones, Silver....etc. I still don't know how you would know if they are once fired.

quote:

Originally posted by shootaway:
I cant understand why any serious shooter would want to mess with anything other than new brass.

I have loaded hundreds of thousands of rounds I bought once fired cases for. You can pick them up at under 10 cents on the dollar of new. If you shoot anything in high volume say 1500 rounds a day you would know.

what a load of crap

Some peoples opinions are just as worthless as tits on a boar hog...

Okay guys, don't let the troll, aka shootaway, get your panties in a twist.

One benefit of using mil once fired 556 is that you can be assured that it is once fired. While most 762 is indeed MG fired and therefore not a real good idea to use ( MG chambers are longer and wider than 762 or 308), as FL sizing can be a real chore and the brass will already be at or near the head separation point, with caveats.

556 on the other hand, is mostly fired through M4/M16A2/4s in semi auto mode. A careful check of the case head will show, if M249 fired, a telltale square ding on the face. M16 fired may have an extractor mark in the flange.

Another and more important advantage of using 1x fired Mil 556 brass is that is just that much tougher than many if not most commercial 223 rem cases ( remember, if was designed for NATO pressures and rough conditions of use).

I use LC 556 brass for HP completion, it lasts nearly forever (5-6 reloads, then to the practice lot, after one final use is it is sold as scrap) with neck annealing once or twice, and is rather uniform ( hardness, weight) by year headstamps.

The value of using fire-formed and gently resized brass in precision applications milks every bit of accuracy available as well.

For bolt guns, often a gentle neck size is all that is done, maybe a shoulder bump of a few thousandths to assure easy chambering (for HP rapid fire etc).

For gas guns, a FL resize with a shoulder bump die pushing the shoulder back to -.002" fired dimension makes for sweet accuracy and long life, along with smooth feeding.

I use fired brass for all practice, all HP competition and most hunting.

My carry ammo in pistol, rifle and shotgun are all factory fodder.

I suppose I would use my own reloads for DG as well. But not yours!

quote:

Originally posted by shootaway:
what a load of crap

???

I inspect purchased used brass and range picked up brass the same as that which has only been fired in my guns.

If it pass's that inspection I don't hesitate using it.

A person who cannot understand whey a "serious shooter" would use anything other than new brass? Are you sh**ting me? Because we're not all independently wealthy, and need the therapeutic effect of tubling brass when we read your posts!

You mean you cant afford to buy some new brass to start your many reloads off with and would rather pick up some old brass at the range to do so? It says something about the individual.Why do you even own a computer?

Definition of a non-serious shooter below.

quote:

Originally posted by shootaway:
I cant understand why any serious shooter would want to mess with anything other than new brass.

Beeman,
It is always good to see someone twist his tail a little.

quote:

Originally posted by wasbeeman:
Okay guys, don't let the troll, aka shootaway, get your panties in a twist.

Sorry shootacow
- but it is all used brass the first time you pull the trigger. Comprehende???

I like to say that once fired brass has been proof tested

By using once fired brass I have probably been able to pay for a several new rifles. Do you like new rifles?

quote:

Originally posted by shootaway:
You mean you cant afford to buy some new brass to start your many reloads off with and would rather pick up some old brass at the range to do so? It says something about the individual.Why do you even own a computer?

quote:

You mean you cant afford to buy some new brass to start your many reloads off with and would rather pick up some old brass at the range to do so? It says something about the individual.Why do you even own a computer?

Never said I used once fired for first loads!
Even If I di, I'm sure I could be more successful at it than you.

Don't se how you arrived at your conclusions.

As for why I own a computer- just another tool to manage life's matters, like replying to your crap... or managing millions in assets. I can do either adeptly.

Hey shootaway, when you say new brass one assumes that you mean Lapua, right? No point in starting off with that cheap stuff, right?

quote:

Originally posted by wasbeeman:
Okay guys, don't let the troll, aka shootaway, get your panties in a twist.

For a troll, he's not very good at it, is he.

I was filling in for a friend last week as RO at our local club. I had a shooter ask me if I would like some odd brass or if I knew of some one that would. I asked what did he have. I ended up with 5 boxes of Norma 9.3X74R 2 boxes of .470. I like the big nickel cases. Yes I took them there were several other boxes of once fired pistol brass. They picked up the brass and put it back in the box. I like people like that when working the range. If nothing else range brass makes good trading stock.
Bill

Bill I sure if you put if up for sale here it would be gone in no time.

quote:

Originally posted by shootaway:
You mean you cant afford to buy some new brass to start your many reloads off with and would rather pick up some old brass at the range to do so? It says something about the individual.Why do you even own a computer?

Hate to tell you this Shootaway but we are just poor white trash. Except for those of us who aren't white. We don't have a Rolls, we don't have a butler, we don't have three vacation homes nor a private jet and we pick up brass on the range. Just poor white trash. Somebody has to do it Shootaway otherwise you would be knee deep in brass when you went to the range. We are kind of like buzzards in that respect. Besides it keeps us occupied so we don't bother you when you are on the range. As far as owning computers we don't buy them Shootaway. We cruise nice neighborhoods like yours early in the morning on garbage day and pick up the cast off computers, microwaves, couches and the like, just before we hit the grocery store dumpster for breakfast.

I sort RPU brass very critically, if I think it might have been reloaded I chuck it. I have bought used brass but only from reputable sources and if it is military I want a guarantee it was not shot in a machine gun.

Don't sell brass you don't shoot to the scrap yard! Sell it on Gunbroker to someone who will sort it and sell it. People make a business of this.

I'm thinking he's French ya'll. Shootaway. French. Ya reckon?

Fromage-munching Frog. Yep. Seen all the targets he posts. I've got a 115 year-old Argy Mauser with the original sights and can shoot better than the crap he posts. Oh yeah- do it with once-fired brass, too.

Doug

Lately I am shooting 338 Lapua. I have never picked up a piece of that anywhere. Maybe I should go where Shootaway shoots. I'll bet there is lots of 338 there. I started with 340 pieces of new Norma brass for the 338, it took months to pick up enough beer cans on the side of the road to get up enough money to buy that. Midway don't accept beer cans for payment.