223 & 5.56 reloading brass question???

wallyent

January 23, 2013 19:17

On selling pretty clean range pickup brass that has about 50/50 amounts of civilian and surplus headstamps, how important to the buying reloaders is it to have it seperated? Is it a big deal in the reloading process if it is mixed or not, or just preferred? Is Lake City 223/5.56? headstamped brass good quality? Is all brass that doesn't have 223 on headstamp surplus/military? Thanks.

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  sandwarrior

  January 23, 2013 22:55

  From what I've seen, .223 brings a small premium over 'general' crimped mil-brass. Unless it's lake City then it's about the same.
  
  For the work you put into de-crimping, it ought to bring more. So far it hasn't. I'm not sure if the White House's new policies are going to change that. It was attempted under the Bush Administration to cease selling surplus brass to the public. There may be a run on what is left if that happens again?

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  jonk

  January 24, 2013 03:53

  If it is deprimed and decrimped it should bring about the same. Otherwise (personally speaking for me as well) buyers would probably pay a bit less due to the extra effort involved. However, we're talking a few dollars a thousand difference. I say either list it as is, or separate it, but don't bother decrimping. I would however make sure no berdan cases are in the mix.

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  dcs shooters

  January 24, 2013 05:03

  Just sold 1,000 LC 5.56, tumbled, deprimed, swaged for $200 to a guy that could;nt find some [:)]

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  wallyent

  January 24, 2013 08:58

  Without depriming, how does one identify berdan cases on a 223?
  
  So certain brands are berdan always???
  
  223 range brass just picked up are selling easy at $70 per 500+ around here right now.

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  sandwarrior

  January 24, 2013 11:14

  quote:Originally posted by wallyent
  Without depriming, how does one identify berdan cases on a 223?
  
  
  Headstamp only, if you can. You'll have to find and study all the brass you can pick up on the range.
  
  Edit:
  
  That is if the round hasn't been fired.
  
  The obvious sign is taking a fired case and seeing what the hole(s) look like on the inside. A centered hole is 98.8% going to be Boxer primed. Two holes off-center will for sure mean it's Berdan primed.

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  Mobuck

  January 25, 2013 02:22

  During this period of ammo and component drought, buyer won't be too picky about cases as long as it's not steel or berdan. Prior to this manic time, the buyers could and would pay less for "mixed" brass.
  Last week, I pulled a bucket of brass out of storage and found it wasn't straight LC but had about 35% Remington commercial mixed in. That was a bonus.
  I'm prepping brass now that I bought 5 years ago($25-40 per 1000) and feeling really good about it.

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