What to do with spent .22lr cases?

JMcDonald · 07-14-2008, 10:03 PM

I have several hundred and intend to keep saving them from shooting in my backyard (as to prevent piling up the ground with lawnmower ammo). I know brass is expensive and I'd feel bad for just throwing it all away. Is there someone who actually reloads .22lr ammo? Or perhaps would it be worth it to send the cases to some ammo factory or private party who will recycle the brass for more ammo?

Sooner Shooter · 07-14-2008, 10:21 PM

As far as I know 22's aren't reloadable. I don't know what brass is going for these days but you'd have to save a bunch of 22 brass to offset the cost of driving to a recycler. Some people do take brass to recycle so you might keep saving and eventually give them to someone that recycles.

elmer fudd · 07-14-2008, 10:28 PM

you could recicle them but i dont pic them up becouse they are realy cheap 11 dollers for 550 rounds so ya

GlockMeister · 07-14-2008, 10:28 PM

Yea they can be. I believe there was another thread where this came up and if I remember correctly, it was Toolman that said it is possible with the right stuff/tools/equipment. But the way I understand it, for the time being, .22 in anything, magnum,lr, and even short is so cheap, there's no reason to do it, YET?

TXplt · 07-14-2008, 10:32 PM

Best to melt it down and recycle.

iflylow74 · 07-14-2008, 11:19 PM

There's an old guy who comes around and collects empties from the local range and takes it to the recycler. You might give it a try.

JMcDonald · 07-15-2008, 09:10 AM

Hmm ok so it would be worth it to just save them up and recycle them some time in the future?

And no, heh, I wasn't talking about actually reloading myself, just meant if there was any company or person who does or could do it to save a bit of money. But I guess Ill just recycle the material itself and call it good.

Thanks!

neophyte · 07-15-2008, 09:21 AM

Something for consideration: 7-08-08 pricing

All clean brass is $1.00 per pound under 25 pounds.

Prices below are for 25 pounds or more.

BRASS

Current Price

Old Price

Red Brass 1.38 1.38 Yellow Brass 1.38 1.38 Contaminated Brass 30 30

CATALYTIC CONVERTERS (See Info)

$2-150+ each $2-50+ each

COPPER (also see Wires)

All copper is $2.00 p

SwedeSteve · 07-15-2008, 09:40 AM

Save it till you have enough to make it worth the drive.

ArkansasHunter · 07-15-2008, 09:43 AM

When I go to Plink in the woods with a 22, where I hunt. I leave them with mother nature.

If I had a range to Plink at I'd sweep them up and probably keep them.

I do keep my fired centerfire case when I can find them.

wunhunglo · 07-15-2008, 09:51 AM

Our club has bins for collecting all the spent brass, it is then bagged and about once per year we sell it to the local Scrappies (recyclers) and the proceeds go towards the club's AGM dinner.

Big Dog · 07-15-2008, 05:28 PM

In the good ol' days, when jacketed bullets were expensive, serious shooters would get the RCBS bullet swager ("Rock Chucker Bullet Swager", get it?) and make jackets for their .222 and .223 bullets out of .22 rimfire brass. Someone could make a good little 'cottage industry' out of this....

The gadgets are still 'out there'.

mosquitofish · 07-15-2008, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big Dog

In the good ol' days, when jacketed bullets were expensive, serious shooters would get the RCBS bullet swager ("Rock Chucker Bullet Swager", get it?) and make jackets for their .222 and .223 bullets out of .22 rimfire brass. Someone could make a good little 'cottage industry' out of this....

The gadgets are still 'out there'.

I think there was an artical in Guns & ammo Mag. on swaging brass?

Jersey Jailer · 07-15-2008, 07:59 PM

I was told the other day brass was $1.99 lb and copper was 2.49 lb, this was all clean brass from a locksmith scrapping miscut keys and brass shavings.

oldjarhead · 07-15-2008, 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JMcDonald

Hmm ok so it would be worth it to just save them up and recycle them some time in the future?

And no, heh, I wasn't talking about actually reloading myself, just meant if there was any company or person who does or could do it to save a bit of money. But I guess Ill just recycle the material itself and call it good.

Thanks!

I sold some brass a while back and received $64 dollars for a 5 gallon bucket; don't remeber how many pounds. BUT it got me $64 worth of new ammo. You're choice...22's may take awhile to get that much but what the hey?

JMcDonald · 07-15-2008, 09:41 PM

The only reason Ive been picking it up is because it is the subsonic powderless ammo Ive been shooting in the back yard, and I dont want a bunch of cases out there for the lawnmower to shoot all over the place, heh.

RimfireSpaz · 07-16-2008, 12:45 PM

As far as i know they are not reloadable, because the primer is the rim of the shell casing, there for its already spent. Unless someone could put a new rim on them, which would be a waste of time considering how cheap they are. But i would like to know who i could send my spent shell casings too, i have a lot gathered up from shooting on our range. Heck, it would make ammo .22 ammo that much cheaper if i could sell them haha.

therifleman · 07-18-2008, 12:49 PM

you could buy rounds cheaper than reloading them

JMcDonald · 07-18-2008, 01:32 PM

If cleaned, the case could be reused again. The primer is poured into the case, which is then spun to spread it around. Nothing need be removed or replaced.

wunhunglo · 07-18-2008, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JMcDonald

If cleaned, the case could be reused again. The primer is poured into the case, which is then spun to spread it around. Nothing need be removed or replaced.

What about the firing pin strike mark in the case.....You going to remove that?
what about the extra inspection processes required?
What about an extra stage of heat treament which would be required to recondition the cases?
What about the cleaning process?

Economically not viable at the present time, that is why nobody does it.

07-14-2008, 10:03 PM	#1
JMcDonald Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 516	What to do with spent .22lr cases? I have several hundred and intend to keep saving them from shooting in my backyard (as to prevent piling up the ground with lawnmower ammo). I know brass is expensive and I'd feel bad for just throwing it all away. Is there someone who actually reloads .22lr ammo? Or perhaps would it be worth it to send the cases to some ammo factory or private party who will recycle the brass for more ammo? __________________ Don't feed the highschoolers.

07-14-2008, 10:21 PM	#2
Sooner Shooter Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 614	As far as I know 22's aren't reloadable. I don't know what brass is going for these days but you'd have to save a bunch of 22 brass to offset the cost of driving to a recycler. Some people do take brass to recycle so you might keep saving and eventually give them to someone that recycles. __________________ Save the drama for your mama!

07-14-2008, 10:28 PM	#3
elmer fudd Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: pheasant country USA! Posts: 1,911	you could recicle them but i dont pic them up becouse they are realy cheap 11 dollers for 550 rounds so ya __________________ spur hard, shoot straight, party hardy!

07-14-2008, 10:28 PM	#4
GlockMeister Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Northern Illinois Posts: 5,361	Yea they can be. I believe there was another thread where this came up and if I remember correctly, it was Toolman that said it is possible with the right stuff/tools/equipment. But the way I understand it, for the time being, .22 in anything, magnum,lr, and even short is so cheap, there's no reason to do it, YET? __________________ I'd rather be tried by 12 than carried by 6!

07-14-2008, 10:32 PM	#5
TXplt Lost in the Ozone Again Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Fort Worth, TX Posts: 2,773 Images: 4 Blog Entries: 2	Best to melt it down and recycle. __________________ Old fighter pilots never die.....They just wind up in Texas

07-14-2008, 11:19 PM	#6
iflylow74 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Arkansaw Posts: 1,023 Blog Entries: 11	There's an old guy who comes around and collects empties from the local range and takes it to the recycler. You might give it a try. __________________ Most things aren't a matter of can or can't, but a matter of want to or don't want to. -me

07-15-2008, 09:10 AM	#7
JMcDonald Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 516	Hmm ok so it would be worth it to just save them up and recycle them some time in the future? And no, heh, I wasn't talking about actually reloading myself, just meant if there was any company or person who does or could do it to save a bit of money. But I guess Ill just recycle the material itself and call it good. Thanks! __________________ Don't feed the highschoolers.

07-15-2008, 09:21 AM	#8
neophyte Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 3,489 Blog Entries: 2	consideration Something for consideration: 7-08-08 pricing All clean brass is $1.00 per pound under 25 pounds. Prices below are for 25 pounds or more. BRASS Current Price Old Price Red Brass 1.38 1.38 Yellow Brass 1.38 1.38 Contaminated Brass 30 30 CATALYTIC CONVERTERS (See Info) $2-150+ each $2-50+ each COPPER (also see Wires) All copper is $2.00 p __________________ Craig By the standards of most

07-15-2008, 09:40 AM	#9
SwedeSteve Bullet Maintenance !! Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: The anchor point, Alaska Posts: 10,253 Images: 1	Save it till you have enough to make it worth the drive. __________________ Thank God we don't get as much Government as we pay for! -Will Rogers

07-15-2008, 09:43 AM	#10
ArkansasHunter Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: South Arkansas Posts: 10,675	When I go to Plink in the woods with a 22, where I hunt. I leave them with mother nature. If I had a range to Plink at I'd sweep them up and probably keep them. I do keep my fired centerfire case when I can find them.

07-15-2008, 09:51 AM	#11
wunhunglo Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: currently "Sunny West Africa" Posts: 1,650	Our club has bins for collecting all the spent brass, it is then bagged and about once per year we sell it to the local Scrappies (recyclers) and the proceeds go towards the club's AGM dinner.

07-15-2008, 05:28 PM	#12
Big Dog Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Tallahassee, Florida Posts: 10,201	In the good ol' days, when jacketed bullets were expensive, serious shooters would get the RCBS bullet swager ("Rock Chucker Bullet Swager", get it?) and make jackets for their .222 and .223 bullets out of .22 rimfire brass. Someone could make a good little 'cottage industry' out of this.... The gadgets are still 'out there'. __________________ Moderator of: AR15/M16, M14/M1A, New/Beginning Shooters and Militaria/Collectables.

07-15-2008, 07:59 PM	#14
Jersey Jailer Senior Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: SOUTH Jersey Posts: 499	I was told the other day brass was $1.99 lb and copper was 2.49 lb, this was all clean brass from a locksmith scrapping miscut keys and brass shavings. __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] Austrailian Shepherds are like potato chips... You can't have just one

07-15-2008, 09:41 PM	#16
JMcDonald Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 516	The only reason Ive been picking it up is because it is the subsonic powderless ammo Ive been shooting in the back yard, and I dont want a bunch of cases out there for the lawnmower to shoot all over the place, heh. __________________ Don't feed the highschoolers.

07-16-2008, 12:45 PM	#17
RimfireSpaz Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Somewhere eastern washington Posts: 39 Images: 5	As far as i know they are not reloadable, because the primer is the rim of the shell casing, there for its already spent. Unless someone could put a new rim on them, which would be a waste of time considering how cheap they are. But i would like to know who i could send my spent shell casings too, i have a lot gathered up from shooting on our range. Heck, it would make ammo .22 ammo that much cheaper if i could sell them haha.

07-18-2008, 12:49 PM	#18
therifleman Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: glennville ga Posts: 154 Blog Entries: 2	you could buy rounds cheaper than reloading them __________________ can't wait t'll winter

07-18-2008, 01:32 PM	#19
JMcDonald Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 516	If cleaned, the case could be reused again. The primer is poured into the case, which is then spun to spread it around. Nothing need be removed or replaced. __________________ Don't feed the highschoolers.