Sources of brass and bullets any real differences?

[ngum Rights]

I am just getting started reloading and have a few really silly questions.

Buying brass new isn't a lot cheaper than buying the actual ammunition. For example, 9MM Remington is about .23 each. Is there any really difference in using cleaned, brass from you own gun? Better still, you can buy once fired brass about .04. At that price is it really worth collecting cleaning your own?

The same for bullets, is there much difference (assuming the same type such as FMJ) from one brand to another?

What about hard cast bullets? Are they suitable for a typical handgun such as a Glock or similar for target use?

Neil

[hornady]

Handgun brass if loaded light will last for a very long time, I have 9MM and 38 brass that I have no idea as to how many times I have reloaded it. Nickel brass never seemed to hold up as well as yellow brass for me.

Just starting out reloading I would check out Rainier or Berry plated bullets for range use. Both are much cheaper than jacketed bullets.

Cast bullets are the cheapest of the three, however if you don’t know what you are doing, they can give a new reloader fits. Commercially cast bullets for one will be .001or more over their jacketed counter part.

So now you must set your expander die deeper. This can cause feeding problems for the new reloader.

Cast bullets must be lubed, this to can cause feed problems, and gum up your dies and change your seating depth depending on the lube used.

Also the FPS of a cast bullet needs to match the hardness of the bullet. too fast or slow for the alloy, and you will start getting barrel leading.

You mentioned a Glock. This is a subject that has been beaten too death on the forums. Some will say no to cast bullets in a Glock or other polygonal Barrel gun, Others shoot them on a regular bases with no more leading than you would find in a standard barrel with proper cast loading procedures followed.

With some die sets brass fired from a Glock or other un supported barrel can also be a problem. Look up Glock bulge.

[ExFlyinguy]

I'm new to reloading as well, but I haven't started my pistol reloading yet. I have a Glock in .40 S&W.

I can tell you that I have spent countless hours researching because of the Glock stories & the .40 S&W stories.

I think I might be more confused now than before I started researching.

Here's a youtube link that I think the guy really makes some valid points.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLN5...LFNMNEIlIjO-7A

As for collecting your own brass, well it's free so I don't think you can beat that price even at the .04 cents you mentioned.

I think bullets will come down to your preference considering cost, and intention of use.

[GrumpyBear]

As far as sources check out our sticky note for this section.

http://forum.pafoa.org/ammunition-re...es-page-5.html

And in the General section,check out the deals thread,lots of times there are deals on components listed there.

[frankski]

I am just getting started reloading and have a few really silly questions.

Buying brass new isn't a lot cheaper than buying the actual ammunition. For example, 9MM Remington is about .23 each. Is there any really difference in using cleaned, brass from you own gun? Better still, you can buy once fired brass about .04. At that price is it really worth collecting cleaning your own?

The same for bullets, is there much difference (assuming the same type such as FMJ) from one brand to another?

What about hard cast bullets? Are they suitable for a typical handgun such as a Glock or similar for target use?

Neil

I began saving my brass a few months before I started reloading so I have a few thousand 9mm and .38 special. I had to buy extra .357 brass.

For plinking with revolvers, I have used a number of inexpensive cast bullets. A good one locally is Rogers Better Bullets from King Shooters Supply.

For my Glocks, I now mostly used plated bullets: Berry's, Rainier, and RMR (Rocky Mountain Reloading), and I have some samples expected today from Xtreme Bullets. They are all much cheaper than full metal jacketed and will not lead your gun.

[Shooter X]

I am just getting started reloading and have a few really silly questions.

Buying brass new isn't a lot cheaper than buying the actual ammunition. For example, 9MM Remington is about .23 each. Is there any really difference in using cleaned, brass from you own gun? Better still, you can buy once fired brass about .04. At that price is it really worth collecting cleaning your own?

The same for bullets, is there much difference (assuming the same type such as FMJ) from one brand to another?

What about hard cast bullets? Are they suitable for a typical handgun such as a Glock or similar for target use?

Neil

NO questions are silly when you're trying to be safe. You may get some smart ass answers, but never be afraid to ask.

I use Berry's plated bullets to reload .380, 9mm, .45 ACP. Never had a problem with them. I shoot the plated 9mm (115gr RN) through my G17. Never had an issue.

I get brass from several sources. Range pickups, craigslist, even on this forum. Just have to examine it for stress and an occasional Berdan primer. I very rarely buy new brass.

[Trucker76]

I use whatever brass I can get as long as it passes visual inspection.

I just started casting my own bullets. With a few hundred dollars and some hours research I now have the tools and knowledge to cast for my .45 and .38, and enough lead for about 7,000 230gr .45acp bullets give or take.

Beware of commercial cast bullets for light target loads. The lighter the load the softer the bullet you need. Too hard and you will get gas cutting and leading. Commercial bullets are usually cast hard to keep them from getting dinged during shipping.

[Twoboxer]

I am just getting started reloading and have a few really silly questions. They weren't silly questions

Buying brass new isn't a lot cheaper than buying the actual ammunition. For example, 9MM Remington is about .23 each. Is there any really difference in using cleaned, brass from you own gun? Better still, you can buy once fired brass about .04. At that price is it really worth collecting cleaning your own?At today's prices for 115gr Berry's Plated RN ($0.09) and allowing $0.06 for powder and primer, if your choices are limited to $0.23 brass then any reloadable 9mm ammo for less then $20 per 50 is obviously a good alternative. Once fired brass presents a small problem in that you do not know if it's once fired ore includes some abandoned by other reloaders. Either way, at $0.04 each even if your yield is only 50% once fired (unlikely) or it has a short life it's obviously a much better way to go. Pistol brass lasts a long time.

These observations probably surprised you as a new reloader because they seem so obvious that they couldn't be true. Get enough brass at low cost to allow you to make a batch size you like (500, 1k, 2k etc) plus enough to allow you to keep shooting while you give yourself time to reload the empties. Pick up 9mm empties of obvious good quality at the range - you will find a lot - or don't. It's really up to you. Some ranges have restrictions on picking up other than your own brass - selling brass is a revenue source for them - but there's no reason not to take for free stuff you would otherwise have to pay for.

The same for bullets, is there much difference (assuming the same type such as FMJ) from one brand to another? There can be differences, but the major brands FMJ are all good, and the much less expensive plated from Rainier, Berrys, Xtreme are their 10yd equals for sure. Try some. Until you get some experience, stay away from other bargain brands or pulls. You don't need complications introduced while early in the learning process.

What about hard cast bullets? Are they suitable for a typical handgun such as a Glock or similar for target use?Sorry, I don't use hard cast. Others will help on that one.

Neil

Good questions, all.

[Sshuker]

I collect range brass. I typically come home with 150% to 250% of what I fired. I have about 20k 9mm and it is still worth picking up and cleaning because it is free.

I load FMJ, platted and commercially produced hard cast (mostly Roger Better Bullets).

I fire the largest number of rounds, by far, through a Glock 26.

There was a reference to needing to lube cast bullets above. That applies to bullets you cast. Commercial hard cast bullets are lube and the gas check is in place before you get them. So, ignore the info on lubing them and that getting in your dies.

Yes, cast bullets are .001 larger. I have never adjusted my expansion for that. They just set on a but snugger before you seat them.

I have fired, easily, 5000 cast bullets through my Glock 26. I have never had a leading issue. I have always soaked all of my barrels in a good cleaning/deleading solution before scrubbing well with a copper brush, so maybe that has something to do with it, but again, I have never had an issue. One of the guys that works at Kings (the manufacturer of Roger's BB is a competition shooter and put over 30,000 RBBs through his Glock last year with no issues.

Look for deals and buy in bulk. Buy 1lb jars of powder only if you are trying out a new powder or that is all you can get. The 8lb jugs are a far better buy. Screw buying primers by the hundred or even thousand. Buy the case of 5k for your best price.

[Fred762]

I am just getting started reloading and have a few really silly questions.

Buying brass new isn't a lot cheaper than buying the actual ammunition. For example, 9MM Remington is about .23 each. Is there any really difference in using cleaned, brass from you own gun? Better still, you can buy once fired brass about .04. At that price is it really worth collecting cleaning your own?

The same for bullets, is there much difference (assuming the same type such as FMJ) from one brand to another?

What about hard cast bullets? Are they suitable for a typical handgun such as a Glock or similar for target use?

Neil

Son, if you can find ffing brass for $0.04 ea you are a genius, or the winner of the Bucky Lastard Award!!

Reloading components are getting as hard to find as loaded rounds. Good luck. If you find a source for Unique powder let us know.