What to do with scrap brass???

[Mitty38]

Just wondering. I have heard folks talk about scraping brass?
How? Where do you do this?
When it gets corroded crushed or split. It is junk.
I have probably threw 1000lbs of the stuff at the sportsman's club, in the dumpster. Over the years, Then they paid for it to go with the rest of the trash.
For lack of a better place to put it. Or environmentally safe way of disposing.


Have tried several scrapers in my area, three of them deal in brass and copper. No one will touch it. Primers or not. "Safety-legal issues"

Asking because it's that time of the year. Range an bank lead mining and clean up. At the club next month.
I will probably be tossing in the trash. At least 4, 5 gallon buckets of trampled. mangled, corroded brass.
One scrapper said they would take it, as low brass. If it was not in its current form.
Would it be worth going thru building a smelter and puting it in ingot? For 20 gallon a year?
Thinking this could be income lost for the club?

 

[Tomme boy]

Start calling around to all the scrap yards. Thats what I did. It would range from 25cents a lb to $2.50/lb at one time. Most were somewhere in the middle. I have a little 4 cyl car I can use to transport so I factor in the drive cost as well. If I stayed in town here I would get $1/lb. But if I drove 40 miles to the south of me I can get$2/lb.

It cost me at todays gas price roughly $10 to drive there and back. On buckets that I usually fill to about 60-65lbs. So lets say 2 buckets at 60lbs at $2/lb that is $240-$10gas= $230 If I stayed in town that would be $120. That is why I drive 40 miles to cash in my brass. And I always stop at the public range on the way down and back as I have to drive by it each time.

This is how I fund all of my shooting is from the brass I pick up at the public range. Hardly anyone here reloads. But we have been having lots of people stopping to pick up brass because they can make a buck off it. And since our Potato head in chief came into power there have been lots more people doing this as they have no $$$.

But ever since the steel case ammo ban from Russia there has been 2x the amount of brass on the ground as no one can get steel case anymore or not as cheap as it is the same price as brass cased.

 

[Mitty38]

I've tried every scrap yard in 30 miles so far. No one will take bullet brass. Maybe I will just have to go further and wait till I have more.
Either that or de prime it all and cut the head off. Then mash it. See if they will take it that way. A lot of work though.

 

[imashooter2]

First, find out exactly what that yard means by “not in its current form” before you put effort into it. Then decide if you want to do that work for $1,000-$2,500 per year that isn’t even your money?

 

[Mitty38]

It's not going to be a thousand a year.... more like $360. Because we have people pick up good brass all year. A lot of reloaders.We just clean up the left behind nasty stuff every spring.
A lot members just practice with their SD gun and shoot steel and aluminum too.

That local yard wants me to either smelt. Or de prime, cut the heads off, mash the case, and remove stamps from the heads somehow, if I bring them in. Way too much work for the clubs stuff.

I just found a place in Cleveland about 65 miles from me. They will take it if it is sorted and clean. One live primer or full round, upon inspection. They will refuse the whole batch. Or pay half price.
A minimum of 200 lb. $1.75 a pound right now.
They also take aluminum cases at 22 cent a pound same deal.
Steel cases at 9 cent a lb. Minimum 1000 lb.

So might not have enough from this clean up for them to take. But guess I could save it till next year.

 

[glassparman]

Mitty, crazy they won't take it. Did you ask them or did you show them?

Every scrap yard I have ever gone to will take range brass. I normally get between $1 and $1.60 for it.

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

Yup it goes to the scrap yard. Its brass (mostly). NO LIVE AMMO! They pitch a fit if they find any and may not take more from you.

 

[Mitty38]

Mitty, crazy they won't take it. Did you ask them or did you show them?

Every scrap yard I have ever gone to will take range brass. I normally get between $1 and $1.60 for it.

I have taken it in to 3 places ....all clean fired empty brass. No live rounds.. They said no.
I also have called. Several places explaining they are spent shells. Maybe it's some weird Ohio law or insurance rule, or something.
A lot of yards list right on their web sights that they will not specifically take firearm or ordinance scrap.

Like I posted I did find a huge yard in Cleveland that deals in non ferris. But it's a long drive. Plus, I have to have over 200 lbs. They pay under going yellow brass price.

 

[Winelover]

I keep two containers for scrap brass. One for primers and one for the deprimed brass. Our scrap yard has no issue with either. The biggest issue is that most of the time I end up having to plug a tire, so my trips there are far and few between.

 

[Mitty38]

Wil probably just toss it, like always. Not worth the drive storage space and effort.

 

[Winelover]

My usual take is $40-$50....................enough to purchase some powder, primers or go out for dinner.

 

[Mitty38]

My usual take is $40-$50....................enough to purchase some powder, primers or go out for dinner.

Well it would be money for the club.

It would cost me personally about $200 that I could not get back.
Not just the $40 in gas. But because it would be a day trip. The wife would want to go. Stop to shop, or see a show, and eat, or stop at a festival or the aquarium in Cleveland.

 

[Axman]

If your within 2hrs of northern WVa save up a 1000 lbs and I'll come and get it and take it to 1 of 4 scrap dealers within 15 miles of me and I'll split the $$ with you.

 

[Mitty38]

If your within 2hrs of northern WVa save up a 1000 lbs and I'll come and get it and take it to 1 of 4 scrap dealers within 15 miles of me and I'll split the $$ with you.

If I get 1000 lbs, a trip to Cleveland would be worth it.
I would skim enough off, to pay for the road trip. Or get a club member without a cash sucking appendage to take it up there.
That will be in about 4 years if I find a place to keep it that long.

 

[Rick]

If your within 2hrs of northern WVa save up a 1000 lbs and I'll come and get it and take it to 1 of 4 scrap dealers within 15 miles of me and I'll split the $$ with you.

If I get 1000 lbs a trip to Cleveland would be worth it. ,I would skim enough off to pay for the road trip or get a club member without a cash sucking appendage to take it up there.
That will be in about 4 years if I find a place to keep it that long.

But that is a mighty generous offer.

 

[Mitty38]

But that is a mighty generous offer.

Yep but not my money to split.
Now if I took off work, and went to 2 meetings. One to prepose, and another for the answer.
I probably could get approval to take gas from the money. Then take another vacation day to get to a 3rd meeting. to turn in the receipts and cash.
I just love club politics.

 

[Rick]

I would bet that if you explained it to the club they would think half is a far better number than zero.

 

[Mitty38]

I would bet that if you explained it to the club they would think half is a far better number than zero.

Our club rules say all cash business must be done at a meeting. With a vote.
Meetings are always on my work night.
Can't afford to miss that much work.
I can only take of full shifts when I take off to make a meeting. Which are only on my work night. Then I loose 4 hrs pay. "Work 12 on a work day . Get paid 8 on a vacation day". Yep not worth it.

Best is I can is suggest it next week when I take a vacation day and go to the one meeting a year.I go to to pay my dues. Maybe if I collect it and put it in the club house basement someone else can take it in, and do the meeting reports.
Not getting upidy as it may seam with out voice inflection. Just splanin' my situation. Lucy.

 

[Rick]

When I was working 80-90 hours a week and running two gun clubs membership meetings were always held on Saturday of the two day match, after the annual meeting there was a BBQ dinner, helps get people to stay for the meeting. Never had a meeting on a weekday.

 

[Mitty38]

We used to have them Saturday nights. First one of the month. So me working the 5pm to 5am. We Th Fr and every other Saturday. Could make about 4 a year. Last year they moved it to 6pm 1st Wednesday night of the month.
So they could have Saturday evening open x and skeet shoots for club fund raising. On the first Saturday.
That cut me out all together.