Author Topic: Tell me how you tell if brass is only "once fired"? (Read 1224 times)

Land_Owner · « **on:** February 18, 2013, 09:41:08 AM »

I see classified ads for "once fired" brass. Maybe they are. Maybe they are not.

How do you tell if a case has only been fired once? I have never seen a bullet counter on any of my brass.

stimpylu32 · « **Reply #1 on:** February 18, 2013, 10:37:32 AM »

LO

The easiest ways are to look for that little " Tattel-tail " ring about 1/8" up from the base that the sizing die leaves , or look for the case mouth " Cham-fear " , granted its not always as easy as that and sometimes you just never know .

stimpy

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #2 on:** February 18, 2013, 10:46:14 AM »

buy new brass and fire it yourself. not being a SA . If you pick up used brass be it a speical buy or range brass check it each time you load it.

Bigeasy · « **Reply #3 on:** February 18, 2013, 11:04:23 AM »

A good case cleaning can hide some of the signs, but fine scratches running lengthwise down the case body is a sure sign of having been resized, as well as that ring near the case webb as Stimpy said. Most of my brass has been picked on police ranges where I know they are firing new duty ammo, or a public ranges where I see a guy shoot a couple boxes of factory loads, then leave the brass laying, especially right before opening day of hunting season...

Larry

corbanzo · « **Reply #4 on:** February 18, 2013, 12:54:55 PM »

I always look for bulges at the base, check a few for OAL... most people tryin to trick you are too lazy to trim.

Marring around the rim from being extracted a few times....

I do notice that as brass gets old, it starts to look really clean! From those vertical marks bigeasy was talking about almost polish it and take away the natural flat slightly uneven color you find in new brass, and make it nice and shiny and very evenly textured from sliding in and out of the die again and again.

I don't have too much of a problem with a few firings... big shoulder cartridges yes a problem. But as long as you check for not too much marking on the base and rim... no dent or creases in the shoulder, and a mouth that is still thick at the top from not being over chamfered brass should still be work something.

Swampman · « **Reply #5 on:** February 18, 2013, 01:11:36 PM »

Frequently factory primers look nothing like the type you replace them with.

JohnnyMac007 · « **Reply #6 on:** February 18, 2013, 01:21:07 PM »

Along with all that has been mentioned, typically the fact that they are for sale is a pretty good indication in itself.

After all, if the person who has them was a Reloader, they probably would just keep the brass for themselves instead of selling it.

Especially if they were already set up for that caliber.

necchi · « **Reply #7 on:** February 18, 2013, 04:40:22 PM »

It's simple, you can't.
I've been burned a few times.

Want a good bet? Military surplus with the primer still in and crimped, that's once fired. But there's a few places that reload mil brass and those can end up being called once fired (1x), those are usually trimmed very short

Quote

typically the fact that they are for sale is a pretty good indication in itself.

After all, if the person who has them was a Reloader, they probably would just keep the brass for themselves instead of selling it.

Nope, not if the guy is a range hound and it's all "range pick-up" that he cleaned.

Your only best chance besides the crimped primers is the guys reputation, look for sales counts. Everybody is coming out of the woods now with that old stuff Grandpa had because there's a premium being paid now.

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #8 on:** February 19, 2013, 12:12:13 AM »

I agree with necchi. In most cases you cant and thats why you usually can find it for half the price of new brass. Most case will give you 5-15 firings and getting it for half price even if its been fired 2 or 3 times is still a bargin. If i had to buy new brass for all my guns id be broke. Ive boughten used brass for all my guns for near 30 years and may have gotten cases that werent really once fired but cant say i ever felt i didnt get my moneys worth out of it.

Land_Owner · « **Reply #9 on:** February 19, 2013, 12:54:30 AM »

We then have "catch phrases" in reloading component advertising. Any others?

I agree with all. If it is range pick up, it is a mixed bag. Mil brass probably is.

If it is ~20% of the cost of new, it's still a deal. I rarely experience neck splits and when I do, they get tossed.

Old Fart · « **Reply #10 on:** February 19, 2013, 05:10:33 AM »

I did once buy an oddball caliber being advertised as "Once Fired" to later find out it was about half crap and the half been multiple reloads. Kind of torched my shorts. Guy wouldn't work with me on the return/refund at all. It was different forum and I left negative feedback. But I was still left holding the bag. But as others have said it's a risk based off the sellers reputation. For the most part I don't worry to much if the price is right.

cybin · « **Reply #11 on:** February 19, 2013, 09:14:24 AM »

I have been selling range pick up here for a couple of years--from what I see--(if the brass isn't cleaned)--if once fired--most of the time it is pretty clean on the inside. 2x or 3x seems to be a bit on the dirty side--but that all depends on the brand of brass too. Federal uses a pretty clean burning powder--Winchester uses a dirty burning powder, --some of the others are harder to tell. I like R-P brass--but their powders while not as dirty as winchesters still leaves the inside as well as the outside dirty. Luckily--most reloaders still don't tunble their brass from what I see at the range,or else they only try to clean the worse off of their brass before reloading, so you see a ring about an 1/8 inch up from the bottom, it has been reloaded.

Any thing I have doubts about I either keep for myself or scrap. Since I retired I go to the range about twice a week, in short order I have more brass than I will use for many years, so I either trade it to people I know--or sell it. I try to sell it cheaper than the used brass companies selling on line. It pays for part of my reloading componets.

cybin

necchi · « **Reply #12 on:** February 19, 2013, 11:35:36 AM »

That's all fine cybin,
As long as it's sold as "Range pickup, Good condition"
After I was burned, I bought an RCBS Case Master Gauge too that allows me to check for case head separation,, it's a big deal as example here.
The cut case had NO external systems or visible signs at all,,
You can see issues with the primer cup too,,

I ain't worried about necks, you can anneal brass. But case head separation can cause some serious damage to guns and bodies with one bad case!

The case in the photo was found with the old paper clip "feeler" trick.

twoshooter · « **Reply #13 on:** February 19, 2013, 01:38:31 PM »

I check as above, but I also use pretty mild loads in most of my guns. If I am going hot I will use new stuff.

mdi · « **Reply #14 on:** February 19, 2013, 02:57:32 PM »

I don't think there is any reliable method to determine how many times a case has been fired, especially handgun brass. I believe the trem "once fired" has become a term for "fired, not new". I purchase a lot of "once fired" or rather "used" brass for my handguns (45 ACP, 9mm, .38 Spec. and .44 Special). A visual inspection is part of my reloading process so I catch any defects in brass...

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #15 on:** February 20, 2013, 12:30:49 AM »

Treat "once fired " as " only driven to church 4 blocks away by a little old lady on sunday " "in good weather" and you will come out alright . Of course there is this bridge out west a guy wants to sell............

OldSchoolRanger · « **Reply #16 on:** February 20, 2013, 03:49:26 PM »

Quote from: stimpylu32 on February 18, 2013, 10:37:32 AM

LO

The easiest ways are to look for that little " Tattel-tail " ring about 1/8" up from the base that the sizing die leaves , or look for the case mouth " Cham-fear " , granted its not always as easy as that and sometimes you just never know .

stimpy

I think this is probably the only way to tell. Other than that, you have to either rely on the sellers honesty or actually watch him shoot his factory ammo.

Dee · « **Reply #17 on:** February 20, 2013, 04:05:59 PM »

Quote from: Swampman on February 18, 2013, 01:11:36 PM

Frequently factory primers look nothing like the type you replace them with.

Bingo! Swampy nailed it. The factory primer if left in the brass is about the only way you can be sure if its truly once fired.

huntducks · « **Reply #18 on:** February 20, 2013, 06:40:24 PM »

I'll agree with factory primer on most, also look for factory crimp.
I would now be leary of 75% of the brass out there when it says resized deprimed and cleaned, or the ones that say once fired brass that has been prep and ready to reload.
I sold tons of brass on ebay when you could, all 1x fired as I used to get to clean it up after a 3 day shooting fair that is held here yearly in Ca. and it was attened by 1000's of shooters so I have had plenty experance ID brass.

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #19 on:** February 21, 2013, 12:17:28 AM »

I guess my thoughts are why worry about it. Most guys load there brass till either it splits in the neck or the primer pockets are to loose to hold a primer well anyway. this can happen anywhere from the second firing to the 15th firing. Doesnt matter if you started with new brass or used brass. I dont know of to many handloaders that say- Boy, ive shot this brass 6 times so im going to throw it out. If you do you have a fatter wallet then i do. I also have the advantage of knowing im one of the few handloaders in the area and know the few handloaders sure arent leaving shootable brass laying on the ground to donate it to me so most all of it is once fired.

Dee · « **Reply #20 on:** February 21, 2013, 01:19:48 AM »

I have loaded some range brass that looked good only to find that it couldn't be shot in an AR due to the primer pocket being stretched.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #21 on:** February 21, 2013, 01:25:32 AM »

Dee try CCI #41 primers in those cases . #34 in place of large rifle primers if needed also.