# Out of spec brass



## cruzthepug (Mar 16, 2008)

now that I've been reloading a few months now I'm starting to have a supply of unusable brass. Brass that has been used several times that is now out of spec, not length that can be trimmed, but cases that have buldged beyond use. I now check every case with a case gage to make sure that is no problem with feeding through my auto's.

Can this stuff be re-cycled? I hate to just trash it.


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## DevilsJohnson (Oct 21, 2007)

Any metal would be able to be recycled I'd imagine.


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

cruzthepug said:


> now that I've been reloading a few months now I'm starting to have a supply of unusable brass. Brass that has been used several times that is now out of spec, not length that can be trimmed, but cases that have buldged beyond use. I now check every case with a case gage to make sure that is no problem with feeding through my auto's.
> Can this stuff be re-cycled? I hate to just trash it.


Wait a minute...
"Bulged"? Why do your cases get "bulged"? That shouldn't happen.
A fired case gets a little bigger as it expands to fill the chamber it's in. (That's why fired cases need to be resized during the reloading process.) But normally cases don't "bulge" enough to be noticeable.
"Bulged" first makes me think that you're firing a smaller-diameter cartridge than you should. What is the caliber marked on the gun? What is the caliber marked on the ammo box, or on the head of the case?
The next thing I think of is that, if it's an auto-pistol, its slide is coming back too soon, and that makes me think that you may be firing too hot a load. Is the gun a semi-auto? Is it a locked-breech semi-auto, or is it a straight-blowback design?
"Bulged" makes me worry that something's not safe.
Please clue me in.


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## gmaske (Jan 7, 2008)

It could be that the ramp area is cut back to deep on say a 1911 type pistol barrel and isn't supporting the brass properly. You can definitely cut that area to deep trying to get a pistol to feed right.


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## cruzthepug (Mar 16, 2008)

Steve M1911A1 said:


> Wait a minute...
> "Bulged"? Why do your cases get "bulged"? That shouldn't happen.
> A fired case gets a little bigger as it expands to fill the chamber it's in. (That's why fired cases need to be resized during the reloading process.) But normally cases don't "bulge" enough to be noticeable.
> "Bulged" first makes me think that you're firing a smaller-diameter cartridge than you should. What is the caliber marked on the gun? What is the caliber marked on the ammo box, or on the head of the case?
> ...


Please excuse my beginner reloading mistakes. After reading SteveM1911's post I lowered my resizing die and "BINGO" now after resizing the case fits in the gage. I guess I was only resizing 90% of the case, Doh.....learn something new everyday.


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## DevilsJohnson (Oct 21, 2007)

I hadn't thought about that and I have no idea why. I was thinking about the over sized/worn chambers that will let a case bulge more than it would normally. I really need to pay attention better.


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## kev74 (Mar 22, 2008)

Problem solved!

I save all my mangled and not usable brass. It will probably take me 20 years to save enough to be worth taking to the scrap yard, but it doesn't take up much room and I'm too cheap (or stubborn) to just throw it away.


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## cruzthepug (Mar 16, 2008)

kev74 said:


> Problem solved!
> 
> I save all my mangled and not usable brass. It will probably take me 20 years to save enough to be worth taking to the scrap yard, but it doesn't take up much room and I'm too cheap (or stubborn) to just throw it away.


And it's a big relief. At the rate I was culling brass it wouldn't take long to get a truck load


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## DevilsJohnson (Oct 21, 2007)

kev74 said:


> Problem solved!
> 
> I save all my mangled and not usable brass. It will probably take me 20 years to save enough to be worth taking to the scrap yard, but it doesn't take up much room and I'm too cheap (or stubborn) to just throw it away.


Well maybe after the apocalypse the new government will put us on the brass standard....Then people like us will raaaaakkke it iinnnnn:smt082

I keep the chewed up ones too.:smt083


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