The Original CZ Forum

GENERAL => Ammunition, questions, and handloading techniques => Topic started by: tdogg on January 10, 2020, 06:12:37 PM

Title: Good Ideas for Brass Storage and Rotation
Post by: tdogg on January 10, 2020, 06:12:37 PM
Hi my name is Toby and I am a Brass Hoarder :).

I am running into a storage issue with all my brass.  I worked a number of major matches last year and consequently have hauled in a ton of brass.  This theme will continue this year so I am trying to come up with a better solution for storage and rotation.  I don't drink coffee but I've been using these ~1 gallon storage containers from the dollar store to keep the sorted by caliber and head stamp.  I need bigger containers or a different way to work new brass into the rotation.

I (along with my children) currently sort the brass by headstamp but only keep the headstamps I like to use sorted, the rest I just keep as mixed brass and will load those for lost brass matches or practice.  It's getting to be too much to keep everything sorted and tidy.  I think I need to let go of my OCD'ness and stop sorting by headstamp.  I do see a difference when loading mixed brass in and increased variation in OAL but I can't say for certain if that translated to any meaningful degradation in accuracy on target (certainly not in competition).  My bigger concern is the potential to increase my chances of having a failure to feed/chamber using mixed brass.  It will also mean more velocity variation for matches that chrono.  I shoot limited major and load for 170 PF.  This hasn't let me down to date but using mixed brass may also increase my odds of getting bumped to minor?  Any thoughts on brass sorting and competitive loads?

I have been thinking about how to better store brass and make sure it falls into rotation proper.  I think I need to start using a bucket system per caliber.

5-gallon bucket for dirty brass (new range pick ups)
A second 5-gallon bucket for my range return brass that will get put into rotation when the #1 dirty bucket gets consumed
5-gallon bucket for tumbled and ready to load brass

I can easily expand this as needed and up the number of return/dirty buckets to keep things organized and in proper rotation.

Any thoughts or better ideas for brass storage and proper rotation?  My wife thinks I'm crazy for keeping all this brass but hey at least I don't need to buy brass!  I don't have enough (at least in my mind) to start selling it.

Cheers,
Toby


Title: Re: Good Ideas for Brass Storage and Rotation
Post by: timetofly on January 10, 2020, 09:48:28 PM
I bought a lot of once fired brass from different sites online.  What I ended up doing was de-priming, pin cleaning, sorting by head stamp, and putting them in gallon ziplock bags in Costco soap buckets, five gallon buckets.  They stay bright in their bags and are ready to load in an instant. 
Title: Re: Good Ideas for Brass Storage and Rotation
Post by: Goju on January 10, 2020, 09:51:20 PM
Toby
I use 5 gallon buckets for my brass storage. The brass is sorted by caliber, and I clean the brass prior to storing it. I think you can safely stack the buckets 3 high, but when full, they have some serious weight to them. All of the odd stuff (.380, 10mm) gets stored in dollar store tubs.
Title: Re: Good Ideas for Brass Storage and Rotation
Post by: bang bang on January 12, 2020, 04:50:44 PM
just wait till you get older.  those 5 gal buckets of brass will get heavy.

i bought some of those plastic shoe box size boxes to store my brass.

any brass that is ready to reload are in plastic MTM 100 round boxes or in ammo cans, marked as such. 



Title: Re: Good Ideas for Brass Storage and Rotation
Post by: timetofly on January 12, 2020, 08:51:09 PM
just wait till you get older.  those 5 gal buckets of brass will get heavy.


That's why the Costco Laundry soap buckets.  Smaller and don't get so heavy.  We're all on the same page, just seeing it from a different directions.
Title: Re: Good Ideas for Brass Storage and Rotation
Post by: Tok36 on January 12, 2020, 08:55:42 PM
Buy more CZs, then you can store the brass in the CZs that you are not using.  ;D
Title: Re: Good Ideas for Brass Storage and Rotation
Post by: tdogg on January 12, 2020, 11:47:04 PM
Buy more CZs, then you can store the brass in the CZs that you are not using.  ;D

Tok,

I like where your head is at!  I don't think my wife will agree with that idea but I will propose it anyway!

Bucket system it is!

Cheers,
Toby
Title: Re: Good Ideas for Brass Storage and Rotation
Post by: Goju on January 13, 2020, 01:28:20 AM
Toby - well, you could just buy LOTS of hi cap mags for storage. Both practical, and a potential 
Investment vehicle, when the pendulum swings the other way and the drumbeat of bans echo from the distance.
Title: Re: Good Ideas for Brass Storage and Rotation
Post by: larryflew on January 13, 2020, 02:49:51 AM
I think you answered part of your own question. If you have that much and plan to store even more you don't need to put it in rotation, just leave it where it lands.

As a brass hound myself I finally am finally able to do so. Sold over 7000 pounds of 9mms over the years and still have plenty for my own reloading. Used to get the brass from a police school in Wi at scrap price so it was all once fired. Age and health got in the way of continuing.
Title: Re: Good Ideas for Brass Storage and Rotation
Post by: newageroman on January 13, 2020, 10:16:35 AM
Cheers toby! As a fellow brass hoarder, we understand. Some of my containers are laundry detergent pod containers, firehouse buckets 3$ea, and plastic storage bins I found on the side of the road. If you ever want to come off some of that brass, let me know.
Title: Re: Good Ideas for Brass Storage and Rotation
Post by: Wobbly on January 13, 2020, 12:02:20 PM
I'm still in Folgers mode. Their plastic canisters now come in 3 different sizes (22, 31 & 58 oz), and 2 colors (red & dk green). That's all I need since for most of calibers, 1000 pieces (max) is more than enough. The smallest canisters are great for sorting out the nickle-plated in case I have a special need, like self defense.

(https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/jms-s3-cx-rel-p-pmc4/tmp/image-thumbnails/10000/16965/thumb__auto_5b23751d07fb0bdba527cd42272cb234/our-coffees-family-shot.jpeg)

(https://i.imgur.com/yTfkLhB.jpg)
Title: Re: Good Ideas for Brass Storage and Rotation
Post by: Rcher on January 13, 2020, 04:49:08 PM
Costco plastic "Unsalted Mixed Nuts" containers are perfect. First, they are rectangular - better fit than round. Second, what a perfect name for "unloaded mixed brass"  storage? :P

(https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/J7QAAOSwv0tVVW3c/s-l640.jpg)
Title: Re: Good Ideas for Brass Storage and Rotation
Post by: Boris_LA on January 13, 2020, 11:46:37 PM
I use those containers, but remove labels and mark them with masking tape, where caliber, brand and number of firing marked. Adding another hush-mark after each loading/firing cycle.
Fit 1000+ 9mm or 500 45ACP. See through allow to judge the amount of brass stored. Stack well in the wall cabinets. While ago all my friends were collecting those containers for me, so I have a lot of them now.
Title: Re: Good Ideas for Brass Storage and Rotation
Post by: Dan_69GTX on January 14, 2020, 07:57:22 AM
Another user here of clear plastic nut / M&M / etc containers.

I also use masking tape and label it with when picked up or cleaned, was it sorted, date, Range brass or my own, # times fired (if mine).

I store the bulk range brass (yet to be sorted, etc) in 5 gallon buckets filled 1/2 to 3/4 full - then stack them if necessary.

I have a file cabinet that I keep open containers in.  As I sort the range pickup, I toss the brass into the appropriate open container in the file cabinet.  When the container gets full I label it and place it on the shelf.  Other drawers hold powder and supplies.
Title: Re: Good Ideas for Brass Storage and Rotation
Post by: double-d on January 14, 2020, 09:21:28 AM
The Costco nut container is has been my brass/ bulk ammo container of choice as well.  Could use about five more (I'm working on it).

Title: Re: Good Ideas for Brass Storage and Rotation
Post by: tdogg on January 14, 2020, 10:49:40 AM
I currently have two of the big cheese puff containers full of sorted 40 (WIN).  That is my go to case in 40 mainly because of the quantity I have.  My current container system includes the 1 gallon ice cream, dollar store, infant formula, yogurt, and the cheese puffs containers.  My problem lies in that I have them sorted by headstamp and some is clean and some isn't.  So it is all just a mess.  I need to streamline the process and tidy up the storage area a bit.

I don't like to wet tumble mixed caliber brass as inevitably you get the turducken of cases nested together that don't get clean/dry.  I think I will sort by caliber and store it in 5-gallon buckets mixed headstamp dirty.  Then implement the bucket rotation process to prevent the same brass from getting reloaded over and over.

Not sorting by headstamp is going to be the biggest improvement to eliminating the clutter.  I currently have so many containers of small quantity sorted brass.  I'm going to shoot through all my sorted brass and stop sorting by headstamp going forward.  The space savings alone will be huge, nevermind the savings in time sorting.

Cheers,
Toby
Title: Re: Good Ideas for Brass Storage and Rotation
Post by: fr3db3ar on January 14, 2020, 12:22:23 PM
At my house it's 2 & 3 # peanut butter jars.

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Title: Re: Good Ideas for Brass Storage and Rotation
Post by: Dan_69GTX on January 14, 2020, 12:36:08 PM
At my house it's 2 & 3 # peanut butter jars.

Crunchy or Creamy - Jiff?!?

I use the Jiff Creamy for the bullets.
Title: Re: Good Ideas for Brass Storage and Rotation
Post by: 2morechains on January 14, 2020, 04:52:50 PM
Costco nut jars for my polished and ready-to-go brass.  I have 4-5 per caliber since we eat a lot of nuts in my house.  Cardboard boxes or 5 gal bucket for the brass I need to sort and clean (whenever I get around to it).