Good Ideas for Brass Storage and Rotation

[tdogg]

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

[timetofly]

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. 

[Goju]

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.

[bang bang]

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. 

[timetofly]

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.

[Tok36]

Buy more CZs, then you can store the brass in the CZs that you are not using. 

[tdogg]

Buy more CZs, then you can store the brass in the CZs that you are not using. 

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

[Goju]

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.

[larryflew]

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.

[newageroman]

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.

[Wobbly]

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.

[Rcher]

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?

[Boris_LA]

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.

[Dan_69GTX]

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.

[double-d]

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).