Sorting and Inspecting Brass

[Badlands Bob #61228]

As I was inspecting a tumbler full of brass this morning, I got to wondering.  How to the commercial reloaders inspect brass.  There has got to be an easier way than a strong light and looking at them one piece at a time.  I usually find about 1-2% split or squashed cases.

[Hoss]

Dont know how the commercial reloaders do it. (I suspect they don't look at every case!)

 

for my 38sp, I grab a handful, cup them in my hands and shake them. if there is a split case it will sound "tinny" most of thr time is a nickel case. Different size cases will also sound different. If I get an odd sized case I can usually hear it.

[Driftwood Johnson, SASS #38283]

Howdy

 

Don't forget, you are reloading brass that has already been fired. Factory new stuff will not have been stressed by firing, so there will be less rejects.

 

Dunno for sure, but I would guess they set up the machinery, run a bunch through and inspect them, then turn the machinery on full blast and go to town, doing some spot checks while the machinery is running. That is the way most manufacturing operations work.

 

I have seen boards detailing how cartridge brass is made, and there are a whole bunch of steps. I suspect for each step they do what I said, until the whole run has gone through all the machines.

 

Seek and ye shall find:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74ssMmD_tXE

[Krazy Kajun]

1 hour ago, Badlands Bob #61228 said:

As I was inspecting a tumbler full of brass this morning, I got to wondering.  How to the commercial reloaders inspect brass.  There has got to be an easier way than a strong light and looking at them one piece at a time.  I usually find about 1-2% split or squashed cases.

Well pard.....if'n you'd take that moth eaten wallet out your back pocket, open it up and blow out the dust offen your cash mail some of it here you could solve that problem

 

Kajun

[Hellbender]

Before I started reloading I would sometimes purchase "perfect cowboy ammunition" from Parabellum Research. They sell both new "Marshal" line and reloaded "Deputy" line cowboy loads.  Their prices are very reasonable and shipping is quick.  However, the last time I bought from them was when I found these 7 rounds in one of the boxes of 100.  I wanted to send them this photo, just to let them know there was some problem with their quality control, but they do not provide an email address on their website.  There's  only a form to fill out and they say they will email you back.  I filled out the form describing what the problem was and that  I had a photo I wanted to send them.  I told them I wasn't interested in a refund but that I only wanted to call their attention to a problem they had.  I never heard back from them and I never ordered anything from them again.

[Badlands Bob #61228]

$76.50 for 500 empty 38 specials cases!!!!!  Wow, I just realized I have a fortune in my brass collection.  I was just lookin' for an easier way to find them split cases after I clean them.   

[Badlands Bob #61228]

Georgia Arms and Ammo reloads lots of ammo.  I'm sure they don't have some guy with a desk lamp twisting each empty case looking for splits.

[J.D. Daily]

I wonder if you could drop the brass through a magnetic field to separate reusable brass cases from split cases?  Splits disrupt the eddy currents generated in a conductor when in a changing magnetic field so split case would not be deflected as much as an intact case.  

[Sedalia Dave]

1 minute ago, Badlands Bob #61228 said:

$76.50 for 500 empty 38 specials cases!!!!!  Wow, I just realized I have a fortune in my brass collection.  I was just lookin' for an easier way to find them split cases after I clean them.   

 

Put a handful in a plastic container, shake it and listen. If there is a split case it will sound different.

 

The real trick is separating .357 magnum cases from .38 special.

[Garrison Joe, SASS #60708]

1 hour ago, Hoss said:

for my 38sp, I grab a handful, cup them in my hands and shake them. if there is a split case it will sound "tinny" most of thr time is a nickel case. Different size cases will also sound different. If I get an odd sized case I can usually hear it.

 

Works well for other calibers that I load.  .45 Colt, .45 auto, Cowboy 45 Special, .44-40.

 

Shotgun - visually scan the hulls before I load.

 

There really is no magic low-cost way for a private reloader to find split or crushed cases other than eyeballing or listening for ringing cases.

 

Good luck, GJ

[Tennessee Stud]

Gosh... a big-fat dissappointment....

 

Now Bladlands Blob... has posted a GREAT topic.  I been there, myself....  it is important and always current for new folks here on this forum.

 

But on my SASS homepage... the topic had a headin' of...

 

"Sorting and Inspecting Bra"...

 

I says to myself... "That's the job I want."

 

ts

[Warden Callaway]

Mary separates and inspects her cases and find a few with cracks.  I give mine a lookover at the reloading table and find most of them.  I can usually feel a split case on kicking them out of the revolvers.  

 

That said,  sometimes a case splits on sizing and expanding on loading.   I sometimes spot before setting the bullet, sometimes after the bullet is seated.  The lighter stroke of the lever is a clue.

[Jackrabbit Joe #414]

Yep like Hoss said; My wife inspects all brass plus shotgun shells. She takes hand full and listen to them and it works. Me I can't hear any nothing.. Waaa, Haa.

All .38 and 12 gauge AA hulls.

 

 

JRJ

[John Boy]

Deprime spent primers when the cases are dry with a Lee Universal deprimer straight from the range. 

Accordingly every case is felt before it goes in the shell holder.  Two steps all in one process - spin the case with my index finger on the mouth to identify any small split lips ... while rotating the case for sidewall splits.  Admit, I miss a few sometimes because they a BP reloads and a crack can be  hidden by the foul.  How the commercial vendors do it, if they do ... don't have a clue

[watab kid]

i generally find them when sifting and cleaning from the tumbler , i do get a split case part way reloading from time to time , but not many only a couple a year at that point most get sorted from the mix early on , commercial i am not ....

[G W Wade]

When I get home after shooting, I pull handfuls of brass and stand them on their base. Now I can pick out all 357 etc . Then use a flashlight to check case mouths for splits. Only takes a couple of minutes.    GW

[Church Key, SASS # 33713]

I inspect the case as I place it into my 550's first station. Sometimes the older, slower, methodical way is better for things like checking brass condition.

 

I also only use Starline in my rifle. Everything else is pistol ammo.

[Cholla Bob]

I used to use a light but I found my eyesight was worse than my hearing.  I just toss a handful down on the table at a time even the most minute crack will give the tell tale tink sound.  I do it before I tumble though no need to waste time cleaning junk brass.

[Krazy Kajun]

4 hours ago, Badlands Bob #61228 said:

Georgia Arms and Ammo reloads lots of ammo.  I'm sure they don't have some guy with a desk lamp twisting each empty case looking for splits.

I heard Georgia Arms is hiring

 

Seems like other folks around here have their wife doing the brass QC.....mebbe you could talk Brisket into doing your QC or get an advance on your benefit check to buy some new brass.

 

Kajun

 

[Pat Riot]

Since I use a single stage I get up close and personal with each piece of brass.

 

I was actually wondering about this issue in regards to progressive loading. Being the way I am I guess I would still be looking each casing over if I ever do get another progressive press.

 

[Pat Riot]

I thought this was interesting but it does nothing in regards to damaged or split brass. It's just interesting.

Check out this video on YouTube:

 

 

[Ozark Shark]

The commercial level systems I've seen use a combination of physical and laser dimension gauges sometimes combined with pressure tests.  All cool stuff, but I don't think I can ever shoot and reload enough in my life to break even on it. Here's on firm that makes inspection systems that will process 300 per minute:  http://blissmunitions.com/inspection/

[Jefro, SASS#69420]

14 hours ago, Hoss said:

for my 38sp, I grab a handful, cup them in my hands and shake them. if there is a split case it will sound "tinny" most of thr time is a nickel case. Different size cases will also sound different. If I get an odd sized case I can usually hear it.

Yep, shake shake shake. If I miss one I usually find it while loading. Since I shoot BP I wipe em down to put into trays, so I'll find it there. Remove bullet,  save powder, save primer, brass recycle bin Depending on the size or location of the split I will run em through the pistol one last time Good Luck

[Cassalong Hopidy]

Bob. Just load them up and shoot them. If one's split, you'll find it.  

 

Seriously, I stand them up 10 at a time and examine them in strong light from the top. Much quicker than 1 at a time like I was doing. Can probably do it 25 or more at a time for that matter.  I have only failed to detect a split case 2 or 3 times in 10 years of shooting.

[Slowhand Bob, 24229]

Seems I remember seeing a simple tray system designed to separate brass by caliber that was relatively inexpensive and designed for the average Joe who picks up a lot of unsorted brass.  I am guessing that most of us actually use the hand sorting process as our time to do a primary case inspection. 

[Badlands Bob #61228]

 

1 hour ago, Cassalong Hopidy said:

Bob. Just load them up and shoot them. If one's split, you'll find it.  

 

 

Yea, that's what I'm afraid of.

 

I was just wondering if there was an easier reliable way to do it that's affordable.  I guess not.   Back to my desk lamp and turning them with my fingers.  Unless I can get Brisket to do the inspecting for me. 

[Sedalia Dave]

3 hours ago, Badlands Bob #61228 said:

 

Yea, that's what I'm afraid of.

 

I was just wondering if there was an easier reliable way to do it that's affordable.  I guess not.   Back to my desk lamp and turning them with my fingers.  Unless I can get Brisket to do the inspecting for me. 

There is an easier way; the shake test. You can do 10 to 20 cases at a time. Even tiny splits can be heard. The sound once you know what you are listening for is easy to distinguish from non-split cases.  Put one split case in a plastic bowl with varying amounts of good cases. You will soon be able to tell the difference like a pro in no time.

[Dutch Wheeler]

After tumbling, I twist the open cartridge against a piece of a nylon stocking stretched tightly over my thumb.  You will feel a snag with even the start of a tiny split.