What to do with spent 22lr brass

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  • DP12

    Active Member
    Apr 24, 2018
    333
    SoMD
    I took a truck load of scrap to Waldorf Metal Co. yesterday, but they wouldn't take a small bucket of 22lr brass. They said the smelter doesn't accept it because it contains powder that explodes sometimes. That seems highly unlikely to me, but then I'm not in the smelting business.

    What do y'all do with your spent 22lr brass?
     

    DP12

    Active Member
    Apr 24, 2018
    333
    SoMD
    That's what I thought, too, so I asked if they were concerned about live rounds. But the dude said nope, the problem is powder remaining in spent rounds.
     

    outrider58

    Eats Bacon Raw
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 29, 2014
    49,810
    I don't think there was a day where I didn't find a live .22lr round lying on the deck at my local range.
     

    Pinecone

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 4, 2013
    28,175
    That's what I thought, too, so I asked if they were concerned about live rounds. But the dude said nope, the problem is powder remaining in spent rounds.

    Bull.

    No powder remains.

    And if some did, it would just burn. Power in an empty case is no more hazardous to melting than a scrap of paper.
     

    ChrisD

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 19, 2013
    2,990
    Conowingo
    I have taken spent 22 brass to the local scrap yard to me, and had no issues. They weighed it just like the other scrap metals I took in.
     

    E.Shell

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 5, 2007
    10,242
    Mid-Merlind
    Some ammo burns cleaner than others. Some unburnt powder often remains in the bore (especially shotguns and .22s), and shooting over a white sheet allows you to collect even more. Why is it not possible to have some of this unburnt powder remain in a fired case?

    A couple granules of powder in every few cases shouldn't be a big deal, but how about a drum of 20,000?

    An explosion, however small, even due to an inert substance like trapped moisture, in a smelting pot can be a very serious matter. There are often rules intended to prevent accidents and injury, that take into account some of the lowest probability of risk. Why is this one surprising?
     

    Uncle Duke

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 2, 2013
    11,662
    Not Far Enough from the City
    OP didn’t mention, but by this logic, it would seem that this scrap house wouldn’t accept cartridge brass period. If unburned powder in 22 rimfire cases was in fact an issue, I can’t see any reason why the issue would be confined to rimfire only. It should apply to centerfire as well.
     

    Pinecone

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 4, 2013
    28,175
    That was my thought, too, but, being a polite person, I didn't just come right out and say it.

    Even a live round, lit off outside of a chamber, is really not all that impressive as I understand it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SSdLQcGEio

    In the old days, when we would go shooting in the winter, and had a fire for warm, I would occasionally toss a couple of .22s in the fire. Not even as loud and violent as a firecracker.

    BUT, I would not want one going off in a pot of molten metal.
     

    John from MD

    American Patriot
    MDS Supporter
    May 12, 2005
    22,721
    Socialist State of Maryland
    I can remember back in the '70s when we used electric socks powered by 9 volt batteries. There were also stories in the hunting magazines about people having a pocket full of loose .22's mixing with their spare nine volt batteries. Snap Crackle and pop usually scared them but the case just ruptures and doesn't do much damage.

    .22 cases won't get you much money at the scrap yard as they have a percentage of lead in them. The scrap dealers that do take them will only give you half of the scrap brass price for .22's. Considering how light .22 cases are, it would take a lot to make it worth while. I have a few friends with more time on their hands than I have and they swage soft lead into .22 cases to make half jackets for shooting in .222/.223 rifles.
     

    outrider58

    Eats Bacon Raw
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 29, 2014
    49,810
    Some ammo burns cleaner than others. Some unburnt powder often remains in the bore (especially shotguns and .22s), and shooting over a white sheet allows you to collect even more. Why is it not possible to have some of this unburnt powder remain in a fired case?

    A couple granules of powder in every few cases shouldn't be a big deal, but how about a drum of 20,000?

    An explosion, however small, even due to an inert substance like trapped moisture, in a smelting pot can be a very serious matter. There are often rules intended to prevent accidents and injury, that take into account some of the lowest probability of risk. Why is this one surprising?

    ...and an un-fired .22 makes a great igniter.

    As youngsters, we(me and my friends) would engage in all sorts of 'Darwinian' mischief, including walking up to our own campfires and dumping a few hot rounds into it. You couldn't tell if you were hearing the ammo cook off or the natural crackle-pop of the wood burning. Now, spray paint cans...
     

    DP12

    Active Member
    Apr 24, 2018
    333
    SoMD
    OP didn’t mention, but by this logic, it would seem that this scrap house wouldn’t accept cartridge brass period. If unburned powder in 22 rimfire cases was in fact an issue, I can’t see any reason why the issue would be confined to rimfire only. It should apply to centerfire as well.
    That was another odd part. He said the problem is with 22lr.
     

    DP12

    Active Member
    Apr 24, 2018
    333
    SoMD
    In the old days, when we would go shooting in the winter, and had a fire for warm, I would occasionally toss a couple of .22s in the fire. Not even as loud and violent as a firecracker.

    BUT, I would not want one going off in a pot of molten metal.
    Understood, but, again, the guy said live rounds weren't the specific concern. Residue in the spent 22lr is why his smelter wouldn't accept them.

    It's interesting that--based on other commenters having no problem recycling them-- other smelters apparently aren't that risk averse.
     

    engineerbrian

    JMB fan club
    Sep 3, 2010
    10,148
    Fredneck
    ...and an un-fired .22 makes a great igniter.

    As youngsters, we(me and my friends) would engage in all sorts of 'Darwinian' mischief, including walking up to our own campfires and dumping a few hot rounds into it. You couldn't tell if you were hearing the ammo cook off or the natural crackle-pop of the wood burning. Now, spray paint cans...

    We had someone throw a can of Off bug repellent in a camp fire at Boy Scout camp back in the day. Everyone thought it was funny except for the kid that was in his tent when the can shot through the open door of the tent :o
     

    Pinecone

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 4, 2013
    28,175
    Understood, but, again, the guy said live rounds weren't the specific concern. Residue in the spent 22lr is why his smelter wouldn't accept them.

    It's interesting that--based on other commenters having no problem recycling them-- other smelters apparently aren't that risk averse.

    My point was that even live rounds are not a huge problem.
     

    Rockzilla

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 6, 2010
    4,516
    55.751244 / 37.618423
    http://www.corbins.com/

    I have not gone this way, but it seems like a neat thing to be able to do.

    They are afraid of live rounds in the mix.

    Yes Sir works great bought in on the Corbin stuff years ago, they
    sold all different length copper jackets to make .22 bullets, and
    offered the swaging dies, lead wire, molds for the cores. Bullets
    work rather well, have posted on here before about it, not that
    hard really. Took a "BB" and closed the "tip" around it, those
    bullets do some damage, rather explosive, used to / still shoot
    them out of my Rem 788, old retro AR15's with 1-12 twist. With
    the past reloading supply shortages, was just laughing, got my
    metal coffee cans with cleaned, prepped .22LR brass, couple spools
    of lead wire, the molds, GTG. Dave Corbin was a great guy, got all of
    his books, a few "actual drawings", ideas he had on paper, couple
    proto-type tools which he finally sold to the masses, like I said he
    was a great guy, his equipment, presses were great. Used an old
    Cannelure Tool (CH Tool) and his for the Cannelure on the bullets.

    You can also check BT-Sniper on Castboolits forum, he sells some
    great stuff also....
    http://castboolits.gunloads.com/forumdisplay.php?114-BT-Sniper

    re-cycle...grasshopper...re-cycle

    or a way to use all that 40 S&W brass you can't sell
    .44 cal bullets...
    P1070386.jpg

    -Rock
     

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