For that extra brass you keep accumulating...

[M1NM]

Is there a way to tell if range brass is "once fired?" Inquisitive minds want to know!

I always assume range brass is once fired. Anybody that reloads picks theirs up. New ammo buyers generally leave theirs lying on the ground. A good look at what you picked up when you get home will sort out any questionable ones.

[CSACANNONEER]

I always assume range brass is once fired. Anybody that reloads picks theirs up. New ammo buyers generally leave theirs lying on the ground. A good look at what you picked up when you get home will sort out any questionable ones.

Bad assumption. Many people buy reloads and, you have no idea how many times that brass has been reloaded. I've seen reloads where the nickle plating is almost completely worn off. Also, many reloaders will leave their old, worn out brass on the ground at ranges.

[Kwikvette]

Bad assumption. Many people buy reloads and, you have no idea how many times that brass has been reloaded. I've seen reloads where the nickle plating is almost completely worn off. Also, many reloaders will leave their old, worn out brass on the ground at ranges.

I agree with the bad assumption; the RSO that collects brass for me ensures it's once fired because he too uses only once fired brass.

Whenever I don't collect my own brass, it's because it's been loaded a few times and I ensure that I let others know as well.

[tonyjr]

Assuming range brass is once fired is not a good idea .
I use range brass . I try to pick up my cases , but some
are kicked , bounce and others pick up .
What is a good idea is to check the brass .
I / we check when decapping [ pistol ] , bottle necks
after the tumbler / vibrator and again when it goes to prep station .
Then again when reprimed .
Kind of 1/2 *** when cases are put into tubes for load master .
The cases that are inspected the most are the 44 and 50 AE . They
are either hand placed in / on loadmaster or single stage
Then again when put in magazines or ammo boxes .
FYI - the more people that help , the better . What might be good
enough for for one , another tosses .

[roostersgt]

Another tell is the brass should only show 1 ejector mark on the base of the case if "once fired".

[RestrictedColt]

Ejector marks aren't at all a reliable sign.

[kcstott]

My pistol stuff is range trash pickup, I toss out what gives me issues, I have plinking ammo and stuff I'd use for life and death situations.

Rifle stuff is a different deal. Now that i'm a competitive shooter and have been for the last four years, I can see the benefit to new quality brass. I anneal as well inspect and trim all my precision stuff, I also have dedicated lots of brass that is only fired in one weapon, I mark my ammo boxes accordingly and have load data for each rifle, I don't mix and match as some do or as some try to do.

What you need to understand about Calguns is the vast majority here think 300 yards is long range and can't wrap their head around shooting 600 or 1000, what may be good enough for one discipline is completely wasted on another.

That said my AR15 in 5.56 is all range trash brass Speer or Hornady 55gn FMJ's but that not a rifle i compete with, I need minute of man at best with that rifle.
My F class guns use Lapua and will be switching to Peterson here soon. Once Peterson gets a broader selection going All my brass will be peterson

[TexasJackKin]

For that extra brass you keep accumulating...??

I have no idea what "extra brass" is. I have Adequate brass for the calibers I shoot, but I can't walk past a piece of brass and not pick it up. I can use at least 90% of what I pick up, and I trade the rest, for stuff I can use.

[roostersgt]

Ejector marks aren't at all a reliable sign.

Probably not the best way, but I have yet to find any spent rifle brass without at least one mark on it. More than one visible mark would likely indicate it was loaded more than once. YMMV, but it sure makes sense to me. Doubtful a spent case could have the mark completely removed just by tumbling, at least my tumbler has yet to accomplish that task.

[RestrictedColt]

Maybe it's my wet pin tumbling or aging eyesight. Some show marks, others don't.

I just went through sorting some .223 and 5.56 brass that I hadn't labeled. There were some definitely once fired that appeared to have two extractor marks and some likely used brass that had one or no marks.

[roostersgt]

Yeah, not sure about semi-auto brass, but the standard bolt stuff is what I pick up. Haven't bothered looking at spent AR food. Will take your word for it.