Can you reuse bullet casings

After you fire a gun, the case drops out of it, or it is removed by the person handling the weapon. Powder: Gunpowder, or propellant, is a rapidly-burning material located inside of the cartridge casing. Powder burns so quickly that it can seem as if it is exploding. The ignition of the gunpowder produces a gas that increases the pressure inside of a cartridge. Bullet: The bullet is a projectile located at the tip of the ammo cartridge. The buildup of gas pressure inside of the cartridge due to the ignited gunpowder pushes the bullet forward.

Some bullets are made of lead and others of copper. You can reuse the casing of a cartridge, provided you clean and prepare the casings first. There are a few benefits of choosing nickel-plated casings: Corrosion resistance: A common complaint people have about brass cases is that over time, the metal starts to corrode, producing green spots called verdigris.

Applying a nickel coating to the brass stops corrosion, as the nickel barrier completely envelops the brass. Easy loading: Both nickel or brass cases make for easy reloading, but nickel-plated brass has a lower coefficient of friction than just brass. This means the cartridges with nickel-plated casing slide into a gun better.

The low coefficient of friction also allows for smoother and easier extraction of nickel-plated cases. Nickel-plated cases are less likely to jam or get stuck in the weapon. Remove the spent primers. Insert each case into the loading press. The handle should be positioned up.

Lower the handle to resize the case and push the fired primer out. Raise the handle back up, remove the case and place it in a reloading tray. Repeat this step for all the cases. Some presses have a rotating tray that allows you to load several at once. You'll still want to go through the process of de-capping all of the spent casings before you go loading any of them. It'll be tedious, but worth it in the end. Insert a new primer into the case.

Raise the handle to its highest position and place a new primer into the cup of the primer arm. Insert a case into the shell holder. Push the primer arm into the ram slot and lower the case onto the primer.

It should be flush or slightly lower than the case base. Reload the casing with the correct powder. Each type of size of shell requires a different variety and weight of powder. It is recommended that you buy a respected loading handbook such as the Alliant Powder Reloader's Guide that covers the calibers you intend to load. Follow their recommendations regarding powder and weight. You can weigh each charge individually or use a volumetric powder measure or calibrated dipper. Add the powder using a funnel.

Discard or return unused powder to the factory container. If it's left on your measurement device or other equipment, the powder can damage it. Keep the reloading area clean and free of powder. Seat the bullet. The seating die pushes a bullet to the proper depth in the neck of the case and crimps the shell.

Put one of your casings in the shell holder, lowering the press handle to crimp the casing, securing it in place with the lock ring. Consult the owner's manual for more guidance regarding crimping.

If the bullet needs to be seated deeper into the case, adjust the seater. Clean and apply a light coat of gun oil to your dies and ram after you reload ammo. You can also lubricate moving parts on the shell loader with gun oil. Place the ammo in cartridge boxes. Secure your reloaded ammunition in a lockbox separate from your firearms. Store the lockbox in a cool, dry location. Method 2. Assemble the necessary materials. Each shotgun shell consists of five basic components, somewhat less complex than the materials available for reloading brass.

To reload empty shot shells, you'll need: Empty hulls, checked for wear Plastic wadding of the appropriate gauge Shot of the desired "shot number" Primers Shotshell powder. Check your empty shells for reusable hulls. The only reusable component of the shotgun shell is the plastic shell itself, which is ejected from the shotgun after firing a round.

Search Query Show Search. Show Search Search Query. Play Live Radio. Next Up:. Available On Air Stations. All Streams. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email. Anthony Cave. The Process. Back At The Range. The water or oil may not make it into the cartridge, or the gunpowder could dry out, making the cartridge dangerous once again if thrown into the trash. Skip to content. By Brian Brassaw Mar 5, recycle-ammunition.

Can Ammunition Be Recycled? Police Station The first place to check is your local police station. This post was originally published on January 16, Related Post. Nov 10, Earth