How do you sort/store your brass?

[Wannashootit]

Hey guys...

Only been reloading for a year and a half now, but the calibers have grown to five in number, and with three of us (myself and my two sons)shooting the brass is starting to occupy some "space"...

I've been using stackable, round and divided storage containers I get at HD, a couple for each caliber, and label each divided section with a label maker "once fired", "twice fired", etc. so I can keep track of how many times each piece has been fired.

Is there a simpler way to do this?

 

[Olivers_AR]

Re: How do you sort/store your brass?

5 gallon buckets, sometimes I put ziplock bags in the buckets with the details on the bag with a sharpie.

 

[BobinNC]

Re: How do you sort/store your brass?

I use MTM Case-gard 100's. Lots of 'em.....

 

[Radar360]

Re: How do you sort/store your brass?

I use large (gallon) zip lock bags and label them the cal, the number of times fired and stack them in boxes labeled the cal of the brass.

 

[Madcat MK II]

Re: How do you sort/store your brass?

I use gallon or quart ziploc bags and a red sharpie marker to write whats in them and store the bags in a rubbermaid tote. When I need to change what is written on the bag a cotton swab and some alcohol and it wipes right off.

 

[ED_RN]

Re: How do you sort/store your brass?

Precsion braas is stored in MTM boxes with case history.
Bulk handgun brass in 5gal pails. Bulk 223 in 5 gal pails in zip lock bags with history of the brass.

History means times fire, state of prep, and other details...

 

[BCP]

Re: How do you sort/store your brass?

Bags, boxes, buckets, quit using metal coffee cans because I got tired of hearing ding ding ding every time I tossed a resized case into one. When you're sizing 400 cases on a single stage press that **** gets old.

 

[gunsnjeeps]

Re: How do you sort/store your brass?

Kitty litter buckets (about 5 gal) for bulk starage, baggies (gallon, quart and snack) for sorting and processed brass, and stackable Sterlite containers (shoe box size, 6 qt) for small quantities and during processing. Ammo storage goes into ammo cans on a shelving unit made for them.


200 rounds of 5.56 will fit in a quart freezer bag.

 

[turbo54]

Re: How do you sort/store your brass?

For 45 brass:

Two 10 gallon rubbermaid tubs...one for clean brass ready to get dumped in the casefeeder and one that dirty fired brass gets dumped in.

Other pistol brass (MUCH LESS OF THIS):

Gallon ziplock bags in a 10 gallon rubbermaid tub.

308 and 223 brass (my primary rifle calibers....thousands of pieces):

Two rubbermaid tubs for each caliber, one for "RTL" (ready to load), and one for fired or brass "in process". Batches of brass are separated into gallon ziplock bags with an index card denoting firings and processing steps and what rifle its been through last.

338LM and 284 win:

MTM cases. Index cards. Batches always stay together.

 

[Esselbach]

Re: How do you sort/store your brass?

I've got my brass sorted into lots stored in zip lock bags with only a label on the bag with a lot #. On the computer, i've got a long excell spreadsheet and an entry for every lot with brass caliber, brand, number of pieces, times fired, and a status number code.

This keeps all my brass seperated by managable groups for type and the number of times fired.

This system seems to work the best for me personally. A quick look at my spreadsheet, and I can instantly see what brass I have ready to load, and how many I have available. I don't have to search through thousands of cases to figure out what I have.

I tried to sort them by 1x, 2x, ect times fired, but that didn't keep it all organized enough for me.

 

[TexIndian]

Re: How do you sort/store your brass?

I use coffee cans with notes on the sides. The newer plastic ones don't make as much noise and the lids don't go bad after a few years like the old metal cans. You can get about 250 pieces of .308 in the large (3 lb) cans. I have a few of the smaller (1 lb) cans for small lots. Old soft margarine tubs work good, too, both large and small, but they aren't as sturdy as the coffee cans. Any office with a coffee machine will generate lots of empty cans if you're not a coffee drinker.

In my early years I tended to generate a bunch of small lots, each in different stages of processing. Nowadays I wait until I can process an entire lot of brass to avoid keeping up with so many small batches.

 

[Radar360]

Re: How do you sort/store your brass?

Basically, I think I'm a collector since I keep buying new cases.

I find it's hard to find time to work them.

But I'm thinking of getting an Ultrasonic cleaner as well as an annealer. I'm sure I'll work on them then. LOL

 

[Rthur]

Re: How do you sort/store your brass?

Rubber made also makes cheap 8x14 stoage containers that will hold 500 260 cases. They stack well, you can see what is in them, label them with sharpie. When you want to relabel lighter fluid will wipe it right off. Ziploc makes a smaller version of these that work well also. They will hold around 200 cases.

 

[Wannashootit]

Re: How do you sort/store your brass?

Looks like the trusty Ziplocs are in the lead.
That would definitely save some space...

 

[Rob01]

Re: How do you sort/store your brass?

I use caliber/ times fired zip loc bags to put fired brass in and then once prepped, sized and primed they go into a different zip loc properly marked then into a large plastic bin for storage.

 

[johngfoster]

Re: How do you sort/store your brass?

MTM 50rd boxes for all except 223/5.56. The 223 is sorted by head-stamp. Some are stored in MTM 100 round boxes, other more numerous head-stamps (PMC, Winchester, etc) are stored in 2 gal. zip-lock bags.

 

[Sespe]

Re: How do you sort/store your brass?

Plastic coffee cans. I can get all I want easily through work. Blue painter's tape and a sharpie for the labels.

 

[Hink]

Re: How do you sort/store your brass?

Brass from my rifles is segregated from range pickup brass -- my rifle brass is kept separate by weapon, and all range pickup brass is tossed in a bucket all together. I'll go dig into there when someone I know needs a case or two. I just can't see throwing away what is otherwise good brass. I may not use it, but somebody probably will.

Since reloading blocks hold 50 cases, I'll keep that measurement. Brass is separated into lots of either 50 or 100, depending on the size of the ziploc bag. Ziploc bags keep clean brass from tarnishing.

Each ziploc bag is labeled with caliber, quantity, and brass prep state (tumbled, deprimed, sized, swaged, ready to load). Then I'll keep the separate calibers in different plastic containers -- the square/rectangular ice cream containers work well, and they stack, too.

For storage, the brass is used as ballast in the bottom drawer of a file cabinet, with a couple of dessicant bags in the drawer to pull off moisture just in case.

 

[jonbearman]

Re: How do you sort/store your brass?

What can I say ,but do what they do.I use buckets with lids and lots of ziplocks.