Can dug shells be reloaded?

[tlowery04]

I dug some martini-henry .577-455 brass and it looks like the lips are straight enough to be reloaded, the bullet itself is fairly expensive, especially for one in vintage brass. if there is a market for them, I may go try to dig up some more, if not, I'm more than happy with the ones i have and am willing to leave a few for the next guy, even though the field seems littered with them.

 

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[GarretDiggingAz]

I've been wondering the same thing. I'm picking up all the shells I can find and was thinking about recycling them. Then I started to think. If the shells aren't damaged or severely corroded, are they reloadable?
I found a bunch of 223 casings today with corrosion. Some real bad some slight.
So when are they not reloadable?

 

[GoGoGopher]

I would not trust the structural integrity of dug casings...If found on the surface and still shiny..tumble and reload away...

HH,

 

[tlowery04]

yeah these are large caliber, 1880-1950 vintage, there doesnt seem to be any structural impurities though

 

[arnofarrell]

I am not going to tell you what to do but I personally wouldn't reload them. I have tons of brass in my back yard from shooting with my friends and I have just started collecting them for the scrap metal, the more recent ones I sold to be reloaded.

 

[tlowery04]

yeah, i dont own a rifle that will shoot it anyway, better to just pop it into a shadow box with the rest of my finds from this trip

 

[pat-tekker-cat]

I sure wouldn't reload them, but then again, I also have a story about reloaded "hot" shells, that busted the stock on a double barrel.
If the right barrel hadn't have fired first, I'd be minus another friend. The reloader got packed away for a while after that.
All it would take is one shell to mess up. Be safe, not sorry.

 

[GarretDiggingAz]

That's one reason why I haven't reloaded. I've heard of nightmare stories on it. On the other side. I've always wanted to do it. I've done shotgun shells with no issues. Pistol I think could be different, though the same outcome. Amongst a lot of brass I found aluminum or nickel cases as well. I'm not too certain on it. I think aluminum would be too light to make as a shell, but maybe the bore helps keep tight. Those shells had no corrosion whatsoever and so I was thinking nickel.

 

[mjarvis]

No way. Bad idea, the metal has broken down and the integrity of the shell is gone. You don't want to take a chance and brow your face off!!!!! Not me.

 

[GarretDiggingAz]

So do recycling shops buy the brass back? If so does it need to be cleaned? What about the primers?
It'd be nice to know that if I'm cleaning the desert up I could get some gas money. Lol

 

[GMD52]

Garret: the aluminumncases you found are not reloadable, they will crush in the press. The nickel are coated brass and if cleaned very reloadable. The problem with the multitude of military ammo found on the ground is that they are berdan primed and commercial reloading equipment use boxer primers and the process to deprime the military rounds is not compatable, it can be done, but not easily. All that is worth more as scrap.

 

[NOLA_Ken]

If the shells are structurally sound you could reload them if you really wanted to, but personally I wouldn't unless you really know your stuff and know how to check them out. Tumble the brass and inspect each one for corrosion, pitting, and cracks, and keep in mind you'll need to inspect them inside as well.

 

[GarretDiggingAz]

Yeah my uncle reloads all the time. My nickel ones are in great shape. The 223's I figured I use as scrap anyway since I don't have one. My uncle showed me some of his older casings he has and still reloads. I'm shocked he uses them. I'd figure after a couple shots the casing wouldn't be good anymore.
I'll be using his tumbler and see what's left for use.
I'm thinking on getting a 45. So hoping to accumulate my rounds for a little less. Besides, when I'm not detecting or cleaning a pool or two, I've got time to kill (if not researching areas).

 

[crashbandicoot]

Some old cartridges had Mercury based priming which would attack the brass.Not safe to reload.The ones you pictured would probably crack under the strain of resizing so it wouldn,t make sense to use them either.Not sure about the Martini but a lot of old cartridges can be formed from modern brass with the appropriate dies or contact Huntington,s,they have modern manufactured brass for just about any cartridge ever made and dies to form your own if you want to do that.Been reloading for about 40 years now,every thing from 25 Auto to 505 Gibbs and I personally wouldn,t use that brass.Good luck!