Although the COVID pandemic is finally nearing its end, we still live with many of its lasting effects. Gunowners will undoubtedly remember the great ammo shortage triggered by an upswing in new gun owners and compromised supply chains. And while massive shortages are less of a problem now, inflation and lingering supply chain issues are keeping ammo prices high.

That’s why there’s a surge in reloading ammo. But finding and preparing the right brass for reloading is a more involved process than novices may realize. So before you try to reuse your spent brass, you need to know what cases are safe to use, and how to make sure that they’re ready for reloading.

Picking the Right Brass for Reloading

Finding spent brass may sound easy. Millions of Americans participate in shooting sports each year, producing countless spent casings in the process.

A lot of that once-fired brass will find its way onto the secondary market. After all, not all shooters have the time or inclination to reload ammo themselves. Depending on how much you practice, you may produce plenty of once-fired brass yourself.

But not every spent bullet case is suitable for reloading.

With second-hand brass, it’s impossible to know the complete history of a casing. You can only guess how hot previous loads were or how many times a casing was reloaded. But there are some warning signs to look for.

A cracked case is one of the biggest red flags. Brass that’s been reloaded too many times can start to thin in stress areas. When this happens the case can separate or crack, rendering it unusable.

Dents in the brass are another major issue. Cases that are improperly ejected, stepped on, or that suffer blunt force can be damaged, and have to be discarded.

Bulges in a case are usually caused by guns that have unsupported chambers. While these bulges can sometimes be repaired, the brass itself is permanently weakened. While seasoned reloaders can sometimes use the compromised cases with success, beginners are better off discarding them.

You should also discard casings used for overpressured loads, as these tend to strain the brass. Look for ejector marks or super flat primers as clues to discard these cases.

Preparing Your Brass

Inspecting your cases is only the first step. Before you can set to work reloading your used brass, you have to prepare it.

Here are the key steps to follow and a few tips to help you along the way.

1. Clean and Polish the Brass

Fired brass has a way of attracting dirt and grime. So the first step is to get it as clean as possible.

There are a couple of ways to clean spent brass, depending on the condition of the cases and how dirty they are. If there’s only a little bit of dirt on the casings, washing them in a soap solution and rinsing them will be enough. An easy method is to fill a gallon jug halfway with water and dish soap, add your dirty brass to the mix, and shake well.

If your casings have a lot of mud or corrosion, you might need a more involved approach.

Every reloading bench should have a basic brass tumbler for such occasions. Adding a liquid cleaning medium to your tumbler is a good way to clean soiled cases. You can also add stainless steel pins to the mix to polish your brass to a mirror sheen while you clean it.

If you do use a liquid cleaner in your tumbler, be sure to thoroughly dry your brass afterwards to prevent any chance of corrosion. The most simple way to do this is to place the cases in a warm oven (150° F-200° F max) for a few minutes to evaporate any moisture.

Once you’ve cleaned your brass, take the opportunity to double-check them for damage or weakness. Shells that had corrosion on them pre-cleaning are often usable, but you’ll want to double-check them to ensure the brass hasn’t weakened or cracked.

2. Sizing the Brass

This step can vary a bit depending on the equipment that you use. Be sure to read the instructions for your kit to prevent damage to your cases.

In any event, spent brass needs to be trimmed back to its original factory length. This ensures that all shells are of uniform size and shape that will fit correctly in your gun’s chamber.

To do this, you’ll need a resizing die and a reloading press. You’ll first need to lubricate the inside of the die. Then you can insert your case and adjust the die until it fits snuggly around the brass.

With the brass in place, slowly raise the handle of the press to start resizing the case. Keep going until the die pushes the shoulder of the case back to the correct position, being sure to be gentle as you do so. Lower the handle to remove the case, and repeat for each piece of brass.

3. Trim the Brass

The last step is to trim the brass. When a cartridge is fired, the force generated tends to cause the case to warp or crimp here or there. So these defects need to be corrected before you can reload the case.

First, use a case trimmer to remove excess brass from the base of the brass. Then, use a pair of fine pliers to remove any barbs from the inside of the case. Last, use the trimmer to remove any barbs from the outside.

Beating the Ammo Shortage By Reloading Brass

Between inflation and persistent supply chain problems, securing a steady supply of new ammo can cost a small fortune. Reloading spent brass is one of the best things you can do to beat price hikes.

That said, no matter what your experience level, it’s important to use the right brass for reloading. When in doubt, it’s a good idea to opt for pre-fired brass from a reputable source. To get started, take a look at our selection of certified once-fired military and law enforcement training brass.