Why can't you recycle Blazer cases?

[tulsamal]

OK, relax. I'm not talking about actually reloading the suckers. And I know about the Berdan primers.

Anyway, I was looking at the "carpet" of aluminum cases from cheap 9mm Blazer on my range and that started me thinking about how I recycle my aluminum cans. The problem is, the Blazer case has a used primer in it and it isn't easy to get out. I know how people pry them off or use pressure to remove them but that's because they don't want to damage the case. Couldn't you just take a punch, sit the case over something with a depression in it, and whack right through the thin bottom of the case and knock out the primer? I could see doing about a thousand of them while I'm sitting there watching TV. Then bag the cases up and take them to the recycle place.

Is there some reason that won't work? You would think they would be worth half a cent each anyway!

I read lots and lots of gun boards and this is actually a topic I've never seen anybody bring up!

Gregg

[richbug]

No reason you couldn't. It is actually a very high grade aluminum as compared to cans. Clean I expect they would be worth $.75-.80 a pound in volume. Problem is they don't add up nearly as fast as brass by weight.

[fastprofessor]

SSSSHHHHH. Don't say that too loud. In Iowa we already have to pay a 5 cent/can deposit. If the legislature gets a hold of this I might have to pay a recycling deposit for Blazers :uhoh: :D

[kychas]

i have tryed it to see if it works, and i have reloaded the same .45 cases about 6 times just to see if they will hold up the same as the brass.
i had to drill the strap (that is across the center) out of the inside of the case so it will work like a normal shell. ie. you can deprime it. ( i have a small metal lathe so it was easy) they use normal boxer primers.
and i have reloaded steel wolf .45 "brass" as well and it works fine also, it works the same as steel us gi wwII "brass" and i have reloaded some of that as well.
ps: the .40 shells are like berden brass with the 2 small holes and a strap in the center. the 9mm is the same as the .40
kychas

[W.E.G.]

The CCI web site implies that some recyclers will accept spent Blazer cases.

However, they do not list a single site that will take them.

I see the recycling issue as being one that CCI needs to solve, or they can expect to see declining interest in their product as it gets banned at more and more ranges.

Maybe if they can get the lead out of their primer mixture, they might be able to convince landfills to accept the cases. But, so long as there is lead in the mix, I think there is a real hazmat legal issue with just dumping large quantities of ANY type of spent munitions cases in a landfill, or in using the smelted product for any purpose that might involve production of food containers.

[instr8]

Now you guys got me thinking about drilling a flash hole in my berdan 308 cases.

[kychas]

(this info below is for import berdan primed brass.) the cci blazer uses boxer type primers. the case is made to keep you from reloading it.

it is not easy or fast, if you have a need to reload then first try to buy the berden primers that will fit (there is many sizes so get the right one) and reload as normal (after you have deprimed it first)
the depriming is ether with water piston and a hammer or a 2 pin primer nockout tool. (looks like a small 2 prong fork)
http://www.grafs.com/search?q=berdan+primer grafs is said to have pmc berdan .217 primers but i only saw the shotgun type.



the other way is to change the brass to a boxer type, to do this there are tools that you will need to make, the hard part is to get the anvle out of the primer pocket and then resize the primer pocket smaller. the pocket is just a bit deep but the swiss mouser hit deep into the primer to work fine.
i have never seen the tools for sale. most people will only do this for hard to find brass.
it was not easy to make the tools and i have a metal lathe to make the tools with. i have tryed it on 6.5mm swiss and some 8mm to learn on. the swiss worked fine but you need to aneal the neck or it will quickly crack.
kychas

[instr8]

I was thinking just decap once and drill a flash hole. If the berdan pockets are larger....well then nevermind.

[fire for effect]

I don't even like shooting Blazer, much less reload or recycle it.