Scrap Wiki
Cartridge brass is a type of brass alloy used in ammunition casings, including bullet casings and artillery shell casings. Casings with a diameter of 20mm or less are considered bullets, while those with a diameter greater than 20mm are considered artillery shells. They are typically used to hold gunpowder and a projectile. After use in military and shooting sports applications, the casings are often discarded, becoming scrap. Standard cartridge brass is typically made from a 70% copper, 30% zinc alloy, which is also known as "cartridge brass" or "C26000" brass. Other common types of brass include 67/33 brass and 74/26 brass, which contains 0.5% silicon. Chinese-made artillery shell and bullet casings typically have a lower copper content, around 60%, and also contain about 0.5% iron.
To accurately determine the metal content of a specific batch of cartridge brass scrap, chemical analysis is the best method. This can provide an accurate breakdown of the copper, zinc, and any other elements present. This step is crucial in the recycling and reuse process, as it can help determine the quality of the brass and the best method for reprocessing.
In the metal recycling industry, cartridge brass is highly valued due to its high copper content. During the recycling process, the casings are typically crushed or drilled to render them unusable, cleaned, and stripped of any remaining gunpowder before being sold as scrap metal.
In the ISRI naming system, cartridge brass scrap is categorized into four types:
1. Lace: Clean, fired 70/30 brass artillery shell casings without primers or other contaminants.
2. Lady: Clean, fired 70/30 brass artillery shell casings with brass primers, without other contaminants.
3. Lake: Clean, fired 70/30 brass bullet casings without projectiles, iron, or other contaminants.
4. Lamb: Clean, dented (fired) 70/30 brass casings without projectiles, iron, or other contaminants.
