San Diego Sheriff Seeks Cartridge Recycler

With government funds growing scarce, the San Diego sheriff’s office is looking for a metal salvage outfit to recycle spent cartridges at its shooting ranges at Miramar and Otay Mesa. The shells are “primarily 40cal and 9mm spent Cartridge Brass (70/30 copper/zinc),” says a request for quotations posted late last month. “Material may vary in types and quality to include nickel and chrome coated cartridges in calibers of .45cal, .223cal, 5.53mm, 7.62mm.” According to the request, “The Sheriff’s Weapons Training Unit currently produces approximately 3,000 to 5,000 pounds of spent cartridges quarterly (amounts have been as high as 9,000 every 30 to 45 days) depending on academy training schedules and other weapon qualifications.” There are some limits, however: “Spent Brass cartridges are not to be sold to any ammunition re-loader or used for reloaded ammunition.”