Brass Rats

4runnerman · October 8, 2011, 10:46 PM

Hey all, I admitt it..Im a Brass Rat to the 10th degree. Was wondering about other brass rats out there. What is the most Brass you have picked up in a 2 day weekend period ?.

Last weekend at the range i go to i scored like i have never done before. After all brass was counted and sorted i have a list.

2187--223's
452-45 ACP's
1841-40 SW's
2562-9MM's
49-10 MM's
126-243's
17-300WSM
59-270's
31-357's
11-38 Specials
32-380's
57 more pcs consiting of 30-30,,30-06, 25-06.

I have never scored like this before and can't imagine i will again. I had one guy out there so happy to give me his 243 brass that he put it all back in the boxes,,Ha ha Including the 4 rounds he forgot to shoot. Another guy out there had his 2 kids with him and instructed them to pick up brass for me. Now my tumbler will be running for the next month getting caught up again.

Any others that have been this lucky before????..

Jbotto · October 8, 2011, 10:53 PM

I have to say, that is quite the haul! you just made this guy VERY jealous!!!!

Toney · October 8, 2011, 11:55 PM

That's a lot of brass!!! Our range is always picked pretty clean.

flashhole · October 9, 2011, 07:45 AM

I'm a brass rat too ... and proud of it

... never a score like yours. I was at the right place at the right time when the local SWAT team was practicing and they gave me all their brass for the day but not numbers in the thousands.

hooligan1 · October 9, 2011, 07:58 AM

Man,,, and I was totally tickled to pick twenty .243 hulls out of the range bucket last week!!

mtnbkr · October 9, 2011, 08:17 AM

I only shoot 32SWL, 32-20, 38special, 44mag, and 6.5x55. I have owned at other times 357mag, 32acp, and 44special.

Most folks that shoot most those calibers don't throw them on the ground. I was floored when i picked up nearly 50 pieces of 44special brass TWICE at the same range on different trips.

I see 38special on the ground from time to time, but I have enough of that to last decades. If I came across either of the 32cal examples, I'd probably stare at it like you'd stare at a giraffe in your backyard.

Then I'd pick it up and skitter away giggling like a schoolgirl.

P5 Guy · October 9, 2011, 08:25 AM

4runnerman, do you do any shooting?

I'll sweep up mine and as always dump from the revolvers into the range bag.
If I leave brass behind it is from a lot that is at the end of its reloading life, be careful picking up after me.

Jbotto · October 9, 2011, 09:23 AM

4runnerman, if you are looking to unload some of that .223, let me know!

Does anyone else pick up all brass excluding .22 shells? When I go, I spend more time brass scavenging than shooting it seems! I got a good handful the other day: about 30 8x57 mauser, 12 .30-06, and about 15 .300 Wthby Mag cases. They just add to the collection, as maybe someday I'll get enough of them to sell as a small lot.

TXGunNut · October 9, 2011, 10:28 AM

Hello, my name is Mike and I'm a Brass Rat. But I only pick up what I want to load...honest!

I needed a few additional .45acp cases to put together a thousand or so practice rounds for my carry gun. I spent a few hours at my favorite range and was rewarded with a few hundred rounds. Then two weeks ago I discovered about 2000 cases behind some stuff on a shelf in my reloading room! It was freshly cleaned....about 10-12 yrs ago-but it beats looking out for the dreaded sp's. This CRS is kinda fun sometimes! Now I need a bunch more ww's.....

4runnerman · October 9, 2011, 10:35 AM

The range i go to is the only one in 75 miles now that they shut the other one down. I was out there at 5:30 AM this morning and i was not the first one there

. These AR rifle people with 223's. I need to say--I LOVE YOU PEOPLE. Man it don't take them 15 minutes and there are 300 cases laying on the ground.
I shoot 308 and 223 and 45 ACP. While i wait for barrel to cool in between rounds i pick up brass. This week was back to narmal again. In 2 days i got around 600 more 223.s , 100 to 150 45's,, Misc brass betweeen all the deer hunters sighting in. Seems only one out of about 10 people reloads around here and they are more than happy to give me there brass. 9MM's ,,,,No one reloads them. I pick up some but if a guy were to sit out there all day i bet there are 10.000 laying around out there. They get kicked into the sand and all over. Have been using the wifes collander to run them under water and clean them up a little before i pick out the bent and beat up ones. jbotto--drop me a line for 223's. I have one guy that buys all my stuff (everything i can get) but im sure i can part with some 223's. Mainly i just wanted to know im not the only brass rat around. Wife says it has become a compulsion. I can't walk buy a pc with out stopping and picking it up.

. It sure offsets my $300.00 a month shooting habbit. Yes thats true all $300.00 plus a month and i reload

.

GP100man · October 9, 2011, 10:46 AM

4runnerman

I`ve been to the range & was so happy `bout my "spoils of shooting" I forgot to shoot my rifle !!!!

It got dark on me

I an`t that OLD - - yet !!!!

maggys drawers · October 9, 2011, 10:56 AM

Used to be I could make a pretty good haul of .40, .45, 9mm and 223 with the occasional score of 30-30, 30-06 and other rifle cases.

Times must be tough now- all that is on the ground or in the buckets is steel or aluminum cases and .22 rimfire. The rest is picked clean.

longranger · October 9, 2011, 11:02 AM

Best I have done 6000+ pieces of .223. The range I worked at had local Sheriffs Office,State Prison Acadamy Training and local law enforcemant agencies.
They would do their AR-15 training and leave piles of Rem. .223 brass on the ground.
I picked 6- 5 gallon buckets full,processed and reloaded all of it except some that had military crimps,I gave that away. Over 2000 pieces of Lake City brass.I bought cartridge boxs from Midway and vacuum sealed 5000 rnds. and they are put away.The other 1000 are mixed headstamp and used for range shooting.
Good score on your one day endeavor.

Jim243 · October 9, 2011, 12:02 PM

Nope rifle range is picked clean, I do luck out sometimes if newbees are trying out their new ARs. Other wise it looks like the thanksgiving table after the relitives leave. (where's my leftovers - gone).

Although I can get a fair amount of pistol cases from the indoor range (one of the last bastions of free brass). But even that is drying up.

Looking for cases.
Jim

4runnerman · October 9, 2011, 01:22 PM

Hello Maggie. Say i think i sold you a bunch of brass a while back. Hope all worked out for you. I often wonder about storing in for a while as the price of brass is going to keep going up and up. But it seems like such a waste to just let it sit there. Hey GP100 Man--I have never forgotten to shoot,but i have shot a lot less than what i intended to shoot because of picking up brass too. And i am old ha ha

Rembrandt · October 9, 2011, 03:13 PM

A fellow came by one day with over 300lbs of brass.....9mm, 40, 223, and a few oddballs, wanted $50 for it. After I got it cleaned and sorted, totaled around 40,000 pieces.

m&p45acp10+1 · October 9, 2011, 03:34 PM

I used to pick up a couple of 10 pound icebags of brass at a time. Now I just pick up quart, or half gallon sized bag at a time. I ran out of room for it all. I have more brass than I could shoot in a couple of years. I still trade with a bit every now and again.

I traded a lot of brass to get my reloading set up. I tried selling some a few times, and the people acted like I should be giving them money to take it off my hands, so I doubled the price for insulting me. I turned to walk away, then they stopped me, and bought it. Though it was still a PITA to deal with. So now I just pick up for me and a couple of friends.

Oh I also picked up 160 pieces of Hornady 7x57.

100 pieces of 300 RUM, 600 Hornady .308 Match cases, 80 pices of .44 spcl Star Line cases, and the coup de grace was over 250 .45 Colt. Oh and las week a guy gave me 60 round of factory Norma 7.62x61 Sharpe & Hart. I told him I had a rifle chambered in it, with a small bit of brass, and did not shoot it much due to the fact that Norma stopped making brass for it years ago. He told me had 3 boxes I could have.

hooligan1 · October 9, 2011, 03:41 PM

Crap I just died of envy!!!

spacecoast · October 9, 2011, 07:20 PM

I used to pick up everything I could, but ran out of room (and the need) for common stuff like 9mm or .45ACP. Now, I will still cherry-pick the buckets at the range for .380 ACP, .25 ACP, .38 special and .357 mag (for my own use), but what I really like to find is the rarer stuff like 10mm, .38 super, .45 Colt and .44 mag. Not that you find it very often, but when you do it's as if someone's throwing dimes (or better) in the bucket.

Rifleman55 · October 9, 2011, 07:46 PM

I have gotten to where I pick up all centerfire brass, even if it is junk, the scrap metal yards around here pay about $2 a pound for it.

TXGunNut · October 9, 2011, 08:04 PM

Too rainy for brass ratting...I mean a range trip today. Really wanted to shoot my Sharps but it wasn't all bad. Loaded 700 rounds of 45acp with my own cast swc boolits! Makes me smile to make such a nice pile of ammo from range brass and re-purposed wheelweights. Excluding boxes I just finished loading an 1100 round batch for about $50, and I'll reuse the boxes.

m&p45acp10+1 · October 9, 2011, 08:38 PM

I forgo the boxes. 3 pound Peanut butter jars work well for me. I love the first day or two after a rain. No one wants to pick up brass from wet ground. Last time I wnt the day after a rain. I picked up over 600 .357 Sig, and 400 5.7 FN cases for a friend of mine. The guys shooting it did not want to dig in the puddle to pick it up. I used a yard rake from the range shed.

jmorris · October 10, 2011, 09:05 AM

After TX State championship a few years ago I picked of 15 gallons worth of the 40,000+ round fired in about 4 hours.

The bag a nut is nice for flat areas

The nut wizard allows you to be selective in what you pick up and is a little more forgiving on uneven ground

The brass vac I built was how I picked up my brass I just rolled from crack to crack getting all of the brass the other devices couldn't pick up.

Mike / Tx · October 10, 2011, 05:01 PM

Heck I don't even stand a chance in this one.

Years ago, I think my best haul was around 6-700 pieces, and that was during the pre season madness. I don't even think I shot, I just walked down the benches and picked up after folks who were leaving.

I don't pick up anything I don't shoot so that makes it a bit easier. Course the calibers have added up, but if it's based off an '06, or 308, it goes home. I do however try and snag the assorted 45acp's.

Fox1 · October 10, 2011, 10:32 PM

Yup, Brass Rat here too.

I pick up anything that is brass, including (some, if it's still shiny) .22 and .17 rimfire.

Any centerfire that is too tarnished or Berdan primed gets tossed into the recycling bucket along with the .22 and .17 rimfire stuff and all of my punched out primers. Proceeds from the sale of bad brass goes to purchase powder and bullets.

Any Boxer primed stuff in sizes that I don't reload for gets run through a universal decapper then cleaned, polished, sorted and bagged for sale or trade.

October 8, 2011, 10:46 PM	#1
4runnerman Senior Member Join Date: January 16, 2010 Location: Minnesota Posts: 3,577	Brass Rats Hey all, I admitt it..Im a Brass Rat to the 10th degree. Was wondering about other brass rats out there. What is the most Brass you have picked up in a 2 day weekend period ?. Last weekend at the range i go to i scored like i have never done before. After all brass was counted and sorted i have a list. 2187--223's 452-45 ACP's 1841-40 SW's 2562-9MM's 49-10 MM's 126-243's 17-300WSM 59-270's 31-357's 11-38 Specials 32-380's 57 more pcs consiting of 30-30,,30-06, 25-06. I have never scored like this before and can't imagine i will again. I had one guy out there so happy to give me his 243 brass that he put it all back in the boxes,,Ha ha Including the 4 rounds he forgot to shoot. Another guy out there had his 2 kids with him and instructed them to pick up brass for me. Now my tumbler will be running for the next month getting caught up again. Any others that have been this lucky before????.. __________________ NRA Certified RSO NwCP- Performance Isn't Optional

October 9, 2011, 07:45 AM	#4
flashhole Senior Member Join Date: February 9, 2005 Location: Owego, NY Posts: 2,000	I'm a brass rat too ... and proud of it ... never a score like yours. I was at the right place at the right time when the local SWAT team was practicing and they gave me all their brass for the day but not numbers in the thousands. __________________ ,,, stupidity comes to some people very easily. 8/22/2017 my wife in a discussion about Liberals. Are you ready for civil war?

October 9, 2011, 07:58 AM	#5
hooligan1 Senior Member Join Date: July 18, 2010 Location: Independence Missouri Posts: 4,586	Man,,, and I was totally tickled to pick twenty .243 hulls out of the range bucket last week!! __________________ Keep your Axe sharp and your powder dry.

October 9, 2011, 08:25 AM	#7
P5 Guy Senior Member Join Date: December 1, 2005 Location: Tampa Bay Posts: 1,804	Brass Scavenger 4runnerman, do you do any shooting? I'll sweep up mine and as always dump from the revolvers into the range bag. If I leave brass behind it is from a lot that is at the end of its reloading life, be careful picking up after me.

October 9, 2011, 10:28 AM	#9
TXGunNut Senior Member Join Date: January 16, 2010 Location: If you have to ask... Posts: 2,860	Hello, my name is Mike and I'm a Brass Rat. But I only pick up what I want to load...honest! I needed a few additional .45acp cases to put together a thousand or so practice rounds for my carry gun. I spent a few hours at my favorite range and was rewarded with a few hundred rounds. Then two weeks ago I discovered about 2000 cases behind some stuff on a shelf in my reloading room! It was freshly cleaned....about 10-12 yrs ago-but it beats looking out for the dreaded sp's. This CRS is kinda fun sometimes! Now I need a bunch more ww's..... __________________ Life Member NRA, TSRA Smokeless powder is a passing fad! -Steve Garbe I hate rude behavior in a man. I won't tolerate it. -Woodrow F. Call Lonesome Dove My favorite recipes start out with a handful of used wheelweights.

October 8, 2011, 10:53 PM	#2
Jbotto Senior Member Join Date: February 8, 2010 Location: MN Posts: 437	I have to say, that is quite the haul! you just made this guy VERY jealous!!!!

October 8, 2011, 11:55 PM	#3
Toney Senior Member Join Date: August 17, 2005 Location: Stillwater Oklahoma Posts: 790	That's a lot of brass!!! Our range is always picked pretty clean.

October 9, 2011, 08:17 AM	#6
mtnbkr Senior Member Join Date: May 1, 2000 Location: Manassas, Virginia Posts: 914	I only shoot 32SWL, 32-20, 38special, 44mag, and 6.5x55. I have owned at other times 357mag, 32acp, and 44special. Most folks that shoot most those calibers don't throw them on the ground. I was floored when i picked up nearly 50 pieces of 44special brass TWICE at the same range on different trips. I see 38special on the ground from time to time, but I have enough of that to last decades. If I came across either of the 32cal examples, I'd probably stare at it like you'd stare at a giraffe in your backyard. Then I'd pick it up and skitter away giggling like a schoolgirl.

October 9, 2011, 09:23 AM	#8
Jbotto Senior Member Join Date: February 8, 2010 Location: MN Posts: 437	4runnerman, if you are looking to unload some of that .223, let me know! Does anyone else pick up all brass excluding .22 shells? When I go, I spend more time brass scavenging than shooting it seems! I got a good handful the other day: about 30 8x57 mauser, 12 .30-06, and about 15 .300 Wthby Mag cases. They just add to the collection, as maybe someday I'll get enough of them to sell as a small lot.

October 9, 2011, 10:35 AM	#10
4runnerman Senior Member Join Date: January 16, 2010 Location: Minnesota Posts: 3,577	The range i go to is the only one in 75 miles now that they shut the other one down. I was out there at 5:30 AM this morning and i was not the first one there. These AR rifle people with 223's. I need to say--I LOVE YOU PEOPLE. Man it don't take them 15 minutes and there are 300 cases laying on the ground. I shoot 308 and 223 and 45 ACP. While i wait for barrel to cool in between rounds i pick up brass. This week was back to narmal again. In 2 days i got around 600 more 223.s , 100 to 150 45's,, Misc brass betweeen all the deer hunters sighting in. Seems only one out of about 10 people reloads around here and they are more than happy to give me there brass. 9MM's ,,,,No one reloads them. I pick up some but if a guy were to sit out there all day i bet there are 10.000 laying around out there. They get kicked into the sand and all over. Have been using the wifes collander to run them under water and clean them up a little before i pick out the bent and beat up ones. jbotto--drop me a line for 223's. I have one guy that buys all my stuff (everything i can get) but im sure i can part with some 223's. Mainly i just wanted to know im not the only brass rat around. Wife says it has become a compulsion. I can't walk buy a pc with out stopping and picking it up.. It sure offsets my $300.00 a month shooting habbit. Yes thats true all $300.00 plus a month and i reload. __________________ NRA Certified RSO NwCP- Performance Isn't Optional

October 9, 2011, 10:46 AM	#11
GP100man Senior Member Join Date: August 1, 2007 Location: Tabor City , NC. Posts: 1,969	Scrounging 4runnerman I`ve been to the range & was so happy `bout my "spoils of shooting" I forgot to shoot my rifle !!!! It got dark on me I an`t that OLD - - yet !!!! __________________ GP100man

October 9, 2011, 10:56 AM	#12
maggys drawers Senior Member Join Date: March 4, 2006 Posts: 178	Used to be I could make a pretty good haul of .40, .45, 9mm and 223 with the occasional score of 30-30, 30-06 and other rifle cases. Times must be tough now- all that is on the ground or in the buckets is steel or aluminum cases and .22 rimfire. The rest is picked clean.

October 9, 2011, 11:02 AM	#13
longranger Senior Member Join Date: November 4, 2008 Location: Buffalo WY Posts: 1,056	Best I have done 6000+ pieces of .223. The range I worked at had local Sheriffs Office,State Prison Acadamy Training and local law enforcemant agencies. They would do their AR-15 training and leave piles of Rem. .223 brass on the ground. I picked 6- 5 gallon buckets full,processed and reloaded all of it except some that had military crimps,I gave that away. Over 2000 pieces of Lake City brass.I bought cartridge boxs from Midway and vacuum sealed 5000 rnds. and they are put away.The other 1000 are mixed headstamp and used for range shooting. Good score on your one day endeavor.

October 9, 2011, 12:02 PM	#14
Jim243 Senior Member Join Date: January 5, 2009 Location: Just off Route 66 Posts: 5,067	Nope rifle range is picked clean, I do luck out sometimes if newbees are trying out their new ARs. Other wise it looks like the thanksgiving table after the relitives leave. (where's my leftovers - gone). Although I can get a fair amount of pistol cases from the indoor range (one of the last bastions of free brass). But even that is drying up. Looking for cases. Jim __________________ Si vis pacem, para bellum

October 9, 2011, 01:22 PM	#15
4runnerman Senior Member Join Date: January 16, 2010 Location: Minnesota Posts: 3,577	Hello Maggie. Say i think i sold you a bunch of brass a while back. Hope all worked out for you. I often wonder about storing in for a while as the price of brass is going to keep going up and up. But it seems like such a waste to just let it sit there. Hey GP100 Man--I have never forgotten to shoot,but i have shot a lot less than what i intended to shoot because of picking up brass too. And i am old ha ha __________________ NRA Certified RSO NwCP- Performance Isn't Optional

October 9, 2011, 03:13 PM	#16
Rembrandt Senior Member Join Date: August 10, 2002 Posts: 2,108	A fellow came by one day with over 300lbs of brass.....9mm, 40, 223, and a few oddballs, wanted $50 for it. After I got it cleaned and sorted, totaled around 40,000 pieces.

October 9, 2011, 03:34 PM	#17
m&p45acp10+1 Senior Member Join Date: May 3, 2009 Location: Central Texas Posts: 3,930	I used to pick up a couple of 10 pound icebags of brass at a time. Now I just pick up quart, or half gallon sized bag at a time. I ran out of room for it all. I have more brass than I could shoot in a couple of years. I still trade with a bit every now and again. I traded a lot of brass to get my reloading set up. I tried selling some a few times, and the people acted like I should be giving them money to take it off my hands, so I doubled the price for insulting me. I turned to walk away, then they stopped me, and bought it. Though it was still a PITA to deal with. So now I just pick up for me and a couple of friends. Oh I also picked up 160 pieces of Hornady 7x57. 100 pieces of 300 RUM, 600 Hornady .308 Match cases, 80 pices of .44 spcl Star Line cases, and the coup de grace was over 250 .45 Colt. Oh and las week a guy gave me 60 round of factory Norma 7.62x61 Sharpe & Hart. I told him I had a rifle chambered in it, with a small bit of brass, and did not shoot it much due to the fact that Norma stopped making brass for it years ago. He told me had 3 boxes I could have. __________________ No matter how many times you do it and nothing happens it only takes something going wrong one time to kill you.

October 9, 2011, 03:41 PM	#18
hooligan1 Senior Member Join Date: July 18, 2010 Location: Independence Missouri Posts: 4,586	Crap I just died of envy!!! __________________ Keep your Axe sharp and your powder dry.

October 9, 2011, 07:20 PM	#19
spacecoast Senior Member Join Date: October 14, 2009 Location: Sunshine and Keystone States Posts: 4,461	I used to pick up everything I could, but ran out of room (and the need) for common stuff like 9mm or .45ACP. Now, I will still cherry-pick the buckets at the range for .380 ACP, .25 ACP, .38 special and .357 mag (for my own use), but what I really like to find is the rarer stuff like 10mm, .38 super, .45 Colt and .44 mag. Not that you find it very often, but when you do it's as if someone's throwing dimes (or better) in the bucket.

October 9, 2011, 07:46 PM	#20
Rifleman55 Junior Member Join Date: September 23, 2011 Posts: 7	I have gotten to where I pick up all centerfire brass, even if it is junk, the scrap metal yards around here pay about $2 a pound for it.

October 9, 2011, 08:38 PM	#22
m&p45acp10+1 Senior Member Join Date: May 3, 2009 Location: Central Texas Posts: 3,930	I forgo the boxes. 3 pound Peanut butter jars work well for me. I love the first day or two after a rain. No one wants to pick up brass from wet ground. Last time I wnt the day after a rain. I picked up over 600 .357 Sig, and 400 5.7 FN cases for a friend of mine. The guys shooting it did not want to dig in the puddle to pick it up. I used a yard rake from the range shed. __________________ No matter how many times you do it and nothing happens it only takes something going wrong one time to kill you.

October 10, 2011, 09:05 AM	#23
jmorris Senior Member Join Date: November 22, 2006 Posts: 3,077	After TX State championship a few years ago I picked of 15 gallons worth of the 40,000+ round fired in about 4 hours. The bag a nut is nice for flat areas The nut wizard allows you to be selective in what you pick up and is a little more forgiving on uneven ground The brass vac I built was how I picked up my brass I just rolled from crack to crack getting all of the brass the other devices couldn't pick up.

October 10, 2011, 05:01 PM	#24
Mike / Tx Senior Member Join Date: April 8, 2000 Posts: 2,101	Heck I don't even stand a chance in this one. Years ago, I think my best haul was around 6-700 pieces, and that was during the pre season madness. I don't even think I shot, I just walked down the benches and picked up after folks who were leaving. I don't pick up anything I don't shoot so that makes it a bit easier. Course the calibers have added up, but if it's based off an '06, or 308, it goes home. I do however try and snag the assorted 45acp's.

October 10, 2011, 10:32 PM	#25
Fox1 Senior Member Join Date: September 27, 2008 Posts: 300	Yup, Brass Rat here too. I pick up anything that is brass, including (some, if it's still shiny) .22 and .17 rimfire. Any centerfire that is too tarnished or Berdan primed gets tossed into the recycling bucket along with the .22 and .17 rimfire stuff and all of my punched out primers. Proceeds from the sale of bad brass goes to purchase powder and bullets. Any Boxer primed stuff in sizes that I don't reload for gets run through a universal decapper then cleaned, polished, sorted and bagged for sale or trade.