good way to gather brass at the range

striker55 · May 17, 2008, 06:17 AM

Since I'm going to be reloading I was wondering how you pick up your brass at the range? I was thinking of putting down a blanket to shoot over to help gather my brass. I'll be shooting 45acp and 9mm.

cdrt · May 17, 2008, 06:31 AM

You can always get something like this. I have a homemade one.

http://www.champchoice.com/detail.php?item=CCBC

BAD_KARMA · May 17, 2008, 07:37 AM

Children or a cheap blue tarp.

speedracer211 · May 17, 2008, 08:25 AM

Well I dont ever set anything up not sure why, I believe I dont want to be the guy who has to set up a blanket and what not. I just spend the 20 minutes or so and pick it all up by hand, including any other brass I find.

DaveInPA · May 17, 2008, 10:07 AM

This time of year I just pick it up when I'm done. When there's snow on the ground, though, I lay a tarp out to my right to catch the brass. Otherwise it does down in the snow and it's VERY hard to find.

Yoosta B. Blue · May 17, 2008, 10:11 AM

BAD_KARMA, the blue tarp is an excellent idea! I have one that is 10'x20' that should work very well for that. (Funny what you can learn on here!

) Thanks!

YBB

CrustyFN · May 17, 2008, 10:51 AM

I don't set anything up. I just pick them up off the ground by hand. But then I shoot at an outdoor range and will walk all six pistol bays looking for brass even though I am only shooting in one.
Rusty

10-96 · May 17, 2008, 11:05 AM

+1 on the use of kids. The hard part is trying to convince them of just how much fun they're going to have while doing it.

DaveInPA · May 17, 2008, 11:44 AM

Quote:

I don't set anything up. I just pick them up off the ground by hand. But then I shoot at an outdoor range and will walk all six pistol bays looking for brass even though I am only shooting in one.

I do the same thing. I've gotten A TON of free .45ACP brass doing that! I went to the range the day after an IDPA competition and WOW. . .I think I boxed up at least 4000 pieces of .45 brass.

Charlie218 · May 17, 2008, 02:25 PM

I read once where a fellow uses an umbrella, he knows about where the ejected brass will land, opens the umbrella shoots, then closes the umbrella and heads home.....I may just try that........

CPTMurdoc30 · May 17, 2008, 04:45 PM

About twice a month I load up the kids and take them out to the range with me and we spend an hour or two picking up brass from the range. They work good and if you give them a soda or some ice cream after wards they will work even harder. Mine love to go and pick up brass with me because they play stump dad with a case. So far they have never stumped me.

BigDog454 · May 17, 2008, 08:40 PM

I just don't shoot self unloading firearms anymore! Not since I have a bad back.

arizona98tj · May 17, 2008, 08:45 PM

I use a brass magnet that I got at Harbor Freight.

When I forget to bring it, I end up picking it up by hand....not all that bad, gives me a little more exercise.

Bullet94 · May 17, 2008, 09:13 PM

+1 on the brass magnet.

speedracer211 · May 17, 2008, 09:22 PM

Dont forget to pick up the lead magnet so you can go berming for lead.

Sigma 40 Blaster · May 17, 2008, 11:45 PM

Brass magnet?

The only thing I could find on Google were little pins and magnets to wear on a suit jacket or something. More info on that? Direct link??

Do I smell a joke?

Crosshair · May 18, 2008, 12:30 AM

Quote:

Do I smell a joke?

No, you can get the brass magnet at the local hardware store. They are right in with the pipe stretchers, muffler belts, lightbulb fluid, and winter air for tires.

BerettaFox · May 18, 2008, 01:04 AM

and smoke-shifters for when you're sitting around a camp fire. the range i go to is my back yard, so every now and then I'll buy a hundred rounds from wal mart to add another batch of brass.

6thMichCav · May 26, 2008, 03:44 PM

If your range has benches, you might use a pistol rest, or shoot sitting down--then you can use this. If you are handy with a minimum of tools, try this:

Make a square frame, about 16 x 16 inches. It doesn't have to look pretty. I even saw one guy who used a cardboard box.

Nail the frame to a 2-foot 2x4, so that the 2x4 is "fat side down". (The guy with a box stapled his to a heavy piece of plastic--looked like counter top.

Get a fine mesh fishnet, bag, pillow case, or whatever else you want to catch brass in as a "bag". I used some spare metal window screen. (The guy with the box used rubber window screen).

Use a staple gun to staple the "bag" to the open frame. (I don't know how the guy with the box attached the screen; I'm embarrassed to say I didn't look or ask).

Clamp the 2x4 on your brass catcher to the bench with a quick-release clamp or a C-clamp in the right position as you shoot. Some guns eject forward, right, diagonally, so you may have to move it around for different guns or ammo.

While I still lose a few rounds to the ground, my brass catcher often gets approving nods from people, who are usually thinking "man, I could make that a lot better than this rube...."

It may help if you can find a way to make the "bag" extend out from the frame slightly, so that the brass doesn't bounce off as the bag gets full. I shot a box of 9mm once, and the brass was so heavy that my next box started just bouncing off onto the bench. The cardboard box guy did not have this problem, so maybe he knew better than I?

If you shoot standing up, with no bench...put the frame on post???

I've tried the tarp thing. My guns aren't cooperative enough to keep the brass on the tarp, and it always seems to bounce into the grass, weeds, mud, etc. With that big ol' frame in front of the ejection port, it seems to work better than a tarp for me.

Ed the Rangerat · May 27, 2008, 01:53 AM

The outdoor range where I shoot pistol and rifle has a strict rule that allows only picking up your own brass. I mark the base of my brass with different colored Sharpies. Easy to tell my own and quite often someone at the station next to me will pick up mine and stack them for me.

The Lovemaster · May 27, 2008, 11:31 AM

I pick mine up the old-fashioned way, one at a time by hand.

[email protected] · May 27, 2008, 08:08 PM

Was at the range last week. Two men came and used leaf rakes to rake up all the 22 brass. Made the grass look better. Guess they got close to 75 lbs. At a buck a pound that was easy money. Last month or so that I've gone to the range I've not seen any brass except 22 brass. Used to find 223, 45 and 38's not anymore.

bigautomatic · May 27, 2008, 08:49 PM

I snatch my empties right out of the air with my cat-like reflexes. Ha!
All kidding aside, I have found that there are many more people reloading these days. Also folks taking brass to cash in at the scrap yards. If the range is a little crowded, I police my brass after every mag. I haven't had to purchase any brass for some time and would like to keep it that way.

schmellba99 · May 27, 2008, 09:17 PM

I pick it up by hand. The range I go to has about 75 bays. I've been known to peruse all of them during the breaks looking for brass. Luckily the daytime rangemasters on the weekends do not adhere to the "your own brass" rule and actually appreciate less work at the end of their shift because of folks like me.

O6nop · May 27, 2008, 09:22 PM

There are machines that do the job, drums with rubbr spikes that pick up the brass and then combs them out into a hopper,
Check out http://www.southernbellebrass.com/Southern.htm

Not highly efficient but it does work.

May 17, 2008, 06:17 AM	#1
striker55 Member Join Date: July 28, 2007 Location: Katy, TX Posts: 86	good way to gather brass at the range Since I'm going to be reloading I was wondering how you pick up your brass at the range? I was thinking of putting down a blanket to shoot over to help gather my brass. I'll be shooting 45acp and 9mm.

May 17, 2008, 06:31 AM	#2
cdrt Senior Member Join Date: June 7, 2007 Location: The Lone Star State Posts: 255	You can always get something like this. I have a homemade one. http://www.champchoice.com/detail.php?item=CCBC __________________ Navy Vet, SWIFT Boat OIC, Distinguished Pistol Shot #1399 USS JOHN S. MCCAIN (DDG-36)

May 17, 2008, 10:51 AM	#7
CrustyFN Senior Member Join Date: June 4, 2006 Location: West Virginia Posts: 2,258	I don't set anything up. I just pick them up off the ground by hand. But then I shoot at an outdoor range and will walk all six pistol bays looking for brass even though I am only shooting in one. Rusty __________________ I don't ever remember being absent minded.

May 17, 2008, 11:05 AM	#8
10-96 Senior Member Join Date: October 19, 2005 Location: Tx Panhandle Territory Posts: 4,159	+1 on the use of kids. The hard part is trying to convince them of just how much fun they're going to have while doing it. __________________ Rednecks... Keeping the woods critter-free since March 2, 1836. (TX Independence Day) I suspect a thing or two... because I've seen a thing or two.

May 17, 2008, 04:45 PM	#11
CPTMurdoc30 Senior Member Join Date: February 27, 2008 Location: Stafford VA Posts: 969	About twice a month I load up the kids and take them out to the range with me and we spend an hour or two picking up brass from the range. They work good and if you give them a soda or some ice cream after wards they will work even harder. Mine love to go and pick up brass with me because they play stump dad with a case. So far they have never stumped me. __________________ Solving Virginia's Ground Hog problems 50gr at a time.....

May 17, 2008, 07:37 AM	#3
BAD_KARMA Senior Member Join Date: October 18, 2000 Posts: 171	Children or a cheap blue tarp.

May 17, 2008, 08:25 AM	#4
speedracer211 Senior Member Join Date: April 30, 2007 Posts: 176	Well I dont ever set anything up not sure why, I believe I dont want to be the guy who has to set up a blanket and what not. I just spend the 20 minutes or so and pick it all up by hand, including any other brass I find.

May 17, 2008, 10:07 AM	#5
DaveInPA Senior Member Join Date: January 20, 2008 Location: Berks County, PA Posts: 1,106	This time of year I just pick it up when I'm done. When there's snow on the ground, though, I lay a tarp out to my right to catch the brass. Otherwise it does down in the snow and it's VERY hard to find.

May 17, 2008, 10:11 AM	#6
Yoosta B. Blue Senior Member Join Date: February 12, 2008 Location: Just a tad NE of the Alamo... Posts: 252	BAD_KARMA, the blue tarp is an excellent idea! I have one that is 10'x20' that should work very well for that. (Funny what you can learn on here! ) Thanks! YBB

May 17, 2008, 02:25 PM	#10
Charlie218 Member Join Date: January 5, 2008 Location: Indiana Posts: 76	I read once where a fellow uses an umbrella, he knows about where the ejected brass will land, opens the umbrella shoots, then closes the umbrella and heads home.....I may just try that........

May 17, 2008, 08:40 PM	#12
BigDog454 Senior Member Join Date: November 11, 2007 Location: NW Ohio Posts: 100	I just don't shoot self unloading firearms anymore! Not since I have a bad back.

May 17, 2008, 08:45 PM	#13
arizona98tj Senior Member Join Date: December 10, 2007 Location: Arizona Posts: 980	I use a brass magnet that I got at Harbor Freight. When I forget to bring it, I end up picking it up by hand....not all that bad, gives me a little more exercise. __________________ stu-offroad.com Largest Jeep TJ project site on the web! (now with guns)

May 17, 2008, 09:13 PM	#14
Bullet94 Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2004 Location: Kansas Posts: 723	+1 on the brass magnet. __________________ PRO-SECOND AMENDMENT - Live Free or Die

May 17, 2008, 09:22 PM	#15
speedracer211 Senior Member Join Date: April 30, 2007 Posts: 176	Dont forget to pick up the lead magnet so you can go berming for lead.

May 17, 2008, 11:45 PM	#16
Sigma 40 Blaster Senior Member Join Date: July 1, 2007 Location: East Texas Posts: 997	Brass magnet? The only thing I could find on Google were little pins and magnets to wear on a suit jacket or something. More info on that? Direct link?? Do I smell a joke?

May 18, 2008, 01:04 AM	#18
BerettaFox Senior Member Join Date: April 26, 2008 Location: Greenville, SC Posts: 144	and smoke-shifters for when you're sitting around a camp fire. the range i go to is my back yard, so every now and then I'll buy a hundred rounds from wal mart to add another batch of brass.

May 26, 2008, 03:44 PM	#19
6thMichCav Member Join Date: May 26, 2008 Posts: 52	Brass catcher If your range has benches, you might use a pistol rest, or shoot sitting down--then you can use this. If you are handy with a minimum of tools, try this: Make a square frame, about 16 x 16 inches. It doesn't have to look pretty. I even saw one guy who used a cardboard box. Nail the frame to a 2-foot 2x4, so that the 2x4 is "fat side down". (The guy with a box stapled his to a heavy piece of plastic--looked like counter top. Get a fine mesh fishnet, bag, pillow case, or whatever else you want to catch brass in as a "bag". I used some spare metal window screen. (The guy with the box used rubber window screen). Use a staple gun to staple the "bag" to the open frame. (I don't know how the guy with the box attached the screen; I'm embarrassed to say I didn't look or ask). Clamp the 2x4 on your brass catcher to the bench with a quick-release clamp or a C-clamp in the right position as you shoot. Some guns eject forward, right, diagonally, so you may have to move it around for different guns or ammo. While I still lose a few rounds to the ground, my brass catcher often gets approving nods from people, who are usually thinking "man, I could make that a lot better than this rube...." It may help if you can find a way to make the "bag" extend out from the frame slightly, so that the brass doesn't bounce off as the bag gets full. I shot a box of 9mm once, and the brass was so heavy that my next box started just bouncing off onto the bench. The cardboard box guy did not have this problem, so maybe he knew better than I? If you shoot standing up, with no bench...put the frame on post??? I've tried the tarp thing. My guns aren't cooperative enough to keep the brass on the tarp, and it always seems to bounce into the grass, weeds, mud, etc. With that big ol' frame in front of the ejection port, it seems to work better than a tarp for me.

May 27, 2008, 01:53 AM	#20
Ed the Rangerat Member Join Date: November 19, 2007 Location: NorCal Posts: 15	The outdoor range where I shoot pistol and rifle has a strict rule that allows only picking up your own brass. I mark the base of my brass with different colored Sharpies. Easy to tell my own and quite often someone at the station next to me will pick up mine and stack them for me.

May 27, 2008, 11:31 AM	#21
The Lovemaster Senior Member Join Date: December 29, 2007 Location: Arizona Posts: 416	I pick mine up the old-fashioned way, one at a time by hand.

May 27, 2008, 08:08 PM	#22
[email protected] Junior Member Join Date: November 6, 2007 Posts: 7	Was at the range last week. Two men came and used leaf rakes to rake up all the 22 brass. Made the grass look better. Guess they got close to 75 lbs. At a buck a pound that was easy money. Last month or so that I've gone to the range I've not seen any brass except 22 brass. Used to find 223, 45 and 38's not anymore. __________________ bobkk

May 27, 2008, 08:49 PM	#23
bigautomatic Senior Member Join Date: December 18, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 610	I snatch my empties right out of the air with my cat-like reflexes. Ha! All kidding aside, I have found that there are many more people reloading these days. Also folks taking brass to cash in at the scrap yards. If the range is a little crowded, I police my brass after every mag. I haven't had to purchase any brass for some time and would like to keep it that way.

May 27, 2008, 09:17 PM	#24
schmellba99 Senior Member Join Date: January 8, 2008 Posts: 803	I pick it up by hand. The range I go to has about 75 bays. I've been known to peruse all of them during the breaks looking for brass. Luckily the daytime rangemasters on the weekends do not adhere to the "your own brass" rule and actually appreciate less work at the end of their shift because of folks like me.

May 27, 2008, 09:22 PM	#25
O6nop Senior Member Join Date: October 16, 2005 Location: Austin,TX Posts: 291	There are machines that do the job, drums with rubbr spikes that pick up the brass and then combs them out into a hopper, Check out http://www.southernbellebrass.com/Southern.htm Not highly efficient but it does work.