Gathering your brass from a semi auto

[iScream]

I have no regrets, but if I were buying a new revolver for the range tomorrow, I'd look pretty hard at 4. And I can't imagine there's any chance that Bass Pro has your best price on a new S&W revolver. Gotta be a better place than Bass Pro.

I'm sure you're right about Bass Pro pricing. We had a Sportsmans Warehouse for a while but it closed suddenly. They seemed to have about the best prices around here on firearms. Since Dicks doesn't sell hand guns it's pretty much Bass Pro, Cabelas or Academy other than Mom and Pop shops. I would happy to buy from a locally owned shop if they were somewhat competitive on pricing but I don't know much about any places around here.

During 2008 I bought a Ruger Single Six, Ruger Mark III Hunter, S&W 617 and a CZ 75B, all from Cabelas during different sales.

I've got the itch right now though...

-Chris

[Lilswede1]

My knees are shot so had to find another method for brass retrival.
Mom was in a wheel chair the last few years of her life and use one of those 3' long hand pick-up tools. We bought quite a few before she found one she really liked. Now that she had gone and my knees have gone I find them very useful especially at the range. I carry a bucket and use if to reach under benches around posts, under chairs. And its faster than you would think.

[iScream]

I got my 686 Plus yesterday and put the first 100 rounds through it today. Man, it shoots nice. And it was so easy to bring home all 100 empty cases with me. I put 100 rounds of 9mm through my CZ 75B too but didn't bring home a single piece of 9mm brass. Mostly because the range officer was sweeping up brass almost as fast as it hit the ground.

I suspect I'll be shooting more 38 Special then 9mm before long. Probably will always shoot more 22LR than anything else though.

-Chris

[Dr. Strangelove]

I put 100 rounds of 9mm through my CZ 75B too but didn't bring home a single piece of 9mm brass. Mostly because the range officer was sweeping up brass almost as fast as it hit the ground.

I've had exactly that same experience at the public ranges here in GA. Turns out the "Range Officer" was really just some old junk scrounger who volunteered a bit a the range in exchange for being able to pick up brass. (The actual range officer told me this)

After a couple times of this, I politely informed him that I was keeping my brass and to stay away from the area I was using (he was sweeping it up real quick while everyone was downrange checking targets). He suggested I pick up my brass before going downrange, I mentioned my concern with holding everyone up by doing that and again requested he stay away from my brass. (I was in the third to last lane with no one between me and the end of the range, easy to see which brass was mine.)

You guessed it, he did it again. I waited until he was chatting with the range officer and went over and told mentioned I had asked him nicely three times to stay away from my brass, and that I would like my 30 9mm cases back I had just fired. He begrudgingly gave me the 30 nastiest 9mm cases he could find in his bucket. I saw the range officer talking with him as I went back to the line and he (Mr. Scrounger) later came over and apologized.

Those types of issues along with constantly having firearms pointed at me, people shooting while folks were going downrange, etc., have made me join a private range. No crowds, great people, all the free brass you can pick up (I do wait until everyone's gone or at least ask first)

If you are going to shoot at a public range, don't be shy about claiming your brass and getting the range officer involved in safety violation issues. I make sure everyone around me knows I am keeping my brass and will gladly pick up any reloadable that anyone else doesn't want. (I'm a bit of a brass scrounger myself)