Brass scavenging strategies?

chris in va · October 19, 2009, 10:37 PM

I'm getting a little frustrated with my range's brass policing rules. You can only pick it up during cease fires which are every 20 minutes or so, but they only allow you to pick up your own fired brass immediately around you. A woman made it very clear I'm not to pick up other brass as I'd be "stealing from their source of income".

Of course I would have liked to take it further and inform her the more 9mm I pick up, the more bullets I can buy from them (at inflated prices), more primers and powder along with range time. But she didn't look like there was any valid argument to be made and was daring me to say something.

So far the only real strategy I have is to find a stall with a lot of 9mm lying around so I can claim it as mine. Anything else?

BTW this is a very well known outdoor range that sees a lot of use. They don't sell used brass either...I checked.

Tex S · October 19, 2009, 10:45 PM

Devise some type of brass catcher or find a new range.

Google "brass catcher". It will yeild results.

rc · October 19, 2009, 10:59 PM

Find another range. I was a member of a public range and they would allow you to pick up all the police brass left over from their days and whatever else you could scrounge as long as you weren't holding things up for other shooters by being down range. On lucky days I'd find 357 cases flung in a small area or even a box in the garbage full of brass. rc

1911 Shooter · October 19, 2009, 11:52 PM

I have learned to vote with my" wallet" over the years... if asked, I'll tell them why they lost my business.

lomaxanderson · October 20, 2009, 07:12 AM

if they don't pay you for your brass you don't get to pick up they are stealing from you...

dsv424 · October 20, 2009, 08:44 AM

My range isn't restritive as yours so I pick up whatever I want so long as I don't delay or interrupt others. But I was wondering, what if you could tell the woman that the guy shooting before you said I could have all his brass. I would think that this could get you some extra brass. If she persists with something like "when that man left he gave all rights to his brass and it now belongs to the range". I would just leave and find another range. Hopefully her greed and ignorance of the fact that she profits from you buying primers, bullets,and powder for that brass would sink in.

jmorris · October 20, 2009, 09:13 AM

Quote:

but they only allow you to pick up your own fired brass

Quote:

So far the only real strategy I have is to find a stall with a lot of 9mm lying around so I can claim it as mine.

Quote:

A woman made it very clear I'm not to pick up other brass as I'd be "stealing from their source of income

I would say if you claim property that is/was not yours, to be your own, you are either with the government or stealing.

If you just want to recover what is yours, go to another range or get a revolver.

freakshow10mm · October 20, 2009, 09:19 AM

Just shoot revolvers.

Edward429451 · October 20, 2009, 10:40 AM

Just shoot revolvers? But semi-autos are the chit. They shoot faster, reload faster, are more tacticool, yield more zombies, and are the thing to have in this modern world...

Ohhh, waitaminute. Glancing around at the pile of guns and doing a quick count reveals that somehow somewhere someone tipped the scales in my collection and I see that I have way more revolvers than semi-autos...how did that happen?

Um, Just shoot revolvers.

Rich Keagy · October 20, 2009, 11:30 AM

Google 'range brass' on CraigsList.org.
I paid $25.00 for 10 lbs of 45 cal ACP. It worked out to about 900 or so cases.
Of course, a few had small pistol primers and two had splits in the side of the case. But, all in all, most of the stuff was once-fired.
I consider this a major score.
I took 500, de-primed, polished, re-primed and flared, and into a plastic bag they go. These will go into storage while the rest will be used soon.
If you're looking for 100 cases or so, try ordering 11 or 12 lbs.
Some reload these and sell them. (I don't).

Uncle H · October 20, 2009, 11:56 AM

Don't ya just hate Range Nazis?

At my club, they sort of encourage you to pick up your brass or any other brass left lying around. They even provide brooms & dustpans.

Of course, most of the ranges are outdoor & roof covered and there are lots of scroungers these days so cleanup isn't much of a chore.

jaguarxk120 · October 20, 2009, 11:58 AM

Hey the local metal recyclers not only buy metal but will also sell at the going rates. Many times they will have barrels of brass, you just have to pick thorugh it. The muzzle loaders also pick up much of their lead there too.

CraigC · October 20, 2009, 12:15 PM

Do people really get this upset when they can't get something for free???

mapsjanhere · October 20, 2009, 12:22 PM

I had a guy collect my brass during my series, he got really upset when I told him I didn't appreciate him trying to abscond with $20 0f .338 norma brass. After that I learned that having a half full box of empties on the table indicated "reloader", and discouraged that kind of stuff.

chris in va · October 20, 2009, 04:40 PM

Unfortunately I can't just "find another range" as the only other one in the area is indoors and they charge per half hour. I pay $10/day at the current one. I tried to scrounge at the indoor last month only to discover they tacked on a fee for extra time in the firing area.

Guess I'm stuck then.

Russ5924 · October 20, 2009, 05:45 PM

Was at the range two weeks ago it was only me and other guy showed up. So I called for a cold range so he could put up his target. After putting up his target he walked around picking up brass while I waited and WAITED. Needless to say I was not happy a few more minutes and I would have had to say something not very nice

Dragon55 · October 20, 2009, 05:55 PM

I've noted this on here before...........

At my indoor range there's a piece of channel iron that runs full length across all lanes. Open side of channel is facing up and IS FULL OF ALL KINDS OF BRASS!

I always dip out a few handfulls every time I go. I don't even have to bend over.

Dr. Strangelove · October 20, 2009, 06:14 PM

If they've asked you not to pick up any brass but your own, and you still insist on doing it, well, you're on your own there.

If the issue is they won't let you pick up all your own brass, that's a different story. I had a similar issue with a local range years ago, they didn't want me picking up my brass but waited until I had finished shooting to tell me this. Long story short, I told them I came in with 100 9mm cases that were my property and I was leaving with 100 9mm cases. I got my cases, we agreed not to do further business with each other.

I rarely shoot on ranges that draconian anymore, but if there is a question, I mention it before I shoot. If we can't resolve the issue, I go somewhere else. Don't want anyone sweeping the stalls? Fine, dip me the same number of casings from your bin that I leave on the floor.

gwalchmai · October 20, 2009, 07:22 PM

I have some .45 ACP range brass I'll sell for $50/K, plus shipping.

BurkGlocker · October 20, 2009, 07:32 PM

This is why I love my range. It is a public range, and most of the people that go out there are just so down home. I shot alot of 40 S&W today and asked the guys if they were shooting 40's and they said no, but they also said that they werent picking up any brass, so I could have whatever they shot. I picked up about 250 pieces of .45 and about that much 9mm, and about 400 pieces of 40, and I know I left more on the ground than I could find. I dont have a 9mm or 45 anymore, so I will probably give them to my buddy. I have been known to go out to the range during off hours and filling a 5 gallon bucket up with all of the empty brass, with the help of my Dad or my friend, but also been known to share brass with fellow reloaders. Hell, I took my daughter out there one day while they were cleaning up the range, changing out back boards and the ilk, and we picked up three five gallon buckets full of empties and sorted them all out, saved what we wanted and left the brass piled up for the next person to come and get it, but I guess I just had enough free time to do it.

Jector · October 20, 2009, 08:30 PM

Brass, what's that?

I went to The only local range (outdoor) several times during the week looking for brass... .22lr, steel surplus, aluminum? brass- nope, none. Figured I come back Sunday night, after the weekend there would surely be some brass. At 8:45 pm. total darkness, and raining, I grabbed my Gortex and a headlamp and headed to the range...
As I pulled in I could see the beam of a flashlight scouring the ground under the benches! Another desperate re-loader, on a hopeless quest for brass, in the dark, in the rain.

NYPD13 · October 21, 2009, 12:46 AM

If it's on the ground around me it's mine. If it's in the range brass pails, it's theirs. I also leave my plastic ammo boxes marked "reloaded" on the bench and find fellow shooters actually donate their brass!

October 19, 2009, 10:37 PM	#1
chris in va Senior Member Join Date: December 26, 2004 Location: Louisville KY Posts: 13,806	Brass scavenging strategies? I'm getting a little frustrated with my range's brass policing rules. You can only pick it up during cease fires which are every 20 minutes or so, but they only allow you to pick up your own fired brass immediately around you. A woman made it very clear I'm not to pick up other brass as I'd be "stealing from their source of income". Of course I would have liked to take it further and inform her the more 9mm I pick up, the more bullets I can buy from them (at inflated prices), more primers and powder along with range time. But she didn't look like there was any valid argument to be made and was daring me to say something. So far the only real strategy I have is to find a stall with a lot of 9mm lying around so I can claim it as mine. Anything else? BTW this is a very well known outdoor range that sees a lot of use. They don't sell used brass either...I checked.

October 20, 2009, 07:12 AM	#5
lomaxanderson Senior Member Join Date: March 12, 2006 Location: La. Posts: 349	Tell her if they don't pay you for your brass you don't get to pick up they are stealing from you... __________________ All I want to do is live in peace...for that I'm willing to die STOLEN COLT NIGHT DEFENDER sn NDF0311 Mason Rhea Gsd

October 20, 2009, 12:22 PM	#14
mapsjanhere Senior Member Join Date: August 6, 2009 Location: Albuquerque Posts: 2,832	I had a guy collect my brass during my series, he got really upset when I told him I didn't appreciate him trying to abscond with $20 0f .338 norma brass. After that I learned that having a half full box of empties on the table indicated "reloader", and discouraged that kind of stuff. __________________ I used to love being able to hit hard at 1000 yards. As I get older I find hitting a mini ram at 200 yards with the 22 oddly more satisfying.

October 20, 2009, 05:45 PM	#16
Russ5924 Senior Member Join Date: February 18, 2005 Posts: 1,874	Was at the range two weeks ago it was only me and other guy showed up. So I called for a cold range so he could put up his target. After putting up his target he walked around picking up brass while I waited and WAITED. Needless to say I was not happy a few more minutes and I would have had to say something not very nice __________________ Russ5924

October 20, 2009, 05:55 PM	#17
Dragon55 Senior Member Join Date: March 15, 2009 Location: East Tennessee Posts: 811	Look Up !! I've noted this on here before........... At my indoor range there's a piece of channel iron that runs full length across all lanes. Open side of channel is facing up and IS FULL OF ALL KINDS OF BRASS! I always dip out a few handfulls every time I go. I don't even have to bend over. __________________ sailing ... A way to spend lots of money and go real S L O W

October 19, 2009, 10:45 PM	#2
Tex S Senior Member Join Date: November 12, 2008 Location: Fort Worth, TEXAS Posts: 909	Devise some type of brass catcher or find a new range. Google "brass catcher". It will yeild results.

October 19, 2009, 10:59 PM	#3
rc Senior Member Join Date: April 28, 2001 Location: CA Posts: 1,767	Find another range. I was a member of a public range and they would allow you to pick up all the police brass left over from their days and whatever else you could scrounge as long as you weren't holding things up for other shooters by being down range. On lucky days I'd find 357 cases flung in a small area or even a box in the garbage full of brass. rc

October 19, 2009, 11:52 PM	#4
1911 Shooter Senior Member Join Date: March 1, 2006 Posts: 124	I have learned to vote with my" wallet" over the years... if asked, I'll tell them why they lost my business.

October 20, 2009, 08:44 AM	#6
dsv424 Senior Member Join Date: December 4, 2008 Location: Dallas, Tx. Posts: 266	My range isn't restritive as yours so I pick up whatever I want so long as I don't delay or interrupt others. But I was wondering, what if you could tell the woman that the guy shooting before you said I could have all his brass. I would think that this could get you some extra brass. If she persists with something like "when that man left he gave all rights to his brass and it now belongs to the range". I would just leave and find another range. Hopefully her greed and ignorance of the fact that she profits from you buying primers, bullets,and powder for that brass would sink in.

October 20, 2009, 09:19 AM	#8
freakshow10mm Junior member Join Date: January 23, 2008 Location: MI Posts: 1,398	Just shoot revolvers.

October 20, 2009, 10:40 AM	#9
Edward429451 Junior member Join Date: November 12, 2000 Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado Posts: 9,494	Just shoot revolvers? But semi-autos are the chit. They shoot faster, reload faster, are more tacticool, yield more zombies, and are the thing to have in this modern world... Ohhh, waitaminute. Glancing around at the pile of guns and doing a quick count reveals that somehow somewhere someone tipped the scales in my collection and I see that I have way more revolvers than semi-autos...how did that happen? Um, Just shoot revolvers.

October 20, 2009, 11:30 AM	#10
Rich Keagy Member Join Date: June 30, 2009 Location: southern California Posts: 48	Google 'range brass' on CraigsList.org. I paid $25.00 for 10 lbs of 45 cal ACP. It worked out to about 900 or so cases. Of course, a few had small pistol primers and two had splits in the side of the case. But, all in all, most of the stuff was once-fired. I consider this a major score. I took 500, de-primed, polished, re-primed and flared, and into a plastic bag they go. These will go into storage while the rest will be used soon. If you're looking for 100 cases or so, try ordering 11 or 12 lbs. Some reload these and sell them. (I don't).

October 20, 2009, 11:56 AM	#11
Uncle H Senior Member Join Date: July 7, 2008 Location: Bristol, TN Posts: 102	Don't ya just hate Range Nazis? At my club, they sort of encourage you to pick up your brass or any other brass left lying around. They even provide brooms & dustpans. Of course, most of the ranges are outdoor & roof covered and there are lots of scroungers these days so cleanup isn't much of a chore.

October 20, 2009, 11:58 AM	#12
jaguarxk120 Senior Member Join Date: February 28, 2008 Location: Michigan Posts: 2,620	Hey the local metal recyclers not only buy metal but will also sell at the going rates. Many times they will have barrels of brass, you just have to pick thorugh it. The muzzle loaders also pick up much of their lead there too.

October 20, 2009, 12:15 PM	#13
CraigC Junior member Join Date: November 28, 2001 Location: West Tennessee Posts: 4,300	Do people really get this upset when they can't get something for free???

October 20, 2009, 04:40 PM	#15
chris in va Senior Member Join Date: December 26, 2004 Location: Louisville KY Posts: 13,806	Unfortunately I can't just "find another range" as the only other one in the area is indoors and they charge per half hour. I pay $10/day at the current one. I tried to scrounge at the indoor last month only to discover they tacked on a fee for extra time in the firing area. Guess I'm stuck then.

October 20, 2009, 06:14 PM	#18
Dr. Strangelove Senior Member Join Date: August 1, 2008 Location: Athens, GA Posts: 1,436	If they've asked you not to pick up any brass but your own, and you still insist on doing it, well, you're on your own there. If the issue is they won't let you pick up all your own brass, that's a different story. I had a similar issue with a local range years ago, they didn't want me picking up my brass but waited until I had finished shooting to tell me this. Long story short, I told them I came in with 100 9mm cases that were my property and I was leaving with 100 9mm cases. I got my cases, we agreed not to do further business with each other. I rarely shoot on ranges that draconian anymore, but if there is a question, I mention it before I shoot. If we can't resolve the issue, I go somewhere else. Don't want anyone sweeping the stalls? Fine, dip me the same number of casings from your bin that I leave on the floor.

October 20, 2009, 07:22 PM	#19
gwalchmai Senior Member Join Date: December 7, 2001 Location: outside the perimeter Posts: 333	I have some .45 ACP range brass I'll sell for $50/K, plus shipping.

October 20, 2009, 07:32 PM	#20
BurkGlocker Senior Member Join Date: May 18, 2008 Location: Sheppard AFB, TX Posts: 568	This is why I love my range. It is a public range, and most of the people that go out there are just so down home. I shot alot of 40 S&W today and asked the guys if they were shooting 40's and they said no, but they also said that they werent picking up any brass, so I could have whatever they shot. I picked up about 250 pieces of .45 and about that much 9mm, and about 400 pieces of 40, and I know I left more on the ground than I could find. I dont have a 9mm or 45 anymore, so I will probably give them to my buddy. I have been known to go out to the range during off hours and filling a 5 gallon bucket up with all of the empty brass, with the help of my Dad or my friend, but also been known to share brass with fellow reloaders. Hell, I took my daughter out there one day while they were cleaning up the range, changing out back boards and the ilk, and we picked up three five gallon buckets full of empties and sorted them all out, saved what we wanted and left the brass piled up for the next person to come and get it, but I guess I just had enough free time to do it.

October 20, 2009, 08:30 PM	#21
Jector Member Join Date: September 24, 2009 Posts: 85	Brass, what's that? I went to The only local range (outdoor) several times during the week looking for brass... .22lr, steel surplus, aluminum? brass- nope, none. Figured I come back Sunday night, after the weekend there would surely be some brass. At 8:45 pm. total darkness, and raining, I grabbed my Gortex and a headlamp and headed to the range... As I pulled in I could see the beam of a flashlight scouring the ground under the benches! Another desperate re-loader, on a hopeless quest for brass, in the dark, in the rain.

October 21, 2009, 12:46 AM	#22
NYPD13 Senior Member Join Date: September 10, 2008 Posts: 370	If it's on the ground around me it's mine. If it's in the range brass pails, it's theirs. I also leave my plastic ammo boxes marked "reloaded" on the bench and find fellow shooters actually donate their brass! __________________ "THE CONSTITUTION ONLY GIVES PEOPLE THE RIGHT TO PURSUE HAPPINESS, YOU HAVE TO CATCH IT YOURSELF." ~BENJAMIN FRANKLIN.