Brass Scroungers: Pariah on the Range!

[salvador31c]

Ok, let me get this right. You angry because a fellow comes along and picks up what others dont want yourself included? Its differnt when you intend on picking up your own brass for whatever reason and this guy takes your brass while your not looking. You admit you dont save your brass yet you feel the need to stomp on your brass to make it un-usable. Why? Your acting childish

 

[Brass Fetcher]

Nothing wrong with fetching brass

Yet people still complain about the cost of factory ammo - if the brass is there, pick it up. Elsewise, the next person will get it... no brainer.

 

[joneb]

I would feel uncomfortable with someone lurking about I've seen these scroungers tying up shooting lanes as they collect they're bounty, this is disrespectful to the hand that feeds them. As the scrap prices for brass rises so will this phenomenon.
I to am a scrounger and a reloader, and I to pick up brass to take to the scrap dealer, but I am a shooter 1st and respect the space of fellow shooters.
This is "the brass and copper rush era" there is a lot of theft in new construction of copper wire, I to think some brass catchers could learn some manners. But stomping your brass Lighten up Dude, I may want to reload it

 

[Mad Magyar]

I admit acting like an "A#@", but this sort of stuff has been happening for years and seem to be worse now-a-days...Ever since I heard about the shooter leaving the range (mt pistol) and be robbed by two S.O.B's and be relieved of his weapons; all of sudden a little stress is added to one of my most pleasurable pursuits.... My berm is my territory for the moment and to have someone parked/lurking when others are empty doesn't sit right with me.
O.K., no more stomping.....

 

[JoeHatley]

They are too cheap to purchase their own brass.

Perhaps they can't afford to shoot unless they reload range pick-up brass.

Rather than stomp your brass, you may want to consider picking it up and handing it to them.

Joe

 

[FieroCDSP]

I'm not quite a scrounger, but I try to bring home more brass than I start with. Usually there's a bunch in front of the firing line that I can pull in with a push broom, plus some in the little tin hanging on the stall wall. I try to get all of my own brass, and I justfy pulling in the swept brass by saying that some of mine is there, and I'd like it back. If there's someone shooting in the next lane, I'll politely ask if they reload, and if not, can I keep it. You can still come away with a ton of brass, even doing this. I just picked up 30 or so 45autos yesterday that someone left in front of the line. Anything I can't use I scrap, and I save all I can. 9mm, 45, 380, a bunch of 357 and 44. I'll either use it some day or sell it, or scrap it. Money no matter how you look at it.

 

[Whatsit]

As long as they aren't rude about it, consider it a service! Most public ranges I have been to have too much brass just lying around being ground into the soil. Personaly, I'd much rather have someone pick that up to help keep the facility and enviroment cleaner. If they profit from it in so doing, more power to them.

 

[razorburn]

There's homeless people who do the same thing at the street corner gas station. They wait around for you to finish your drink and then run over to dig it out of the garbage can for the 5 cent turn in. I think it's sad.

 

[heypete]

The outdoor range I used to RSO at had little buckets that people could dump their brass in (most let it fall to the concrete shooting area floor). People, including myself, could root through the little buckets to extract the brass they wanted.

We'd even sort out popular calibers, and have a ".30-06 Only" bucket, a ".30-30 Only" bucket, and so on.

Some of the guys were regular "action shooting" types, and would bring a pair of gloves and a respirator and root through the 55 gallon drums of brass we had waiting for the scrap guys to pick up (all the money went back to the county, as the range was run by the sheriff's department and open to the public, so we didn't lose any money).

It was considered polite to ask if others were going to keep their brass after shooting before starting to collect it. I'd do that, and if people were shooting calibers I loaded for and said "no, I'm not going to keep it", I would politely ask if they could save it for me for when they leave, but mention that if they simply left it where it was, I'd be more than happy to pick it up for them. Most people would give me a little pile of brass on the shooting bench, so I was happy.

I reload, and I encourage others to reload. Most shooters don't, and picking up range brass at ranges that don't mind it is a cheap way of getting brass for reloading. I have no problems at all with it, as long as people are polite. Lurking about isn't impolite, but picking up your brass without asking is not terribly nice.

 

[Ohioan]

That's why I like to shoot revolver, no brass to pick up, I just empty it straight into a the box it came out of. Makes it a lot easier. I pick up all my brass from my semi's too. It bugs me if I can only find 49 out of 50.

Personally, I think it's kind of rude to leave a range filthy dirty and full of brass. I had some other rude comments typed up here. but I was smart and thought better.

I pick up my own brass. If I can find more.. then... WOO HOO!!

I don't see the big deal. He's not really bugging you at all...

 

[rhubarb]

So, Mad Magyer, you're shooting at a public outdoor range where anyone can come and go? And there's brass lying around?

Directions please.

 

[Mad Magyar]

So, Mad Magyer, you're shooting at a public outdoor range where anyone can come and go? And there's brass lying around? Directions please.
__________________
-Rube

Now, that's funny.... Rube, I bet you are loaded...., w/$$$ that is!

 

[svtruth]

Pick up

2 for one. I'm sure I miss some of my acp brass, but if I shoot 50, I pick up 100+. Shotgun hulls, steel, aluminum go in the trash.
Most times, I'm the only one at the range.

 

[44AMP]

It doesn't bother me, unless

They are picking up MY brass. I reload everything except .22LR, and I also shoot some rare pistols that I have to make my own ammo for! Take my brass and you are stealing from me. Not a wise thing considering I do have guns, and I never shoot all the ammo at the range. Normally, I will have a carry gun on my that I don't even shoot during the range session.

Our range is about a dozen miles from town, and we did have a problem there a couple of years ago. A couple of punks tried to rob an old boy at the range (he was alone), and steal his truck. They learned a lesson about the .30-06 that day. He had to fix a couple of bullet holes in his truck though.

While travelling to and fron the range I usually have several thousand dollars worth of guns and accessories, so I always have something exprressly for the purpose of repelling boarders should it become necessary.

 

[joneb]

I will have a carry gun on my that I don't even shoot during the range session.

Amen to that brother

 

[woo18]

What is the big deal...

What is the bid deal? Would you rather the brass just build up to the point where it becomes a nuisance? I don't see the point.

I really hate when people pick up my mess!!!

 

[GunNut]

I go shooting places where I am the only one there, if others are around I'll move on to another spot.

I pick up my own brass, and will pick up other brass that is in very good condition.

Steve

 

[yhtomit]

So long as they're not in the way

At the range I've been to a few times (SE Pennsylvania), I have seen quite a bit of brass on the ground, and picked it up. .45ACP brass in good shape, I've kept, and left other calibers in a neat mound on the shooting bench. (From now on, I'm going to be on the lookout for a few more calibers, though -- even 9mm is looking worth reloading now, so when I finally get a reloading system set up, I'll have some empties to start with.)

The only serious brass scounger I met there was a polite elderly man who arrived with his wife, watched the shooting for a while, and was on good terms with the other shooters present. I saw nothing untoward or offputting in his behavior -- no secret why he was there, and he asked politely whether we were keeping our brass. (We all were, so after a few minutes of small talk, including some good-natured griping about *everyone* keeping their brass nowadays, he and his wife drove off smiling.)

timothy

 

[rockstar.esq]

My range has a "Brasshopper" as I call them. He recognizes me from our frequent meetings, much to his credit he remembers that I reload my brass. He never encroaches on the shooting line, nor does he linger for long. More often than not, he talks to us about guns and shooting.

Totally off topic but I wonder if brass prices continue to rise if we'll see innovations that'll make gathering brass easier, maybe magnetic primers? Dunno, it'd be worth thinking about for sure!

 

[p2000sk]

I was at my range last sunday and everybody else left before closing time. I have a dustpan on a hinged broomhandle (like they use at the mall or movie theatre) with a matching broom. I collected at 3 firing lines for a total of about 30 minutes, and I would estimate about 40 pounds collected.
I haven't sorted it out yet. .22 is getting scrapped for weight.
I will keep whatever calibers I would reload, and scrap anything else that is cracked-stomped-excessively tarnished. Whatevers left is sorted by size and given to people who would reload them.
I'm there to shoot. If there is a vacant firing line toward the end of the day, I'll go see if its worth sweeping up. Its not a sneek thing. Its about being respectful and resourceful.
If someone saw from a distance what was going on, they likely wouldn't mind a bit because I'll pick up other trash and empty the barrels into the dumpter.
Sure I'm taking care of myself and a few others, but I'm also doing more cleaning than most would and that sort of makes it ok- I feel.

 

[SAG0282]

People in this area that didn't pick up their brass and other debris are responsible for closing several great shooting areas. If you're in a similar situation, you shouldn't be leaving brass for them anyway. If not, who cares? Unless you want it, it's a petty concern IMO.

 

[Caimlas]

I don't have a problem with them picking up my brass after I've left. Its the ones that you see out of the corner of your eye chasing the empties when they're still hot that annoy me.

Just cant your rifle/pistol at an angle for a while, and they'll move in close. Then you can pelt them with hot brass and watch them screaming like little girls. Works best with rifles like the AR which eject brass consistently.

 

[4fingermick]

I got no problem with people picking up litter and recycling it and making a few bucks, because that's what brass left on the ground is, litter and a waste of a resourse.

You will probably find that it is a Dad driving his pickup and spending $3 on gas with one of his kids so they can make a $1.50 to buy some kid goodies. I used to spend a fortune in my car with the trailer attached driving the kids around while they earnt a measerly amount of money delivering junk mail and collecting cans and newspapers for recycling to try teach them the work ethic.

Boy, stomping on the brass, what a grump You should ease your cork out a little, you have it screwed in way too tight for your own good. Give em a wave next time and enjoy your day instead of putting your trip to the grave on fast forward. Mick.

 

[outofbattery]

I WISH my range had a couple brass vultures.It'd save me from having to pick up after the cops that flat refuse to police up their piles of .40 as they think it's my job.I also hate that some .22 shooters don't think rimfire counts.
outofbattery likes himself a tidy range.

 

[buck460XVR]

I got no problem with people picking up litter and recycling it and making a few bucks, because that's what brass left on the ground is, litter and a waste of a resourse.

I gotta agree with 4fingermick on this. These are probably the same folks that are picking up the pop/beer cans and bottles out of the roadside ditches that other inconsiderate litterbugs throw out. I've found that at the public ranges where I shoot, that the folk that tend to leave their brass and spent shot shells laying where they fall, tend to leave behind all their other trash. Not that Mad Magyar does this, but it has been my observation of the general public. It's like at the sporting clays range I go to......they have a barrel at every station for spent shells, but there's still hundreds of empties layin' on the ground. Guess those are from the guys that are to tired from the long walk to bend over and pick up their TWO empties. That's what I like about my SxS doubles with manual extractors.

I was taught at a young age and still do it today, to pick up my spent shells when at the range or in the field, not necessarily for reloading, but out of respect for mother earth. Sometimes it's not always practical or even doable, but I still try. Just like I still pick up others pop cans and candy wrappers I find in the woods after hunting season.