range won't let me keep my own brass!?

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My local indoor range for a while was making people run a sharpie pen ovee the back of the ammo you bring. To show its yours if u want to take home. I thought that was pretty chintzy. Most of the tim my auto loader brass hits the wall of the shooting lane and b ounces in the range. Gone forever. Whatevs I don't reload currently but I do save whatever brass I can for some day when I will. I agree that if it is not posted somewhere clear then I'd tell them to go pound sand
 
The range I shoot at is public and you can pick up brass or not. I've picked up thousands of cases while shooting. The range also has 'gleaners' guys who come in after the range is closed to pick up brass! The only 'problem' I have is the blessed .40 shooters don't seem to reload and I have to pick through their shells for 9mm & .45. :cuss:

I've also shot at ranges where you had to shoot ammo the range sold. That range asked if you were going to collect the brass, if you were, you paid a higher price for the ammo. Very up front about their policies and very polite. They also rented guns, which made me feel better about using their ammo.
 
They have to inform you about the brass rule before you enter.

This is true but if you push the issue, they will probably ask you not to return. As for me you wouldnt catch me in there. I reload ALL my ammo and not one else is going to put their grabbing mitts on my brass.
Find another range!

Ps I do buy fired brass from several souces and one guy told me he gets 400 pounds of mixed brass a month that he buys from a range.
MMmm $2.16 x 400 lbs. that range is making an extra $860 per month!!!! even at scrap pricing and you know they are getting more than that for clean brass for reloading!

Roger
 
My range says no steel cased ammo and you can't pick up your brass. The signs clearly state that you have to rake the brass forward. They sell it to Atlanta arms and then resell it in their shop. The way around it is position your open range bag where it catches your brass. You won't get all of it, but you get a lot.

There is another range in town, but the floor is so littered with brass you have to sweep out a spot to stand - lol it's a mess. Reloader heaven I guess.
 
my old range doesnt but he will readily tell you is you shoot .45 long or .460 he loves it when you leave your brass
 
Most ranges I frequent have signs that say something to the effect of: All brass on the floor is the property of the range. You are allowed to police YOUR OWN brass. No range is going to keep MY brass, ever.
 
At our local range, before I start sending lead downrange, I sweep the lane clear to well past the redline - That way anything in my lane I know is mine, and while they also have a "hit the floor" policy posted, they have never stopped me from policing my own brass. A lot of cops shoot issue practice ammo there and abandon their brass, so it's not that big a deal for them.

I did shoot at one who were posterior orfices about it... once. They were pretty overtly nasty about it, and I made a point of stepping on as much shiny stuff as I could before kicking it forward (call it my safety attitude, as I didn't want myself or anyone else slipping on the round stuff on the ground!)... as I was shooting a lot of 22 there it kinda sorta didn't matter, but they had a lot of other stuff there that was good for the smelter only. No rule about not stepping on brass left on the floor...;)
 
I've heard of ranges like this before. I won't go to places that enforce any such policy. If they don't want me taking brass someone else left, that's fine. But, they don't own my property just because I dropped it on the floor.

I do accept and understand the more common rule by which ranges say that brass in front of the firing line is off-limits. Imagine the safety issues that could be created by people going down range at a public indoor range in an attempt to grab their brass! If I can reach it without going forward of the line, it goes with me.
 
@Dubya: I never felt right shooting at Metro. It was too expensive and there were never too many people there. That could be a good thing, but I had to wonder why it wasn't packed if it wasn't supposed to be so attractive. Since I've gotten to know the main guys at Bill's, my shooting experiences there have been positive. I prefer the Pine City location. I will never buy ammo from them however. You can buy range tokens in bulk and save a nice chunk of change over the course of the year. Good luck.
 
The only indoor range in my town is just 2 miles from my house. It used to be owned by a guy I knew. When he owned it you could collect "your own" brass. The range has sence changed ownership. Some time ago, one of my shooting buddies and I stop in to shoot for an hour or so, after signing the waivers and what not, we're getting ready begin and notice a sign on the door going to the lanes "all brass is the property of the range". My friend says to me "I'm not shooting if a can't keep my brass", I ask the guy behind the counter, "what's up with new rule" , he says "if the brass hits the floor it's ours, if you can catch it before then it's yours". Needless to say we both walked out and have not returned.
 
Bottom line:
The range can make any rules they want concerning brass but they have to inform you what the rule is before you pay in order for the rule to be legally binding.

When in doubt ask first.
 
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I was informed of such a range policy by a RO after my first string of fire when i went to pick up my brass. The policy was apparently verbal because there was not one posted sign anywhere. After explaining to him that i reloaded all my own ammo and was only interested in retrieving my brand new starline .45 brass. He reluctantly told me he guessed i could pick it up,but only my brass and stay away from the mountain of brass he had swept against the wall or the owner would get mad as they sell all the brass to someone. I told him that was fine and it was until i began to shoot again and he became very interested in my marksmanship skills. This RO was like a vulture with a broom as soon as i began to shoot. Bottom line,first visit to this gunshop/range,short visit, last visit.
 
So the owner of Metro is seeing how much damage he did to himself by not allowing you to pick up your own shells and is now doing damage control? I wouldn't go there again if I were you OP. You said you were the first person there that day, of course you were picking up your own shells.
 
Well there was one other older guy there for about 20 min but he was shooting a 41 magnum (I asked him because it was LOUD) and when he emptied his cylinder he put the empties in his gun case. So yeah, the only brass on the floor was mine and my buddies. I'm actually going to the range tomorrow and ill speak with the owner if he's in and let u guys know how it goes.
 
Count in the group that says it is fine provided that you are explicitly told of the policy up front. Seems like it would reduce business, but whatever, they are free to make that decision. If, however, there was no way to know until during/after shooting...it's my brass, I'm taking it and not coming back.

My range has signs up claiming that removing brass is strictly forbidden/violators will be punished to the extent of the law, or something. I've always taken that to mean the brass of others/the buckets of brass that get swept up and stick around...but not your own brass. I regularly pick up my own brass for most calibers these days. Wheelguns are the easiest...rarely does it hit the deck.
 
I would take my brass anyway and then tell them I am never coming back. If they want to take issue with that I would tell them to call the police....
I paid for the ammo, that means the brass is mine. Presumably I am paying for the range as well.

Obviously if I was made aware of the policy beforehand I would never have paid money to go to the range or stepped onto the firing line.

At my range, the owner encourages those who do not want their brass to leave it on the range so others who do reload can pick it up (free of course).
 
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Just because it is private property doesn't give them the right to take something that is yours.

Is it legal for Wal-Mart to post a sign that says, "If you drop your wallet in our store it automatically becomes ours." Sorry, but just because it is private property and you post a sign does not negate property rights.

If it was or is legally yours and you drop it, you can pick it up. It is still yours.
 
dubya450, Did you get to talk to the owner of Metro on the 13th? If so did the situation get taken care of. I am under the impression we can pick up our own brass, but can not clean up and take everyone's brass laying around. Would like to hear an update.

DMH
 
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