Picking up brass.....am I the ONLY one?

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nojoke

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So, I've read posts here about reloading....duh. I'm just wondering about obtaining the brass....:scrutiny:

Thing is, every time I've gone to my local indoor range, nobody....and I mean nobody ever picks up brass. I haven't started cuz I'm a little self conscience about doing it.

Is there a magic way of doing it? A spiffy little tool or something? Do I need to ask?
 
Welcome to the world of brass scrounging. Thousands of people do it, don't feel embarrassed. Being 6' tall, I look like a rooster pecking at the ground when I pick up brass.

They make spiffy roller deals originally meant for golf balls, but you have to empty it every hundred cases or so. I just walk around with a coffee can and dump every so often into my ammo case.
 
Depends. If it's YOUR brass, go right ahead and police it up and take it home with you. If it's NOT yours, then you're gonna have to know the rules of the house when it comes to spent brass.

Some ranges don't allow customers to keep brass that isn't theirs, because they collect it all at the end of the day and sell it back to commercial reloaders. Sometimes, even if they do sell used brass back to reloaders, they'll let you pick up a bit here & there as long as they know you're not hauling it out by the truckload, ya know?

best bet is to just keep your own stuff, and ask about taking some more if you really really want or need it. Or, ask other shooters if they'd mind you taking theirs if they're not gonna use it. I've done it a few times and the worst I've gotten is a "hands off".

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Brass scrounger right here! If there's brass laying around that looks like it's bronze, and buried in the ground, I guarantee you are free to take what you like :)

Oddly enough, I don't see much of what I'm after, I'm sure because a lot of ppl do.

Of course, it's not like I have a route of ranges I hit or nuttin :D
 
I only got about 250/half a bag of 9mm today, because there were an unusual number of other scroungers younger, faster and more agile than I am.

I have never purchased 9mm brass. The money I save goes for good bullets, good primers and good powder.
 
My dad and I always pick up brass, but only our own. Fortunately, we always hit the range early and have the place to ourselves which makes it a lot easier. We started saving it two years ago, and needless to say we have a lot, and I have yet to start reloading. But I hope to remedy that situation this summer.
 
I bring a dustpan, a brush, and a cake pan to the indoor range to collect my own brass.
 
I always picked up brass...long before I ever started reloading. I knew at some point I'd get into reloading and always knew that brass would be worth money at the recycling center or brass can be traded.

I have buckets and buckets of brass...and many of the brass in calibers that I do not reload.
 
one of the most nerve racking things I have ever done was ask the local sheriff if I could scrounge his range. Well, lets just say he won my vote and I will never need to pick up brass again.
 
The indoor range I shoot at provides brooms and waste pans. I sweep all I can reach into a pile and when I empty the waste pan I just kind of "miss" the brass bucket. I empty it into a couple of gallon sized zip-lock bags I keep in my range bag for the purpose. I then sort into different buckets at my house. All the oddball or damaged brass goes to helping out my "powder fund".
 
My brass that I shoot...yes!
Brass others shoot...depends.

Depends on if they want it, and if they don't, and I can use it, yes, I'll pick it up, examine it and then decide whether to keep it or not.
 
Thing is, every time I've gone to my local indoor range, nobody....and I mean nobody ever picks up brass. I haven't started cuz I'm a little self conscience about doing it.

No it doesn't bother me to pick up brass. There have been times when people see me picking it up they help me. I have picked up a little bit of brass.

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I always clean up after others so I can find my brass easier. I'll clean one or two lanes to the left and right of me. I dont' do indoor ranges anymore because brass that goes in FRONT of the firing line is off limits and I can't get to it. I lost brass that way and so don't do indoor anymore. I have a little bag that came with my range bag and that is what I use to fill up. Depending on how littered my area is, I may empty an outside pocket and put extra brass in there. I usually fill up my little bag with just my brass and if it is a productive day, then I'll have a TON of extra brass. My range bag generally is heavier than when I went in.
 
If a guy next to me is shooting factory new, and it's my caliber, I'll ask if I can scrounge it. That said, I usually take only enough to make up for what I lose in front of the line. I rarely come out with more than I started with. Gotta be careful. Sometimes I leave my brass if I feel it's showing signs of wear. I bought some used range brass and have no idea how old it is. That stuff gets fired once by me and left. Wonder how many times that's been done.
 
Most ranges I've been at, always have a sign that says that the brass is the property of the range, and you can only pick up your own.

I only keep the revolver brass (.45LC and .38spl), as I don't have to go looking for it, I leave the .380 & 9mm behind. I also started shooting a rifle, so I keep those although I haven't started to reload those rounds yet.
 
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On Mary's Peak in the quarry I simply go and pick up what I see. Nobody has complained yet. At the indoor range ... I ask and pick up what I see. Nobody has complined yet. As a matter of fact. I know several people in my local little hippie cafe who sometimes hand me baggies with shiny little brass things in them.
 
I guess the difference for me is I don't shoot at a public range, I belong to a club. I get most of my brass from ROing IDPA and GSSF matches. Also if I go to our range after the police qualify I can pick up a bunch of 40 and 223.
 
Indoor use a broom and dust pan. Outdoor I use four different methods. Two hands, Bag a nut, Nut wizard or my homemade brassvac.

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