Rude jerk at the range today

Not cool, you did the right thing, the safety of your family is not worth risking over brass.

Chalk it up to the guy needing it more than you.

You did the right thing, and yes it's hard.

I've seen similar activity. Because of this, I pick up my brass frequently, so the most of mine there could ever be lying on the floor/ground is a mag or two worth. If this were my 9mm brass I would have said something like, "Sure, if you're that hard up, go ahead." But that's if he asks first. But .257 Bob or 45-70 brass? No freakin' way he's stealing that from me. Of course, that doesn't hit the ground unless it happens to roll off the bench.

I'm not sure I could have been as...well, let's just say I think I may have handled it differently. I'm not criticizing the OP; I sometimes don't take jerkism very well.

Never had that happen to me at a private range.

You were the bigger man.

He was a butthead

I am from a rural area and a member of a sportsman club. I have never seen anyone act like that. Everyone I have encountered would help me pick up my brass and I do the same for others.
I know it don't help much - but you did the right thing!

This has happened to me before at the Public range in AL. Was shooting the M1 and went down to do a target change and half way back up from changing my target I spotted this Chinese guy with a plastic trashcan wandering around picking up brass. He managed to grab about half a dozen of my carefully prepped .30-06 cases before I made it back and quickly snatched up the rest. Thankfully he got the hint. Same range, there is a brass scrounger/reseller that hangs out at the range on weekends and sends his kids to scavenge for brass, but at least he has taught his kids manners and they will at least ask before they pickup your brass.

I have paid what I consider good money for brass and don't want it stolen from me. I would have likely given him one more friendly notice that he was taking my property. If he continued, I would have likely called the proper LE and let them sort it out. I would likely go as far as prosecution.

It may not feel like it but with the family with you, you did the right thing. Maybe point this out to the range officer if they have one. I don't tolerate arrogance/rudeness very well either but sometimes you have to.

Or you could accidently step on his hand when walking by.

As I get older and older theres not much worth a arguing over with a stranger, theres to many strange people. Best just leave with your family and know you have a happier life not needing to snatch up a fellows brass.

Some years ago, I had a fellow actually scrounging my brass even as I was firing. He would jump on a case almost before it hit the ground. I was ticked off, not because he was taking my brass, but because he was distracting me.

Made me mad enough that I didn't tell him it was Berdan primed.

Jim

Only time I've picked up brass that wasn't mine was with the permission of the shooter, or brass that had been abandoned.

I can't say what is do in the OP's situation. Probably just chalk it up as a loss, not worth getting bent out of shape over, even/ especially in these turbulent times.

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Or you could accidently step on his hand when walking by.

How could he object to that?--if it's on the ground, it's fair game

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LOL! True enough! Had it been me I probably would not have been so nice, but all the people I meet at ranges are really nice. Had he been taking my .45s I would have been upset, had he taken my .475 Wildey, or .50 AE brass he would have been in trouble.

Many years ago, when we were in our early 20's, four of us were at an underground commercial indoor rifle range in the Chicago area - we were "regulars" and the only ones on the range so the range officer took a break and left us to ourselves. In due course, an older guy wandered in and began scrounging our brass. (We all were reloaders.)

We politely informed him that it was ours, and he replied with a smirk "Finders keepers" and kept on picking up the brass and pocketing it as it hit the ground.

When he tried to leave, I blocked the door and told him to return our brass. He told me to move or he'd slap me out of the way.

I informed him rather colorfully that . . . well, this being The High Road and all, let's just say with four of us around him, he emptied his pockets of what he attempted to steal, albeit with poor grace. When we told the range officer about this he said they'd had other complaints about the guy, and he wasn't even supposed to be on the range.

Fortunately, I've found that persons like him are the exception - not the rule - in the shooting community.

I always ask first before picking up brass around someone's table. Things would have gotten heated if they kept picking up my brass.

Jim K said:

Some years ago, I had a fellow actually scrounging my brass even as I was firing. He would jump on a case almost before it hit the ground. I was ticked off, not because he was taking my brass, but because he was distracting me.

Made me mad enough that I didn't tell him it was Berdan primed.

Jim

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doubt he would have cared... brass monkeys generally scrounge for scrap. Doubt he was even a shooter. Next week he'll be ripping the catalytic converter out of your truck and the copper pipe out of your house.

This is why I ALWAYS ask if someone is okay with me policing up some brass. Some like to reload their brass as I do. If they don't want it, I'll pick some up after they leave. Politeness, manners, and respect around others with firearms all the time.

Here at our public range people see me collecting brass and call me over to get theirs, there are 2 other guys that collect brass every day, when we see each others cars we just skip the range the other is at (there are 7 ranges +1 LEO only).

last time I was there though I had a guy walk downrange while I was SHOOTING! when I stopped and yelled to him 'Going hot!' he looked up and said OK but didn't move. I stopped firing and policed my brass while I waited for him to get back behind the line, after he did I resumed shooting but when I turned to get a drink he was picking up my uncles brass from the bench.

I took it out of his hand and put it in my bag and we cleaned up and left, I did ask him if he was a special kind of stupid for walking downrange and he looked at me confused, like he didn't know you can't do that.

Was this at nampa rod and gun...or out at the public near pickle butte?

Kudos! You displayed wisdom. Witnessing you use wisdom in a tight situation was excellent for your family. I'd forget about the fool.

This is why some ranges won't even let you pick up your brass. Aside from the 'burned fingers' liability

I know a guy (call him Bob, technically a friend of a friend) who had someone do that to him. Bob said you can have my brass but please wait till I'm done. The stranger was insulted and when bob was down range at a cease fire this guy grabbed bobs rifle and shot at bob. Yes rso and others tackled this guy, called leos, and the stranger did prison time. Yes, over brass. There are crazy folks out there so I don't like to honk horns, stare at people, etc. I let many things slide. You handled it well.

As Yo Mama said

Chalk it up to the guy needing it more than you.

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I have found, in life in general, what goes around eventually comes around. You probably won't get to see the results of his being an a$$, but know that eventually he will "get-his" in return for that.