FWIW - I use 1-gallon milk jugs with the neck area cut out about the size of my fist, but all the handle still intact. Those make great brass gathering buckets. I nearly always come home with at least 1/2 gallon of various brass. I only fill' em halfway, they get too heavy, so I always carry two. I have to resist picking up cases for scrap, or I'd NEVER get to shoot.
Brass on the ground
- Thread starter swiftak
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evan price
Member
I clean at the club range, and I get a five gallon bucket of range brass a month, plus whatever I scrounge when I am out & about at various ranges.
I don't turn down any brass, even the dented, tarnished, brown, nasty Berdan rifle junk that's been stomped into the mud. It's all brass. I won't pick up short .22's like LRs unless it's a big handful sitting in one pile on the bench- but I grab take 22 Mag and .17 HMR long cases for scrap. I love going to the range and seeing the rifle range glistening in the sunlight...
As far as once fired or not, typically around here people who reload take all the brass they can find. If they leave the brass it is usually WWB or Blazer Brass that was bought at Wal*Mart an hour before shooting it.
.223 is usually mil-crimped so you know it's once fired.
I get lots of military rifle cases with sealed/crimped primer. Once fired, for sure.
As far as once-fired, who cares? I have .45 acp with headstamps from the 1930's and it reloads fine.
Every now and then I split a pistol case. It goes in the scrap bin. When the case or rim gets too banged up to my eye, into the scrap bin.
As far as rifle, if I get one load out of it, it's free, isn't it? Inspect, trim, and look for thinning at the web. If any doubt- scrap bucket.
Member of the official Brass Rat Alliance (With the dumpster-stains on my shirt).
I love the types that carefully put the brass right back in the box and put it in the trash. Revolvers, rifles, etc. Makes my day.
I don't turn down any brass, even the dented, tarnished, brown, nasty Berdan rifle junk that's been stomped into the mud. It's all brass. I won't pick up short .22's like LRs unless it's a big handful sitting in one pile on the bench- but I grab take 22 Mag and .17 HMR long cases for scrap. I love going to the range and seeing the rifle range glistening in the sunlight...
As far as once fired or not, typically around here people who reload take all the brass they can find. If they leave the brass it is usually WWB or Blazer Brass that was bought at Wal*Mart an hour before shooting it.
.223 is usually mil-crimped so you know it's once fired.
I get lots of military rifle cases with sealed/crimped primer. Once fired, for sure.
As far as once-fired, who cares? I have .45 acp with headstamps from the 1930's and it reloads fine.
Every now and then I split a pistol case. It goes in the scrap bin. When the case or rim gets too banged up to my eye, into the scrap bin.
As far as rifle, if I get one load out of it, it's free, isn't it? Inspect, trim, and look for thinning at the web. If any doubt- scrap bucket.
Member of the official Brass Rat Alliance (With the dumpster-stains on my shirt).
I love the types that carefully put the brass right back in the box and put it in the trash. Revolvers, rifles, etc. Makes my day.
Even the steel and alum goes home with me, no reason to trash it. I can take it to the scrap dealer down the street from my house and get something for it. No need to sort it at all, its just scrap steel or alum to him. Might as well recycle it somehow. In states without bottle deposits, what do you do with your pop and beer cans?
LoneViking - what you are describing sounds like the range is probably being used for tactical training purposes at times when it is not open to the general public. Those little piles are left behind when someone stopped to unload a mag before advancing to their next vantage point.
ZeSpectre
Member
Everybody takes all the brass and doesn't leave any for ME 
Not to mention that my .380 cases all seem to bang out into 9mm after being shot because I can shoot 50 rounds of .380 and when I start policing my brass I'll have 20 .380 cases and 30 9mm cases. WEIRD!
Not to mention that my .380 cases all seem to bang out into 9mm after being shot because I can shoot 50 rounds of .380 and when I start policing my brass I'll have 20 .380 cases and 30 9mm cases. WEIRD!
ForneyRider
Member
I got a brass catcher for my AR from Brownell's.
There are cheaper ones available, but mine doesn't melt like some of the cheaper ones. It's pretty handy, but deflects more than it catches. Be great to find one for my 1911.
I wish everyone with semi-auto had one. Our local range is open so the brass gets thrown 2-3 stations over.
The Gibson's range-master/owner lets you pick up as long as you are quick. Garland Public range is pick up your own only, but has fabric between the stalls.
I see more live ammo on ground now that AR's and SKS/AK's are more common. Last visit I got handful of live ammo, 1-2 were steel, but rest were brass. I will still pull them apart. But I can see it from the range's view of not letting you pick up stuff. Plus it can slow down the clearing of the firing line. Of course, I pick up all I can.
There are cheaper ones available, but mine doesn't melt like some of the cheaper ones. It's pretty handy, but deflects more than it catches. Be great to find one for my 1911.
I wish everyone with semi-auto had one. Our local range is open so the brass gets thrown 2-3 stations over.
The Gibson's range-master/owner lets you pick up as long as you are quick. Garland Public range is pick up your own only, but has fabric between the stalls.
I see more live ammo on ground now that AR's and SKS/AK's are more common. Last visit I got handful of live ammo, 1-2 were steel, but rest were brass. I will still pull them apart. But I can see it from the range's view of not letting you pick up stuff. Plus it can slow down the clearing of the firing line. Of course, I pick up all I can.
Ooh yeah, I found 150+ LC 223 at the range one trip. I'm guilty of scrounging for brass more than shooting. If I could pick up used brass as fast as I can dump it on the ground, I'd be one happy man. I know, brasscatcher...blah, blah. I also try to avoid reloaders as shooitng partners, I don't need the competition.
Just kidding.I do the same, but I don't waste all day doing it because the public impromptu range I frequent is also frequented by those that think the world is their own personal trashcan.
During our local USPSA matches, I am the "brass monkey". I put all of the brass into a big bucket and tell everyone that they can "grab their own" out of teh bucket. By the end of the match most of them figure it is a waste of time and leave it with me. I also practice on Mondays, when the ranges still have tons of leftovers from Saturday and Sunday matches.
swiftak
Member
I also pick up trash at the pit. Thats what I meant by slobs. 180 mixed headstamp 223s today, All mine
ljnowell
Member
Kinda funny, but my wife has been shooting long enough with me that when I shoot my g21 she will stand behind me and when I stop shooting to reload, she starts picking up brass. lol. Most of our shooting is done at the home range, but when we go to one of the others she watches to see who is shooting what. That way when the leave if they are leaving .45acp or .38spl she grabs it quick as she can.
scrat
Member
Ya someone ask RC Model how much brass he has. i think he has barrels full.
VINTAGE-SLOTCARS
member
I wear a back pack and go into the moutains after the week end. Some times I will only carry a .45 acp. I will scroung around and pick up 10-15 pounds of good brass. I have found mags, stripper clips , field glasses. All my reloading buddies get to sort thru the stash. Yea it's kinda like egg hunting. I have five gallon cans full of clean polished brass ready to go.
I pick up all the brass that I see. That is something I do anywhere I see it. It amazes me how people just shoot, let it fly, and forget about it. I am glad those people are out there. I really enjoy picking up brass when I see it and really I am not that picky about what caliber it is, well other than any 22 brass. I figure that I may own a gun someday that might use it, so it is no big deal to me. Especially when there is lots of it.
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