Could I be a brass hoarder?

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I went out shooting this afternoon on open land (BLM land) and shot about 400 rounds in my FAL. While out there I picked up every piece of brass I could find, whether I load it or not. I got home with all my own brass plus one completely full gallon zip lock bag and half another one of pistol and rifle brass I picked up out there. Anything I don't load I'll trade for stuff I can use. It is truly amazing what people leave on the ground. I even got 24 pieces of .44 Mag brass that sure looks to be once fired. All in all a good day.
 
I made someone a very happy brass hunter when I bought my first handgun... 2,000 pieces of Winchester White Box .45auto laying on the ground at a local rockpit over the first 6 months:banghead:

It's the weird little stuff now that makes me wish I had a time machine...
 
I think you're perfectly normal for a reloader. 'Course too, US Reloaders aren't exactly normal...
 
You're not a brass hoarder until you begin keeping it by the barrels. See attached.
 

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Wow! I don't know where you folks live that can actually find brass laying on the ground these days. It's been at least 2 years, maybe 3 since I saw a piece of brass laying on the ground. We have one public range and a couple other informal shooting areas on BLM land that people use. 4 years ago it was common to find quite a bit of brand new brass laying there. Anymore though, even people that don't reload or even have an acquaintance who reloads all pick up their brass and save it. Once in a very great while someone might find out I reload and offer to give me a few cases. But not very often. I have even offered to pay non-reloaders for their used brass. Most of them around here don't want to sell it. They aren't sure what they will ever do with it, but they have heard that it's a valuable thing so they just want to hold onto it for some reason.
 
After boolits, brass is the most expensive component for loading. (for what I load)

Saving it/reloading it/taking friend's once-fired makes financial sense.
 
At my LGS indoor range it is often VERY easy to chat with the folks in the booths and have them let me scrounge up their one-fired brass. I always come home with more than I shoot.

There remains a very large population of shooters who do not reload, nor ever plan on doing it. Heck many average shooters just shoot up a box or two every few months at the most and don't blink at the idea of buying range new ammo and just leaving the brass where it falls......... for the rest of us who are happy to sweep up the floor after they are done- lol
 
I set up a range in my back yard after we moved up here. From the very beginning I would pick up all my brass. Then I realized I was missing some. So I got a metal detector, and found them. Well at least 99%+ of them. The wife would ask why I was picking up the spent brass, and I told her it was to keep the mower from picking them up and throwing them through a window. Fortunately she bought that. Then I hinted that with all the brass I had collected, I might as well start reloading. Then I bought a press and a lot of rounds later I am thoroughly hooked. I even reloaded some today. It is an addiction, but a lot less expensive one that tobacco or alcohol, well at least for me.:D
 
I went to the range the other day and spent more time picking up all the brass in the pistol bays than I did shooting. filled up 3 McDonalds large plastic cups (all I had at the time) and ended up with over 500 9mm casings and a variety of others I don't even reload for. Next time I'm bringing a bucket.
 
I love's me some brass!!

Last time I checked I was at 5k 9mm; 5k .40; 3.5k .45; 400 30.06; 800 .223; 1k .38spl; 400 45LC; 300 .357Sig; 500 7.62.39; 600 .270;
300 .243; and a big whoopin' 100ish 380's :scrutiny:

I like Brass :cool:
 
Wanna be a brass trader?

Could I be a brass hoarder?
Click to expand...

doorman,

Yes, it does appear that you are displaying some of the initial symptoms of a brass hoarder.

Are you interested in taking it to the next level?

It seems to me that you happen to have on hand some brass that you don't currently have a need for, specifically the .45 Colt and .357 magnum brass.

How would you like to trade those for something that you do need?

If you have enough to make it worthwhile for both of us, shipping $$ wise, and if you are interested in doing a swap let me know. Shoot me a pm and we'll see??

Seedtick

:)
 
store them in the plastic coffee cans, but make sure you label them. i just found about 600 rds. of 7x57. don't have one, haven't even thought about one, have two other 7mm caliber rifles, just have it. trading it sounds good, next show in a week.
 
Empty cat liter containers ( pails or buckets) make excellent brass storage containers ( look at EddieNFL's post) If you use the containers with the lid on, you can stack the them up to save space. I use a marks-a-lot to lable the containers (pails).
 
As soon as I started reloading I started picking up all the brass I could get, regardless of caliber. I wish I'd started when I started shooting instead of now.
 
Wait till you start picking up fired bullets.
Click to expand...

Many years ago, I ran a Bullseye pistol league.

I made two small, very heavy boat anchors from the lead bullets I picked up. I lost one of them when the outboard wouldn't break it loose from the bottom of the lake.:eek: :D
 
no public ranges within 50 miles of me......the only brass i get is the brass i shoot.

there is a range for the local PD. Ive thought about asking the chief (he is a good friend of mine) to save any 9mm, 40, or 45 acp brass for me. not sure if they save it or just sweep it up and chunk it.
 
there is a range for the local PD. Ive thought about asking the chief (he is a good friend of mine) to save any 9mm, 40, or 45 acp brass for me. not sure if they save it or just sweep it up and chunk it.
Click to expand...

Ya snooze, ya lose.....sounds like a great opportunity going to waste. Just sayin'.....
 
+1

originally posted by bamacisa -
Empty cat liter containers ( pails or buckets) make excellent brass storage containers ( look at EddieNFL's post) If you use the containers with the lid on, you can stack the them up to save space. I use a marks-a-lot to lable the containers (pails)
Click to expand...

^ What he said.^

Seedtick

:)
 
I bought some of these new 2 gal. paint buckets at Home Depot, ain't gonna have any more cats! These buckets will outlive me. And I use a china marker instead of a Sharpie or Magic Marker, the china marker will wipe off, kinda like a crayon.

DSCN3116.jpg
 
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