Marking Brass

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greyghost01

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This will sound ridiculous and it is, The range that is close to me is next to Ft Carson, Its a nice enough range, The problem is you are shoulder to shoulder when shooting, I usually pick the far right hand position so all my brass lands in the dirt instead of on concrete. However there were so many shooters they allowed 3 guys to move a picnic table up on my right, That was ok They were shooting and so was I. When cease fire was called I went to pick up my brass and there was none, It was all picked up. I asked them where all the brass went. They said they didn't know, that they only picked up theirs, 3 of them one of me with loaded weapons so I didn't push the issue, I fired again they picked up all the brass again, This time I told the Range Officer and He said there was nothing he could do, So what could I use to mark my brass so it would be easy to identify it was mine. Sounds stupid I know but I reload and that brass is important to me, I left and have not been back for over 6 mo but I now drive 40 miles as this range is about 5 miles. I couldn't believe this was an issue but they had no problem stealing my brass and basically they just didn't care. Not a good situation Im not used to backing down but didn't have much choice, I do not want to be in that situation again. I hate thieves.
 
Use a magic marker to put a stripe around the brass. That's what I do when I'm trying to hang onto brass that might otherwise get grabbed.
 
What are you shooting? Rifle Handgun or both? There are a few good brass catchers on the market, I can recommend only one really good one for the AR 15 platform. For handguns there is one that works pretty well if you gun ejects brass consistently.

Other than that. as mention a bright colored sharpie (I use Blue) but heck if they are gonna steal brass then they will grab it anyway.
 
Thanks I was thinking a sharpie, Figured spray paint would be to much of a build up, If I go again and it happens, I will press charges just wanted away to identify what was mine, I was shooting 308 out of a SIG 716
Ive tried a brass catcher on my AR15 It was a PIA and didn't work well
 
I own my own range, and most if not all of my friends that shoot with me reload, so we're constantly getting into "who's brass is who's".

The solution we use is an alcohol marker on the primers. It doesn't detract from reliability and it's punched out when it's reloaded. I load my rounds in plastic boxes bullets down, so it only takes a minute or two per 100 rd box.

Chuck
 
greyghost01 said:
Thanks I was thinking a sharpie, Figured spray paint would be to much of a build up, If I go again and it happens, I will press charges just wanted away to identify what was mine, I was shooting 308 out of a SIG 716
Ive tried a brass catcher on my AR15 It was a PIA and didn't work well
Click to expand...

The only brass catcher for an AR is the one made by 3 Buc. I put a lot of work into prrep of my AR brass. I want it ALL back!

The 3Buc is not cheap but I guarantee it is the best. From Brownells or direct,

Even Jeff of Gun Blast loves it

http://www.brownells.com/shooting-a...15-m16-brass-savr-brass-catcher-prod1541.aspx

http://www.3bucc.com/
 
I would have stuck the rounds down the back of my pants rubbing up and down then sneezed on them before loading the next mag.;)

I have a few catchers from these folks that work well.
http://www.elmfg.com/store/brasscatcher.html


The strap on style move around too much for me but I have modified them to work well too.

IMG_20150115_174958_594_zpsfbfa0705.jpg

IMG_20150115_175342_392_zpsc008a3fe.jpg
 
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Mark the brass so NOBODY could deny it is yours. If they steal it: Take a cell phone pic of the perp and call a cop.

Theft is theft. Depending on the cost of new brass it could be worth the effort. I sometimes shoot 100 to 200 rounds at a session. Could add up to a felony if the value is there.
 
Ft. Carson in Colorado Springs? Join the Ben Lomond Gun Club and never deal with brass thieves again! Or have to shoot next to others on the line either, unless you want to. www.blgc.org
 
This will sound ridiculous and it is, The range that is close to me is next to Ft Carson, Its a nice enough range,
Click to expand...

Close and nice enough but..?

I do not want to be in that situation again. I hate thieves.
Click to expand...

I do not shoot at a range that does not have rules that are understood by everyone. I have been the benefactor of brass and more importantly ammo boxes like the ones that hold 20 bottle neck cases and 50 rounds and or 100 rounds with the plastic trays for pistol cases.

Open firing lines, there have been a few times ejected cases have started to cover me up, in those situations I have put up partitions made of corrugated boxes. Nothing personal, nothing offensive.

My cases: I was at the range shooting special cases, no one else was using them, every time I fired a case someone would run it down. Instead of treating them like I was dealing with someone that never learned to act in public I went to the range office. I explained to them the one individual started with a 1 cubic foot tool box that was empty and has finished filling it with cases from the firing line. When he left they had him empty his tool box. The rule is very clear, your brass is your brass. You are not allowed to pick up our brass.

F. Guffey
 
FWIW - if you have access to a small benchtop lathe, you could use a pointed tool and very lightly scribe a shallow ring on the case head, like this. Just enough to see it. This will permanently mark your brass, and is a good way to mark altered brass, like 9mm Makarov cases made from 9mm Luger cases.

It would be a PITA to mark a lot of brass like this, but if you want a permanent and indisputable way to do so.....

DSCN1816_zps8943e24d.jpg
 
Wow, sorry to hear about such a bad experience . I've never been there, but was thinking about going sometime. Probably wont now :). Dragon Man's is probably pretty close by and the Pikes Peak Gun Club as well. Never had a problem either of those two places, but the PPGC in particular is nice. I'm not a member but have been a guest several times. I understand the Ben Lomond Gun Club that Rondog suggested is a really great place, but I've never been there either. I shoot at my place for the most part, but the weather hasnt been cooperating lately.

If I find some brass where the primer went in a little too easy, (but not so easy it is a risk) I mark it with a green sharpie and it gets tossed after being shot. Should work well enough for your uses, too.
 
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Some things I do: use a sharpie and fill in the rim, or using a sharpie color in the primer.
Next time someone jacks your brass start bragging about how it's the 14th time you've loaded up those cases way over max loads, people here sure are nice they took the time to clean up after you ;)

So much for once fired brass, boys. Have fun tellin em apart!
 
I'm a little surprised the RO refused to do anything about a theft on the range he's responsible for.

I agree a marker will color the primer and will let you prove the brass is yours. 308 brass is not cheap and your brass is your property.

POINT, don't feel bad about "backing down". You were smart enough to realize it was a no win and used good sense. (it would bother me too even though I did the smart thing)
 
The strap on style move around too much for me but I have modified them to work well too.
Click to expand...
Very cool mod. Has me thinking. :)

Sorry about the brass problem greyghost01. In that situation it is stand your ground or lose your brass, and even then, you might not get it back. Sounds like a brass catcher or deflector is the answer.

The RO can't prove whose brass is whose, so I can't blame them too much for not trying to help, which of course is why you are asking how to mark it. Many people use magic markers, but I like rondog's idea.
 
There's also a catcher that looks like a fishing net for pistols. It clamps to the bench. Some ranges have gone to a policy of any brass that hits the floor is theirs. If no one can pick up there are no feuds. I have lost brass to those who sweep up before my mag is empty. First, they need to get a life. Second, if that occurs, there are buckets for swept brass that people don't want. I make use of them and take about what I lost.
 
In addition to the 3 Bucc catchers I have on my Ar's I had made a net from a old fishing net and it worked well. Then Caldwell came out with this one and it works very well once you calculate the trajectory of you ejected brass. Some of my guns it will catch 99% of them. I just hate picking up brass.

If the range environment you are shooting at has brass thieves, marking them is not going to do you any good. They will steal it anyway!,

Who runs the range? The State, Feds?? Report the RO to who ever. We have a Sate run Public range and they will not put up with that nonsense.

You can put this on the bench or on a tripod. I like it!

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/771785/caldwell-universal-brass-trap
 
similar thing happened last time I went shooting. a couple was set up next to me. we were both shooting 9 mm and I ended up with a lot less brass than the amount I was shooting. I could have pushed the issue since it looked like they were shooting factory ammo and was using one brand whereas I was shooting mixed brass. let it slide by. just mentioned I'm also picking mine up.

I've usually ended up with more 9 mm brass than what I shoot since a lot of people don't bother to reload 9 mm in the range I shoot in. I usually end up clearing my spot, picking up previously shot 9 mm and tossing the 40s out of the way(don't load it) so as to have a clean area so I can identify my brass.

I do get irritated when someone makes their way up the line and just starts picking up brass. I usually ask the next door lanes if they reload and if they don't i'll ask for their brass.
 
I've thought about getting custom headstamps before for some of my stuff. I'd love to find a place that could do them for a somewhat reasonable price.
 
Color in the primers with any color sharpie. It has worked well for me in the past when I needed to retreive specific pieces of brass for testing purposes.
 
here is a similar brass catcher i made in 2004 or so
light weight mesh with velcro on the bottom so i can empty it without removing it. worked on several different guns as you can see both 223 and 45acp in the pics

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One of our local ranges has small window screens that attach to the benches to catch brass.
Or more accurately, bounce brass back toward where it came from.
Works good, too.
 
Here is something I made for catching my brass at the range. I made it primarily for pistol shooting, but works well enough for rifle. Takes a second to setup, but I made it to snap together.

Brass Catcher
 
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