Range brass

[lead chucker]

Some people just dont know the value of brass. Every time i go to the range seems like i leave with more than i come with. I have found more than 1000 40 SW cases i dont have any use for them but talked to a guy and he traded me a can of 2400 and a can of unique for them. I though that was a good trade.

[garym1a2]

Save the odd ones they are like gold. I found over 110 .45 colt once and a half a box of 500s&W another time. Once I get motivated I will sell some brass on this site.

If all else fails you may get a buck or two out of them as scap brass.

[Shiloh]

Got about 80 pieces of .30-30 brass once by just asking the guy if he reloaded.
"Nope. No time to learn. You want 'em??"

Shiloh

[bobthenailer]

I cant leave those BRASS NUGGETS alone either ! every time i go to the range i look for range brass. i usually come home with at least 25 + cases every time .
One time i went to the range and there was a box on the bench with 500 brand new starline 38 special cases & about 150 fired 357 mags cases ! The writing on the box said help youreself ! and i did .

[Harter66]

I traded off upwards of 2000 AR class cases,I've probably 3-400 pistol cases that I can't use too.

Little pearls FWIW 32 Rem ,and presumably 25 and 30 can be made w/short necks out of 6.8 Rem it might funtion as 7.62x39 in a pinch too.

The range brass keeps me in 9mm and throw away 12/20 ga cases . I find some real gems from time to time too . Like the 8mm Mannlicher and 50 Boewolf and AE. My favorite find so far ,the 7mm Rem Mag w/Weatherby shoulders.

[atr]

Same here, I always come away with range brass from our small range
mostly .38 spl and .357 and 30-06, but also some 45-70, .270, .257 Roberts and 30-30

[btroj]

If nothing else I keep them as scrap. Last time I went to the scrap yard I got 2.68 a pound for brass. I had 44 pounds of it. Went a long way towards buying some lead.

[1Shirt]

If I can use them or sell them if they are in good condition great. If not I sell as scrap.
1Shirt!:coffeecom

[lead chucker]

One mans trash is another mans tresure. I find alot of 45 acp wich is great for my black hawk convertible. Every so often i find 45 acp with a small primer pocket Not sure what thats about.

[Rocky Raab]

I'll pick up cases that are undeniably new - such as if the factory box is lying there, too. Or really odd stuff for my photo collection -- There was a box of fired 50 Beowulf last time. I took one.

But brass that's been reloaded? No way. No reloader would leave brass behind unless it is worn out.

[sqlbullet]

I always get a bunch when I go to indoor ranges. Lots of mall-ninja types there that just leave the floor littered with it so people can slip and fall. I am a good citizen and clean up the whole area after making sure no other reloaders are present. If there are, I ask them what they are shooting and give them all that brass I find.

What amazes me is the the 1-2% of loaded rounds I find. Some guys has a jam of some sort and just racks the slide and keeps going. Never even inspects the round they ejected.

Having all that brass makes me popular with my reloading friends. I shoot 10mm most of the time, so all the 45, 40, 9mm gets passed along.

[Bwana]

I'll pick up cases that are undeniably new - such as if the factory box is lying there, too. Or really odd stuff for my photo collection -- There was a box of fired 50 Beowulf last time. I took one.

But brass that's been reloaded? No way. No reloader would leave brass behind unless it is worn out.


Well, a reloader would; but, a handloader never would. Sorry, couldn't help myself.

[R.M.]

Wife calls me a crow. If it's shiny I pick it up.

[Bad Water Bill]

I was at the range one day and a shooter had OVER 500 rounds of 45 acp brass laying all over the place. Are you a reloader I asked? No way my time is more valuable than that was his answer. I went home with a BIG smile.

At a different range I spent about 1/2 hour on my hands and knees picking up over 38# of once fired 223 brass and the boxes it came in.

[fredj338]

I haven't bought 9mm brass in 25yrs, it's everywhere. Pretty much the same for 40 brass. I even pick up once fired 30-30 brass I find now & then & I don;t own a 30-30! Good brass needs a good home, not gathered & sent to the scrap yard.

[GRUMPA]

Boy the stories I can tell, all I have to say is I would call it treasure hunting to the other half. My yield wasn't measured in how many pieces I had, but more like how many 5gal buckets of the stuff I had.

[Freightman]

Wish I could find some brass at my range, but the members here are the tightest bunch I have ever seen. No brass will be lying around after I shoot ether I must be one of those tight so in so's. HUMM

[paul edward]

My shooting buddies refer to me as a brass rat. I pick up anything except steel and rimfire.

Years of scavenging paid off recently when a friend resurrected an old .32 S&W revolver. I had a bunch of range pickup .32 S&W brass. After tumbling, it was loaded, using .32 ACP dies, with 78 grain boolits cast in my Lyman 311252 mold. Have you tried finding .32 S&W lately?

I routinely give to other reloaders any brass in calibers I don't load. One newby who recently took up loading 45 ACP got all of my non-Winchester 45 cases. Doubt he will ever need to buy any brass.

[mpmarty]

I used to scrounge range brass. Now I've got two five gallon buckets full of 45acp and the only brass I pick up anymore is 10mm as that stuff is hard to find and not cheap to buy.

[Wally]

In recall on fellow an an outdoor public range..he brought along his two sons. They picked up everything...I guess Dad bribed them in some fashion--they sure had a big haul. At the same range on older gent was doing the same, while others were shooting--got into a heated arguement whne one shooter took exception to his retreiveing his brass...it got pretty nasty and I thought there'd be a fight...

[lead chucker]

When I shoot and have spent cases that are no good any more i give them a big throw or the next time im out there i might pick them up to, Been there done that before.

[Jal5]

I can't help myself either anytime I see range brass. 9mm and 40s are very plentiful here. hardly ever find a 38/or 357 though and that is what I shoot the most. Can always trade what I don't use at some point in time. Joe

[3006guns]

At our small local outdoor range I usually pick up all the .45acp I find. Lately however, I've been grabbing anything that looks halfway useable.......which is about all of it. By the time I've made a few trips back and forth from the firing line to the target frame, my coat pockets are bulging. Since I'm usually alone during the week days, I also spend a little time "mining" the back stop as well.

The biggest score is when our police department does its monthly qualifying with .40 S&W. I used about 200 for a PIF right here on the forum.

[lead chucker]

There will come a day when factory amo is so expensive there wont be much brass to find so I say hord all you can.

[lead chucker]

I have been at the range when the police are qualifying, they like shooting there 223s to. Its a big score on brass pistol and rifle. They must handload there 308s they never leave those.

[evan price]

Most people don't reload. I never leave brass behind. Even if it is obviously junk. At $2 a pound it adds up quick.

As far as "I never take brass unless it's new" or whatever...fine with me, leave it, I'll take it all! I never do anything to pistol brass except clean it and shoot it and I lose more than split. How many times fired? Sorting headstamps? It's pistol brass!

Rifle, I'm more careful, but I inspect every case several times before I load. I'll take all I can get!

[Ziptar]

I pick it all up. I'm the only one at my club that does. Most guys don't even pickup their own off the ground and put it in the brass buckets. Before I came along the buckets were overflowing and the brass on the ground was like gravel and everyone was complaining about "all that damn brass.".

This year I've probably hauled off ~700lbs of it. Some of it I've traded for other brass, primers, and powders, some of it I've sold, and some of it I've scrapped. All told It's probably financed all my reloading supplies for a year or two, plus some equipment, and in a few months even a new revolver.

Kind of funny when I go there to shoot and hear guys comment about how cleaned up the place is looking as they leave more all over the place for me. I just :smile:.

[10x]

Our range has brass scroungers. There are at least two or three guys who check the garbage and brass barrel for anything. Our last brass barrel disappeared and we heard the scrap dealer paid over $400.00 for the contents. The club has never seen the money.

www.pcfga.net

[Bad Water Bill]

At the range I shoot at for years folks cleaned up and dropped their unwanted brass in 5 gal buckets placed by each bench. The range master would empty the buckets once a week. We could pick and choose just for the taking. Surplus brass was sold and funded things like a new flag as needed plus the beginners shoot and other stuff.

When things started going bad folks were sneaking in at night and STEALING the brass BUCKETS and all. The range masters next started emptying the buckets every night. Now the folks come in and pick up the brass as it is ejected from YOUR weapon.

[tomme boy]

I bought two guns, most of my casting equipment, about 300 lbs of lead, at least 5 tanks of gas for my truck. Lunch more times than I remember. All of brass I pick up at the range. This was just in the last year. Seems most around here do not reload. Nice part is most of the people bring the brass to me. They are supposed to pick up after their self and most do. The range master loves when I show up as he can keep an eye on the people more beause I help him clean up the whole range. I pick up all of the garbage and old targets and all of the steel cases that the people seem to think they are not supposed to pick up.

So keep leaving all the brass!

[mold maker]

I'll pick up clad pennies, so ya know I don't ignore pretty brass. Even steel cases sell for junk.
There will come a time when having brass, will enable you to keep shooting. Those without, will be at your door, begging.

[sportrider]

Mold Maker is right, there may be a time soon where there is a lack of ammo period! The libs have gotten slick. They know if they try to pass any anti-gun measures it's political suicide. What they'll do is put forth a bill to increase the Haz Mat fees on primers and powder to the point the manufactures will be charging $100 -$200 a box!
Then they can say that under their watch they haven't passed any anti gun legislation. I've been picking up brass at my range aggresively for over a year and now have about 10k of 9mm,5k 45acp and 5k 40s&w. I have no plans of slowing down either! My kids complain that i don't shoot anymore i just go to pick up brass! They see spent shells i see Money!