Lead Recycling Etiquette

[pearcetopher]

Hi friends,

After reading several posts about digging your local berm for lead I figured I'd walk out and see what the concentration is at my local range. After running my hand through I picked up about 8 or 9 bullets in 2 seconds. Obviously this berm does not get mined or cleaned often.

There is no specific rule against mining the berm in the general rules but my range seems to have a bunch of old farts that LOVE telling the younger generation what to do. I am talking range nazis and they get upset even if slugs are fired at target backers. I can easily see an argument impending if I were caught. That being said there is nobody at my range after 8PM most days.

If I go there with a foldable shovel and a bucket do you think anyone would complain? Would you guys complain if you saw someone doing that at your range?

Thanks again,

Chris

[beagle]

Oh yeah, you have those guys in any club. I call them "dogs in a manger". Don't want the lead and don't want anyone else to have it either. Same deal at our range. I made a small sifter out of 1/4" mesh and you'll have to reinforce the bottom. When no one is present, I'll take my GI shovel, a 5 gallon bucket, sifter and head for the berm. Shovel dirt in, sift over the hole, dump contents in bucket and move on to the next place. No holes or damage to the range. If someone comes to shoot, I take my stuff back to the truck so shooting is not interrupted. So far, no confrontations and I accumulate a lot of lead like that. No sense in ruffling feathers if it can be avoided and getting stopped from mining lead. In a way, you're doing them a favor as eventually, the EPA will rule that there's enough buildup and they'll have to clean it. My clubs solution was to skim the berm, move the skimmings to a corner and cover it with dirt. That will eventually bite 'em in the butt so you might as well have the lead. I manage to recover more than I shoot each time so things are fine./beagle

[pearcetopher]

beagle on a 20 min trip of digging howmuch do you get?

my range is the only range around for the Canadian army, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, SWAT Team, Border Patrol, and Prison Security so I can imagine theres a lot of PB hiding in that berm

[MtGun44]

Ask permission of the Board of Directors, promise to put it back exactly like you found it and
stay out of the way of shooters. Start out on the right foot and you'll probably be OK.

Bill

[jonp]

I ask the range manager who is in charge and follow what he says. If anyone else says something I tell them talk to that guy and if they keep it up tell them something that will be edited here by the moderators.
I have little patience for others getting into my business or telling me what to do

[dondiego]

I was out shooting the other day and I met the Range Manager. I took a break and I let him check a couple of shotgun slug guns at 50 yards. I asked him about mining the range and he just said I don't think anyone else does it so go ahead. I will be keeping my sieve, shovel and bucket in my range gear form now on. Many times I go there in the AM and no one is there. Good for me!

[slim1836]

Diplomacy will go far better than confrontation. Find out who the man in charge of overall operations is and get the answers from him. Let him know of your intentions and how there will be no interruptions with other shooters while you are improving the range. If, after permission is granted, someone confronts you, tell them to see the man in charge. It worked for me at a small private range, I even get shell casings from his classes he saves just for me. A couple boxes of cast boolits for him was appreciated and went a long way in establishing that relationship and showed my final product from recycling range lead. That way, he knows you are not just taking the lead to the scrap yard.

Slim

[Comrade Mike]

That's great! Sounds like you'll have your own personal honey hole for a bit!

[Gtek]

GET WHAT YOU CAN, WHEN YOU CAN! The frog licking tree huggers seem to gain a little more ground down here south of the border everyday. How long before it starts affecting you? Gtek

[Beerd]

my range is the only range around for the Canadian army, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, SWAT Team, Border Patrol, and Prison Security so I can imagine theres a lot of PB hiding in that berm

sounds like you are going to need a bigger truck.
..

[merlin101]

My range opens at 10:00 am , I'm there at 9:00 picking or sifting for about 45min. then I put my stuff away grab the full garbage cans and make sure I'm seen emptying the trash!
No one has ever said a word other than thanks. :)

[oneokie]

Are you checking the garbage cans for spent brass?

[fredj338]

Hi friends,

After reading several posts about digging your local berm for lead I figured I'd walk out and see what the concentration is at my local range. After running my hand through I picked up about 8 or 9 bullets in 2 seconds. Obviously this berm does not get mined or cleaned often.

There is no specific rule against mining the berm in the general rules but my range seems to have a bunch of old farts that LOVE telling the younger generation what to do. I am talking range nazis and they get upset even if slugs are fired at target backers. I can easily see an argument impending if I were caught. That being said there is nobody at my range after 8PM most days.

If I go there with a foldable shovel and a bucket do you think anyone would complain? Would you guys complain if you saw someone doing that at your range?

Thanks again,

Chris
Yeah, same at my range. It is private & the old guys, older than me, don't like a lot of things. Some of it is justified, some not. I mine the surface of the berms when no one is there. Leave it the way you find it, should be no problem. BTW, for surface mining, go a day or two after a rain, lots of stuff right on top.

[btroj]

I don't worry. I kick more dirt up the berm than down. I don't use a shovel, take, or anything other than my fingers.

Don't make a mess, leave the berm looking like it was when you came, and don't tie things up when people want to shoot.

Low impact people don't get noticed

[Oreo]

I take a different view. Tis better to ask forgiveness then permission.

See, those old grumpy fuddy-duddies who like to complain are likely the same ones who make up the range administration. To their credit, they care enough and have time enough to do it unlike most of the younger members.

If you haven't caused any damage to the range, the administration finds out you're berm mining and says "no more", you can claim ignorance to avoid any trouble, and you enjoyed a bountiful free lead supply for a while. On the other hand, if you ask upfront and are told "no" then getting caught later will likely mean the revoking of your range membership.

[duhbob]

Our private range is 15 minutes from my house, and 35 min. from the closest admin./ FuddyDuddy. :lovebooli
With my old-timey red plastic Coke tray, a small flat shovel, and a 5 gal.paint pail. I can scoop about 60# of sifted range scrap in an hour. The only officer who ever observed me copping scrap casually asked if that's what I was doing. The truth didn't hurt and he echoed what others have said "we might HAVE to dig it all up someday for Mr. EPA.

[CGT80]

I have been hand picking at the private range as well. I want to try a couple cat litter scoopers next, and maybe a 12"x12" sifter. I figured the low impact, looks like I was never there approach would be good. I got caught by the RO that runs the partial member range, one time. He said "wow you are really cleaning the place up." I told him that we were picking bullets off the top to melt down and cast more. He had no problem with it.

I don't want to dig down in the berms and compromise the integrity. There was large quantities of bullets laying right in the top inch of dirt. I figured the same as above-just mine it and respect the range and others vs. asking and getting shot down. We are required to pick up our brass, why not the bullets and boolits too? If I get 60 pounds per hour, it will add up fast. I am only picking to support my current and future habit.

I agree that we should stock up when possible. I got a friend into shooting. Now she automatically picks brass and lead too. She said we should pick lead after we use up half of what I have at home. Obviously she has no idea as to how opportunities come and go, and how prices fluctuate, not to mention availability of components. I jokingly told her to break out her credit card to buy some more jugs of powder at 150 bucks a pop. She likes 223 ammo, but she hasn't bought any supplies yet, due to being out of work. She is starting to figure out why I like the cast boolits and pistol powder for 30 cal rifles.

[stinjie]

Here in SW PA,our range berm is mostly clay,so sifting isn't easy.I just pick it up by hand,as a lot of bullets are right at the surface,especially after a good rain.Sundays,shooting starts at 10:00am,start picking lead before 9:00am.

[Wolfer]

There is an unmanned range close to me that is owned by the state. They have signs up that say no mining. If I can catch a rainy day there won't be anyone there and I can pick up a gallon or so right off the top.

[jonp]

sounds like you are going to need a bigger truck.
..
Your not lieing. I hear you can buy surplus 2 1/2 ton trks on a govt web auction site

[btroj]

When I need to move dirt around I just bring a 44 mag shovel. It is amazing how much lead is in the berms at some of the pistol bays at our range.

A good goal is to always bring home more than you took with you. Keeps you in a constant surplus state.

[wch]

"It's easier to get forgiveness than it is to get permission."

[Jim Flinchbaugh]

our club was started in the early 90's.
We have near 500 members, filling the berms
plus the Border Patrol, forest service, one police Dept
and various training outfits using our range.
The down side is, our berms are mostly pit run gravel and dirt
not easy shoveling. the good side is, I can pick up a handful
every time I walk to the target and leave with at least a large coffee can
full with out ever doing more than bending over.

[btroj]

Jim, that is the way to do it. If you can come home with 20 pounds each trip out it doesn't take long to pile up 400 pounds or so.