Dustpan for brass collecting brass at the range

[jeff423]

My local indoor range has gotten rid of their dustpans for scooping up brass. I thought I would get a small dust pan and whisk broom to take with me. As I was thinking about this I thought about drilling some holes in the dust pan or trying to cut some slots in it to cut down on the dust and .22's. Has anyone else tried this and if so what size holes, slots, etc. are best. Or does something like this already exist and i just haven't found it yet?

Jeff

[Edubya]

I just made up a super-duper-scooper. I shot about twenty or thirty holes through the dust pan with my .22.
EW

[bohokii]

22s dont make clean holes in a metal pan or plastic

in plastic you can use a soldering iron to melt holes in a plastic one then chip off the little melty sprue

for metal you deill small holes then have to use a needle nose pliers to remove the burr

[Buckshot]

............I'd take the 22 also. Brass is brass, and it has a value either to the scrap dealer or possibly a guy who has a hobby foundry.

..............Buckshot

[RayinNH]

Doubtful you'll find a dustpan full of holes. Dustpans with holes don't collect a lot of dust ...Ray

[garandsrus]

We use a normal dustpan and then pour the brass and dust onto a 1/4" hardware cloth screen with a frame. The dust falls through, the brass does not.

John

[357shooter]

Doubtful you'll find a dustpan full of holes. Dustpans with holes don't collect a lot of dust ...Ray

Now that is funny, made my day!

[357shooter]

The local range has brooms so I've been sweeping into a pile and with my hands scoop the brass into a rag. Am I breaking some sort of etiquette rule here? My wife has mentioned I need improvement in areas like this but if I hear it from bullet casters/shooters I might have to rethink my priorities! LOL

Yes my hands do get dirty, but I decided I didn't care and could washem if a wipe on the pants (or the other rag I carry) wasn't good enough.

My solution when the 2 rags got kinda dirty was to start carrying a 3rd rag. Gotta keep it simple and not overthink things.

[zomby woof]

We use a normal dustpan and then pour the brass and dust onto a 1/4" hardware cloth screen with a frame. The dust falls through, the brass does not.

John

That's what we do.

[wiersy111]

How about using one of the scoops that are available for cleaning out the kitty litter?

[shooting on a shoestring]

Just a thought, but revolvers have a gentlemanly trait of keeping their brass of the grass, so you don't have to stoop, snoop and scoop.

[montana_charlie]

My solution when the 2 rags got kinda dirty was to start carrying a 3rd rag.

I have to admire a guy who can carry three rags and keep them all figured out.

Me...I need to concentrate for twenty minutes before I go out in public and try to gum, and chew walk, at the same time.
I was doing that once...gumming while I concentrating on adding the chew walk part...when my mind was blown by a guy throwing out two unexpected questions. He asked, "Whattaya have on? Your mind?"

I blurted out, "Yellow...because motorcycles don't have doors!" but then realized he was talking to his wife by a previous marriage, who was on the rag about somebody shooting holes in her dustpan...as I said before (or meant to).

CM

[jeff423]

Thanks for the replies,

I normally shoot revolvers but periodically I like to shoot my 52-2, 745, and 226 X-5.
The cat scoop sounds like a good idea, but I think I'll get a small cheap dust pan and cut a slot in it. I'll then staple a piece of hardware cloth over the slot.

Thanks for the suggestions,

Jeff

[C.F.Plinker]

Now you guys have got me thinking. The local hardware store has a set with a dustpan with a long handle and a broom that is about 3 feet long. These look like the ones that were used to pick up cigarette butts and are about $15 for the set. When you pick up the dust pan it swivels so the trash can't fall out. I'm thinking about cutting out most of the back end (the part that is down when it has swiveled) and putting in hardware cloth to cover the opening. This way I would keep the brass and the rocks would fall through the mesh.

How can I improve on this?

[ghh3rd]

Saw a fellow at the range last week with a clever item he had made to pick up brass. It was a PVC pipe (2" ?) about 3' long. He had stretched two small springs accros the end about 1/4" apart. As he pushed the springs against a case it would snap up into the pipe. Went pretty quick too.

[Johnch]

I sweep up everything
I made a sifter to fit in tne trash can
Out of 1/4" hardware cloth

Sweep up everything
Dump it into the screen and shake a little
Catches most 22LR brass and everything larger

I then dump the brass into my 5 gallon range bucket and head home to sort

John

[mooman76]

I pick brass up out in the desert allot and it does have allot of dirt and dust. I took an old plastic bucket and drilled a bunch of 1/4" holes in it. I would shake it as I walked and it got rid of most the dust.

[357shooter]

Saw a fellow at the range last week with a clever item he had made to pick up brass. It was a PVC pipe (2" ?) about 3' long. He had stretched two small springs accros the end about 1/4" apart. As he pushed the springs against a case it would snap up into the pipe. Went pretty quick too.

Very clever. No bending over needed.

[rob45]

I use one of these.
Kinda pricey, but it works. No bending over, no sweeping. Just roll it over the brass. Works great as long as you're not worried about picking up the little rimfire brass.
Don't have to worry about dust, small rocks, etc.

http://hitfactorshooting.com/category.sc?categoryId=18

[buck1]

Hay I have one of those! Its made for picking up pecans! I will have to get another! Also they make a cheep red one that doesnt roll. I bet it would work also....Buck