Great Freebies at the Range

[FISH4BUGS]

I took my Bushmaster (Windham) 308 to start working on loads. Shot up 30 or so test loads and got it down to 4" at 100 yds. Not bad, and it will get better.
The best part were the guys with their AR's....they left behind 500 or more 223 brass....all reloadable and all different head stamps.....a few hundred LC and tons of commercial.
Guess where they went? I was an unapologetic scrounge. I actually stopped shooting and picked the brass buckets clean and let them know that I would love to have their brass if they are leaving it behind. I was happy to sweep up after them. They kind of chuckled at the "reloader scrounger." Fine with me.
Extra bonus.....a few hundred 38's and 45's and 9mm.
One of the 223 headstamps was PIERCE. Never heard of it.
Any ideas?

[Czech_too]

I have absolutely no qualms about scrounging brass. If I can't use it, I find someone in the club who can. I'd rather do that than see it go to the scrap yard.

[Swamp Man]

Let them chuckle then once you get the brass you can chuckle to. I haven't started reloading yet but do know they have no idea what kind of gift they left you as a reloader.

[1Shirt]

Even with a bad back, I will bend over to pick up even a single reloadable case. Will also scrounge in the trash for empty plastic 22 and similar boxes with lids. Waste not want not!
1Shirt!





w

[willie_pete]

Pierce is based in Buffalo, NY. I've shot it before; works ok.

http://www.223ammunition.net/223info_223ammomanufacturers_pierce.html

WP

[John Allen]

I always wonder about people. I always scrounge and an all brass you just never know what you are going to need. Worst case it is always good for a trade.

[country gent]

The only brass I leave at the range is brass I wont reload anymore. I put some 45s in the trash one sunday ( they had been loaded over 20 times) rims looked terrible. As I was leaving the range rat ws pulling them out of the can. The next sunday he was complaining that every 3-4 case mouths were splitting. Duh why did he think I was throwing it away. Now rather than see someone get hurt doing questionable things Ill take it home and dispose of it.

[Wayne Smith]

We have a handicapped man who scronges brass at the range. He is a good shooter, too. I never pick up brass other than mine when he is there. Otherwise I have no scruples picking up what I will use. I have bought around 250 brass/loaded ammo in 45ACP. I have over 1000 rds, the rest picked up at the range! Seldom find 44Mag, 357Mag, etc.

[BNE]

I always joke that the worst part of being a reloader is that I now see nickels and dimes on the ground not brass. I shoot and then stop to pick up brass. Of course now that I am casting, I have started to worry about how to trap and collect the lead. One thing about this hobby is you will not get bored!

[bob208]

i pick up brass whenever i see it. if there is some one shooting i ask if it is their brass. i am going to a muzzle loading match this sunday. i know i will come back with a bunch of .40 cal brass. i don't even own a .40 but i will pick up the brass.

[deep creek]

if its reloadable ill pick it up .where i do most of my pest control is vacation land for alot of people theres a small pit that they use as a gun range. last time i went i scored 30 500s/w emptys,40 30-06 and 200 223s.ive picked up nickel 340 weatherby you name it over a summer i findmaybe five thousand emptys just there . we trade what we dont use,we have two dillions and keep them busy.

[High Lord Gomer]

When I started reloading I was only doing 9 and 40 so I gave the rest away. Not anymore! I save and sort everything and have since bought guns just because I had so much brass for that caliber.

Still not sure if I'll ever reload .25s but have several hundred just in case.

[velillen]

My dad and I used to go to an indoor range fairly often. They technically have a "you only can collect your own brass" but the guy who always worked the counter didn't care. Some days we would be collecting all 6 bays worth of brass. Mostly 9, 40, and 45. We have like 4k of 40 brass and haven't loaded any in it yet (dad has a 40, I don't).

The outdoor range we go to we don't get any but our own brass. Most people either save their own or shoot steel cased. The buckets get emptied daily too and we go first thing in the morning. But the ro's are nice and have helped me find my own brass quite a few times. Even been shooting and they set handfuls of it on the bench for me. So at least there I don't gain any but I don't lose any either

[Ed Barrett]

One of the best days I can remember, was finding 40 7.65 Argentine Norma cases at the range. It was like Christmas. I have 3 91's and a 1909.

[mold maker]

When the rang stopped me scrounging brass, I didn't renew. There was a time, they considered it a favor to them, when I swept the range for the brass.
Now with buckets of prepared brass, and tons of lead I can afford primers and powder, especially if I trade.

[bbs70]

I've been scrounging brass for some time now and don't plan on quitting any time in the future.
The last 6 months or so I've noticed there isn't much to scrounge.
The shooters are there, but everyone is saving their brass "Just In Case" even if they don't reload.

The part that brings a tear to my eye is over the last year I scrounged some 45acp brass and gave it to a friend.
Now I have a 45acp and have to pay for the brass.
Murphy's law I guess

[JeffinNZ]

I have sold a bunch of once fired 5.56 brass over the years picked up at the range then cleaned etc. I have also sold a lot of rimfire brass for scrap. All helps to keep my sport self funding.

[Silver Eagle]

One of the first things I ask when going to a range is, if I can collect my brass. If the answer is no, I take my shooting elsewhere (with an explanation to the person behind the counter.) At indoor ranges, it is generally allowed as long as you do not go in front of the firing line. A number of ranges are selling the used brass to recyclers to help keep costs low. I can respect that as long as they do not mind me collecting what I shot.
It has irked me a few times to see the same store that has the "no brass collection" policy at a gun show selling used brass. While I like to see the brass for sale, as opposed to scrapped. They could allow one to collect what they shot.

[wv109323]

I pick up all brass. If it is Berdan primed it goes in with my scrap. The scrap is sold to help defray my addiction. If some one can use any thing I pick up I pass it along freely. I gave a friend several hundred rounds of .40 S&W because he would not take gas money to a gun show. He was tickled.
A friend and fellow shooter is having trouble with ammo costs for his .40. I have about 300 cases for him.
I pick it up and try to find a home for it if I can not use it. Besides it is good exercise. Try picking up 400 cases.

[geargnasher]

There's more than brass to scrounge, I dumpster-dive in the trash barrels and get all the ammo boxes/trays I can in calibers I can use, and often find partial packs of shoot'n'see targets, pasties, pushpins, more brass, anything I can use. I get some looks, but it's one less thing to buy and I can keep most of my brass boxed and labeled rather than loose in coffee cans or buckets, and do it for free.

Gear

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

There's more than brass to scrounge, I dumpster-dive in the trash barrels and get all the ammo boxes/trays I can in calibers I can use, and often find partial packs of shoot'n'see targets, pasties, pushpins, more brass, anything I can use. I get some looks, but it's one less thing to buy and I can keep most of my brass boxed and labeled rather than loose in coffee cans or buckets, and do it for free.

Gear
I do the same thing, but I would never admit that in a public forum.

DANG !

[Bad Water Bill]

I have no idea how much brass I have picked up over the years.

I have no idea how much brass I have given to someone needing some for one reason or another.

Now that the D N R range I USED TO FREQUENT will even fire an employee for for keeping even 1 piece of brass I no longer shoot there.

Yes the D N R can realize a profit by selling the brass,but keep in mind that the whole area is funded by tax dollars. When I fail to show up even one time the D N R looses federal money because I did not shoot there that day.

Smart move management at Willow Slough Indiana D N R .

[kbstenberg]

Like Gear I do the dumpster diver thing.
But what Irks me. Everyone knows the WTS adds are all salvaged brass. Yes they picked it up, yes they may have cleaned it. But then they want top dollar for the stuff. I don't mind buying at a reasonable price, or trading even up.
Last month I was burned on here for the first time. A newby said he needed 44 spcl brass and WTB. Feeling generous I offered 175pcs of brass for the shipping cost. The Guy never even sent a check for the shipping.

[Lance Boyle]

I pick up my own brass even if it's Berdan. That goes in the scrap brass bucket with my used up brass.

[jsheyn]

My range actualy had to put a sign up that states quit bugging people for their brass.....I scrounge too

[frkelly74]

I thought it was all just part of the sport???

[Blacksmith]

I scrounge all brass that is abandoned. Use it, swap it, sell it and when it is too old or damaged trade to the scrap yard for lead or wheel weights. Practice your getting by skills for when the SHTF.

[bsgp8ntball]

yeah a few ranges here in Texas have started the "don't pick up brass" policy. I can understand if you don't want me taking hope a sack full but i'll de damded if I can't atleast take home the cases from the rounds I just shot.

[SODAPOPMG]

The way i look at it is that anything i drop at the range is still my property just because i drop it on the ground does not make it theirs
just tell them that you are calling the police because they are stealing your brass
using their logic just setting you gun on the counter will make it theirs

[quilbilly]

I always wonder about people. I always scrounge and an all brass you just never know what you are going to need. Worst case it is always good for a trade.
The people I wonder about are the ones that leave behind the really expensive brass. I was out at the local shooting pit and found a couple dozen 500 S&W cases.

[Bad Water Bill]

Several years ago,I was sitting in the R Os office BSing with him after the range closed on a Sunday.

A beat up pickup pulled off the road drove between 2 "NO TRESPASSING" signs and drove across 40 acres of grassland to the shooting benches.

Yes there IS a paved road into the range BUT I had already hung the cable across it with a sign "CLOSED" clearly visible.

The guy pulled up to the 50 yard benches and a female companion jumped out and picked up the 5 gal buckets of brass and deposited them into the bed of the truck.Then they did the same at the 100 range.

As they started to pass the R O building the R O stepped out and had them hand carry each and every bucket of brass back where they had found it.

Then they were informed if they ever returned they would be arrested.

Now if they had asked if they could have the brass as they needed the money to feed their family, they would have had everything they saw + other buckets full sitting in the office and in the back of the R Os own truck.

[xs11jack]

I too, pick up all the range brass I can get. Even the brass in cal. I don't shoot is valuable. I sell it
to the local recycler at about $1.80 a Pound. It adds up and buys me power or primers.
Ole Jack

[beezapilot]

I catch some good humored flack at the trap range picking up AA / STS hulls, I've a couple of folks that have taken to training well and save them for me. During the crunch / panic a lot of people were unable to shoot as they couldn't buy shells- I had no shortages... the light came on for some and now I've a bit of competition.

Another story I tell is my Grandfathers best bud in Maine had a heart attack in 1963 and the doctor told him to take a walk every day, so he usually would walk a couple of miles up to the gravel bank and have coffee with the equipment operators and walk home. He fell into the habit of picking up the brass that was laying around from the weekend shooters & plinkers. When he passed in 1999 his widow called me up and asked me to come get it if I wanted it---- SIX 55 gallon drums full!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[brtelec]

I have had to have a talk with more than one person about the fact that my brass, is my brass. I hate the people that are picking up my brass as fast as it is being extracted from my firearm. Not even the courtesy of asking if I plan to keep it. I march right over and demand it. Man, that is inconsiderate. I agree that I would not shoot at a range that had a policy of not allowing me to pick up my own brass. That policy however is usually clearly posted, and if you chose to shoot there after being told, that is on you.

[bbs70]

Went to the range this afternoon
50 or so 9mm and another 40 or so 40 S&W.
Then about 200 45 acp cases.
I'm a happy camper this evening.

[olereb]

The range where I shoot is mostly yuppies and snowbirds with money to burn so they never pick up their brass,my last visit I left with over 300 .380,450 9mm and around 250 .45acp. They always find it funny when I pull out my extra ziplock bags that I bring with me but I could careless,i haven't had to buy hardly any ammo in years due to scrounging. I don't even have a 357 mag but I do have over 500 cases incase I ever decide to get one:bigsmyl2:

[Cmm_3940]

I have no idea how much brass I have picked up over the years.

I have no idea how much brass I have given to someone needing some for one reason or another.

Now that the D N R range I USED TO FREQUENT will even fire an employee for for keeping even 1 piece of brass I no longer shoot there.

Yes the D N R can realize a profit by selling the brass,but keep in mind that the whole area is funded by tax dollars. When I fail to show up even one time the D N R looses federal money because I did not shoot there that day.

Smart move management at Willow Slough Indiana D N R .

Sounds like it's time to start using a brass catcher. Didn't hit the ground? Not yours! :bigsmyl2:

[Bad Water Bill]

Never fear.

ALL of my rifles are bolt actions and my wheel guns do NOT spit out my brass. They are well mannered folks. [smilie=s:

[slim1836]

I pass along extra brass to my fellow reloaders that I don't use, they in turn give me favors in return, such as a beer at the watering hole, machining work, welding, etc...

I get brass and recovered bullets from a private range, heck, even my coworkers pick up wheel weights they find on roadway construction sites.

It's a happy family.

Slim

[Harter66]

I load 06' a couple x57/8s 243/308/22-250 and 45 WM/ACP there isn't a piece of .473 rim brass left anywhere I go. 223s make 222s and a whole family of 9mm's from 17-23mm. 30-30 gets turned for the 25,6.8,30,32 Rem family and 40/10mm PPC in a pinch,unless some swapping comes along. Heck I've a box of Colts head stamped 303 B.

Friends/Family bring me WW, pipe, battery clamps, shot, 1 of kids even bought some junk decoys cause' they had some big ol'4oz deep sea sinkers for anchors. My boss even brought me a half dozen ''tarpaper'' batteries he found out in the hills.

I scrounge everything I can get then use it up until its barely scrap.