Getting the look

[Don1357]

I go to a public range where I have never seen any supervision. That's no problem beyond people not picking after themselves and every once in a while leaving a mess that they wouldn't do on their own house, but I digress...

In any event, the other day while shooting my 1895 Marlin and .44 SBH I take some time to pick up brass people left behind. Usually I just focus on the big brass I can trade for the brass I actually reload, on this particular day somebody left behind shinny 30-06 and 7mm Rem Mag on a clearly empty stall. As I'm doing that I notice this guy giving me a look of disgust.

I'm thinking that picking anything off the ground should be reason to be happy and not a judgmental prick. Heck if a hobo came to the range to pick up brass I would be happy for him, as another shooter I just kept wondering what was this dude's problem.

Anybody ever got a person like this not minding their own business?

[Hardcast416taylor]

Yes indeed! On my own private range by people that I had thought were friends. At work 2 days later I politely told them I had cleaned up after them and that they should seek another place to shoot and mess up.Robert

[jrdztech]

I go to a public range where I have never seen any supervision. That's no problem beyond people not picking after themselves and every once in a while leaving a mess that they wouldn't do on their own house, but I digress...

In any event, the other day while shooting my 1895 Marlin and .44 SBH I take some time to pick up brass people left behind. Usually I just focus on the big brass I can trade for the brass I actually reload, on this particular day somebody left behind shinny 30-06 and 7mm Rem Mag on a clearly empty stall. As I'm doing that I notice this guy giving me a look of disgust.

I'm thinking that picking anything off the ground should be reason to be happy and not a judgmental prick. Heck if a hobo came to the range to pick up brass I would be happy for him, as another shooter I just kept wondering what was this dude's problem.

Anybody ever got a person like this not minding their own business?I have, but usually I just keep doing what I was and ignore the idiot..
Sometimes I look back at them the same way and they turn around..
:-)

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[Uncle R.]

There are still people who consider reloaded ammo inferior and the reloading process just a shoddy and cheapjack way of saving a dollar or two. I have met people who would say "I'd never shoot reloads in my gun."

Heck - I know some people whose reloaded ammo IS inferior and I wouldn't shoot their reloads if you paid me.

It takes all kinds - the amount of ignorance out there regarding shooting and reloading is staggering. Perhaps your "range neighbor" couldn't hide his disgust, figuring that picking up empty brass is like gathering cigar butts for later use. I wouldn't let it worry me much.

Uncle R.

[jrdztech]

There are still people who consider reloaded ammo inferior and the reloading process just a shoddy and cheapjack way of saving a dollar or two. I have met people who would say "I'd never shoot reloads in my gun."

Heck - I know some people whose reloaded ammo IS inferior and I wouldn't shoot their reloads if you paid me.

It takes all kinds - the amount of ignorance out there regarding shooting and reloading is staggering. Perhaps your "range neighbor" couldn't hide his disgust, figuring that picking up empty brass is like gathering cigar butts for later use. I wouldn't let it worry me much.

Uncle R.I have faced all kind of negative comments about reloads.. usually from people that have no clue about it..
I just smile.. I don't care whatever they say, I know I enjoy reloading and I may not be saving a lot of money but at least I know the quality of my reloads it's much better than some brand names..
The kicker is that some of those people thinking that the reloads is low quality ammo, they are shooting some kind off crappy Russian ammo or the cheapest ammo they can afford to buy..
I have a bucket full of ammo with failed primers I picked up from the floor at the range.. most of them aguila, Russian and blazer...


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[Kestrel4k]

About the hardest thing to change in the world; is what other people think.
Gave up on that a long time ago, am happier now. :)

[gwpercle]

I think he wanted the brass and was upset you beat him to it. Only logical explanation ...
Gary

[brass410]

I find if I give any consideration to what other people are thinking of me when I'm minding my own affairs, going about my own business and not interfering or disturbing them I'm usually wasteing my mental skill on something of little consequence. Face it there's always going to be turds in the field of life. Move on load up and have a good time.

[Pipefitter]

Just wait until you are sweeping up 22rf for swaging after a rimfire match, especially the shooters who use Ely match ammo.

[mold maker]

I've been sneered at all my life for recycling. I notice they take note of my targets when I leave with their unwanted brass. I guess their tighty whities get in a knot when I explain that it was my cast from free WWs, that shot those targets for as little as .07 a round.

[Pb Burner]

I'm a member at two shooting ranges. Both are "unsupervised" and generally very clean. But in the last 5 or 6 years it is rare to find any brass to speak of other than a few 9mm and 380 brass. As far as rifle brass, might find 3 or 4 223 cases, and I generally see mostly rifle shooters there. Of course there's the 22 brass, but no good to me. There are brooms and long handled dust pans there that apparently get lots of use, and a plastic barrel for empty "brass". I always look in the brass barrel and it's rarely got any brass cases in it, almost totally steel cases and 22's. Maybe once or twice a year I might find a hand full of 30-06 or other common rifle brass.
The membership must be very clean, and/or they all reload.
Or maybe there's lots of shooters around here like me that just can't hardly handle leaving any brass behind, be it for my use (after careful cleaning and inspection) or saved for a future trip to the scrap yard.

[dogmower]

I can truthfully and honestly say that I don't give a **** what ANYONE thinks of me. I shoot at a public range and if people leave it, and I can use it, I pick it up. I've pick brass out of the trash bin as well. We have our share of "range snobs" who show up with the most expensive rifles, scopes, etc. Usually they are outshot by those of us who reload. Why? We get more practice because we can shoot for less:redneck::razz:

[DSRichert]

I just turn a tell them I am picking up brass dime's

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[Rcmaveric]

I look like a bum at my local range. I walk around pick up all the brass I can use, I even dig through the trash cans. I have permission of course and only pick up what I can use. There are lots of people that do it and saves the RSO from having to clean it up. Had a few people stair, but I tell them the wife has me on a tight budget and I am collecting my shooting and lunch money. Most times it starts a conversation about reloading. Though once got into an argument with a guy. He claimed I touched his brass. Told him I only pick up brass from empty stalls. He insisted he was missing one and I was the culprit. I dumped all the brass out and told him have at it. He didn't find his magical Lapua brass and he didn't apologize for accusing me, then proceeded to lecture me as if I did something wrong.

[azrednek]

My Az G&F operated range only allows one to pick up their own brass. I bring a rake and never got a verbal reprimand for wandering into adjacent lanes. I've accumulated enough pistol brass to last me my lifetime. If I see it I'll scrounge 45 Colt, 44 Mag brass and about a year ago I was treated with about 80 pieces of 45AR. Rifle brass I can't resist. Best find were 19 pieces of 416 Dakota brass I made a tidy profit with. Figured I earned it, the shooter punished me with his muzzle brake.

[Don1357]

It doesn't bother me as far as feeling self conscious about it, but it bothers me in the sense that I'm getting old enough to have no patience with stupid people.

As stated I usually only go for the big brass. I need to start getting more aggressive and pick the smaller stuff.

[azrednek]

Duplicate post

[smokeywolf]

I would say I'm too old to care what others think of me but, I don't think I ever cared what anyone else thought of me, what I was doing or my motivations.

Range I go to is a privately owned and outdoor range and charges $15.00 per person, per session. I'm always very careful not to step on anyone's toes at the range. Range courtesy rates high on my list. If anyone is within 10 feet or so, when I stop to pick up my brass, I inform them and ask what brand brass they are shooting so that I don't put theirs in my bag. I've never had someone give me a condescending look or word and oft times they'll say, "don't worry about it, take mine too". On several occasions I've had folks picking up their own brass just to hand it over to me. I've encountered little, if any ill will when retrieving my brass and mostly kindness, and interest and curiosity with regard to reloading.

My main gripe at the range is, that one jack@$$ that continues to fiddle with his firearm AT HIS SHOOTING BENCH when a cease fire has been called. I won't go to the range on weekends.

[Don1357]

My main gripe at the range is, that one jack@$$ that continues to fiddle with his firearm AT HIS SHOOTING BENCH when a cease fire has been called. I won't go to the range on weekends.

Yeah, that bothers me a lot but as I said this is a completely unsupervised range, you see all sorts of shenanigans. Once I came in to find some lowlife had shot glass bottles on the pistol range and left them there as a testament to his upbringing. Freedom and responsibility ought to walk hand in hand.

[azrednek]

Yeah, that bothers me a lot but as I said this is a completely unsupervised range, you see all sorts of shenanigans. Once I came in to find some lowlife had shot glass bottles on the pistol range and left them there as a testament to his upbringing. Freedom and responsibility ought to walk hand in hand.

My pet peeve are the creeps and I know I'll sound like a bigot saying so. In desert shooting spots around Phoenix. People bring junk large appliances, Tv's etc and leave them after shooting them full of holes. Didn't see it but I was advised by a park ranger. A group of gang members were caught using a stolen stripped car for a target and leave it. Ranger claimed there were to many with auto rifles and all he could do was take video from a safe distance, plate numbers and report it.

Not trying to sound to bigoted. I guess it's the thing to do in Mexico to dump junk in the desert. Numerous times I've watched them, probably many illegals that shouldn't possess a gun, nearly always AK's. Shoot up and leave washers, dryers and other large junk. I've seen some good shooting spots with mountain back stops posted no shooting because of the junk.

[oldblinddog]

I've been to a public range where picking up brass that is not yours will get you banned permanently. They pick it up and sell it.

[john.k]

Ive been known to raid the little hanging tins ,when the RO aint looking.Some have good eyesight though,one handed me a tin full of 45/70 cases,hornady tho.The cases are generally sold in the shop,or some is used to reload the hire 308s.Ive got that much 308,I dont bother,same as 223.As greywolf says ,the days of shooters taking any notice of safety rules are gone.Young guys and girlfriends,move in slow motion,talk for long periods at targets,always last to get back,seem not to hear what they are told.Tolerated because of the money they spend,usually $100 per person +.

[Ateam]

someone keeps leaving me brand new starline 10mm on the pistol range, how nice of them. I belong to a private club, I shoot once a week and dues are 60/year (a screaming deal as far as I am concerned) and very few people take their brass. I pick up about 2-3gallons of 223 every time I am there. I also am known to shake the trash cans to see if they jingle.

[Budzilla 19]

The local CCW class uses the instructors range, and he has to worry about what to do with the empty brass!! No problem, I'll be there every Saturday to help you out, mister! I clean it up for him, he's happy, and get some brass to help my fellow reloaders out!! And, I may be able to mine the berms in the near future!! ( it's a public service thing, lol) I have never been looked at strangely for policing my brass at the range, in fact, most times, the reloaders in my community are there also! We don't squabble about it, if someone needs some brass, all generally pitch in and help them out! Maybe I'm lucky. Good bunch of guys here.

[fatelk]

The only time I got looked at funny was once when I found a bunch of .223 bras at the rifle range, scattered about. It’s a club range without an RO. I was alone and another guy pulled up as I was getting done picking up a few hundred nice shiny .223 brass.

It became apparent that he hit the range every day and scrounged all the brass and was irritated that I had beat him to a nice find. He got over it pretty quick and was actually a nice enough guy.

A relevant story from a friend of mine: he was at a range one day and got talking to another guy there. As the guy was packing up, he gathered all his empty brass, deliberately crushed the necks, and threw them in the garbage. My friend was a bit shocked and asked him why he did that. He replied that that’s just what he’s always done; his dad had taught him to do that when he was young because otherwise someone might find that empty brass and reload it, and reloading is dangerous!

[10gaOkie]

Whether I am picking up brass, at my reloading bench, in the woods or at the range, I am happy.
Caring what other people think of my having fun is not my concern. Their problem, not mine.
Trying to make me feel bad about it is a wasted effort on their part. They can stand back and watch me have more fun.
When I go to a public indoor range with my son, he likes to shoot best while I pick up brass. We both have fun in our own ways. Never let some clod make you feel bad about picking up brass! /Chris

[JMax]

I've been sneered at all my life for recycling. I notice they take note of my targets when I leave with their unwanted brass. I guess their tighty whities get in a knot when I explain that it was my cast from free WWs, that shot those targets for as little as .07 a round.
I too have been lectured about how bad reloads are and after numerous clay pigeons are decimated at 100 yards using my Krags w/iron sights using my cast bullet loads they slink away. I like to remind them that my cast loads are cheaper than their 22lrs. Some have returned and asked questions on what it takes to get into reloading. Perhaps a few minds have been changed.

[RED BEAR]

I will pick up all brass I see. Can't get enough free brass. Have a brother who always said it isn't worth his while to reload . called the other day seeking advice on reloading equipment after paying $44 for 20 rifle shells.

[MyFlatline]

Man you guys are privileged, In my 55 years of age, I've never been to a shooting range, public or private.

[merlin101]

I belong to a private club (sounds exclusive:razz: )that has 5 gallon buckets out with little signs on them saying "empty brass here" they almost always are half full of shot shells and steel cases and the garbage cans have a bunch of real brass cases in them. Probably the same folks that shot the holes in the roof!

[tankgunner59]

I shoot at three different free public ranges with my family. I always pick up as much of our brass as we can find. there are times I just go to police the range, and I have never had anyone look at me like that. Fellow reloaders have never butted in when I'm already policing and non-reloaders sometimes even help me pick it up.

That being said, if someone was to give me stink-eye for picking up other peoples brass I'd give it right back! Plus picking up other peoples left behind brass I get in good with the park rangers who are responsible for the ranges. So as long as I can I will continue to collect the left over brass. :bigsmyl2:

[leebuilder]

Most of my brass is someone else's discards. I don't care what peaple think when I brass bucket dive. I know it's the right thing to do, recycle reuse and reclaim. All I collect gets graded then what I can't use get returned for the brass recycler. My buddies give me their brass.
I was told the other day reloads shouldn't be use because it takes to long to clean your rifle, he probly never cleans his guns.
I don't really reload, I hand load!
Anyone can jerk a reloading press lever!
Be well

[WRideout]

The PA game commission operates rifle and pistol ranges at one of the nearby state game lands. When I was out for opening day of rifle deer season, I made a quick stop in at the pistol range to see if there was any brass left on the ground (I know, I don't have a problem and I can quit any time.) There was only one man there shooting 9mm, and he didn't reload. He was happy to let me have all his once-fired brass, and even followed me to the car to give me the ones he had just shot. Really nice guy.

Wayne

[dragon813gt]

The PA game commission operates rifle and pistol ranges at one of the nearby state game lands. When I was out for opening day of rifle deer season, I made a quick stop in at the pistol range to see if there was any brass left on the ground (I know, I don't have a problem and I can quit any time.) There was only one man there shooting 9mm, and he didn't reload. He was happy to let me have all his once-fired brass, and even followed me to the car to give me the ones he had just shot. Really nice guy.

Wayne

The ranges are closed during rifle season, except for on Sunday. He should not have been shooting. Especially because the ranges are on state game land.

[DCM]

I think he wanted the brass and was upset you beat him to it. Only logical explanation ...
Gary

+1

I have gotten dirty looks and snide comments for cleaning up the steel cases some slobs have left behind. We have a magnet hanging on a hook for them to use but it is still too much for them to do. I believe this was mentioned to the club president by this person also as it was brought up by the pres. at the monthly meeting a few days later. I had never said a word about it. The pres. was happy that someone took the initiative to clean up after the slobs. Whilst I did want to clean the place up my ulterior motive was that I often find more usable brass when cleaning up the junk. :) :) :)

[WRideout]

The ranges are closed during rifle season, except for on Sunday. He should not have been shooting. Especially because the ranges are on state game land.

I asked an employee of the Game Commission who was in the parking lot, and he said it was allowed. It may be different in different places.
Wayne

[dragon813gt]

I asked an employee of the Game Commission who was in the parking lot, and he said it was allowed. It may be different in different places.
Wayne

If it's a public range they are closed state wide during hunting season. Even the private ones I belong to are closed during the season. Seems that employee doesn't know the rules which isn't surprising.

[nun2kute]

I think he wanted the brass and was upset you beat him to it. Only logical explanation ...
Gary

That was my first thought.

If anybody asks, I'm just recycling. Either by trading for something else, re-using it to reload or saving it for the scrap yard. But if you tell them you are recycling, they automatically think you are turning it in for cash. Which is just fine by me, keeps me from having to explain myself and allows more time for picking up "brass dimes" off the ground.

[fstreed]

It seems like a lot fewer people are turning their noses up at handloads these days. But one thing that does seem to set old Bubba off is cast bullets in rifles. Even if they reload themselves they have trouble with the concept of cast bullets. Revolvers with cast doesn't faze them but a "modern, high powered hunting gun" with primitive looking cast boolits is a bit more than they can wrap their heads around.

Funny story about a range encounter from a couple decades back. Me and a friend went to a local unsupervised range to test some .30-06 loads with Lyman 311284 boolits ahead of a charge of SR4759. The rifle was my old M70 Winchester that dates back to around 1941, kind of rough around the edges looks wise but a fairly decent shooter despite badly eroded rifling. While we were getting set up a couple of guys showed up to sight in for the coming deer season. They started setting up next to us. One of them, a real big guy about a hundred pounds heavier than either myself or my friend, came over to check us out. He spotted those big long nosed boolits and wanted to know where I got them. I explained that I cast them myself. He called his buddy over to look at them and they started in with their comedian routine. "They sell modern bullets, ya know?" "They gave up on that stuff a hundred years ago when they invented jacketed bullet." "Those targets are a hundred yards, ya know, do you think those home made musket balls will shoot that far? Haw Haw Haw"

I fired several 5 shot groups from the bench, using bags. I was getting around 1.25" groups, which was about the best the old Winchester would do with any bullet. My friend tried his hand with about the same result. Our new "friends" also fired several rounds with their rifles. We called a break and went downrange to change targets a couple times. They were noticeably quiet about it. After a bit my friend and I started rounding up our stuff to leave. As we passed behind them we glanced at their targets. They had shotgun groups. Nothing wrong with their rifles, they just weren't very good shots. My friend looked at the big guy and says "those targets are a hundred yards, ya know?" Big guys asks "what about it?" My friend says "Well those look like 200 yard targets." Mr. Big starts getting red in the face and we wasted no time getting in the truck and getting gone, both of us laughing ourselves silly.

[DocSavage]

Have to admit I'm a recovering brassaholic I would scoop up any brass that I could use but I admit that I've joined Brassaholis Anonymous as I have enough brass to last me at least 2 lifetimes. At 1point I had something over 25,000 9 mm cases alone so you can see the problem right there.

[Preacher Jim]

You want strange looks roll your reloading set up out and start loading and developing loads. by the time you are on the 3rd rifle you are alone at end of bench. folks at public ranges think you are crazy.

[tankgunner59]

My family and I shoot at one of three public ranges. We also pick up any reloadable brass we see, even as we shoot. Unless others are on the range at the same time, we're always polite. I ask before I pick any up if someone else is there. Only had someone say no I keep my brass, a few times. With everyone else it usually starts a conversation about reloading. What I police that I don't reload gets traded or sold on one of the forums or eventually taken to the metal recycler for money to use in my addiction. On one of those ranges there is another guy who doesn't shoot or reload but he picks up brass for the sole purpose of selling it. I usually find a lot of 9mm, 45 Auto, 380 Auto and 223/5.56. But certain times of the year I can find good size bags of rifle brass, mostly common like 308 and 30-06 etc. But sometimes I hit a good find like 6.5 Creedmoor or 303 Brit. And yes, I am not averse to climbing into the dumpster if I see a good amount or uncommon brass. If there is anyone looking at me like I'm some bum, I just look them in the eye and ask, "How are you doing"? and go back to policing brass. If you really want to make them turn their heads away, just bang your hand on your head and very loudly say: "Alright, everybody, shut up"!

[woodbutcher]

[smilie=s: One way that I used to shut those types down was to say"Take a picture.It will last longer".
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

[Shawlerbrook]

As Ron White says.....” you can’t fix stupid “.

[country gent]

That's interesting in a way. We had an old guy climb in the dumpster after some brass, took for of us to get him back out, lol. All for a some 308 cases that may have been berdan primed

[Texas by God]

The best cure for "The Look"is the "Hairy Eye"- except when it's your wife.[emoji16][emoji16]

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[EMC45]

I pick up all the brass I see. I found about 100 cases of once fired .30 carbine recently. Makes me want to buy one now.

The WMA range in Ocmulgee GA used to be a good spot for brass scrounging. I would show up early, clean the buckets out and start shooting then go home. After a while, it seems a local guy started showing up and getting all the brass. I believe he was within hearing distance of the range because once you started shooting he would show up with a "pickup stick" getting all the brass. It was annoying.

More often than not the brass I find will get loaded. I may trade some, but the majority of it is loaded by me and shot.

[Plate plinker]

I think he wanted the brass and was upset you beat him to it. Only logical explanation ...
Gary

Yep thats it. He was a closet brass rat.

[Ramguy]

I am NOT a closet brass rat, I'm full blown, admitted brass rat. If someone leaves their brass on the ground and it's something I can use, I pick it up. If it's something I can't use, it goes in the trash. So..... a few years back I was at a major match up in northern Michigan on the back or practice range, shooting was supposed to cease at 5PMish. it was around 5:30, I had policed up all MY own brass, the I started walking the line. There was only one other guy at the back range at that time. I noticed he was doing the same thing walking the line picking up the mostly 45's that had been left behind. (someone had had a good time with a Thompson SMG). As I get to a kinda large pile of brass, I looked at this guy and recognized him. He was from the great state of Louisiana. He was a sponsored shooter (although back then he didn't have his own youtube channel). In his soft southern drawl, he asked if I was finding any good stuff. We chatted for a while (and continued to fill our range bags with free brass). Even though today he is all over the TV with his shooting exploits, I would be willing to bet a modest beer that he still picks up his own brass, and whatever happens to be laying around. With the cost of brass these days, I would not walk by a bunch of quarters laying in the grass just because they were a little dusty. Keep on shootin' and pickin up brass!

[mold maker]

I've been a brass Rat all my life. I just didn't know it had a name.

[glockfan]

i'm shooting my target rifles on public lands since i'm able to walk , and over the decades i've seen nice spots naturally built by mother nature with natural back stops and very nice environement ruined by *******ters who brings all kind of crapp to shoot at ; mainly computers ,micro waves ,tv's ,and horendously leaving a mess ....

on the long run these nice spots were looking like junkyards,and i can understand why those places are then protected against us target shooters.

iresponsible people of all ages,but mainly young idiots who think that someone else will clean their mess like their mom sweeping their diapers. always the same story : responsible people getting stigmatized, in retaliation to a small number of idiots.

[Eddie2002]

I got a funny look last time I was over at the public range shooting a muzzle loader. After about two hours of shooting black powder I began to pick up some of the brass around my shooting stall. A couple of the guys shooting center fire seemed to take offense even though they were not picking up any brass. Guess they were wondering why a front stuffer was picking up brass. I've shot there enough so the RO lets me do some brass ratting. Could probably fill a few 5 gallon buckets with 9mm and 223 on a weekend but I don't shoot either caliber and already have about a thousand cases of each sitting in my reloading room. I only pick up 30-30, 30-06, 7.62 x 54r and .380 now along with whatever I can convert to 7.7 Jap. It kind of takes some the fun out of hitting the range and getting free brass but I'm running out of room.

[EMC45]

I am NOT a closet brass rat, I'm full blown, admitted brass rat. If someone leaves their brass on the ground and it's something I can use, I pick it up. If it's something I can't use, it goes in the trash. So..... a few years back I was at a major match up in northern Michigan on the back or practice range, shooting was supposed to cease at 5PMish. it was around 5:30, I had policed up all MY own brass, the I started walking the line. There was only one other guy at the back range at that time. I noticed he was doing the same thing walking the line picking up the mostly 45's that had been left behind. (someone had had a good time with a Thompson SMG). As I get to a kinda large pile of brass, I looked at this guy and recognized him. He was from the great state of Louisiana. He was a sponsored shooter (although back then he didn't have his own youtube channel). In his soft southern drawl, he asked if I was finding any good stuff. We chatted for a while (and continued to fill our range bags with free brass). Even though today he is all over the TV with his shooting exploits, I would be willing to bet a modest beer that he still picks up his own brass, and whatever happens to be laying around. With the cost of brass these days, I would not walk by a bunch of quarters laying in the grass just because they were a little dusty. Keep on shootin' and pickin up brass!



Jerry has multiple videos on brass prep. He is a reloader on another level then I am due to shot amount.

[Blue2]

It reaches a new level when you discover SS pin wet polishing. Now you drag it home and deprime it and process it to shiny glory. Then hope you can find a home for all the odd calibers that you don't have a gun for yourself.

[RogerDat]

I get what I can when I can. I will buy a bucket as scrap and pull out what is useful, scrap the remainder, and repeat. Nice to see I'm not the only one who has a "stash" of calibers I don't actually reload. Never know when a friend will find themselves short of 9mm or 40 S&W or 45 ACP. Rifle brass I don't need I sell or trade with people that do need it. Hopefully saving them some money in the process as it helps fund my "bad habits". Plus most importantly when I come back from a gun show and wife says what did that ___________ cost? I can use the brass sales or swapping as cover. Well honey mostly just sold some brass for it, and a little cash from selling lead. God help me if she ever figures out what a muzzle loader really costs and how many pounds of brass it would take to buy it or an 8# jug of powder and couple of bricks of primers.

I am truly blessed with a wife that figure most of what I do won't make any sense to anyone that has any sense so she just ignores it if she doesn't have to trip over it.

A fellow at the bank that I know hunts so we will talk shooting and reloading. Recently he mentioned he was getting his fathers 45 and reloading stuff for it, had supplies except not much brass. Was able to go home run a 100+ through the wet tumbler and give him a bag to act as encouragement to get some loading done before warm weather. I scrounged that brass because I have a friend or two that could use it if they ran short.

Anyone were to give me the stink eye then I would just remember that fellows happy face and figure I'm ahead on karma and points.

[gwpercle]

Bring a broom, dust pan and bucket....wear shirt that says "janitor" pretend you don't like sweeping up all the stuff off the floor, complain about how poorly the janitor gets paid....they wont make eye contact with you ...much less give you " The Look " .

Back in the 60's-70's I would go to local range early Sunday mornings with broom and bucket to sweep up and police the trash barrels....I guess people just assumed it was my job and paid me no attention. A few would dump their empties into my bucket... I never got any looks.
Gary

[ghh3rd]

I pick up everything that I am allowed to that someone else doesn't want. If it isn't my caliber, it goes into storage for the day that I decide to trade it for some caliber that I do use. It gives me the heebie jeebies when I see any brass in a garbage can!

[NWPilgrim]

Being an avid reloader and collector of range brass, even just your own, requires a large measure of humility. While I am grubbing around in the dirt, mud puddles, snow and crawling under snd around things to ferret out the cases I just keep thinking how expensive brass is and how shiny it will be after a stainless steel pin tumble.

My kids give me a resigned version of The Look but with a chuckle. Once my son in law started reloader he quickly became a devoted brass grubber.

[mold maker]

I got the look today. There was the tall tail evidence of chocolate in the corner of my grin, and I had forgotten to give hers to her. Good thing I had bought it ahead of time when I bought mine.

[Apples]

fstreed

While we were getting set up a couple of guys showed up to sight in for the coming deer season. They started setting up next to us. One of them, a real big guy about a hundred pounds heavier than either myself or my friend, came over to check us out. He spotted those big long nosed boolits and wanted to know where I got them. I explained that I cast them myself. He called his buddy over to look at them and they started in with their comedian routine. "They sell modern bullets, ya know?" "They gave up on that stuff a hundred years ago when they invented jacketed bullet." "Those targets are a hundred yards, ya know, do you think those home made musket balls will shoot that far? Haw Haw Haw"

Hahaha... that's pretty funny stuff. Especially your retort regarding their own targets... "Those look like 200 yard targets!". Well played, sirs.


I began handloading for .41 Magnum. These days I am on a delightful .44 Special buzz... I have bags and bags of both and bags of also-once-fired .357, because revolver brass is easy to save. After reading this thread, though, I'm probably going to start saving as much of my new Winchester and Federal .45ACP brass as is possible... I might have to start using painter's canvas tarps as ground cover. Pick up the far corner, then walk it back to where you were standing. I *have* saved nearly every single .308 brass case I've shot in five years. There are boxes and boxes of that, too.

[wonderwolf]

I don't like when somebody wanders into the bay we're shooting in and starts picking up brass.....yes its a wide and long bay but

#1 We do a lot of dynamic training and steel shooting and they don't always have glasses on.
#2.......thats my brass...even if it was there before we got there....mine :-|

So I've taken to collecting brass before we start our range sessions

[country gent]

I sweep up the brass on indoor ranges for a different reason than most do. Having mobility issues walking on the brass gives me real issues. But then I also sweep up the brass before I leave. Even in my wheelchair brass gives us problems under the wheels.

[GOPHER SLAYER]

At the range Buckshot and I go to nobody picks up brass except to throw in into the brass bucket, especially 223 brass. Most people will pick up brass and give it to me if I ask about it. I do take rimmed brass but you don't see much of it anymore, except for 30-30 which I have in abundance. Now, when we are leaving the range officer will bring us the master bucket in which he has collected all the brass and ask if we want any of it. Most of the time we say no. You can only store so much. It seems that reloaders are growing fewer in number and the people who shoot the black guns have grown by leaps and bounds.

[merlin101]

At my range we have buckets set that have signs on them "FIRED BRASS" it's unbelievable how many jerks toss shot gun shells, steel or aluminum cases in there along with paper trash and then toss real brass in the garbage cans!

[Tom W.]

I swept up a huge mount the last time I was at the range. Most was 9mm, about 25 .45acp, a few .380. 98% was once fired, the only more than once was some of the stuff I brought. The guy and girl next to me had the "look", but they were slobs, even threw their target INTO the range, rather than the garbage can that was right behind them...

[tankgunner59]

Yeah, if someone is policing brass when I get there I leave it to them and others do the same for me, and these are free public ranges. It's a **** shoot as far as how much brass we find but it equals out. Since they are free there is no onsite RSO, but everybody we've come across are very cooperative. The biggest problems are so many shotgun hulls all over the ground and most people don't throw their used targets in the dumpster. So my wife and I will take all the trash to the dumpster. All we need is for MO state conservation to get fed up with the trash and close the ranges. We pick up any brass first, do our shooting and then while we're picking up our brass we pick up trash. But the only time of the year I can find large rifle brass is right before deer season. Last year was great, I met a father and son at the range and the son was zeroing his 30-06. Found out they don't reload and scored 50 30-06 cases.

[Tom W.]

Last week a cute little red headed girl came by with a squeegee and piled up a heap of brass for me. She works at the range, and I probably have grandchildren older than she is....I suppose that's a benefit of being older......young people keep an eye out for you!

[3leggedturtle]

I use to sort the garbage and recyclables for the range I used to belong to. Of course that was just so I could make sure no brass got wasted. Todd/3leg