Recovering brass at the range

[bnc]

This is probably a silly question, but what is the etiquette for picking up brass at the range?

Revolvers and bolt action rifles are easy, but do you go scrambling after spent shells that your semi-autos spit all over the place?

[chabouk]

This is probably a silly question, but what is the etiquette for picking up brass at the range?

Revolvers and bolt action rifles are easy, but do you go scrambling after spent shells that your semi-autos spit all over the place?

If it's a public or otherwise "open" range, anything you can scrounge is yours. The owners probably appreciate you picking up after the slobs.

If it's a private range where they collect unclaimed brass to offset costs, then collect only your own brass.

There are several nets that will help you save your own brass. For obvious reasons, these only work well at stationary firing points, not during practical pistol exercises.

[OldCannon]

Just don't go picking up brass ahead of the firing line while the range is hot

[longtooth]

Proper eticute is
first ask the owner or safety officer.

Rules range from ----- to:
When it hits the ground it is owned by the range.
Pick up your own brass but nothing else. Honor system to being watched.
Clean up all you want. It will save me time.
My policy on my training range is pick up your own. Tomorrow it is mine.

I have been to ranges w/ all of these & then a few modifications or special deals while shooting.
The few I have been to that the policy was #1. When it hits the floor it is theirs, I said thank you & left.
Those that let you pick up your own, I thank, dont abuse it.
I have one relatively local CHL instructor that has for yrs allowed me to pick up all I want & then add, clean up all you will w/ his blessing.

now a few absolute rules of conduct & safety. Violate these & you will be told to leave my range & should any others too.

Never pick up brass until the line is called safe. Dont wander around behind others while they are shooting.

Never reach in front of the firing line. Dont squat & reach under the table or bench & in front of the line.

Never chase brass w/ a gun in your hand.

Take a small sack or container for your brass. It should be small enough to be evident that there is not room for cleaning up the floor. No 5 gal buckets.

[GOP]

Hmm,

I pick up mine and if someone else is there I'll ask if I can pick up theirs. I never thought that the range owner would disallow me picking up brass. Even my own? I'd have a problem if the owner wouldn't allow me to pick up my own.

[longtooth]

I have been denied only at a couple of places.
Patriot Arms in Lubbock said no several yrs ago. Only one I remember by name.
Did not shoot that day & have not been back.
Found a good outdoor range out of Slaton & allowed to pick up my own. That is where I shoot when in Lubbock County.

There are a lot of places that are "yours only". I doubt they would split hairs over shooter next to you letting you have his.

Evens Bros here salvages & sells.
Bracken Range in Sa Antonio. These are the ones I know by name. Been to one more in SA w/ the same policy but not sure about the name. Bullet Hole I think.

[GOP]

The range I go to doesn't seem to have any rule regarding brass and cleaning up. Most of the shooters simply leave their brass all over the place. Kinda like those restaurants where they serve you peanuts and you can leave the shell anywhere, or swipe it to the floor. I get strange looks sometimes when I pick up my brass; I guess they expect everyone to leave it on the ground. I know the owner reloads, but I think he has all the brass he could handle as his brass boxes (for those that do sweep up after themselves) are always full.

[killerfly128]

This is probably a silly question, but what is the etiquette for picking up brass at the range?

Revolvers and bolt action rifles are easy, but do you go scrambling after spent shells that your semi-autos spit all over the place?

I have never been told that I cant pick up brass. Every time I am at the range I dont spend the time trying to find my own brass. I just sweep it up into a pile and take it all home to sort when I am watching TV. While I know that may not be the norm it has worked out for me. Down side is I dont feel right throwing away the brass I dont need and end up with a few hundred cases that I wont be able to use.

[frazzled]

Reloader Q. Is it difficult to pick up brass at the range?

I used to reload but that was a revolver, so it wasn't an issue. I could see it being a problem on a range.

[bnc]

Thanks for the replies. Most of the ranges I have been to say that you can pick up your own, but abandoned brass is theirs.

I put my range bag next to the lane wall, so I got a decent number of them landing on/in the bag, but I only recovered a third of what I shot. I thought it would be a bit tacky to bring a 5-gal bucket and set it next to me.

[Griz44]

The range I frequent the most has a policy of pick up only what you shoot. Since I am a frequent shooter there, and they all know me by name now, I do them a favor by helping keep the range clean, including replacing backboards and taking down targets that others leave on the boards. So they never say anything when I sweep up all the brass around me when I shoot. I shoot a hundred and sweep. Usually recovering more than I shot and several calibers I do not shoot. I sort it out, tumble all of it, and trade with others for brass they need for brass I need. Works good for me, the range and other shooters. The key is to be a good range user and help out, and be friendly, and learn everyones name, and talk to them when you get the time. It's like most things, you get out of it what you put into it.

[NcongruNt]

This is somewhat of a sore point for me. All of the local public ranges here claim the brass as soon as it hits the ground. My regular range (Lone Star Gun Range in Lockhart, which I've been a member of since it opened about 2 1/2 years ago) just implemented this rule a few months back, just as I started reloading. Prior to this, I only picked up roughly the amount that I shot, and it was never an issue with anyone I knew who picked up their brass previously. I guess brass is enough of an income generator that it matters. The signs that went up claim it was due to abuses by some members. Maybe someone was going and wholesale collecting all the brass laying around, I don't know. It seems to me that they're punishing the honest folks for the actions of the abusers. If it was that much of an issue, I'd gladly pay a higher yearly membership (currently $65/year) and be allowed to pick up my brass than have a no-pickup policy.

At this point, I'm planning on letting my LSGR membership lapse and joining the Austin Rifle Club, which has no such policy. I'll be paying the $150/year family membership for me and my wife. Even if it was just me individually, $100/year is a more preferable option to buying brass because I can't pick up my own. LSGR is a good range, run by good folks. Unless they make a change in policy soon, they'll be losing my business over brass, and that saddens me.

[Grungir79]

Policies like this is why I have a brass catcher for my AR15. Of course I am on good terms with the staff at the BulletHole, so they let me pick up my brass at the pistol range as well. Of course they know I only pick up what I shot (and I'm checking headstamps on every piece I snag).

If they told me I couldn't, I would shoot somewhere else. Brass is too expensive for the reloaders to buy every time we shoot.

[mactex]

Issues with picking up brass are why I use a net that sort of straps onto my hand. It was bit awkward at first but became second nature after a while. Using it I can capture about 80-100% of my brass depending on how it gets tossed out of the pistol.

[frazzled]

Issues with picking up brass are why I use a net that sort of straps onto my hand. It was bit awkward at first but became second nature after a while. Using it I can capture about 80-100% of my brass depending on how it gets tossed out of the pistol.

Do you have a link?