gathering brass at the range

[striker55]

Since I will be reloading in the near future I was wondering how you guys pick up your brass at the range? I was thinking of putting a blanket down to help in the process.

[MoJo]

A blanket or tarp works pretty well if the wind isn't blowing. If the wind is blowing keeping the tarp in place is a challenge to say the least.

I use one of those "Gopher" pick up tools they advertise on TV. I bought mine for ten bucks at Walgreen's. I also have a long handled minnow net from Academy to put the salvaged brass in - - - saves wear and tear on my old arthritic knees. I can pick up brass with this rig quicker and easier than bending or stooping for each piece of scattered brass.

[dukalmighty]

I was picking up brass at the indoor range today when the company owner showed up and took the broom from me as we were talking there were 2 other guys present he swept up the brass into a shovel and before I could say anything dumped it in the trash can I yelled whoa I was gonna reload that and he said I forgot you shoulda said something earlier I then said besides do you realise how much a pound of brass is at the recyclers,I think he learned his lesson but I still had to dig that brass outta the trash,thank god it was just paper targets,Yep if ya ain't guessed it yet I -R- A Reloader

[LedJedi]

I recently realized that the side of my Blazer box says something like "brass is suitable for reloading" so i've been pondering that question myself. we're going to start saving all of my Blazer brass. I know the Winchester White Box says on the side that it's not suitable for reloading (i wonder why...?).

that also begs the question... how can one simply eyeball brass and identify whether it's reloadable or not. Is there a harry potter style incantation that makes them glow?

I detest bending over repeatedly too and am planning on sweeping it up or finding some kind of magical "brass magnet".

I was also pondering working on my ninja-like reflexes and simply catching the brass in my off hand before it hits the floor....

The wife found an interesting way to police brass last time at the range too. If you stand really close to the shooting stall it'll bounce the brass off the wall and shoot straight down the front of her blouse. She wasn't so happy about that though.

[Mike1951]

I was picking up brass at the indoor range today when the company owner showed up and took the broom from me as we were talking there were 2 other guys present he swept up the brass into a shovel and before I could say anything dumped it in the trash can I yelled whoa I was gonna reload that and he said I forgot you shoulda said something earlier I then said besides do you realise how much a pound of brass is at the recyclers,I think he learned his lesson but I still had to dig that brass outta the trash,thank god it was just paper targets,Yep if ya ain't guessed it yet I -R- A Reloader

I'm not sure you taught him a lesson. You can bet he tries to sweep up every piece of brass and put it into that trash can,
because he already knows how much per pound the recycler gets because he has been selling it.

Most folks wouldn't go to the effort of digging it back out of the trash, so he gets to sell most of it.

This is major peave with me, selling brass for scrap instead of keeping it in ammunition. If someone wants to sell brass back to reloaders, that's great. But to sell it for scrap is just wrong.

[Crossfire]

that also begs the question... how can one simply eyeball brass and identify whether it's reloadable or not. Is there a harry potter style incantation that makes them glow?

Brass and nickel cases are reloadable. Aluminum and steel are not.

So, if it looks like brass and a magnet won't pick it up, it's reloadable. If it's silver colored and shiny, it's probably nickel, and reloadable. If it's silver colored and has a dull finish, then it's steel or aluminum, and not reloadable.

BTW, I am not the reloader in the family. I am just the brass sorter. And I need help. Anyone in north Texas who wants to sort endless buckets, PM me. Really. Will pay in cash or brass.

[MrsFosforos]

that also begs the question... how can one simply eyeball brass and identify whether it's reloadable or not. Is there a harry potter style incantation that makes them glow?

Brass and nickel cases are reloadable. Aluminum and steel are not.

So, if it looks like brass and a magnet won't pick it up, it's reloadable. If it's silver colored and shiny, it's probably nickel, and reloadable. If it's silver colored and has a dull finish, then it's steel or aluminum, and not reloadable.

BTW, I am not the reloader in the family. I am just the brass sorter. And I need help. Anyone in north Texas who wants to sort endless buckets, PM me. Really. Will pay in cash or brass.

We need to invent a graduated tumbler that would sort by size, It wouldn't help when some of the smaller ones get lodged into the larger casings, but it might be a good "first run" at sorting!

[KaiserB]

We need to invent a graduated tumbler that would sort by size, It wouldn't help when some of the smaller ones get lodged into the larger casings, but it might be a good "first run" at sorting!

It was invented years ago... as two diverging metal rods that rotate with buckets beneath (I will dig up a diagram and post it if I can find one).

The slightly more labor intensive but much cheaper method can be found here for a mere $30: http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.e ... t=11082005

[Crossfire]

We have the sorting trays. Definitely helps with the first sorting, but you still have to hand sort after because of cases that nest inside each other (9mm in 40S&W, etc).

We have been looking at that other contraption with the metal rods and the variable speed motor, but it is QUITE an investment.

So for now, its me, the Reloading Wizard, and sometimes our son (when he gets hungry enough). And the weiner dog, but she really isn't much help.

So anyone who wants to earn extra money, or extra brass to feed your own habit, is welcome to come and try out the sorting trays, anytime!

[KaiserB]

I have a 4 and 6 year old for the purposes of sorting range brass. They work for ice cream bars :)

[AggieMM]

Best $40 I ever spent.....

Shell Sorter

On Sale at MidwayUSA ($30.00)

Ryan

[KBCraig]

Brass and nickel cases are reloadable. Aluminum and steel are not.

Steel is reloadable if you use carbide dies, but doing so is of questionable value. Steel cases are usually lacquered, but some of the lacquer burns off/rubs off when fired. This leaves bare steel to rust, or cause problems sticking in the chamber.

[Liko81]

Just remember that many ranges consider abandoned brass to be their property (they sell it to firms that reclaim and recast it for handloads), and some get pretty hard-headed about it, so if you use a brass-catcher or sweep your brass into a bag to take home you might just be required to prove it was all yours. That said I've never had a problem with guests collecting an empty of some "interesting" cartridge like a .44Mag or .357Sig, or with doing so myself, and I've never seen anyone who refills the cases they brought being required to sign their initials on every bullet they brought so it could be identified when leaving; generally as long as you take home the same amount of brass as you brought in you're fine.

[O6nop]

This is major peave with me, selling brass for scrap instead of keeping it in ammunition. If someone wants to sell brass back to reloaders, that's great. But to sell it for scrap is just wrong.

I agree, most of the time at my range, brass is left around for the picking. I stopped collecting brass for a while because I couldn't stock enough bullets to fill 'em up, I'd leave 'em in hopes another reloader could use them. But now, I'm thinking about saving 'em again and either selling or giving away to reloaders. An exception would be Berdan primed brass and rimfire brass. Those would be ideal for scrap sale.

[DoubleJ]

So anyone who wants to earn extra money, or extra brass to feed your own habit, is welcome to come and try out the sorting trays, anytime!

I think the company, alone, would be worth the time investment.