Picking up brass at the range?

[chrisf]

If you look around a bit you'll see that Chabot has a little fenced off area with trash cans that are filled with brass, waiting to be recycled. Just because nobody bothers to pick up every last ancient around in the mud somewhere doesn't mean that 99% of it's being turned into cash. It's part of the business model of the range, and if you start gathering up everybody else's brass, well, you're getting yelled at for a reason. (And this isn't the first "The Chabot RO yelled at me" thread OP has posted! - maybe you should just try not to break any rules for a couple of visits so the RO won't be watching you quite so closely.)

Once again, may I ask what rules I broke? I ask someone if I can pick p there brass they say yes. Then it's mine not the ranges. Please show me a rule against that. I shoot a common brand as well. There is the slightest way I can tell which one is mine. If I go and shot 500 rounds I'm not going to sit there and count to 500. I'm going to take what I believe to be mine and be done with it. Dang some of you guys have some serious attitude problems. If you have a wife you need to start spending some more intimate time with her maybe you will stop being such an uptight "person" Jesus its brass that I asked for and your acting like i stole there damn tire. No offense I'm just saying. I was asking a question, I'm new to picking up brass etc. I didn't know honest mistakes do happen. It doesn't give you a right to criticize me. I'm on the phone sorry for the punctuation issues.

[chim-chim7]

You asked for advise on picking up brass that other shooters left behind at a range that collects brass for recycling. You got your answer, sorry it wasnt what you were hoping to hear. If you ask a shooter to harvest his brass and he said yes then by all means. If that shooter leaves and you start picking up brass you have no proof that he actually approved the pickup. Best to do it right then and there after you ask. Your suggestion of telling the RO about your intent is a good one. Then it wont appear to be stealing.

Then again it's not nice to break the rules, claiming your going to bring extra empty ammo boxes to make it appear as though you are more entitled to picking up brass. Oh and brass does not rust, if you see rusty brass on the ground it's mostly likely steel cased and that's why it's still there, it's not worth picking up.

[chim-chim7]

Here is the deal with ranges that collect brass. Ranges know that everyone is entitled to police their own brass. If that patron leaves his brass behind or dumps it into a bucket then it becomes property of the business. Most places are fine with shooters giving brass to other shooters, as long as it's done while he is still there.

Some ranges use the brass to make up reloads that people can shoot for less than buying factory ammo. Other ranges recycle the brass, like mine, to ease the high costs of keeping the business open. Paying employees, keeping the lights on, paying on a expensive lease, and to keep prices down.

Even other ranges sort the brass and resell to customers. Maybe you could make a suggestion to the owner or manager to sort and sell brass that you desire. Does not hurt to ask.

[Eljay]

Oh, yeah, WE're the one with the attitude problem.

Look, YOU asked. If you didn't want to know peoples opinions stop posting these drama threads about the latest time the RO hurt your little feelings. If you hate the place so much stop shooting there, jeeze.

[chrisf]

Oh, yeah, WE're the one with the attitude problem.

Look, YOU asked. If you didn't want to know peoples opinions stop posting these drama threads about the latest time the RO hurt your little feelings. If you hate the place so much stop shooting there, jeeze.

Drama? It was a question enough said. Next time I will make the ro aware of the situation so we can avoid this problem. Thanks for your help.

[CALI SHOT DOC]

I always police my own brass and if i see someone with a big dust pan approaching the brass bucket then I will ask. Where I go isn't to picky about that stuff. If the person next to me leaves and leaves brass all over the place (and I see they were shooting factory ammo) then I will pick it up. If I go to a shooting station that has brass all over I'm certainly not going to clean it up and give it to the range before I start shooting.

I've only been yelled at once by an RO and thats only because he wanted the brass for himself. I wanted to say "you can have the .22 lr brass" lol.

[enzo357]

Always pick up my brass. The other day guy told me I could have his brass. Another guy overheard and started picking up the brass for himself. Had to laugh.

[Munk]

If it's in the range's bucket already, you're stealing. (Unless the range gives you permission to pull some at their discretion).

If it was your own and it's on the ground, it's picking up your own dropped property.

If it was someone else's and they gave you permission to claim it, then it's a gift to you.

If it was abandoned at the range, but wasn't swept, and the range has a policy of claiming abandoned brass, then unless you get permission from the range, you're stealing from the range.

Seriously people, how hard is it to just ask? Or offer them the scrap rate for the brass, or maybe just a little under so as to save them the trouble of carting it to the recycler?

[chim-chim7]

If it's in the range's bucket already, you're stealing. (Unless the range gives you permission to pull some at their discretion).

If it was your own and it's on the ground, it's picking up your own dropped property.

If it was someone else's and they gave you permission to claim it, then it's a gift to you.

If it was abandoned at the range, but wasn't swept, and the range has a policy of claiming abandoned brass, then unless you get permission from the range, you're stealing from the range.

Seriously people, how hard is it to just ask? Or offer them the scrap rate for the brass, or maybe just a little under so as to save them the trouble of carting it to the recycler?

Some people want something for nothing, or feel entitled to the brass because they paid the range to shoot there. It's a common mentailty. Growing up without manners, or too afraid to ask for fear of rejection. If they don't ask then they can scarf brass until they are caught and not have to worry about if it's ok or not. Play dumb,"I didn't know". Some people just can't pass up something someone else leaves behind, no matter what it is. It's their just calling their name, pick me up before someone else does.

You see this in real life every day. If someone leaves a restraunt and forgets their wallet on the table how many people would feel entitled to the cash inside, then turn in the wallet to the front desk. They feel entitled because they turned in the wallet, as if a personal reward for finding it.

I see plenty of shooters act like crack addicts when a piece of brass hits the floor. Tap me on the shoulder when I am shooting "Hey man, you gonna keep that brass, I will pick it up for you." Shaking like a crack addict who needs a fix to keep from getting sick. "Sorry I reload so no you can't have it."

[CALI SHOT DOC]

You see this in real life every day. If someone leaves a restraunt and forgets their wallet on the table how many people would feel entitled to the cash inside, then turn in the wallet to the front desk. They feel entitled because they turned in the wallet, as if a personal reward for finding it.

I think brass scattered on the ground is a little different then a wallet left behind

[chim-chim7]

I think brass scattered on the ground is a little different then a wallet left behind

The point is some people feel that they are owed something or entitled to what others leave behind." I dont know why I just can't have it, it's just sitting there". The smaller or less valuable the item the less it seems important.

[CALI SHOT DOC]

The point is some people feel that they are owed something or entitled to what others leave behind." I dont know why I just can't have it, it's just sitting there". The smaller or less valuable the item the less it seems important.

I agree it's always best to ask.

Sunday I went shooting and the range was packed. The station I ended up shooting had brass all over and I had to clean it up before I started. What do I do with that brass? Do I give it to the range? It's not my job to clean up after someone leaves and I never signed a "contract" stating if I have to clean up a shooting position when I arrive that it is to be placed in the brass bucket and I can't have it. Where I go they only have BRASS written on the bucket. They should put RANGE ONLY or DO NOT TAKE. Most ROs are shooting the breeze during their time on the range anyway. They are making sure it's safe but on average the most of what they do is during a cease fire.

If the range is that picky then have your RO clean up a station if someone leaves brass behind or empty the buckets every hour or 2.

[Eljay]

It's not my job to clean up after someone leaves and I never signed a "contract" stating if I have to clean up a shooting position when I arrive that it is to be placed in the brass bucket and I can't have it.

Every range I've ever been to has some kind of sign in. It consists of some kind of release of liability and an agreement that you follow the rules of the range and all posted signs. Ranges almost always have some kind of policy where abandoned brass belongs to the range. If you have a shooting position with brass it in your options include to nag the RO to clean it up or just sweep it out of the way. In an indoor range I always grab a broom and sweep it forward, into the shooting area, out of the walking area. Outdoors it depends on the setup.

[chim-chim7]

I agree, I hate having to clean up someones elses mess when I get to the firing line. I definately don't want to get someones elses brass mixed with mine. I don't like to sort that closely. I remind staff after I am done shooting that I had to clean up before. I am a member so they always give me a free day pass for a friend or wife to use.

[bigstones]

Not really important to clean it before storing it. It is important to make sure that you don't store it in a high humidity area if you are planning to keep it for a while.

Even if you don't reload, it is never too early to start picking up your brass. I've been collecting my brass for several years, so now that I've started reloading, I have 8-10K of 9mm and 3-5K of .45acp. That's a nice cost savings over having to buy brass.

And you can always give it away to a buddy down the road if you don't use it, or sell it for scrap.

And I thought I had a lot of brass! You da man!

What if you catch the brass before it hits the ground?

Actually, I would never go to a range that wouldn't allow me to pick up my own brass.

By the same token some dude who comes in and empties the brass bucket into his bag is a jerk.