Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Range brass

A few weeks ago I watched two guys load up two and three 30-round mags for their AR-15 rifles and then empty them as fast as they could. These same guys shot hundreds of rounds of .380 ACP, .40S&W and other ammo. At the end of the day I picked up about 1000 Lake CIty once fired cases plus a lot of pistol brass. Last weekend I didn't see these guys but I suspect they had been to the range before me Daughter #1 and I picked up over 1000 once-fired cases, about 370 Lake City 5.56, about 85 nickel-plated .223 and the rest brass .223, mostly Hornady and FC. We also picked up about 120 .50AE cases, 2/3 of which were nickel-plated. I have no use for the .50 stuff but it will polish up nicely and make good trade bait. There was also a lot of new .380 brass laying around but I already have a couple lifetime supplies. Earlier in the year I picked up about 1500 Lake City cases.

One reason I don't shoot a lot of semi-autos is I hate chasing brass. Sure don't mind picking up once fired stuff and loading it, though. If purchased new, the Lake City .556 and .223 brass I salvaged in the last few trips to the range (about 3,500 cases) would have cost about $762 at today's midwayusa prices.

I love golf, not because I play it (I don't) but because it keeps people off my range. I love guys that leave new brass at the range, too. Now if these two guys would just buy AR-10 rifles so I can pick up their .308W cases...

I think they both need an M-1 Garand as well.

I love range brass

If you a guy leaving 38 super, best to do the same....

The main problem with going to a public range is that there are too many idiots like this. Usually not very safe. The closest public range to me has way to many like that. I will not go there anymore.

The second closest range to me has an old man that comes every evening to pick up brass to sell at the recycler. Got into a small argument with him one evening when he started picking up my .45 brass before I was done shooting. He thinks that if it hits the ground that he is entitled to it because one of the game wardens in the area told him it was fine for him to keep whatever he picked up.


Dave.

I used to go to a public range on a nearby WMA. Several times while I was there, this crew of guys from MD, I think, rolled in, set up a bunch of jugs of water, clay birds, and other "reactive" stuff. Then they'd start tearing it up with all kinds of firepower, clean up their trash, and split. I don't think they were ever there for an hour. At least they cleaned up.

Others would come on with SKSs and rip off a bunch of rounds at mostly improvised targets as fast as they could pull the trigger. Finally, the state posted new rules limiting SA rifles to three rounds per mag. Not long after that, some genius succeeded in missing the mountain top that served as the range's backstop and put a round into a cabin somewhere down range. The range was then closed to everything but shotguns and for a short time in the Fall for sighting in.

I don't pick up range brass because I don't know where it's been. I pick up my own, of course, and when I sweep up my .22 cases I get the other stuff too and put it in the recycle can the club provides. Everything gets sold, even the steel. The club gets a good bit of money from it, I'm told.

And that is why I pray for the continued popularity of the .30-06 in general, and M1 owners that buy bulk CMP ammo and don't reload in particular.

Milsurp .30-06 is not as cheap as it used to be, and when I take one of my M1s to the range, a lotta rounds get run through it either by my self or, especially, any "Call of Duty" fans that want to try a real one.

I use to pick up a bunch of brass from folks shooting factory stuff, until I realized ... I have a lot of brass. As a general rule for myself (just myself) I'll only shoot a piece of brass 5 times total and then place it in the recycle bin. If its once fired range brass, that's counts for the first firing.

I do this for two reasons. First, I want to set a limit as to how many times I've shot a piece of brass. Again for me, its just a safety issue. Can my brass still be reloaded after 5 times? Most times yes; some Wolf brass I had for the 22-250 looked really bad after 3 firings.

The other reason is either after the first firing of factory ammunition or for virgin brass, I will full length size, trim and prep the case. The remaining reloads are neck sized only. After the forth neck size, my brass will usually need another full size shoulder set. For me, its just easier to grab the next 20 pieces of prepared brass.

If it weren't for range brass I wouldn't be shooting my 325WSM. I'm currently reloading the 30off 300WSM range brass throwaways that I picked-up. 300WSM is virtually identical to 325WSM, except the obvious neck size difference.

I've had some Winchester factory ammo 325WSM on order since January with no indication of when it will show up (it was supposed to be here in February).

I pretty much avoid the ranges around since some knot head opened up on a called cold range while I was hanging a new target. ( Yes there are a lot of good arguments for gun control out there ). But to the subject of range brass I too use to pick it up but anymore unless I see the guy actuall take it out of the box and shoot it I pass . This is based on the only head separation I ever experienced . I don't have much of a face to brag about but it's the only one I have . I also subscribe to Ha Yens 5 and done rule. Which is another point. If you found a stray piece of brass I dropped you would think it was new.

I am a little OCD about range brass. I do not pick it up to reload however. I recycle it. Last time I took (had about 2/3 of a 5 gal bucket)range brass to the scrap dealer I got about $35.00 for it.

I just received my first batch of 500 LC .308 cases from an online outfit. It wasn't free, but at $.17 per delivered, it was close and I'm pretty certain that it's really once-fired. Some, maybe 20%, have dings in the rims, but a couple file strokes takes care of that. I am going to have to invest in some spray lube, though. No way am I going to hand lube that much brass.

I pick up and recycle all the range brass I can find. I stopped reloading it a few years ago when I started getting split necks on the first load of some .223 brass that appeared to be once fired.

Winchester is still trying to make it just as fast and flat shooting as a 300 win mag and hit just as hard as the 338 win mag.... You might be waiting for a little while longer As far as picking up range brass, yes I do. I reload some of it too. The stuff that doesn't appeal to me, gets thrown in my scrap bucket. It adds up and they pay you something for it.

LOL while I like my 325 wsm in the end one be better off with a 300 WSM shooting 200gr bullets out of it especially the 200gr accubond that has BC of .588 for that bullet. MuleDeer has load data out their and has said he got over 2900 fps with the 200gr bullets. I still don't buy into the whole Winchester thing on the 338WSM I have one and can get well over 2850 with a 225gr bullet. The 225gr accubond .338 bullets have a BC of .550 if you are into that type of stuff. Me most of my shots will never be over 400yds..

You'd never give a new driver a race car, but lotsa newbies toting AR's. If someone is going to do stupid schit at a range, you can bet money he'll be shooting an AR.

the range I go to the RSO announce the range is cold and say step behind the line at this time do not touch anything on your bench while the range is cold. Then they say you may proceed to check targets once back stay behind the line. And it never fails some ass hole comes back and start tinkering with their rifle. RSO catch them tell them to stop and they get all pissed because they have to follow rules. As far as range bras I dont mess with it cause I have plenty of 223/5.56 brass

Seen a guy get ran of my local range for having this same attitude. He was looking down his nose at everyone for the gear and guns they brought. Making little bs comments about semiautomatic and so on. The range master ask him to leave. Not sure AR have anything to do with being dumb. Most gun accidents happen with pistols I'm sure there owners must all be gangster and pimps right.

As far as range brass in less you know for a fact that it's new, its recycle, Most guys will only leave something of no value to them. If it's truly once fired stated from the guy firing its mouth (and you trust him?) then reloading is fine. How ever brass with no known history could be on its last leg when you find it.
It can look new, shine and cheep and been fire ten plus times.

As an RSO, when I call "range is cold" that means all firearms are off the benches and can not be handled on the storage bench behind the line. All gun handling under a cold range is at the owner's vehicle. And I STAY on the line, my job.-Muddy

I loaded up some 7-08 brass that was pretty much on its last leg loose primer pockets I shot it and I left the brass on the range bench. I knew the old fella who collects the brass was making his rounds probably ended up at the next gunshow being sold for who knows how much LOL ....

Just step on worn out cases to prevent that.