[brotherbrian]

What is the etiquette regarding scooping up range brass? The range specifies that anything in the bucket is theirs, but there is usually a bunch on the floor around any lane we are given. I've been told by others that the general rule is "anything behind the firing line, and not in the bucket/can is up for grabs". Last time we swept up, the lady next to us began picking up her 9mm brass, some of which we had swept into our pile. We happily helped her pick hers out of it and gave it to her, but it raised the question. We don't want to be guilty of stealing brass, but all the range does is sweep it up at the end of the day, tumble it, bag it and resell it. I don't see how a few of "other people's brass" getting mixed w/ mine should be a problem. Last time we added about 50 each of .38 and .357 brass to our own, with a few odd .40's and 9mm's.

Was that wrong?

 

[20361]

If the other person wants their brass, they probably reload.
If they leave without picking up anything, they must be rich and don't care.
You did right by giving her her brass.

 

[Greg_R]

At our range the rules say if it's in front of the firing line it belongs to the range. If it is behind the firing line in your lane it is yours to pick up. Generally if the person in the lane next to you reloads also, we pick up the brass in our lane, sort it and give it to your neighbor. I say only 1 in 10 reloads. I really hate seeing the amount of brass that is pushed over the line.

 

[texastaurusguy]

I'll sometimes just ask the guy as I'm picking up my brass, are you keeping yours? If he says no, then I start picking it up. Most ranges around here also have a rubber squeegee that you can collect the brass with - I sometimes just pull whatever I can into my cube, and pick it up when I can.

 

[olfarhors]

pretty much the same as others, as long as you can reach it across the line then you can retrieve your brass, better not go across that line though!
Normally when people see me sweeping up my brass they ask if I want theirs.
I never really take anything that I don't reload for, some 357 Sig as I got a couple fire buddies that reload that caliber.
I will normally give brass to a new reloader if he mentions they are getting started.
I will always ask neighboring shooters Do you save your brass before I start sweeping.

 

[Craftsman]

Past the firing line is off limits. Other than that my range doesn't care. I generally ask if I can take someone else's brass and offer to sweep their lane if they let me. Some ranges around here claim to own anything that hits the floor. I don't shoot at those ranges. If I run into a fellow reloader, I generally mark my brass and let them have anything in their direction that isn't marked. A few empty shells is worth the goodwill.

I once had a 'lady' deliberately kick her brass downrange so I couldn't get it. After she went outside, I asked her companion if I could have his brass. He had no problems with that.

The guys that work the range actually like seeing me. They know the range floor will be clear when I leave.

 

[glenwolde]

If I see somebody dropping .38/.357 on the ground I ask them if I can have it. They always say yes, and if I give them a zip lock bag they'll bag it as they eject it.

I shot for years at a "Don't pick up the range brass, only your own" place. However, the range officers looked the other way for 9mm and .40 (it was everywhere) as long as you weren't just totally obvious about it. I used the "shoot five, pick up ten" method and nobody cared.

I also discovered that the range officers liked kolaches, and shot a lot of 10mm. I occasionally brought breakfast, and If I ran into 10mm brass I'd scoop it up and give it to them.

 

[darbo]

Brass rules are faily standard. As others have said I will ask my neighbors if they keep theirs. If not I'll offer to sweep up theirs. Heck I've even had people sweep up their brass and bring it to me!

 

[JimmyA]

One nice thing about shooting revolvers ...

The indoor range I go to doesn't care if it's behind the line, pick up all you want. Most people don't save it so there's a lot. I keep the rifle brass even though, at present, I don't reload.

 

[Czechbikr]

As a renowned brass "whore" I'll usually ask people if they re-load so that I am more careful to not grab theirs. My preferred position at the range is on the right hand side so that mine heads into the wall. There's a range in Elgin, Il that I don't frequent much after a crabby old guy made it a point to come through twice in the hour to state loudly...make sure you're only picking up you brass. They probably have lost a thousand dollars in business for a few bucks in brass.

I have read here about a range which claims if it hits the floor that they own it. They wouldn't be seeing my business either.

 

[granthol]

My club seems to have a lot of brass on the ground. I usually bring home a lot more brass than I shot.

 

[mark38090]

There are no indoor ranges around here but at the outdoor range we go on Monday mornings with a broom and dustpan and walk away with usually two bucket loads. We divide it up, throw out the non reloadable stuff, keep what we want and spread the rest out amongst other reloaders. We've never been questioned by anyone.

 

[20361]

I can't afford indoor ranges, and only get to the DNR range once or twice a year.
It is a pick up your own brass deal, as there is no RO.
So anything left behind is fair game, either side of the line.
Sometimes other people will give you brass.
I always ask if anyone wants their 9mm. or .223 brass.
Hardly anybody shoots a Mosin there, so no 7.62X54R except my own.

 

[hombre243]

The range in IL across the river from me charges an arm and a leg to shoot. They let you keep your trigger finger. The brass hits the floor they claim it as theirs. That's when the fight started...lol.

I keep mine and if I can, because they say we are responsible to sweep up our brass...keep all I sweep up if it is my cal.

The Rifle Club even farther across the river is open for members and when done all are required to police their brass. If there is a bucketful, help yourself. I do, but I have to rejoin. When I went to TX my membership lapsed. It is the responsiblity of all members to keep the ranges clean. There are 2, 10 lane indoor pistol ranges. 1 Outdoor pistol range near the clubhouses. Below there are about 10 benches set up for 25, 50, 100, 160 yds. Concreted and roofed. Niiiiice.

There is a walled pistol range too way back in the darkest corner of the compound.

There is a 200?, 300? mid-range, and 600 yard range. All ranges require all participants to pick up their brass. If it is left, it is free to take and the ranges that are concreted and covered, all the brass is clean.

I picked up after Lewis Machine one day and got a whole bucket of 7.62x51, and 5.56/.223 cases. That was before I started shooting the 308 and 223...and gave about 500-600 cases away. I won't be so generous next time.:shooter:

Every range I have ever been to have their policies about brass. If you want to be invited back, it is probably best to follow them. If they have cameras...that is especially so.

 

[glenwolde]

As a renowned brass "whore" I'll usually ask people if they re-load so that I am more careful to not grab theirs. My preferred position at the range is on the right hand side so that mine heads into the wall. There's a range in Elgin, Il that I don't frequent much after a crabby old guy made it a point to come through twice in the hour to state loudly...make sure you're only picking up you brass. They probably have lost a thousand dollars in business for a few bucks in brass.

I have read here about a range which claims if it hits the floor that they own it. They wouldn't be seeing my business either.

The worst range for brass I ever shot at was an indoor range that had grates on the floor and all the brass fell down into the recess below. It caught about 90% of it. Clever, except I only shot there once. With a revolver. BWAHAHAHAHAHA....

 

[Fishinkeylargo]

One thing about my club range, any brass left behind is fair game, includes the brass in the buckets. Only problem is many people reload as of lately and brass can be hard to find. Very rarely do I ever find revolver brass. 9mm, .40 S&W, .45 acp, and .223/5.56 can be pretty abundant at times.

 

[Bruntson]

I always am neighborly to my fellow shoots in the lanes next to me. A little kindness goes a long way. My 2 local ranges require you to sweep up your brass and put it in a range bucket before leaving. But you can keep what you shoot if its behind the fire line. I offer to sweep up the lanes next to me if they have a caliber I shoot. The LEO shoot at these ranges for free and they just leave all their 40 S&W brass on the floor. I don't shoot this caliber so I just sweep it up and put in in the range bucket. I bring a plastic bucket with a lid with me to store my ears and ammo in and to put all my spent casing when I leave.

 

[texastaurusguy]

I was wanting to go to a new range in Lewisville, but my son went there and reported back to me that they wouldn't let them pick up their own brass - they told him that once it hits the floor, it's theirs. I told him under no circumstances would I go there. Then, I went to my first gun show late last year and there was a guy handing out a discount card for that range. The guy struck me as being either the owner, or maybe the manager. I looked at the card, and told him the story, and he said "no, that wasn't my range ! We let you pick up your brass." I called BS and walked away. Luckily, the new range out here opened and I never had to go there.

 

[Lmstncwby]

I try to pick up my brass at the range and use the squeegee to get stuff that went forward. No one says anything.

 

[brotherbrian]

Just called my indoor range, they said "technically" once it hits the floor it's theirs, but they have no problem w/ shooters picking up THEIR OWN BRASS ONLY. How they can monitor that, I dunno. They said that most brass should stay in your own lane anyway. I politely told him that a lot of our brass finds its way all the way to the other side of the room, and several lanes away sometimes. Said it's still perfectly ok to get your own brass only, but no one else's. They also have the rubber squeegie, and I use it to scoop up our brass and push it to our lane, whatever "other brass" that gets caught in the path is not my fault, and I'll be danged if I'm going to stand there and pick through brass on the range to find the 10-20 pcs that aren't mine, out of 150-200 of my rounds. That's not reasonable is it?