Brass hounds

Ttuck · Jan 18, 2015

My cousin and I have a similar rule that we are to have a loaded gun on us at all times when out shooting just incase trouble finds us.

mkwerx · Jan 18, 2015

I see Ty got to post up this before I could. It was certainly bizarre - but between the three of us we kept a good watch on the guy, and like Ty said - the rule when shooting in the woods - someone has to have a hot gun on them, period. No shooting everything dry.

I'm not sure the guy wasn't doing some shooting of his own - the place we shot was at the "top" of this little mountain, and there were two other pits we passed up to shoot where we shot. I heard a lot of rimfire rounds cracking off in the pit below us, the jeep was parked about half way between our spot and the other spot.

The old dude brass hounding looked pretty ancient, grizzled. I didn't mind leaving him the brass as much as Ty did. I know Ty wanted the brass, but I was happy to leave my brass for the dude to pick up. He seemed like he needed it a bit more than I/we did.

I'd say shooting up where we were at was a LOT more pleasant and I was more at ease than I am when I shoot at the pit at Browns Camp. Tooooooo many jack wagons up that way.

I'm not sure we left "thousands" of pieces of brass on the ground - I spent maybe 500 rounds of 9mm down range, and less than 200 of 5.56 - and I think we put a whopping total of 24 rounds through my 870. So from my stockpile, there were less than 800 spent casings for old dude. I didn't keep track of how much ammo Ty was blasting from his pile o' gold. My wife did pick up a couple hundred 9mm cases during the course of shooting, but there was still a pretty good amount left for Green Jeep Gramps.

Next time we head up that way, we'll travel further on the forest road before we stop, just to see whats up there. Maybe find a more out of the way place to plink.

Ttuck · Jan 18, 2015

Out of that box of 1000 UMC bulk 9mm i only have about 300 left. I sent about 300 rounds through the AR all brass cased and about another 200 of assorted .380 and .45 in total I shot about 1200 myself coupled with your 700ish is about 1900.

Bill Siegle · Jan 18, 2015

I have had the brass collectors try to crawl under me and the truck tailgate while I was reloading mags while shooting with friends up at Memeloose. I gave a little nudge with the knee and told him to buzz off. I couldn't believe the audacity of the scroungers!

oremike · Jan 18, 2015

Kind of seems like a mtns out of moles thing to me. I reload a bunch calibers and know others that can use what I don't so I pick up all the brass I find. I'll stop at local shooting spots on my way to and from just to see if anyone left brass. Heck when I go to the local range I've had the workers there pick up my brass as fast as I shoot it and say if it hits the ground it's theirs. I didn't fall for that, but you get the idea.
Seems like a simple no I 'll keep my brass as you are policing up your mess (you did clean up your mess,right?) would have solved the problem so why the drama?

mkwerx · Jan 18, 2015

oremike said:
Kind of seems like a mtns out of moles thing to me. I reload a bunch calibers and know others that can use what I don't so I pick up all the brass I find. I'll stop at local shooting spots on my way to and from just to see if anyone left brass. Heck when I go to the local range I've had the workers there pick up my brass as fast as I shoot it and say if it hits the ground it's theirs. I didn't fall for that, but you get the idea.
Seems like a simple no I 'll keep my brass as you are policing up your mess (you did clean up your mess,right?) would have solved the problem so why the drama?

I think you're seeing more drama than there was/is.

oremike · Jan 18, 2015

mkwerx said:
I think you're seeing more drama than there was/is.

What I see is there was enough drama (IMHO) to get it posted here.

teflon6string · Jan 18, 2015

The woods are big. I give total strangers plenty of room out of what I regard as common courstesy.

PDXSparky · Jan 18, 2015

etrain16 said:
For me, I'll stick with the range. I can't kill water jugs there, but otherwise, it's a great place to shoot and there are plenty of good people there to talk to.

Me too, except at my range we can shoot a lot more than just paper and we can shoot full auto, which is why I joined in the first place.

etrain16 · Jan 19, 2015

PDXSparky said:
Me too, except at my range we can shoot a lot more than just paper and we can shoot full auto, which is why I joined in the first place.

Is that Albany? Seems I've heard they allow full auto, not many do. I'm out at Douglas Ridge. It's a great range with great people and lots of options. You can shoot steel, but no water jugs

Probably my one and only complaint.

Contractor · Jan 19, 2015

Brass in the woods should be picked up regardless of if you reload. As for someone lurking around, not on my watch. A quick conversation to clarify intent would take place within just a couple minutes. Why wait for hours just to be shot in the back. Too weird.

PDXSparky · Jan 19, 2015

etrain16 said:
Is that Albany? Seems I've heard they allow full auto, not many do.

It is. In May they host the Saddle Butte Machine-gun Shoot. There are some serious brass piles at that event.

Whenever I shoot, I pick up all the brass on the ground, or where ever it lands.

lonegunman · Jan 20, 2015

Just say, "No". Maybe you should stop shootign occasionally and police your brass and random debris. Then it would be obvious that you had nothing to offer and they would have left sooner.

That being said, I'd never shoot all my ammo then expect to leave alive. It is not uncommon to get bushwacked by losers while out shooting in the hinderlands. The FBI shoot-out in the mid-1980's was done by criminals who armed themselves by killing target shooters.

usagi · Jan 29, 2015

don't be a slob. pack up everything when you leave, including your brass.

if you can, leave it cleaner than you found it. pack up some trash the other slovenly shooters always seem to leave behind.

spectra · Jan 30, 2015

When out shooting most of the time I pick up between mags or clips as it depends on what I am shooting. Otherwise I would probably lose it

We did have a guy come by the last time out but he asked hey there were kids here yesterday do you mind if I go check it out. We let him drive up to the dead end and check it out before we started shooting. No harm no foul.

B5Ben · Jan 30, 2015

I was out shooting a couple days ago and think the same ole guy in the green jeep hit me up. I was in a narrow little nook and parked my truck to prevent anyone else from getting in. He watched for a minute, but came up to me pretty quick once he realized I knew he was there. He asked if I was going to pick up my brass, told him yes, he then asked if I was going to pick up what was here when I got here. I told him I will be picking up what I see and then handed me a business card for Tualatin Valley Munitions and gave me a schpeel about getting deals on ammo from them. He got back in his jeep and took off. Was friendly enough, but I think he presumed I was OK with him being around, I wasn't.

And yes, I always have a live sidearm when out, maybe more

ocarolan · Jan 30, 2015

Looks like he's a type 06 FFL in Forest Grove.

Lic Regn 9
Lic Dist 93
Lic Cnty 067
Lic Type 06
Lic Xprdte 7E
Lic Seqn 04384
License Name "TUALATIN VALLEY MUNITIONS, INC"

https://www.atf.gov/sites/default/files/assets/ffls-2014-june/0614-ffl-list-oregon.txt

Apparently an ammo supplier for MK Tactical in Hillsboro and US Guns LLC on Barbur Blvd.

teflon6string · Jan 30, 2015

I've ridden public trains, boats and buses in a couple dozen countries, modern and third world. Intimate proximity to strangers in those situations (bumping against each other all around and breathing the same air) just comes with the territory.

But out in the open US woods where there's plenty of room to leave total strangers alone, why make people explain it?

1. I'll be gone in awhile.

2. And I'll leave you alone to do whatever you want without me intruding, watching you, rushing you, or pimping you for brass while you're still shooting.