Do you recycle?

[CLT65]

your empty brass?

At the range recently, I looked in the garbage and saw a bunch of brass. What caught my eye was all the .30 carbine and USGI 30-06 brass. The attached photo is just part of it. There was even more in the dumpster. I'll dig into the garbage, but didn't care to go dumpster diving. One time I remember seeing a bunch of 45-70 brass in the dumpster, and yeah, I did go in for them.

I was just wondering how many shooters meticulously pick up their empty brass and deposit it into the trash. I know some people are very careful to clean up the range and leave it looking neat and tidy, and I know some others have a strong disdain for "range chickens". I even remember one guy who would carefully crush the neck of each of his fired hunting rifle cases before tossing them; when asked why, he said it was something his father had taught him, so reloaders wouldn't get them and hurt themselves.

Anyhow, I'm not a serious range chicken/brass hound, but I will pick it up when I find it abandoned, when it's convenient. If you take the time to pick up your brass just to toss it, be aware that if you just sweep it into a pile or leave it on the bench, the next guy is likely to thankfully grab it up and take it home.

I'm just doing my part to help the environment, by encouraging recycling.

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[po18guy]

"The things you think are useless I can't understand"
- Steely Dan 1972

 

[Mikej]

your empty brass?

At the range recently, I looked in the garbage and saw a bunch of brass. What caught my eye was all the .30 carbine and USGI 30-06 brass. The attached photo is just part of it. There was even more in the dumpster. I'll dig into the garbage, but didn't care to go dumpster diving. One time I remember seeing a bunch of 45-70 brass in the dumpster, and yeah, I did go in for them.

I was just wondering how many shooters meticulously pick up their empty brass and deposit it into the trash. I know some people are very careful to clean up the range and leave it looking neat and tidy, and I know some others have a strong disdain for "range chickens". I even remember one guy who would carefully crush the neck of each of his fired hunting rifle cases before tossing them; when asked why, he said it was something his father had taught him, so reloaders wouldn't get them and hurt themselves.

Anyhow, I'm not a serious range chicken/brass hound, but I will pick it up when I find it abandoned, when it's convenient. If you take the time to pick up your brass just to toss it, be aware that if you just sweep it into a pile or leave it on the bench, the next guy is likely to thankfully grab it up and take it home.

I'm just doing my part to help the environment, by encouraging recycling.

View attachment 1425560

You can't be a reloader, can you? Now when I started loading my own, in Nov/'11, I would see a lot of people at our indoor range that would sweep and toss their brass in the bin. And some people that would pounce on brass if the guy shooting said he didn't save it. I didn't think there was anywhere that people would toss brass in these times. Especially the likes of .30-06 and .30 Carbine!

 

[CLT65]

Just to be clear, by "recycle" I mean reload. The only thing that will get recycled at the scrap yard is non-reloadable scrap.

Also, I'll scavenge empty brass when it's convenient and doesn't bother anyone else. There are times when it's just not worth the time or effort to mess with, so I'll leave it for someone else.

I remember one range trip where I threw some trash in the dumpster, and saw a box with at least a gallon of what looked like 9mm and .45 brass in it, I assume from local PD training earlier that day. I understand that lots of people are wealthy enough to throw away money, but why bother cleaning it up, when the next guy will do it for you, and thank you for the opportunity?

 

[Mikej]

Just to be clear, by "recycle" I mean reload. The only thing that will get recycled at the scrap yard is non-reloadable scrap.

Also, I'll scavenge empty brass when it's convenient and doesn't bother anyone else. There are times when it's just not worth the time or effort to mess with, so I'll leave it for someone else.

I remember one range trip where I threw some trash in the dumpster, and saw a box with at least a gallon of what looked like 9mm and .45 brass in it, I assume from local PD training earlier that day. I understand that lots of people are wealthy enough to throw away money, but why bother cleaning it up, when the next guy will do it for you, and thank you for the opportunity?

I was raised by depression era parents. I would have been hitting that dumper for that -06 and .30 carbine! Obviously not foaming at the mouth or getting in people's way.
When we go to the range we pass time picking up all the steel shells and bring home to put in the bin. Shotgun in our garbage. these days if I ran into a bunch of brass that I didn't load I'd for sure be picking it up to give away, or get a little $ for it, here on the board.

 

[Capn Jack]

.458 SoCom brass @ .85 each. DAMMND STRATE I pick them up !

I cry every time I loose one and I won't use any range that says you
can't pick up your brass.

 

[Member 34319]

The bays at Tri County are getting taller with the amount of folks that don't reload. You'll get a few these days that come and pick up brass, but the numbers are shifting towards those that shoot and don't vs those that shoot and pick up.

 

[oremike]

I try to bring home more than I shot. There is an interesting sub set of reloaders/reloading. If you make it it's awesome, if I make it all licensed and legal it's wrong. So I'm turning to using more new brass and saving the range pick up for re-sale and personal use.

 

[CLT65]

Good point. I know there are those who won't touch range brass because of the unknown factor. I have a lifelong friend who once told me he would never load any brass that he didn't either buy new or shoot himself from factory ammo, because it's just too dangerous otherwise. I thought he was just persnickety, but have since found that there are quite a few reloaders out there like him.

That's fine; to each their own, if that's what it takes to make him feel safe. On the other hand, I've reloaded untold thousands of rounds of range brass over the last three and a half decades, with never a serious problem.

I have learned a lot about what to watch for and what you can and can't get away with. I'm more careful than ever, and very particular about what I sort out and scrap. I scrap brass nowadays that I loaded without a thought back in the day, not because I think it's particularly dangerous, but just because I have so much now that I don't need to mess with junk that isn't nice.

 

[po18guy]

I was raised by depression era parents.

Know the feeling.

 

[CLT65]

I was raised by depression era parents.

My grandparents farmed through the depression. My grandfather, in his 90's, would melt scrap plastic onto his worn out shoe soles, to avoid buying new shoes. He could have bought new shoes every day for the rest of his life, but that hard-learned frugality runs deep. My dad was a throw-back, so I managed to pick up on it as well somehow.

 

[Stomper]

Good point. I know there are those who won't touch range brass because of the unknown factor. I have a lifelong friend who once told me he would never load any brass that he didn't either buy new or shoot himself from factory ammo, because it's just too dangerous otherwise. I thought he was just persnickety, but have since found that there are quite a few reloaders out there like him.

That's fine; to each their own, if that's what it takes to make him feel safe. On the other hand, I've reloaded untold thousands of rounds of range brass over the last three and a half decades, with never a serious problem.

I have learned a lot about what to watch for and what you can and can't get away with. I'm more careful than ever, and very particular about what I sort out and scrap. I scrap brass nowadays that I loaded without a thought back in the day, not because I think it's particularly dangerous, but just because I have so much now that I don't need to mess with junk that isn't nice.

 

[monkeybutler]

I don't reload yet, but I do pick up brass now.

 

[Catfishmoon]

Some of my observations regarding handgun shooters...
It's a small percentage of pistol shooters who reload so most people at the range have no interest in collecting any brass...
Even some people who reload have more than enough brass and do not bother to take it home. Current prices for a case of 9mm ammunition vs the reloading components have some reloaders purchasing ammo instead of investing the time to reload, saying the financial savings are not worth the time it takes to reload...
Most gun ranges I visit will allow visitors to take their own cases home. None that I have visited allow a visitor to rummage through the containers of other peoples' swept brass and take that home. That is basically taking money out of the range's pocket, it is brass they can sell...
The people most likely to not even bother sweeping their own brass up when done and depositing it into the recycling bin are .22 shooters. My guess is it usually involves newer shooters who are not educated in range courtesy depending on range policy. ..
The rules vary widely by range. My home range is lightly supervised and members are expected to sweep the floor when they are finished. At some local public ranges many patrons don't sweep at all, staff uses a floor squeegee to push it forward of the shooting line...
I keep my own brass and ask about range policy before shooting at a new facility and I only shoot some of my favorite brass where I am assured I can collect it when I am finished

 

[Certaindeaf]

My grandparents farmed through the depression. My grandfather, in his 90's, would melt scrap plastic onto his worn out shoe soles, to avoid buying new shoes. He could have bought new shoes every day for the rest of his life, but that hard-learned frugality runs deep. My dad was a throw-back, so I managed to pick up on it as well somehow.

I had some neighbors that passed about 15 years ago.. they lived like paupers in a run down house in a nice area here, never splurging on anything at all, never going out to eat once, yada.. their estate totaled ten mil.

 

[Mikej]

I had some neighbors that passed about 15 years ago.. they lived like paupers in a run down house in a nice area here, never splurging on anything at all, never going out to eat once, yada.. their estate totaled ten mil.

My folks grew up dirt poor and worked the arses off. BUT, when the time came they enjoyed the HELL out of the last 20 years or so of their lives. A couple cruises a year. Though with those cruises, they still went close to off season, , to save money. The only thing the ever bought on credit was part of their house, that dad designed and built a good part of it. The rest of the house was paid for with war bonds.
The call it "The Greatest Generation" for a reason. Too bad the only people that know that are us older folks.

 

[Catfishmoon]

I had some neighbors that passed about 15 years ago.. they lived like paupers in a run down house in a nice area here, never splurging on anything at all, never going out to eat once, yada.. their estate totaled ten mil.

I think people might be surprised how common that is. People get used to living a very basic style of life and even after they accumulate financial success they do not change their lifestyle.

 

[Hashh]

Trash full of brass at the range? Score! It's like finding hidden treasure. Some folks are neat freaks, picking up every last piece. Others don't give a darn and leave it all over. Me? I'll grab abandoned brass if it's easy. Gotta do my part for recycling, you know? Just a tip: stash your brass safely if you want to keep it. Happy shooting and keeping the environment green

 

[CLT65]

Most gun ranges I visit will allow visitors to take their own cases home. None that I have visited allow a visitor to rummage through the containers of other peoples' swept brass and take that home. That is basically taking money out of the range's pocket, it is brass they can sell...

I really appreciate the range where I'm a member. You get a key to the gate every year and are your own rangemaster if you have a bay to yourself (which is most of the time). If not, you cooperate with other members as far as safety, and are expected to clean up after yourself. If there's brass on the ground or in the trash can, it's yours for the taking. After the monthly USPSA competition, the ground is usually littered with thousands of pieces of 9mm brass for whoever wants to pick it up.

It's not a public range, so it's nice not to have someone over your shoulder telling you what to do at all times.

I had some neighbors that passed about 15 years ago.. they lived like paupers in a run down house in a nice area here, never splurging on anything at all, never going out to eat once, yada.. their estate totaled ten mil.

My folks were a bit like that, estate close to that even. I tried to talk them into spending some money and enjoying life in their golden years, but no, can't take money away from the farm. Everything was always about that GD farm. Come to find out, they've left it ALL to my sister who never left the farm, gotta perpetuate that farm, you know.

She won't even benefit; she's so steeped in that stupid farm culture (cult, I think) that she'll live much the same, a multi-millionaire living in borderline poverty, just to keep the farm going. Someday when her kids inherit it all, they'll just decide to cash in.

 

[Member 53328]

I bury all my brass in the ground.