How do you capture your brass for reloading

[beni]

Given the uncertainty of ammo supplies lately, I am considering saving empty brass when I shoot in case I decide to get into reloading. Is there a way to ensure that you capture all of your empty cases while shooting to prevent others from taking them or if you go to a range where they don't let you pick up brass you shoot off the ground?

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[OldVet]

I use one of thsoe Havaheart traps to capture brass; it doesn't harm them.

To start with, if you paid for your ammo--even in those ranges that require you to buy & use their ammo--it legally belongs to you--not the range. No range has the right to say you can't collect your brass.

I try to keep my brass swept up to prevent people from stepping on it (a real issue with me). Most shooters do not reload nor do they care what happens to their brass. I ask if I can have theirs and offer to clean it up for them. That keeps me well supplied with brass. Otherwise, it's all a donation to the range scrap buckets. It might offend the range if someone gives me their empties, but again--it doesn't belong to the range until it's in their scrap buckets.

[FriarWhently]

All I have around me are indoor ranges, so that's all I can talk about. One of the smaller ranges I frequent will often let me get on the far right sided lane (so I have a wall and corner right where all my brass goes) upon request, provided it's not incredibly busy and I'm willing to wait for that lane to free up. Also, many times people don't clean up their brass when they're done shooting, so I spend the first few minutes picking up all the brass I've just inherited. In addition, if people in the lane next to me are cleaning up after themselves, I often ask them to sweep all their brass into my lane instead of out onto the range. Needless to say, I often leave the range with a lot more brass that I came with, so the few cases that fly away and are lost are no big deal.

I have no experience with ranges that won't let you pick up brass. I will say though that if a particular range won't even let you pick up YOUR OWN brass (I've heard of some), then find another range.

[pgrass101]

I usually just walk up really quietly to my brass and then grab it before it realizes that I'm there.

I have never heard of a range that doesn't let you pick up your own brass. I usually use out door ranges and it has never been a problem. I might not get them all but I usually get other peoples so I end up with more than I started with.

[glockman10mm]

I just shoot next to the bed of my pickup truck. Leave it in there until I'm ready for it.

[denver]

pecan49922.jpg
I use one of these at my outdoor range. Works better than crawling on the ground.
It is a pecan picker upper. Get them at most farm and ranch stores in Texas.

[goldshellback]

A broom, foxtail, and dustpan most of the time. I'm kinda old-fashioned that way.

[retsupt99]

Isn't it a pain in the rear to search the grass for your brass?

Let's not say that I'm old, but I'm at that age where when I have to bend down for something, I think about what else I can do while I'm down there.
So that said...

Never bend down to pick up brass again: The Nut Wizard Pick Up Nuts and Sweet Gumballs, Harvesting Pecans, Walnuts, Acorns

Works like a charm, quick and easy...never miss a shell.

Another guy at the range had one and I had never seen one before. He offered to let me use it...Wow, made the job MUCH easier.
Went home that day and ordered one...now, I don't leave home without it...when I'm going to the range.

[Drgnfly]

Akuna Brass Catcher - Catch Your Auto Pistol's Brass Shells As Shot - by Sherwood Akuna

lol

[kapnketel]

That thing is slick! I have never seen anything like it.

[retsupt99]

How does that 'brass catcher' work when drawing from retention?

[Remy]

I just shoot next to the bed of my pickup truck. Leave it in there until I'm ready for it.

Good idea. I'll have to give that a try.

Spreading out a large tarp beside me works pretty good also.

[Drgnfly]

How does that 'brass catcher' work when drawing from retention?

Not sure. Don't own one. I also use the old fashion way of a broom and pickup my own brass, even though I'm only 26 years old lol.

However no range in my state allows that type of shooting, so it's a non issue for me here. I don't know how free states work as far as ranges. :)

[iguanadon]

I take a shot and catch the shell in mid-air in my shirt pocket. Impresses those around me.

Funny story... went shooting with a buddy last month and he's firing, I'm watching from behind him. He shoots, then suddenly jumps and screams. The brass had shot up in the air and down inside his safety glasses and was sitting just below his eye burning him. Nothing serious, so we chuckle.... 2 magazines later... it happened AGAIN. Same eye, same spot. By then he was pretty pissed.

[Bear67]

I very seldom shoot at a public range, but don't like to have to search the grass and leaves for brass. At the farm, we have a 12-15 foot single lane and backstop from 0 to 150 yards with trees and barbed wire fence on right hand side. I have 75 yards of 3/16 aircraft cable streached from tree to tree about 2 feet off of the right hand side of the lane about 7 feet high. I simply hand a 7 x 24 tarp and move it to whatever distance we are shooting at. Then a 12 x 20 tarp is laid on the ground and slightly under the hanging tarp. The brass either falls on the tarp on the ground or hits the hanging tarp and falls in a windrow pile. I also have a pecan picker and helps an old man not bend over as much, but it fills up quickly. I store the tarps near the range in an explosive storage building there that is used to store fuel and oil to keep it out of the shop--great for storing targets, staplers, ect. I have thought about leaving a gang box (metal job box--I have several) over beside the backstop for storage too.

The best solution is to have several 8-16 year old boys to police up the brass--of course they shoot more that way also, but that is my reason for going to the range mostly.