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Author Topic: Picking up rimfire brass  (Read 2389 times)

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Offline PowPow

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Picking up rimfire brass
« on: March 24, 2011, 09:07:30 AM »
Now that I have completed the reloading-curious phase of my life and have no desire to test the recoil limits of my shoulder or eyebrow, most of my range shooting from this point on will probably be 22 LRs in rifles and pistols. None of my centerfire brass ever hit the ground. But now I am faced with having to clean up and dispose of my brass at the range. and having bought 16 bricks of Blazers, I am pretty sure I have at leats 8000 pieces of brass to pick up in my future.
The range has a concrete pad to be swept and provides brooms, dustpans and trashcans, but I want to hear if there is anything smarter. 22 brass is difficult to sweep on broom-finished concrete. I know roofers have those magnetic things to pick up nails, but brass is not magnetic.

Please share any tips you have about cleaning up rimfire brass, or recycling it.
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Offline spruce

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Re: Picking up rimfire brass
« Reply #1 on: March 24, 2011, 03:44:40 PM »
A shop-vac???   Just a thought, never tried it!
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Offline hillbill

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Re: Picking up rimfire brass
« Reply #2 on: March 24, 2011, 03:51:03 PM »
however yu pik it up, save the brass as srap brass is really bringing some money.my dad sold a 5 gallon bucket of scrap 45 colt shells for over 200 buks!
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Offline SteveHawaii

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Re: Picking up rimfire brass
« Reply #3 on: March 24, 2011, 05:46:40 PM »
Try using a brass catcher.  I'm using one I cobbled up with a fishing net and tripod.  Works great.  Adjustable from ground level to standing.  It cost me $30 for the net and I had the tripod already.  Attached is a photo.
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Offline PowPow

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Re: Picking up rimfire brass
« Reply #4 on: March 24, 2011, 05:53:27 PM »
Quote from: SteveHawaii on March 24, 2011, 05:46:40 PM
...I'm using one I cobbled up with a fishing net and tripod...

That's a winner.  I think I have a minnow net, and while I don't have a tripod, I could zip tie it to a furniture clamp that would hold it to the concrete bench.
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Offline Keith L

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Re: Picking up rimfire brass
« Reply #5 on: March 25, 2011, 05:25:56 AM »
In the day we would tell newbies to the factory to go to the tool crib and get a brass magnet.  The crib attendant used to get a big kick out of that.  The next run would be for a bucket of arc sparks, or a box of spot welds.
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Offline SteveHawaii

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Re: Picking up rimfire brass
« Reply #6 on: March 25, 2011, 10:28:39 AM »
My background is aircraft maintenance.  We would tell the newbys to get some "flight line" or "prop wash."  But wouldn't you know, some creative manufacturer actually came up with those products.
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Offline nova71

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Re: Picking up rimfire brass
« Reply #7 on: March 25, 2011, 12:44:37 PM »
when I transferred into the electric shop under the apprentice program the journeyman I was working with sent me to the tool crib to get a Sky-Hook.  I went back over to the  department I transferred from and got in the afternoon card game for a couple hours. he thought it was really funny till somebody told him where I was,  ;D He never tried it again..... he was great to work with, he taught me a lot and was fun to work with :D
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Offline pastorp

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Re: Picking up rimfire brass
« Reply #8 on: March 25, 2011, 01:02:31 PM »
Lay down a tarp large enough to catch all the brass. When your done shooting just pick up the 4 corners and dump the brass into a container.  ;D job done.
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Offline Uncle Howie

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Re: Picking up rimfire brass
« Reply #9 on: March 28, 2011, 11:27:26 AM »
Quote from: spruce on March 24, 2011, 03:44:40 PM
A shop-vac???   Just a thought, never tried it!

Might not be the best idea. There is often trace amounts of unburnt powder on the ground in front of the benchs at my club. Powder + electric implement = bad day! :o
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Offline Uncle Howie

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Re: Picking up rimfire brass
« Reply #10 on: March 28, 2011, 11:31:32 AM »
Quote from: PowPow on March 24, 2011, 09:07:30 AM
Please share any tips you have about cleaning up rimfire brass, or recycling it.

How about limiting yourself to shooting crappy Russian steel-cased ammo, then picking it up with a magnet?  ;D

I think either a tarp on the ground, or sweeping up afterward, will be your best bet.

Happy Shooting!
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Offline pastorp

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Re: Picking up rimfire brass
« Reply #11 on: March 28, 2011, 12:28:44 PM »
the blazers brass is aluminum or some sort of simular aloy. Don't know if there is a market to recycle it or not.

Regards,
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Offline Uncle Howie

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Re: Picking up rimfire brass
« Reply #12 on: April 12, 2011, 08:01:28 PM »
Quote from: pastorp on March 28, 2011, 12:28:44 PM
the blazers brass is aluminum or some sort of simular aloy.

I don't believe this is true of the rimfire brass, but I do remember seeing the old Berdan-primed aluminum Blazer centerfire cartridges.
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Offline PowPow

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Re: Picking up rimfire brass
« Reply #13 on: April 12, 2011, 10:07:23 PM »
I use Blazers.
From their website:

GREAT ECONOMY THROUGH GREAT TECHNOLOGY. If casual practice is getting expensive, look to BlazerŪ. Blazer uses aircraft-grade aluminum that's heat-treated to make an economical cartridge case. As the case is the most expensive component of any cartridge, our aluminum case lets us give you a cartridge that has all the performance of brass-case ammo at a more attractive price.

its from the home page and does not discern between CF and RF ammo.

Either way its still not magnetic.
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Offline Bugflipper

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Re: Picking up rimfire brass
« Reply #14 on: April 13, 2011, 04:33:20 AM »
I have never used one, but they make several different ones that attach to the rifle. http://shop.vtarmynavy.com/brass-catcher-p4629.aspx?utm_medium=cse&utm_source=googlebase
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Offline semperfi1970

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Re: Picking up rimfire brass
« Reply #15 on: April 19, 2011, 06:45:08 PM »
You guys are way to high tec for me. I just put my ball cap on my top scope turret and it catches my brass for me. Dont forget to empty the hat before you put it on.
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Offline Flynmoose

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Re: Picking up rimfire brass
« Reply #16 on: April 20, 2011, 06:30:04 PM »
The tarp method works for me, I swage them into 50GR hollow point bullets.
My Dad was a woodshop teacher. When a student cut a board too short they
were sent to the principal for a board stretcher. The principal would tell them
that he loaned it to another teacher/woodworker in the school. After several
stops around the school they would make their way back to the shop where
Dad would have another board ready for the student. I guess the message
was an old one...measure twice and cut once.
FM
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Offline PowPow

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Re: Picking up rimfire brass
« Reply #17 on: April 21, 2011, 01:46:26 AM »
Quote from: semperfi1970 on April 19, 2011, 06:45:08 PM
...put my ball cap on my top scope turret and it catches my brass for me...

That's the winner. Don't wear ball caps to the range, but i will sure take one when I go today.
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