Handloading is why I won't go to a public range.

[Old Syko]

Been running range brass for a few days now.  That time of year here again.  I'm fascinated by some of the things I find.  Small primer pockets blown out to almost the size of large primers and cases stretched to unbelievable proportions either by serious overpressure loads, oversize chambers or both.  Military brass that has had primer pocket crimps reamed to the point  there is nothing left to hold a primer in place.  There is a whole list of oddities I run across regularly that keep me from ever wanting to sidle up to someone I don't know at an adjacent bench that could be responsible for these things.  I'll just keep to myself.  Much safer that way.  Besides, I couldn't shoot well anyway with a case of rattled nerves brought on by seeing such things.  The big problem is, I'm seeing foul-ups like this more and more frequently.  I wonder if it is because of so many new loaders or just what the cause is.  Surely folks haven't gotten so fed up with things that they just don't care any more.  Handloaders have always been a rather exacting bunch that I always figured to be more anal than the average Joe.  What has changed?     

[FPH]

I always go weekdays early in the mornings and try to keep a few benches down from anyone that may comes.

[mdi]

From my view, today's reloaders are impatient/in a hurry. New reloaders want to buy a kit that will have everything in it that they will ever need including a tumbler, and they are only willing to spend 10 minuter learning to use it (or mebbe 8 minutes of youtube). On forums you'll see questions/discussions on how to preform a certain reloading task faster, or how to get more rounds per minute. I see a lot of new loaders buying progressive presses because they have to have 500 rounds per hour 'cause their reloading time is limited/short and they need that amount of ammo per week. Many new reloaders like shortcuts to make more ammo without all the "fuss" (quality, safety, etc.).
 
Not knocking all new reloaders, but there's a lot out there that just want a lot of ammo that goes bang...

[Swampman]

Anyone willing to use range brass they know nothing about, shouldn't worry about other safety issues.

[bilmac]

I pick up lots of brass at our local range and never see anything like you describe. Very occasionally will I find a case that is just wore out, like a split neck . Handloaders pick up their brass, non-loaders leave shiney new once fired brass.

[Ranger99]

most ranges in this area will give
you the boot for picking up brass
off the ground.
and i agree with previous posters,
most are very impatient nowdays
to the point of being stupid dangerous.
some of the folks i've shown/ given
reloading advice to don't want to
visually inspect cases, clean primer pockets,
verify scale accuracy ( " they can't sell it
if it wasn't right") or any of the steps
to load safely and accurately. ( " that
takes too long if i look at each one")


oh well. . . . . . i guess it's like some of
the postings on the cannon thread pointing
out the dangerous yo-yo's.   folks
just want something to put on youfloob
so they can look cool.

[JustaShooter]

most ranges in this area will give
you the boot for picking up brass
off the ground.

Around here you are supposed to pick up your brass, and if you clean up someone else's brass nobody cares - in fact, you might get a thank you from the range officer if he even noticed you were picking up more than your own.

Just a Shooter

[roper]

We have very few public ranges here most are clubs you have to join and I belong to couple of them and you have to be NRA member for the club insurance.

Guys are pretty good about picking up their brass and close to hunting season some members don't reload and they offer brass to other member free so works out.

We have pretty good mix on age group and maybe being a club most new member that are younger and start reloading will ask lot of question from some of the older members.

[necchi]

Anyone willing to use range brass they know nothing about, shouldn't worry about other safety issues.

Leave it to Swampman to put it in such gracious words, but I've learned my lesson with range brass too, unless I see a guy pull it from a new box and he doesn't want it, the stuff is destined as fodder for the scrap bucket.
I spend darn little time at the local public range, and always try to go at off hours if I do.

[Varmint Hunter]

I've picked up brass that was obviously factory new ammo that had just been fired. The range prefers that you didn't because they collect the brass and sell it by the pound. This is a waste of once fired brass which is much more valuable as reloadable brass then it is as scrape brass. I give the range brass to anyone who could use the the brass.

Most of my reloads are loaded into Lapua cases so I don't have much use for the range pick ups myself. You can guess how many once fired Lapua cases can be found at the range.

[tlmkr38]

Ranges that won't allow me to pick up brass only get my business once. I went to one once and after shooting started picking my brass up and was reprimanded and told that once it hits the floor it's theirs. Never again, it was mine when I got there and it's mine when I leave.

[Swampman]

Our range sells the brass to reloaders but they don't fuss about us picking it up.  I even rummage through the buckets nailed to the post.

[Savage]

For pistol ammo, all I use is range brass. I sort by caliber using a case sorter, clean and load. I do a quick visual and chamber gauge my match ammo as I put it in the plastic cartridge boxes. If I find a serious defect in the brass, I toss it in my recycle tray to be salvaged later.  If I had to buy new brass to reload, I'd just buy bulk loaded ammo and forget about reloading it. I do the same with 5.56 for my ARs, but inspect the cases a little closer before reloading.
Savage

[Old Syko]

Since Monday morning I've processed a bit over 13,000 pieces of 45ACP range brass which is mostly single fired stuff and I scrapped about half a 1# coffee can that appeared to be shot out.  I have 5 5gal. buckets full of mostly 5.56 and a little 30-06 stuff with some odds and ends thrown in that got my attention.  I have found so far, not 1 or even 2 but at least 12 270 cases that were loaded to unreal pressures and fired.  The pressures were so high the headstamps are almost obliterated and primer pockets are huge.  Why would someone keep shooting something that was obviously so overloaded?  There is a handful of 22-250 brass that is split from the neck to about a half inch below the shoulder.  There's no stress ring above the web which is so common in this round when loaded hot or too many times.  They've either been loaded too hot or shot in a gun with some real chamber issues.  I'll just stick with shooting here at home mostly by myself or with folks I know I can trust.

[JustaShooter]

Ranges that won't allow me to pick up brass only get my business once. I went to one once and after shooting started picking my brass up and was reprimanded and told that once it hits the floor it's theirs. Never again, it was mine when I got there and it's mine when I leave.

+1

Just a Shooter

[gypsyman]

One indoor range I went to years ago, had a sign posted, don't pick up brass, please sweep and dispose of into buckets. I thought, man, what a racket. They also required you to buy ammo from their shop to shoot. Which were they're reloads. Needless to say, I did sweep up after myself, and a couple BIG handfuls of brass went into my range bag. Never went back. At the club I belong to, not to many members reload, so a couple times a year, after shooting, my boys and I spend a good 1/2 hour to 45 minutes, policing the shooting platforms and bench's. The boys have learned to know the difference between the brass and steel cased. And, with brass running retween $1.50 and $2.00 at the scrap yard, a couple kitty litter buckets will bring you $200+. The boys get the money, and I'll pick out some cases that I know can be reloaded. gypsyman

[cybin]

Here in Missouri the conservation commission has built 75 shooting ranges for the public to use. 5 of them have a range officers, the rest are regulate yourselves. I pick up brass at all of them that I use, and I don't fuss about someone overloading their brass--as that sells for scrap metal and the good looking stuff either I sell to friends or on here or keep for myself.
 
Even the steel cases have value--I will pick them up and put them into a steel scrap bucket I have in my work shop. When it is full of scrap steel of all types--I sell it too. It all helps keep down the reloading cost, and lets face it, recycling is good for the country.
 
cybin

[stimpylu32]

We just started to collect brass at my club , over the years I don't know how many hundreds of pounds have went in the trash dumpster , members are more than welcome to keep any brass they shoot or whats laying on the ground , but if they don't want or need it we can sell it to help keep costs down and or use it for club upgrades .
 
stimpy

[charles p]

I remember when I started reloading 40 years ago.  Started with military 30-06 brass.  Loaded everything to max load + a little.  Then I got a 25-06 and necked down military brass.  Necks were too thick.  Case and web splits were normal.  Recoil was so sharp it sheared a bolt holding the scope base to the receiver.
 
Man was I ever a dumb youth.  I expect those stretched cases you are finding were from people just like me.  Everybody wan't 3000 fps or more.

[Lloyd Smale]

I use range brass for about everything except some of the less used calibers i have that you just dont find brass on the ground for. A quick look to see if its good and it goes into the stash. Never had a bit of problem with it. Id bet 95 percent of it is once fired brass as theres not a ton of handloaders around here. I couldnt afford to by all the brass i need new. Id have to morgage my home to do it.

[CATMAN308]

I pick up a boatload everytime I go.  About 90% of what I pick up is new once-fired, and I've never seen many gross problems with the more used brass... mainly split necks.    Range fee is $7, but I must pick up $25-$30 of brass each time I go!  What a deal!

[Flash]

I wouldn't have much brass if it wasn't for the common bottle necked rifle cases and handgun rounds i find at the range. It doesn't matter what caliber it is, i eventually find a use for it. If its found to be unusable, it goes in the scrap brass barrel. As Lloyd mentioned, i only purchase what can't be found or made from other rounds.

[Larry L]

I pick up a lot of the high volume cases like 5.56, 308, etc at a recycle center. Most commonly it's once fired and looks like new brass, just empty. The 5.56 costs me about 13 bucks a thousand. It's sold by the pound. I've picked up 40SW and 45 ACP from them too at times. You get a ton of pistol brass by the pound. Usually you have to sort thru some of it to come up with the quantity you want but its about 5 minutes of time well spent.

[bilmac]

It's a sin that that stuff would be melted down.