I am lookin to either build or buy a brass catcher. I will be using the thing for a pistol. It has to be very portable takeing up as little space as possible. (I would really like to be able to take it on a motorcycle) I want to be able to stand and shoot. Rather than reinventing the wheel has anyone make one of these things? I saw a company had one that fit on your hand and cought the brass in a little mesh bag that was held in front of the ejection port. Don't think they are available anymore but, if it worked would be perfect. I can't attach anything to the pistol.
Any ideas or has anyone seen anything like I am looking for?
I use a cardboard box off the bench. Offhand I use a cheap camera tripod with a cardboard box mounted to it using zip ties. Kind of jury rigged but works. Gets a bunch of looks.... I am anal about my slide brass.
I could be searchin for the wrong word but Sportsman's doesen't seem to carry them and Midway discontinued them. I really don't think they are made anymore. I read the reviews and maybe there was a reason for it. LOL I have some plans in my head for makein one but thought if there was someone that had something like the cardboard box thing I would just steal the idea. LOL I am thinkin about either a net like either a butterfly net or fishing net think on a tripod. I also thought about a pvc thing. I was just hopein I could ride the bike to the range with the catcher. Oh well maybe not.
yeah that's what I was trying to think of a pool skimmer!
Funny today I went out to do a little shooting and took a pillow case and a dowel rod. Put the dowel in the pillow case and held it in my left had over the ejection port of the pistol. OK it did work. I put a sheet on the ground to catch the fallen brass and recovered all but two. I kind didn't pay attention to the pillow case and a couple of pieces of brass flew over it. Yea it worked but was a "little" awkward. Gotta get something better that I don't have to hold for sure.
I just got done makein my own. I kinda liked the one that is on or near the pistol. I made one out of a coat hanger and bent it to fit along side the grip. Of course I don't have a clue as to if it will work or not but will try to see tomorrow. I am usin a Zip lock bag to catch the brass, put some duct tape around the hanger where it would touch the grips so it won't mar. Can't wait to try it out. I can even take it on my motorcycle for some shootin at the range.
Hope it works.
Not really what you are looking for but I saw a guy with a umbrella on a stand, one of those you see sometimes at tables outside a restaurant, he stood so that the brass ejected inside the tilted umbrella. He had a towel on the ground under the edge of the umb. The brass rolled around in there and fell unto the towel.
The first "brass catcher" that I am aware of was a wire cage mounted on a Colt 1911 pistol during WW1. Initially, airplanes were being used primarily for battlefield surveillance and were not equipped with weapons. Then pilots on opposing sides started shooting at each other with sidearms, and shotguns were also reported as being used (devastating against wood-frame and canvas-covered light aircraft). The "brass catcher" kept fired cases from falling inside the cockpit and fouling control cables.
Eventually, of course, both sides started mounting machineguns on airplanes and using aircraft as offensive and defensive weapons. Machineguns were connected to camshafts operated by the engines to permit firing between the propeller blades, allowing much better aiming by the pilots.
I wish that I could find one of those originals to add to my 1911 pistol collection! Interesting tidbit of history.
I'll be headed out today to give this coat hanger thing a try. I may have to make a few tweaks to it but ya never know. For me the toughest part of a stand alone brass catcher is the stand. Getting something that is light, portable, easy to setup and low cost is the problem. I guess I could use a piece of PVC vertically with a hole in it to slide a smaller piece of PVC through the hole horizontally to make a cross. Then I could drape a tarp over it to stop the brass. The base is a bit harder. I have ideas but the thing starts to get a bit bulky. I hope my coat hanger thing works, easy, cheap, small and you can make it your self.
I really don't shoot hundreds of rounds at a time so a long setup is a waste.
This isn't exactly what you want, but maybe it is worth taking a look at. By the way, it would be a lot cheaper to order a fine mesh seine net than to pay for the Brass Magnet IMHO.
Holly Cow!!!! Thats a heck of a lot of money for a tarp. I wonder if they sold any at all. Oh well
Hey got out to try the coat hanger catcher this afternoon. Worked like a charm. It's so much nicer to concentrate on your shooting and not where the brass is going. For the price of a coat hanger and one zip lock bag it's a keeper. Size, price and portability. I'm just glad it works.
By the way I'm sellin them for 60 bucks postage paid. LOL Just kidding.
I went to the Dollar store this afternoon and right at the door where were these butterfly nets. Hummmmmmmmm Kinda just what I was looking for. I bought one, getting more tomorrow and went home to figure how to use it for a brass catcher. The clamp on the vertical 1x3 makes if completely adjustable. If you take a little dowel and pinch it between the bamboo net pole and the 1x3 you can hold the end of the new out to open the net to make it easier to catch the brass. I plan to use a cloths pin to attach the dowel to the end of the net. The little spring clamp is not needed.
The one I made out of a cloths hager works great also but you do have to hold it against the grip while you shoot. The good thing is its very portable and I can take it on the motorcycle but it is a little more natural to use the butterfly net.
Total cost was a buck. I had the wood and clamp. I used it today and it's great.
I tried to make it as basic and simple as possible.
I prefer a much larger net. My net came from Bass Pro (be sure and get the fine meshed net). I shortened the handle of the dip net. I configured a base out of plastic and use an inexpensive tripod for versatility in use (when shooting over a bench or free standing beside the shooter):
I made a couple of folding spreaders out of Kydex to insure the net stays open while using.
No question thats a real nice brass catcher. Bigger is better but I'm cheap. It ain't pretty but it's a buck, and it works. LOL
I saw that cage thing before somewhere. My problem is I'm on grass. I don't think it would work as well on grass. I would think the grass would interfer with the brass pickup. I can be wrong though.
Holly Cow!!!! Thats a heck of a lot of money for a tarp. I wonder if they sold any at all. Oh well
Hey got out to try the coat hanger catcher this afternoon. Worked like a charm. It's so much nicer to concentrate on your shooting and not where the brass is going. For the price of a coat hanger and one zip lock bag it's a keeper. Size, price and portability. I'm just glad it works.
By the way I'm sellin them for 60 bucks postage paid. LOL Just kidding.
I'd like to see a picture of this thing... I've been looking for something like this myself.
Again it "ain't nothin fancy" but it works. I'll take a couple of picts and post them. I made it watchin tv notin measured just made it up by eye and fitted it to the pistol. Like I said it does require you to hold the hanger next to the grip so it's not exactly like you "normaly" shoot but it works fine for me and it catches brass. I just put some take around the hanger to keep it from maring the pistol. It really isn't a big deal. Again the cost was a Zip lock bag unless you want to include the cost of the coat hanger.
This isn't exactly what you want, but maybe it is worth taking a look at. By the way, it would be a lot cheaper to order a fine mesh seine net than to pay for the Brass Magnet IMHO.
I use a painters drop cloth. Lay it out to the right and slightly behind me. I think it's 10X14. Works very well for my autoloading pistols and the lever carbines whether sitting or standing, and altho I pay no attention to where the empties fly, I generally retrieve them all. Fits easily into one pf my range bags and also works as a ground cover when I want to shoot prone.
Here are some picts of the home made brass catcher that you asked for to hold along side the pistol. The black tape is on not to mar the pistol. You could probably put a little tape on the pistol and make the brass catcher a little thinner. If you want more info, or picts, let me know.
You can make it to fit your pistol. You will also have to adjust the zip bag to your needs. The only thing is with the tape on the catcher it is noticable that its in your hand. It doesn't bother me at all.
Oh if anyone is interested I just made up a magazine loader that should work with any mag that has holes along the side or rear of the magazine. (its raining and I have to much time on my hands)LOL Anyway it again is of the KISS class. Is it as good as some of the one you can buy, maybe not but it will cost ya nothing. I don't do a ton of shooting but loading mags does put the hurt on your fingers. This will help. On my Walther I can load the first 6 rounds with the loader but have to load the last one the normal way.
It works GREAT. The mesh doesn't act like a windsock. It has a zipper on the bottom to let you easily empty. I would have spent more trying to build something similar, but it wouldn't have worked as well.
Here are some picts of the home made brass catcher that you asked for to hold along side the pistol. The black tape is on not to mar the pistol. You could probably put a little tape on the pistol and make the brass catcher a little thinner. If you want more info, or picts, let me know.
You can make it to fit your pistol. You will also have to adjust the zip bag to your needs. The only thing is with the tape on the catcher it is noticable that its in your hand. It doesn't bother me at all.
Oh if anyone is interested I just made up a magazine loader that should work with any mag that has holes along the side or rear of the magazine. (its raining and I have to much time on my hands)LOL Anyway it again is of the KISS class. Is it as good as some of the one you can buy, maybe not but it will cost ya nothing. I don't do a ton of shooting but loading mags does put the hurt on your fingers. This will help. On my Walther I can load the first 6 rounds with the loader but have to load the last one the normal way.
Simple is good. I would have thought the brass would be too warm and go right through the plastic bag... Thanks for the pictures.
I prefer a much larger net. My net came from Bass Pro (be sure and get the fine meshed net). I shortened the handle of the dip net. I configured a base out of plastic and use an inexpensive tripod for versatility in use (when shooting over a bench or free standing beside the shooter):
I made a couple of folding spreaders out of Kydex to insure the net stays open while using.
Dale53
This looks like a doable idea-- I saw where SINCLAIR has one as well that looks like it will work. I have a couple of old tripods that work with this.
Last edited by J. R. WEEMS; 03-09-2014 at 12:30 PM.
I am lookin to either build or buy a brass catcher. I will be using the thing for a pistol. It has to be very portable takeing up as little space as possible. (I would really like to be able to take it on a motorcycle) I want to be able to stand and shoot. Rather than reinventing the wheel has anyone make one of these things? I saw a company had one that fit on your hand and cought the brass in a little mesh bag that was held in front of the ejection port. Don't think they are available anymore but, if it worked would be perfect. I can't attach anything to the pistol.
Any ideas or has anyone seen anything like I am looking for?
When I am shooting on my cars hood or sitting down at the range at the table..................
I use two large cardboard boxes with the flaps removed and one placed inside the other and tilted forward a little.
Placed next to the pistol, this "Pac Man" will catch 99% of my 9mm brass if I don't get crazy with my pistol positioning.
That fish net or surplus mesh will work for the standing positions with a stand and in windy conditions.
Pistol brass catcher
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