There was 9mm brass all over the ground

[SS336]

778 to be exact.
Was just finishing some bullseye practice on our indoor range when a friend came in and told me one of our police departments just finished qualifying on one of our outdoor bays and there was brass everywhere.
Being somewhat of a scrounge I headed over to see. All Winchester head-stamped, free, just laying there. Filled up a bag and took it home and have been polishing ever since.
Now if I could just find more primers.

 

[M29since14]

Not free. You helped pay for it!

I'm glad at least it went to a good home.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

That's true, your taxes went into that... It's only right you get some back lol...

That's an amazing find, good for you. Hope you find primers soon.

 

[Raddoc]

man, I didn't even think about all the available brass. We're moving into the farmhouse in November and my neighbor, who's a police officer, invited me to go shooting with him at their range whenever we want.

 

[38SPL HV]

Congratulations!

…the brass hunters here in rural Nevada get bags full after a busy weekend of shooting by city dwellers. It's insane how much brass people don't pickup after a day at the range. I pickup and give my 9mm brass to these brass scavengers when I see them…they need the money they get on brass exchanges. I don't reload 9mm.

 

[pmiya]

Years ago we would "police" our brass after a department shoot. Then in 1986 the Garcia ruling required departments to pay overtime. It was no longer financially responsible to pay officers time and a half to pick up a few dollars worth of brass.

Off the clock you could pick up all the brass you wanted.

 

[Empe]

I assume they were expecting someone else to clean up after them ? Any of the ranges I shoot at it's considered common courtesy to clean/pick up after yourself.

 

[reddogs]

I clean it up when people don't.Keep what i want or give away.I recycle some when copper price is good.

 

[VaTom]

Great that you picked it up but disappointed the officers didn't police up their lane after qualifying. 46 years after completing law enforcement basic I still feel compelled to pick up my brass at the range.

 

[GypsmJim]

Years ago my club's outdoor range was rented out to the police once a year. One year I just happened to go shooting the day after.

I have a lifetime supply of nines. Can't imagine ever having to buy more brass.

 

[Laketime]

That's true, your taxes went into that... It's only right you get some back lol...

That's an amazing find, good for you. Hope you find primers soon.

Excellent point you make.

 

[Skyhunter]

Years ago, I had the same experience, only with .38 Spl. Yeah, I know that dates me somewhat. But it was and still is good brass! It cleaned up nicely.

WYT-P
Skyhunter

 

[Greyman50]

Worse , ur-uh better for me at indoor range, find 357 Mag and 45 Colt laying there or thrown in brass buckets.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

The local USDA "SWAT" team used to do assault training at our club. They cleaned up all the brass and left it for the members. They also used Full auto sub guns with wax bullets. They had a clean-up team steam the wax off the walls of the clubhouse the next day. It would be interesting to have a club business meeting and there be wax "Silhouettes" on the wall and floor. (I bet that hurt!)

Ivan

 

[67tempest]

When I go handgun shooting the majority of what I shoot is 9mm. I don't reload 9mm so I don't save the brass, I still pick it up and put it in the range bucket, not polite to leave it laying all over the ground.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I have posted this before. Here in the Northeast of PA the public ranges are on PA game lands. A few years ago they changed the rules. They use to have barrels for targets and ammo boxed and other shooting related trash but some dummy kept setting it on fire to "make room" in the barrel. So, as big government systems do they didn't go after them, they removed all the barrels. Now you are required to remove your targets and pick up your brass and TAKE IT WITH YOU so no more brass on the ground or in the barrels. The only brass I see is some 22lr brass once and a while. I did get some 9mm brass a few weeks ago when I asked someone who was shooting if they wanted their brass. He said, hey, you pick it up for me so I don't have to and it's yours but those times are rare.

I used to get plenty of 9mm, 40 S&W, 45 ACP, and even 38/357 at times. Rifle brass was fairly common too. Many times someone would shoot a box or 2 and put the brass back into the plastic holders and leave it on the bench in case someone wanted it. No more because if you don't clean up and the game warden sees it, you get a fairly expensive ticket for littering or something like that. Bummer for sure!!!

 

[stansdds]

When I go to the range, if I'm the only one there, I hunt for brass that I can use before I put up my targets. I have occasionally come away with a bag full of 9x19 or 45 ACP brass, never found large quantities of revolver brass or 10mm Auto.

 

[SS336]

All our club members police their brass, ok most do.
Each range has a 55 gal. drum with holes in the top to dump it in if you don't want it. They also provide tools to pick it up with if you don't want it. Brooms and dust pans. The club recycles it.
The police department's that use the range do not. Maybe they are too busy. . It's free to pick up and this is the first time I did, well worth my time as I now have a lifetime supply at my age. Wish some of their duty weapons were .45acp and .38spl.
Like most private ranges we have work parties once a month and range bay clean up is always on the calendar, but by that time most of the brass has been picked up by members.
You guys are right I guess my tax dollars payed for it kind of. Wish they would tumble it too.

 

[gwpercle]

Not ever having any use for the 9mm I never bought one ... But ...
being a scrounger and Pack Rat I had amassed a few buckets of the stuff .
I even had loading dies squirreled away ... My Dad came to the rescue and gave me a old WWII Walther P-38 about 10 years ago ... So then I was set and I could put all that scrounged brass to use .

Just save it ... you never know what will walk into your life one day ...
it might be a Walther P-38 !
Gary

 

[Rosco Shooter]

I had a similar experience at the indoor range of my LGC. The State Police had used the range for qualification activities, and there was so much 9mm brass on the floor it was hard to walk. Ten minutes later, the brass was in a five gallon bucket in the back of my truck.