Brass Picker-Upper

hyena · May 12, 2023

A shooting buddy bought one of those brass wizards to pick up his .45ACP brass. I wasn't impressed with it. However, the concrete pad at our range has a very rough broom finish. It probably works a lot better on a smooth surface. In the time it took him to capture the brass I could have just picked it up by hand, like I do my own.

Eric300 · May 12, 2023

These range brass collectors work great. Picks up all the brass and automatically dumps them in the attached basket. But they are a little pricy (around $650-$700) and can only be used on hard surfaces and not for use on dirt or grass.

Ammo-Up Rifle & Pistol Brass Collector

WR Moore · May 13, 2023

I've done a lot more revolver shooting in retirement

Grand children are great brass scroungers if properly motivated.

AJ · May 13, 2023

HarpHack said:
I have seen headlines lately about more people switching from smart phones back to flip phones. Maybe we will also get a trend back to well crafted guns that don't throw your brass in the dirt ��

(My only on-topic advice is a bed sheet on the ground).

They make well crafted guns that don't throw your brass on the grounds......called revolvers.

TIMETRIPPER · May 13, 2023

Revolvers and single shot rifles are my favorite shooters. I'll tolerate a lever and bolt actions too. But I have never warmed up to autos of any ilk simply because I don't like chasing brass!

John

venomballistics · May 13, 2023

s&wchad said:
I mostly shoot at an indoor range where we sweep up the brass.
A friend of mine had one of these and really liked it.

Brass Wizard

I don't know if anyone currently has them in stock.

Yes they are still made.
They are nothing more than repurposed nut pickers.
Get one for acorns and your in like sin

ArchAngelCD · May 14, 2023

Caldwell makes a nice brass pickup tool. Like said above, nut retrieval tolls will also work.

Brass Retriever | Range Brass Pick Up Tool | Caldwell

You can find the above tool cheaper on Midway, Amazon and a few others.

Skeet 028 · May 14, 2023

I've got one of those brass pickers. Never used it... my range is outside. I use a big ol Harbor Freight tarp when I'm shooting semiautos. At the skeet club back east we had a big old shotshell picker upper. Something like a grass sweeper. but it picked up grass and other junk...even pieces of clay targets

ArchAngelCD · May 14, 2023

Skeet 028 said:
I've got one of those brass pickers. Never used it... my range is outside. I use a big ol Harbor Freight tarp when I'm shooting semiautos. At the skeet club back east we had a big old shotshell picker upper. Something like a grass sweeper. but it picked up grass and other junk...even pieces of clay targets

The outside range I shoot at is run by the game commission. They do not allow tarps to be used. Believe me, I have thought about it often. It's probably the best way to get all your brass up without breaking your back. The bingo cage at the end of a stick is thankfully allowed lol.

lrrifleman · May 14, 2023

When I became disabled in 2007 and was able to resume any type of shooting, my children purchased me an ammo broom (ammobroom.com), which appears to be identical to the brass broom sold by Caldwell, except for color.

At one point, I had misplaced the bucket device that spreads the wire basket allowing the brass to drop free of the broom. I reached out to the company to try to purchase a replacement part, and they sent me an entire brass broom with my missing part, at no cost.

The brass broom is very effective on concrete and packed dirt, and about 90% effective on grass. When I am actually a line RO at a GSSF match, I am able to spread ot a tarp for retrieving "lost brass" during the event.

tmd17 · May 14, 2023

Krogen said:
Isn't that what kids and grandkids are for??? ... tarp approach.... a brass catcher on the table - looks like a fish net on a stand. ....

I use all three of those at various times. The brass catchers can be built of PVC pipe frame and various materials for netting. The down side to the catchers is they can be cumbersome and you have to stand at the same spot.

The most efficient and practical for me is the painters tarps. Where I shoot, I can move around and shoot from various positions. The tarps can be laid out then drug around from one spot to the other during the shooting session. I have several about 10'x10' that are heavy enough to withstand the abuse of walking on them, yet light and compact enough to roll them up for storage.

At the end of the session, I can simply fold the tarp in such a manner to roll the brass into one pile for easy pick up.

Bullet Bob · May 14, 2023

Maybe a mesh net?

Brass Magnet Brass Collection Net | Shooting Sports Retailer

ChuckS1 · May 14, 2023

I use this for bullseye matches. It works great.

Ultimate Brass Catchers

tmd17 · May 14, 2023

Speedo2 said:
I uses this contraption whenever I remember to bring it along. It picks up dirt from the grass range, but I'll dump it onto a bench, separate whatever I want to keep and sweep the rest back into the grass. It really saves my back.

Speedo2 - Tell me about this vacuum? I missed it on my first read of this post but I like the idea of it and could use it around the shop for other duties. Does it beat up the brass as it picks it up? A simple hard ware cloth screen with edges folded up would be perfect for sorting out the trash.

mikld · May 15, 2023

I've had a brass retrieving problem for a few years (getting dizzy when bending over) and have tried a bunch of methods. "Nut Picker Uppers" collect too much trash/rocks/etc. at my "range", I made a "hook" tool but was often very slow and at times hard to use. About a year ago I discovered this; Sorry! Something went wrong!

I now keep one (the cheap one I found at the dollar store) in my shop and it saves a lot of bending to pick up dropped components. I can even pick up small pistol primers!

Speedo2 · May 15, 2023

tmd17 said:
Speedo2 - Tell me about this vacuum? I missed it on my first read of this post but I like the idea of it and could use it around the shop for other duties. Does it beat up the brass as it picks it up? A simple hard ware cloth screen with edges folded up would be perfect for sorting out the trash.

A fellow retired co-worker from the local nuke plant showed me the idea. I/we removed the cloth filter and just let the cases rattle around in the separation/holding bin. The impeller is after the separation bin so the brass doesn't get beat up. It'll pick up any pistol and up to 223-sized cases. I found it on Amazon, had it around 2 years now, and so far, have had no problems with it. Milwaukee is about the top of the line as far as portable power tools, and it was a bit pricey at $135. There may be alternatives. -S2

e3mrk · May 23, 2023

I pick Brass up at the Range,I use a Broom and Dust Pan and then just dump it in my Range Bag. Kind of messy but quick.

Skeet 028 · May 24, 2023

My wife recently bought a battery operated vac in Costco... I'm not gonna touch it

austintexas · May 24, 2023

brass catcher

The first time I took a blanket to the range to catch my 30-06 brass from my M1 Garand, after shooting I picked up the brass and loaded up my truck and promptly drove off leaving my blanket at the range. I guess someone else is using it now. Haven't done it again.
SWCA 892

sndbggr1484 · May 26, 2023

Speedo2 said:
I uses this contraption whenever I remember to bring it along. It picks up dirt from the grass range, but I'll dump it onto a bench, separate whatever I want to keep and sweep the rest back into the grass. It really saves my back.

It looks like this would be very handy at the range. By chance is there a part number on the vacuum?

Brass Picker-Upper

Member

Member

Member

US Veteran

Member

Member

Moderator, SWCA Member, Absent Comrade

Member

Moderator, SWCA Member, Absent Comrade

Member

Member

US Veteran

US Veteran

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

SWCA Member

SWCA Member

Similar threads