The Firearms Forum banner

Have we seen the end of the brass age?

2K views 26 replies 20 participants last post by  Twicepop 
#1 ·
Every time I go to my range I see more and more empty aluminum cases which cannot be reloaded.

I can only assume from this that all brass cases will eventually be completely eliminated in favor of the "use once and toss away" aluminum cases.

I like progress and inexpensive goods but this suks....
 
#2 ·
Every time I go to my range I see more and more empty aluminum cases which cannot be reloaded.

I can only assume from this that all brass cases will eventually be completely eliminated in favor of the "use once and toss away" aluminum cases.

I like progress and inexpensive goods but this suks....
For my 2.5 cents worth, I'd say that the range is being visited by shooters on a budget that don't reload. Aluminum cased ammo is cheaper than brass cased ammo, if you want to enjoy the sport and stay within some budget constraints, this is the cheaper alternative.
 
#13 ·
It is not a good idea to pick up range brass to reload. Some is once fired but some is left behind because it has a problem or two. If you reload it is best to start with a couple hundred new cases for each caliber you reload for. Failures of reloads are often traced to crummy range brass collected by the reloader. I have some pistol brass purchased new in the 1980's that has been reloaded countless times and is still usable. Most never hit the ground because for semi-auto's I have always used a brass catcher on my hand.

If the cases are not to be recycled then there may be little need for them to be brass. Brass salvage value is very high. Some indoor ranges include brass recovery as part of their income and forbid collecting it off their floor even if it is your brass (That is unfair for your brass and I will not frequent a range with that rule for my brass since it my property).

So Cal is a very populated place and the number of outdoor ranges is severely limited. So there have been concentrated areas in the National Forest that lots of shooter go to. One tight little canyon outside of Los Angeles was heavily used for decades. The left behind debris was at lest 6 inches deep under foot at every corner of the canyon where shooting was practical. It was amazing to see! Finally the Forest service brought in heavy equipment, cleaned out all the debris in a mammoth effort, and closed the canyon to shooting. So one more free shooting area was closed increasing the impact on the remaining shooting areas. Shooters be aware: If you don't police your trash in your favorite free shooting area you will loose it!

LDBennett
 
#23 ·
It is not a good idea to pick up range brass to reload. Some is once fired but some is left behind because it has a problem or two. If you reload it is best to start with a couple hundred new cases for each caliber you reload for.
I would agree that a beginner should buy new brass, but an experienced reloaded should be able to spot questionable brass regardless of who shot it.

Besides, I bet most reloaders won't cull their brass till they are back in the reloading room or will still bring it home and dump it into the brass recycling bucket. I think the notion that reloaders are going around spewing bad brass and leaving it on the ground is fundamentally flawed.
 
#14 ·
not arguing with ld, but there might be 2 -3 reloaders that go to the range I go to, and that Includes me. The other 99.999999999999% are shooters. You see em pop open their new box, blam away, don't clean there space, grab there gun and go. That's how I get 90% of my boxes and plastic cartridge holders :)
 
#15 ·
not arguing with ld, but there might be 2 -3 reloaders that go to the range I go to, and that Includes me. The other 99.999999999999% are shooters. You see em pop open their new box, blam away, don't clean there space, grab there gun and go.:)
That's exactly what it's like here.
 
#18 ·
Use your Google Fu, and you can find plenty of folks who reload aluminum and steel cases. Even Berdan can be converted to Boxer, with a little work.
But I can still find plenty of good brass Boxer cases. We have a couple guys who come to our range just to pick up brass, so it's hit or miss. Where I do draw the line is idiots that are literally crawling under us as we shoot grabbing our brass before it can bounce twice. I have had to read the 'riot act' to a couple of them, letting them know I reload MY brass, and THEY aren't entitled to it.
 
#19 ·
I don't get a lot of range brass, simply because I spend very little time at public ranges. I have my own. I've been picking up brass though, when I can, since I first started reloading, about 40 years ago. There are only two kinds of brass I won't pick up.
1. Not a caliber I shoot.
2. To damaged to get it in my dies.

If someone left it there because it's been reloaded 15 times, that's OK with me! I'll reload it another 50 times, or until it breaks.
 
#21 ·
I have my own range,I love it when the kids show up with all their new boxes/cases of ammo-my rule-I let you shoot here free and you can do a lot more on my range than a regular range allows-so-any brass that hits the ground is mine.I've been saving steel and aluminum for years,just throw it in 55g drum,just in case,someday I need it,bought 5k berdan primers years ago,same reason.
 
#24 ·
last range visit, people were so messy, brass was getting crushed! Being walked on when I got there.

I out a bucket out and policed cardboard boxes and shell holders and tossed them in, many followed suit. That's how I get most of my boxes and plastic/ foam holders
 
#25 ·
I got in trouble for picking up my brass at the indoor range here once, they said it was an osha regulation. I can understand if i was picking up brass that was not mine, but, i dont know, i have seen others pick up theirs, so i guess they allow the ones they know personally to pick up brass, so since i cannot pick up my spent cases, I take my aluminum ammo there. I save my brass for when i go back home to the forest unit on the rez, where i often pick up others left behind brass as well
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top