Collecting semi auto pistol brass

Horilka

Horilka

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Hello Gentlemen. As a beginner who is just getting into reloading I wonder what are your practices about semi auto pistol brass. Do you collect it or do you buy new or once fired brass? The reason I'm asking is that after firing about 100 rounds of 9mm Browning Short (.380 ACP) I was able to collect only about 65. I shoot several odd pistols and they all send brass to different directions, my FN1922 likes to send it to my face but I don't mind. The point is there is no consistent place on the ground where my grass falls, ground is full of other caliber brass, range officers sometimes sweep while you shoot just to keep range a little cleaner, so it's not easy to find your cases. So what are you practices? What are you losses after collecting? I though about brass catcher, but never seen anyone actually using it and again, my brass is flying all funny directions as it's being fired from different pistols. And ok, .380 is not that expensive, now when I start firing my Steyr 9mm or other expensive stuff, what do I do?
Thank you in advance for sharing your experience.
 
If you explain your situation with oddball brass to the RO I'm sure they'd let you pick up your brass. I'm sure you're not the only one that shoots stuff other than 9mm and .45acp,lol
I know I keep an eye on my 38 super brass as people pick it up thinking it's their 9mm.
 
Make a brass catcher / deflector / fabric tunnel and position it (if you know the general direction of ejection), it's a PITA but helps.
I feel your pain, I really do! My brass retention rate is around 90% indoors and only half of that outdoor with gravel surface.
I almost cry when too many brass pieces of my 9mm MAK are not found.... or 7.62x25.... or 32ACP.... Well, it's a long list, but you've only asked about pistols, right? ;)

Figure out what's legal on your range and make a contraption that catches or slows down or deflects your brass where you want it to be. Dollar store is a good place to look for materials like netting.

I buy new brass only when there is no option to get it once fired (like above). 9mm and such - almost always range brass, collected or bought to replace the losses (IPSC matches when you don't have time to pick up brass).

BTW, I never shoot at places that don't allow to pick up my own brass.

Good luck!

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Hate to loose brass. Only common calibers I'm shooting are 223 and 22LR so I'm very protective of my brass. After shooting a mag in one of the semi autos I'll scout round for my brass before it's picked up. I go as far as to remove the gas pistons in my SKS' and VZ 58 to pretty much turn the rifle into a bolt action preventing brass from being launched all over the place. I'll buy brass on occasion when I have to which I'll probably be doing some time in the new year when I put in an order for other reloading supplies and equipment.
 
i'll sometimes put a large tarp out for my brass to fall on. makes it easy to see when shooting outdoors where there maybe grass growing on the range floor.
 
Thanks guys for sharing your experience. Brass catcher is not an option I think as brass really flies to different direction, but I will try to notify RO in advance, scoop after each emptied mag, mark bottom of the cases with marker. It's a relief to know I'm not the only one who can't find all brass, I thought maybe I was doing something wrong. Thanks.
 
I would just explain your situation to the RO & ask him not to clean around where you are shooting till you're done. Seems like a reasonable request that most ROs would understand (except the one loudmouth #### out at Silverdale).
 
I started shooting 10mm auto recently and at about 35 cents a piece that is one type of brass I do not want to lose or step on. After losing a few too many I did some reseach and found a brass catcher that is made to fit and seems easy to use as well as inexpensive. It's on its way from the states and hopefuly will be here next week.
 
I hadn't realized how different some ranges are. WTH...ask to pick up my own brass, or even brass that no one else wants?!!!

At my range, picking up your own brass is is standard and expected from a member. I usually walk away with more 9mm brass than I came with. No one cares if I dive into the brass bucket to see what others have discarded.
 
When my treasured Steyr - Hahn grenaded and I got a chance to get it shooting again in 9 x 19; I jumped on it. 9mm parabellum brass is easy to walk away from. 9 x 23 Steyr - Hahn Hornaday brass is not something you lightly walk away from.
 
I also feel your pain, and that's why I gave up on my Steyr, Astro Largo and Browning Long 9 mm pistols, as I lost way too much brass in the gravel shooting outdoors, and hate shooting indoors.
I still shoot 32ACP and 380ACP pistols, and was able to buy decent quantities of once fired brass in those calibres on the E/E here, so don't mind losing some of them.
Other than those two, it's the easy to get 9mm.Para, 45ACP and revolvers all the way.
 
This your club RO? He shouldn't be mucking around with a broom or taking your property while anybody is on the range. Some gun shops with an attached range will confiscate brass though.
Mind you, not many are reloading .380 up here. More common Stateside. Anyway, your pistol shouldn't be sending the empties all over creation. Have a look at the extractor/ejector or how it's lubed.
 
I shoot pistols at Silverdale and found so far most of RO are nice and friendly. Range policy is you can get your brass but not others brass, it's club property.

@DaveM - what kind of brass catcher did you order?

@sunray - I meant different pistols send brass to different direction, CZ38 sends it straight forward, so I can't collect until green flag. I mean, I shoot old pistols, they have been through one or two wars, so I can't expect consistent cases trajectory, thought I do care about them.
 
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If it's a busy day sweep your general area before you start shooting to help isolate your brass if you can.

I saw some border guards shooting one day on the action range and they had a blanket on the ground off to their right they used to "catch" most of their brass.
 
I have an FN Five-seveN that shoots 5.7x28FN. This ammo is rare in Canada and typically costs $1+ per. I hated losing brass so I got a FAB KPOS stock from Wolverine. I fitted a 3BUCC Brass Catcher which eliminated my brass losses and it allows me to shoot pistol at 100 yards using a small 4x scope...

I also shoot alot of 6.8 SPC through my XCR-L. I bought an E&L Manufacturing Universal Flattop Catcher - works like a charm!
 
This is what I use, mounts to a tripod...

ww w.amazon.ca/Caldwell-122560-Brass-Trap/dp/B00EB5OU06/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1417068948&sr=8-3&keywords=brass+catcher
 
I shoot a Husqvarna 1907 in 9mm Browning Long. Really can take the fun out of a range day when you are spending all your time searching for brass. In my case the brass looks almost exactly like 9x19 (9mm Browning Long is 9x20) so it adds a other factor of difficulty to it. My solutions are to either shoot at the farthest to the right firing point or to use the range by yourself as otherwise I end up with 40 out of 50 pieces of brass at the end of the day. I also find myself shooting revolvers more and more often when I am shooting with others as I don't spend anytime picking up brass afterwards and I never lose a piece.
 
Chuckbuster said:
Not to derail, but you guys have to ask permission to pick up your own brass from the ground? I just collect mine when I'm done, and any other stuff I find that has been left behind by others, as is the practice of everyone else at my clubs.
Click to expand...

At the range I'm at now anything on the ground is up for grabs but once in the brass bucket it's no touch. Remember my first time there I went to the brass bucket and starting routing through and the RO told me the rules. It's happened before an RO has cleaned up my brass before I had a chance to claim it. Simply told him I was going in to get my brass. Most are nice guys but there's always the one jackass fudd who makes you wonder why is this clown here. This one RO in particular actually pointed out that my rifle did not have a trigger lock on it. Told him it was unnecessary according to RCMP transport and storage rules to trigger lock a non restricted firearm. This clown told me "well we have the SQ here in Quebec" and tried to tell me that they were pushing this on the ranges as well certain municipalities have made it a bylaw to trigger lock all firearms. Called the SQ very next day and they called bs and told me this is simply not true and to refer to the RCMP pamphlet on safe storage and transport of firearms.
 
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