A new gun range is opening near here, and I've heard that you can't pick up any brass that hits the floor. I paid for the brass, so as far as I am concerned it is my property. I will not shoot there as long as that rule is in place. Is this common practice at gun ranges and if so, why?
Is this a common rule at ranges?
- Thread starter AL45
- Start date
There is no law involved, it is simply the rules set by a private operation. One range here will not let you shoot reloads, another requires you to buy commercial ammunition from them, another has a rule about not picking up brass (they sell it). So I guess if one does not like the rules at one place, go to another is the option.
I've run across an indoor range that had that rule. Thought I'd be smart and use up some of my aluminum Blazer...turns out they didn't allow that either.
I've never seen it happen but I imagine there could be disputes about which cases belong to which shooters and at the indoor range I frequent most the brass gets sprayed around pretty badly. Sure doesn't stay in your own lane.
If you paid me to imagine things I guess I could imagine a shooter taking a step back and tripping over another shooter that was down on all fours scrambling for brass.
That said MOST of the ranges I go to DO allow you to pick up your brass, at least during the uncrowded hours when I show up.
Years and years ago I belonged to a league and we all marked our brass and would call a halt to shooting, everybody picked up all the brass quickly, put it on the tables way behind the line and sorted it at our leisure while another string shot. That worked out very well.
Indoor gun ranges typically generate a considerable amount of revenue from the sale of brass.
Why that rule in particular?
The range may have realized that it is totally impractical to enforce an "Only pick up your own brass" rule and simplified things by making a "Don't pick up any brass" rule which is much easier to enforce.
The range may have gotten tired of the more brash brass rats doing stupid, dangerous, or irritating things and made a rule to keep them away or to help them behave. What kind of stupid or irritating things? How about going downrange to pick up brass while others are shooting? How about waiting while other people shoot and pouncing on their brass? How about sweeping up all the brass they can get to and taking it all? If you read the forums you will find that all of those things have happened and some aren't even that rare.
Would I shoot there? It would depend on a number of things.
1. If I were shooting a revolver it wouldn't make any difference since I don't usually dump my revolver brass on the floor.
2. If the range fees were very reasonable and/or the facilities were excellent and/or if it were extremely convenient (maybe just down the street from my house), I might consider the benefits provided to be an excellent trade for my used brass.
3. If I were shooting ammo that I don't reload for or that has non-reloadable cases (rimfire, for example) then I wouldn't care.
I certainly wouldn't write them off entirely just because of that rule.
There's a simple solution: http://www.amazon.com/Brass-Catcher...30223182&sr=8-1&keywords=brass+catcher+pistol
The common rule is: No picking up brass in front of the firing line, but picking up your own brass in your lane is ok. While I have seen the rule of no picking up brass at all, in my experience it's a lot less common than the former.
I've looked into whether used brass is a big profit center for ranges and typically it's not. They can make some money on the brass, but it's not as much as you might think.
I've looked into whether used brass is a big profit center for ranges and typically it's not. They can make some money on the brass, but it's not as much as you might think.
Now now, be fair, if you shoot a revolver there, be sure to throw a few dollars worth of dimes & quarters on the ground before you leave! Otherwise, they'd feel you were ripping them off! 
I consider the "hits the ground its ours" policy to be both an insult, and theft. I will not agree to it. If you DO, you can't whine.
None of the ranges I've ever been to had that policy, its uncommon in FREE America. From what I've heard, the places where you find that kind of thing are those where the shooter is essentially a captive market.
If you're the only range in a days drive then you can pretty much do what you want. IF you're not, and you do that kind of crap, you likely won't stay in business long.
Taken to the ridiculous extreme, my shoes don't become their property because I walk on their floor, nor can they claim my car because I parked in their parking lot. Not everyone shoots the common 9/.40/.45. If I've spent several hours forming, trimming, reaming, sizing and loading to make a box of .450 Warg Whomper, they ain't getting my brass just because it touched their sacred ground!
I consider the "hits the ground its ours" policy to be both an insult, and theft. I will not agree to it. If you DO, you can't whine.
None of the ranges I've ever been to had that policy, its uncommon in FREE America. From what I've heard, the places where you find that kind of thing are those where the shooter is essentially a captive market.
If you're the only range in a days drive then you can pretty much do what you want. IF you're not, and you do that kind of crap, you likely won't stay in business long.
Taken to the ridiculous extreme, my shoes don't become their property because I walk on their floor, nor can they claim my car because I parked in their parking lot. Not everyone shoots the common 9/.40/.45. If I've spent several hours forming, trimming, reaming, sizing and loading to make a box of .450 Warg Whomper, they ain't getting my brass just because it touched their sacred ground!
Stevie-Ray
New member
I would not agree to that, either. My previous range had the following sign: All brass on floor is property of range. You are allowed to police your OWN brass.
I had no problem with that-they were simply halting the reloaders that were sweeping the floor into their own bags as soon as they got there.
Of course you could not police your own brass if it fell in front of the firing line, either. Anybody should know that.
I had no problem with that-they were simply halting the reloaders that were sweeping the floor into their own bags as soon as they got there.
Of course you could not police your own brass if it fell in front of the firing line, either. Anybody should know that.
I didn't know many ranges still did that, to be honest. That policy used to be somewhat common, but has fallen by the wayside over the last decade.
That said, John makes some very valid points about the brass rats. I get tired of the "you're welcome to take your brass--that's not a license to take everything you can scrounge" conversation.
For my local indoor range the only policy is to not pick up brass that is more than a brooms reach in front of your lane. They do sell their brass to a wholesaler that picks it up. it makes them money but not a lot. The container is about bathtub size and the owner told me one day it was just picked up and he got $450 for it.
However, last February I spent a month in Florida and shot at a local range there. They do have no pick up rules. They do have an exception. If you pay them $3 you can pick up your brass. I guess they figure that's about what it's worth for 50 to 100 cases of brass. Hey it works for me I want the ranges to stay in business and I don't think it's a high profit business.
However, last February I spent a month in Florida and shot at a local range there. They do have no pick up rules. They do have an exception. If you pay them $3 you can pick up your brass. I guess they figure that's about what it's worth for 50 to 100 cases of brass. Hey it works for me I want the ranges to stay in business and I don't think it's a high profit business.
Glenn E. Meyer
New member
One local indoor range has you stand on a grid so that the empties fall through!
Oops.
Oops.