Jump to content
SASS Wire Forum

Lost brass at monthly match?


Matthew Duncan

Recommended Posts

I shoot . 38 Special in rifle and pistol, and my wife shoots   .32 H&R mag.  in her pistol.  The pistol brass is recovered 100%, and the. 38 is neither hard to get nor expensive, so I don't worry very much about losing brass.  I just figure it will end up with some cowboy or cowgirl who will make good use of it.   

What I don't like is when I get back Federal or Winchester brass that I don't like and don't use.  It adds a sorting step.  All I use is Starline. 

 

90% of the time, when my 650 has a case feed or repriming problem, I can reliably predict the sticking case will be a Winchester or Federal.  Both are slightly thicker metal than Starline. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My Marlin Cowboy Special 45 Colt used to throw brass way downrange.  After replacing the leaf spring extractor with the coil spring extractor it now throws more to the side.  Getting more brass back from pickers now.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I color the headstamp  ( base ) of my brass "Green" to help with getting most of it back ...

I mostly shoot .38-40 or .45 Colt

 

Jabez Cowboy 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, SaukValley Sam, SASS # 66557 said:

My Marlin Cowboy Special 45 Colt used to throw brass way downrange.  After replacing the leaf spring extractor with the coil spring extractor it now throws more to the side.  Getting more brass back from pickers now.

 

 

The problem I had with getting the C45S brass back from my Marlin was that pickers didn't recognize it.  They'd think they were seeing 45ACP brass and wouldn't pick it up.   Or I'd get a few ACP brass brought back.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 10/28/2019 at 8:00 PM, Sedalia Dave said:

Here are a few pointers for being a good brass picker.

 

While it is fun to watch the shooting you should make it a point to watch where the shooters rifle is throwing brass. Is the shooters hat catching a bunch of it? Is it going forward of the firing line?

 

As long as you will not get in the shooters way, start picking rifle brass as soon as possible.

 

Count each piece as you pick it up. When you get to the round count you are done. Seen a lot of people looking for brass when they already have all the shooters brass.

 

 

Nailed it.

 

:D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 10/28/2019 at 2:18 PM, Von Dutch, SASS # 7995 said:

There are a hell of a lot more people that shouldn't be allowed to be spotters!!!!! 

 

 

 

AND, there are a few that should not be allowed to shoot!

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

or vote

 

but i doubt that most of us want to be stuck doing all the jobs alone - it takes the whole posse to keep things moving , i try to do the job that works best in the crowd im in , sometimes i do more jobs than other times , i always try to do it right and work with those im shooting with , 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

   I don't care too much what I get back, and a lot of times I will give 2 or 3 stages worth to the one doing most of the brass picking on the posse. Especially if they're one of those good pickers that doesn't hold up the stage looking for EVERY LAST piece of brass. I love a good brass picker. It's one of the most under rated jobs to having a quick moving posse.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When I do pick brass I try hard to recover all of the brass however, I will try EXTRA hard to

recover .44-40, .38-40, .44, , 45 Colt and .44 Russian. I’ve not shot with anyone shooting 45 Cowboy Special in their rifle yet.  When I shot my .32 Marlin all the time I lost a fair amount of brass whenever there was a common firing line. Brass pickers do their best - and are often rushed by TO... we can’t have it both ways. 
 

Big hugs!

Scarlett

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm a penny pincher so I want all of my brass back. But it's not always possible. As long as I get 90% back I consider it a good day. If it drops to 80% or less then i'm walking the range looking for it at the end of the day. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 11/4/2019 at 1:54 PM, Purly SASS # 57438 said:

I mark my brass.

 

Probably a newbie question, but how do you mark it? Just with sharpie on the base?

I don't reload yet but I intend to do so in the future and I am gathering the brass of the factory ammo I currently shoot. Now I'm considering to already mark my factory ammo for easier differentiation.

 

Equanimous

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Equanimous Phil said:

how do you mark it?

I use a red and blue sharpie to make an x on the head of the brass. When I get home I check to be sure I only have my brass. I only use Starline brass that I anneal.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, Equanimous Phil said:

 

Probably a newbie question, but how do you mark it? Just with sharpie on the base?

I don't reload yet but I intend to do so in the future and I am gathering the brass of the factory ammo I currently shoot. Now I'm considering to already mark my factory ammo for easier differentiation.

 

Equanimous

There is merit in that approach.  I only shoot virgin or once-fired brass in my rifles at major matches.  It is less likely to split and lock up my rifle.  I use brass reloaded many times in my revolvers and in my rifle for local matches.  Keep your quality brass segregated from brass that may be ready to split.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you both for your answers!

 

1 hour ago, Purly SASS # 57438 said:

I use a red and blue sharpie to make an x on the head of the brass. When I get home I check to be sure I only have my brass. I only use Starline brass that I anneal.

 

41 minutes ago, Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971 said:

There is merit in that approach.  I only shoot virgin or once-fired brass in my rifles at major matches.  It is less likely to split and lock up my rifle.  I use brass reloaded many times in my revolvers and in my rifle for local matches.  Keep your quality brass segregated from brass that my be ready to split.

 

I think I will start with reloads for the revolvers with my once used brass while still shooting factory loads in the rifle. Unfortunately, Starline brass is quite expensive around here, but sooner or later that's the way to go. Now, I gonna mark my ammo :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, Equanimous Phil said:

Thank you both for your answers!

 

 

 

I think I will start with reloads for the revolvers with my once used brass while still shooting factory loads in the rifle. Unfortunately, Starline brass is quite expensive around here, but sooner or later that's the way to go. Now, I gonna mark my ammo :)

I have some revolver cases with Lapua and Norma headstamps.  It is quality brass.  If you can buy these cases in Europe I would not bother with imports from the USA.

 

Recently I bought a batch of GECO-stamped, once-fired, 38 Special brass.  I've only reloaded them once, but was satisfied with the cases.  I only paid $0.03 per case.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, Purly SASS # 57438 said:

I use a red and blue sharpie to make an x on the head of the brass. When I get home I check to be sure I only have my brass. I only use Starline brass that I anneal.

Toward the end of this season I started using a green marker by "BIC" and have found that the ink is building up on the firing pin in my Marlin. Come off easy with "Gun scrubber" and a Q-tip but does start to gum up the pin as it won't free float anymore. ^ stages are OK, 10-12 and it gets sticky. Think I'll try another brand next year. Marking them makes it real easy when I get home to catch 44's and others that get mixed in.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

All my "cowboy" rifles are 45 Colt, it's not that I might get 7 sometimes 8 cases back per stage, it's that odd 38Spl that's found it's way inside my 45 that's bothersome, then there's the rocks, leaves and other range detritus that attaches itself to just about everything.  The odd 44WCF or 38WCF case that I find in with my 45s, I'll save till I get a bunch, and then take it back to the range and offer it up to those shooting... no transportation or cleaning fees added.  It's those pesky 44Magnum cases that are the most trouble.  Once or twice every 10 years or so, it seems like one sneaks its way thru my cleaning & screening process and eventually ends up stuck in the my sizer on the Dillon...  Far less than those 45ACP cases find their way into my C45S sizer... :P

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I shoot 44 mags in Wild Bunch and find 45 Colts and 44-40s mixed in with my brass.  I give them to Garrison Joe.  He makes good use of them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

theres a good solution - give what you get back thats not yours to someone that will use it ,ive done that with all the 38/357 that i get in mine , but now i bought a revolver - think i need to reload some of that for me , 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.