Restrictions on brass pick-up

[Katygunnut]

I generally like to collect my brass when I shoot. For whatever reason, 2 of the 3 ranges I frequent (American Shooting Center and Memorial Shooting Center) have rules that you cannot pick up any brass (including your own). At least at Memorial, the enforcement seem to be lax, but I am having a hard time understanding the point behind this rule.

Can anyone give me some insight on why a range would want to restrict shooters from collecting the brass from their shooting position? I can understand the obvious need to stop someone from going down range and/or scrounging throughh adjoining lanes, but I'm not sure why I can't just clean up the brass from my shooting position as I am packing up to leave.

[Shoot Straight]

They want to sell it.

[sss]

The range recycles the brass and earns some pretty decent money from doing it. If you primarily shoot in West Houston, you might want to consider Bayou Rifles (http://bayourifles.org/) - BR has a pistol range on Eldridge just north of I-10 and allows you to take home your own brass. I've been a member since January and have found it to be a great club.

[Katygunnut]

The range recycles the brass and earns some pretty decent money from doing it. If you primarily shoot in West Houston, you might want to consider Bayou Rifles (http://bayourifles.org/) - BR has a pistol range on Eldridge just north of I-10 and allows you to take home your own brass. I've been a member since January and have found it to be a great club.

Thanks. So its another revenue source in addition to the $15 per hour per lane, and the mark-up on ammo and targets, etc., etc. Seems a bit of a "nickel and dime" thing to have to give them brass that I paid for when I am already paying for the use of their facility.

I need to look into the Bayou Rifles option. Is the range on Eldridge available for use all the time? I thought there were some limitations on availability for that one and since I live in Katy, the other loocation is not convienent.

[Beiruty]

If you do not like a range, find another one. Or, like in the future have one for yourself, your friends or build a new range for business.

I find it a very profitable business. Just make sure you have enough liability insurance.

[sss]

The range on Eldridge is part of the Addicks Reservoir and is leased to the club by the Corps of Engineers. The Corps require that a Range Safety Officer be present anytime the range is in use. The range is open on Friday afternoons, and dawn til dusk on Saturday and Sunday. The club will train you free of charge to become an RSO if you agree to volunteer as a rangemaster a few times per year. In exchange for your service, you are welcome to use the range during the week (with few exceptions)

[Katygunnut]

The range on Eldridge is part of the Addicks Reservoir and is leased to the club by the Corps of Engineers. The Corps require that a Range Safety Officer be present anytime the range is in use. The range is open on Friday afternoons, and dawn til dusk on Saturday and Sunday. The club will train you free of charge to become an RSO if you agree to volunteer as a rangemaster a few times per year. In exchange for your service, you are welcome to use the range during the week (with few exceptions)

Thanks! I will be working the first Saturday in April, but will try to get to the May orientation.

[Katygunnut]

If you do not like a range, find another one. Or, like in the future have one for yourself, your friends or build a new range for business.

Always good advice.

I wasn't begrudging the range owners from making a buck, I'm just not a huge fan of hidden charges. I'd rather that they add a few dollars to their fees and let me keep my brass.

I'd love to own a range if I ever get to a point where I have enough cash set aside to do something like that.

[Crossfire]

Gun ranges, especially indoor ranges, are very expensive to build, run, and maintain. They cannot survive on range fees alone.

That is why they sell guns, ammo, targets, memberships, and scrap brass.

[Beiruty]

If you do not like a range, find another one. Or, like in the future have one for yourself, your friends or build a new range for business.

Always good advice.

I wasn't begrudging the range owners from making a buck, I'm just not a huge fan of hidden charges. I'd rather that they add a few dollars to their fees and let me keep my brass.

I'd love to own a range if I ever get to a point where I have enough cash set aside to do something like that.

I do not like the businesses (ranges included) that nickle and dime. Nor the range with RO on power trip and ego as big as Kaddafi's

[ExMarlboroMan]

Gun ranges, especially indoor ranges, are very expensive to build, run, and maintain. They cannot survive on range fees alone.

That is why they sell guns, ammo, targets, memberships, and scrap brass.

True, but out of every ten shooters, how many are going to take the time to actually pick up their brass? Maybe 1, possibly 2.


I reload my brass, and if i didn't i couldn't afford to shoot as much as i do (and my wife too!) so if i can't pick up my brass to reload, that means less range fees acquired by the range (actually no fees cause i won't shoot there).


Obviously some people have abused the privilege to pick up their brass and cleaned house with as much as possible, but for the most part, people who care to pick it up will only take what they came with if given the opportunity, usually less, and those who don't pick up will leave more then enough to make up for it, as well as there trash laying on the range as well usually.

[OldCannon]

All indoor ranges I know recycle brass as a secondary source of income (more accurately: I know of no indoor range that _requires_ you pick up your brass).

Most of those places don't mind if you pick up your own brass, just ask the RO in advance. This would be particularly important if you shoot and reload an unusual caliber. I have yet to go to an indoor range that won't let me get my own brass. The (correct) business thinking is: The amount of $$ you might lose from the brass he/she picks up is less than the amount of $$ you would lose by making this guy/girl an angry customer. Happy shooters = returning customers.

On the other hand, I've seen people abuse this by trying to sweep their bay and the 5 other bays near them. That's bad mojo.

[medalguy]

If I can't take my own property with me when I leave a range, or anyplace else, I won't go there. Brass is no different from a gun or a a magazine. No one is going to tell me that if my magazine hits the floor I can't retrieve it. Same principle applies to brass.

[Jrangel]

I've heard that at MSC, two clients started an argument over the brass pickup. So the owner decided to apply the no brass pick up rule.

Just my 2 cents.

[fulano]

I've heard that at MSC, two clients started an argument over the brass pickup. So the owner decided to apply the no brass pick up rule.

Just my 2 cents.

Were they armed?