Collecting brass for reloading

[zobster]

I was speaking to the pistol club secretary a couple of weeks ago about joining up and one of the first few things he mentioned was reloading my own ammunition. This got me thinking, pistols are usually semi-automatic and their spent brass get ejected out to the side.

Now, how does one pick up his/her spent pistol brass for reloading? When I'm hunting it easy cause it's bolt action and you just open the action slowly and you'll be able to catch the brass before it gets ejected. When it comes to pistol brass, do you just bend down and pick them up or is there another method?

I guessing that many others will be reloading as well, as told to me by the secretary. So if 2/3 people are shooting at the same time, how is the brass going to be collected?

[SendIt]

I can't say for every range but typically there will be a partition of some sort between shooters to stop brass ejecting into a neighbours space.

I take it you've just talked to the secretary and not seen the range yet? Stick you're head in and have a look, I suspect you'll find something as described above.

[zobster]

Its called "emu bobbing".

head down butt up?

[Gwion]

Yup... peck at shiny things on the ground.

[brett1868]

As the others mentioned there's usually a divider between bays so you're not hitting the person next to you with hot shell casings. If shooting IPSC, Service or other disciplines where you're in the open then generally others will help you collect the empties. I shoot service pistol at St Marys and we help each other to mark, score and collect brass. Also pistols will have different ejection trajectories, my Glock tends to throw them back over my right shoulder at the 5 O'clock mark whilst the STi throws them to 2 O'clock.
Depending on the range you may be able to buy their old brass as not everyone reloads. Factor in a 10% loss of cases when shooting and if you get serious with the pistols then invest in a Dillion progressive press or similar.

[Wheelbarrow]

head down butt up?

That's the way I like to... shoot

[Lorgar]

As the others mentioned there's usually a divider between bays so you're not hitting the person next to you with hot shell casings.

Having one go down the neck of your shirt is even more fun

[huccl]

Do a little dance

[Sender]

Hot brass gives you some good moves

[Yelp]

All good fun, it's a right of passage having a smouldering case go down your shirt

[Supaduke]

Ha, you guys just reminded me of an incident many years ago. I was standing to the right and slightly behind my brother who was plinking with a ruger 10/22. A case ejected and flew straight into the side of my neck. Sizzled there for a few seconds and actually got stuck. My dad had to pull it off and took a nice chunk of skin wth it. Had the scar there for the best part of a decade before it faded. Even little .22 cases can hurt like a b&$tard.

[ItsMe]

A few folks at my club use a 2x2m piece of shade cloth when shooting forward of the bench and dividers. Once you know where your cases land you place the cloth accordingly.

[yoshie]

Get a revolver or better yet a thompson contender and shoot a real match like metallic silhouette

[Cryptic]

Happy to be a wheelgunner till my 1st year 1 centrefire limit is up. Beats bobbing for brass for now.
Comp days after a round it's like watching chooks scratching around the yard. Highly tempting to dip into the empty bin and throw a handful out like feed.