Marking & finding your brass

[njl]

I read somewhere about using a sharpie to mark brass, and it's worked great for identifying my brass when I practice alone or in small groups.

I just paint a stripe across the head/primer...and when picking up the brass, it's easy to see which is mine.

I shot an indoor IDPA-like match the other night, and thought I'd go a step further and put a stripe of black sharpie on the side of the brass as well.

When the match was over, there was probably about 1000 empty cases on the floor, and I only happened to find a couple of mine...didn't want to resort to digging through it all to sift out the rest of mine.

Does anyone else do this sort of thing...and if so, has it worked for you?

I think the problems were,

1) marking the head is useless when there's a ton of brass laying on their sides on the floor and you want to be able to cherry pick yours from 6' up,

2) the side marks I did didn't go all the way around the brass, so more often than not, the side marks weren't facing up.

I'm thinking a ring of sharpie all the way around the bottom 1/3 of the case may work a whole lot better.

Or...do you just shoot your least favorite brass at matches and figure it's going to be lost?

edited out weird past-o...how the heck did that get in there?

Edited November 4, 2009 by njl

[bbbean]

I'm thinking a ring of sharpie all the way around the bottom 1/3 of the case may work a whole lot better.

Or...do you just shoot your least favorite brass at matches and figure it's going to be lost?

I shoot two kinds of matches: Local matches where everybody brasses as you shoot, so you end up getting most of your brass immediately after you shoot (there isn't any other fresh brass) or lost brass matches where it doesn't matter. I haven't found that marking brass helps in either of these situations.

For practice, I make it a point to only invite non-reloaders out to the farm, so ALL the brass is mine

[Action Pistolero]

I read somewhere about using a sharpie to mark brass, and it's worked great for identifying my brass when I practice alone or in small groups.

I just paint a stripe across the head/primer...and when picking up the brass, it's easy to see which is mine.

I shot an indoor IDPA-like match the other night, and thought I'd go a step further and put a stripe of black sharpie on the side of the brass as well.

When the match was over, there was probably about 1000 empty cases on the floor, and I only happened to find a couple of mine...didn't want to resort to digging through it all to sift out the rest of mine.

Does anyone else do this sort of thing...and if so, has it worked for you?

I think the problems were,

brighthouse cable card fee

1) marking the head is useless when there's a ton of brass laying on their sides on the floor and you want to be able to cherry pick yours from 6' up,

2) the side marks I did didn't go all the way around the brass, so more often than not, the side marks weren't facing up.

I'm thinking a ring of sharpie all the way around the bottom 1/3 of the case may work a whole lot better.

Or...do you just shoot your least favorite brass at matches and figure it's going to be lost?

I have a jig that holds two markers. I just spin the round against the tips of the markers and they put two stripes all around the case.

A friend of mine uses plastic ammo trays that come with factory ammo. He holds the marker against the tray and spins the round.

Both ways work very well. I'll shoot a match and have shooters giving me the brass that I missed. We refer to them as "Easter Eggs"

[Joe4d]

I have found marking is a waste of time, just pick up a bunch of brass when you have time, sort it by caliber when you get home, the places I shoot seem to be poplulated by non reloaders. I consider all matches to be lost brass matches. I found I spent too much time worrying about brass instead of the next stage, If there are slow moments during the match I will pick up what I see laying around but I dont go out of my way.

[njl]

I have found marking is a waste of time, just pick up a bunch of brass when you have time, sort it by caliber when you get home, the places I shoot seem to be poplulated by non reloaders. I consider all matches to be lost brass matches. I found I spent too much time worrying about brass instead of the next stage, If there are slow moments during the match I will pick up what I see laying around but I dont go out of my way.

I thought about that...but I figure the range probably considers the brass left behind theirs...and I don't want it to seem like I'm taking "their brass". I'd just like to leave with approximately what I arrived with.

I think I'll try marking them better first...and if that doesn't work, just try picking up the number of brass I've shot and see if anyone complains. Virtually nobody else seemed to be concerned with picking up brass...and I know there were a few other reloaders there.

[steel1212]

Also, consider the fact that a lot of ranges don't like it when shooters DON'T pick up their brass!

[njl]

Also, consider the fact that a lot of ranges don't like it when shooters DON'T pick up their brass!

In my experience, that's usually the outdoor ones (where separating the brass from the dirt/grass is a bit of a PITA). Indoors, where it's easy to sweep it up, they probably consider it a revenue stream. I've even been to indoor ranges where they really didn't want you picking up your brass but would let you if you insisted.

[njl]

I have a jig that holds two markers. I just spin the round against the tips of the markers and they put two stripes all around the case.

A friend of mine uses plastic ammo trays that come with factory ammo. He holds the marker against the tray and spins the round.

Both ways work very well. I'll shoot a match and have shooters giving me the brass that I missed. We refer to them as "Easter Eggs"

That's pretty much what I was thinking of doing. I just "easter egged" about 200 rounds. I'll see how that works next time.

[Flexmoney]

A search for "marking brass" in the title:

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?...2Bmarking+brass

[Griz]

Nothing beats moonclips

For bottomfeeders, I found it too tedious to mark each one individually, so I just ripped the guts out of a marker, swirled it around in a big box of brass and called it good.

[L-10_shooter]

I also use different colors to distinguish different loads/bullets etc.

[JMcDonough]

I read somewhere about using a sharpie to mark brass, and it's worked great for identifying my brass when I practice alone or in small groups.

I just paint a stripe across the head/primer...and when picking up the brass, it's easy to see which is mine.

I shot an indoor IDPA-like match the other night, and thought I'd go a step further and put a stripe of black sharpie on the side of the brass as well.

When the match was over, there was probably about 1000 empty cases on the floor, and I only happened to find a couple of mine...didn't want to resort to digging through it all to sift out the rest of mine.

Does anyone else do this sort of thing...and if so, has it worked for you?

I think the problems were,

1) marking the head is useless when there's a ton of brass laying on their sides on the floor and you want to be able to cherry pick yours from 6' up,

2) the side marks I did didn't go all the way around the brass, so more often than not, the side marks weren't facing up.

I'm thinking a ring of sharpie all the way around the bottom 1/3 of the case may work a whole lot better.

Or...do you just shoot your least favorite brass at matches and figure it's going to be lost?

edited out weird past-o...how the heck did that get in there?

I only mark my brass with a strip on the head so when I drop a live round on the ground I know I'm picking up my round

[goldfieldshooter]

The only reason Kevin gets his brass back is that no one else shoots his strange calibre. It should be compulsory for 9x23 to be marked.

Its funny how things have changed post obama. In 2008 you were ankle deep in once fired brass at Green Valley practice range; this year some one was ready to stand on your fingers as soon as you bent down.

coatesy

[Jeff9mmM&P]

I just mark mine with a marker after they have been chamber checked. This way I know which ones have been checked or not.

[Graham Smith]

Indoors, I'm usually able to get my own brass back, but I mark the base anyway as both a check and an ID (red for major, green for minor).

Outdoor matches are tough - even people who stripe their brass have trouble finding it in the grass, rocks, dirt, etc. I actually think it gets sucked down into the ground as fast as it disappears. One day, I'm going to find some day-glow orange markers and then I'll at least have a 50/50 chance of finding it.

[Mark K]

Nothing beats moonclips

Yeah, the time you revolvers shooters save picking up brass, is lost during the actual shooting!!

Mark K

[Mark K]

The only reason Kevin gets his brass back is that no one else shoots his strange calibre. It should be compulsory for 9x23 to be marked.

I shoot 9x23. I mark mine with spray Dykem (layout fluid). I have a board drilled with 3/8" holes, I put the rounds in bullet down, and then spray the cases.

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/wwg/searc...N=0&sst=All

They stand out like a neon sign.

Mark K

[Blueridge]

I read somewhere about using a sharpie to mark brass, and it's worked great for identifying my brass when I practice alone or in small groups.

I just paint a stripe across the head/primer...and when picking up the brass, it's easy to see which is mine.

I shot an indoor IDPA-like match the other night, and thought I'd go a step further and put a stripe of black sharpie on the side of the brass as well.

When the match was over, there was probably about 1000 empty cases on the floor, and I only happened to find a couple of mine...didn't want to resort to digging through it all to sift out the rest of mine.

Does anyone else do this sort of thing...and if so, has it worked for you?

I think the problems were,

1) marking the head is useless when there's a ton of brass laying on their sides on the floor and you want to be able to cherry pick yours from 6' up,

2) the side marks I did didn't go all the way around the brass, so more often than not, the side marks weren't facing up.

I'm thinking a ring of sharpie all the way around the bottom 1/3 of the case may work a whole lot better.

Or...do you just shoot your least favorite brass at matches and figure it's going to be lost?

edited out weird past-o...how the heck did that get in there?

I happen to shoot a caliber that no one else I have met uses......45 Colt.

I can generally pick it out easily from the other brass that is on the ground. I have even gotten my brass back from several "lost brass" matches, as the RO's don't want it and tell me I can pick it up if I want....I am just a very likeable guy I guess.

Edited November 5, 2009 by Blueridge

[22 shooter]

I have used the stripe around the middle case with good results. A broad red stripe seems to be the best. You can usually pick your brass out of all the others.

[njl]

I have used the stripe around the middle case with good results. A broad red stripe seems to be the best. You can usually pick your brass out of all the others.

I thought about using red, but it didn't seem like it'd give good contrast against brass, especially in poor lighting (indoor range). I ended up doing parallel rings of black around the lower 1/3 of the case, hoping the zebra striped brass will stand out.

[LPatterson]

Marker manufacturer makes a lot of difference, Sanford 336 seem to be more permanent but the blue & green do not stand out like the red & black. The MarksALot brand colors look good in the beginning but the colors can burn off using TiteGroup & Clays. The Pilot extra large marker provides the most area with a 1/2" red strip being easiest to find.

[Jim Norman]

There was a member that used to make a little jig that would hold two markers. I have one and use it when time permits.

Two black stripes for major, two blue for minor and a mix for other 'special needs' I.E., steel that is over minor, but not sized to fit my production guns.

Having the two stripes around the case works far better than casehead marking you can see this stuff a mile away, BUT be forewarned, the crappy markers even the permanent ones seem to rub off while you are loading. Interestingly the red is the worst, blue not so bad and black best of the bunch, but you do get marked.

Jim

[LPatterson]

That would be the Hoser Cam Brass Marker with adjustable velcro straps. It is a shame it is no longer on the market.

[njl]

Well, the 2 rings worked to a point. After my first stage, it didn't take long to find all my brass. After the second stage, I found most of them. After the last stage, I found some of them. The rings made it possible to identify the brass...but as the size of the haystack grew, the needles stood out less.

[CGT80]

I am probably lucky. After a match at my local place I pick up between a quarter and half of a 5 gallon bucket of brass. Many of the shooters do not reload and don't seem to care. The club encourages me to use the brass. The range would like to have all of the brass for their brass whore to pick up, but the agreement is that we have dibs on the berms that we used. I am picking up brass to reload for four people in my family, including myself. I don't bother to mark brass. It would be extremely difficult to find it after one of our matches. Once in a while I have a bad piece, usually a loose primer pocket. I am only a class C shooter at our club. (I don't think we are sanctioned? We do our own thing.) It seems counter productive to track brass, since I have very few problems with "range brass." Sometimes I don't bother to pickup and once in a while someone beats me to it. Even though I have a bunch of brass at home already I still hate to leave some sitting on the ground. Yes I'm a brass whore and I know it.