Lots of metal where people shoot guns

I've been finding alot of metal out in the desert lately where people go to shoot guns. People are pigs and never clean up after themselves. The good thing is, the stuff they like to shoot at is pretty good scrap. TVs are a favorite and the copper yoke and degaussing cables are usually just lying there on the ground.

I've found lots of computers too. The chips are usually obliterated but the fingers on the boards are usually intact.

Lots of big steel like washers and water heaters and even big chunks of cars can be found.

Big propane tanks are a favorite and since they are full of holes, my yard takes em.

And, if you've got the time you can get lots of reloadable brass too.

Best part is, you are cleaning up a mess other people made, keeping the shooting area from getting closed for dumping and making money at the same time.

Good job fiat128!

That is what we are here for. Thanks for the idea. MMMM...... Where do people go for shooting guns in the Chicago area? Anyway great idea!!!

I know! Here in Chicago people just shoots in the streets! I guess I can't pick up what they shoot at. Well, keep the good work.

Originally Posted by Joe&Felix

Good job fiat128!

That is what we are here for. Thanks for the idea. MMMM...... Where do people go for shooting guns in the Chicago area? Anyway great idea!!!

The state of IL is prolly the worst place to looked for shooting spots....some of the most strict gun laws in the U.S

When you are cleaning up the area do you also take the other trash or only the metal? I would hope you take as much as you can to help out removing this litter...

The trick about picking up metal where people shoot is you have to be extremely fast, and always pay attention so you can dodge the incoming bullets.

in front of the saloon !!

Originally Posted by fiat128

I've been finding alot of metal out in the desert lately where people go to shoot guns. People are pigs and never clean up after themselves. The good thing is, the stuff they like to shoot at is pretty good scrap. TVs are a favorite and the copper yoke and degaussing cables are usually just lying there on the ground.

I've found lots of computers too. The chips are usually obliterated but the fingers on the boards are usually intact.

Lots of big steel like washers and water heaters and even big chunks of cars can be found.

Big propane tanks are a favorite and since they are full of holes, my yard takes em.

And, if you've got the time you can get lots of reloadable brass too.

Best part is, you are cleaning up a mess other people made, keeping the shooting area from getting closed for dumping and making money at the same time.

I live and scrap in northern virginia. Any ideas on who to contact, to find the places like your mentioning?

eesakiwi: That's interesting, never heard about the 'trench art', where do you sell these, please? Is it easy to sell?

Trench art got it's name from WW1 when the soldiers in the trenches had lots of free time on their hands and would make vases, ash trays etc. out of the the empty howitzer shells. Usually it's large caliber cannon shells but goes down to small arms size too.

The more elaborate, the more it's worth. Search trench art on ebay to see more of it.

BTW, I picked up 520 lbs. of scrap steel Friday afternoon at one of the sites I check. People like to shoot up propane tanks and stuff like that. Not alot of scrap but it netted me $57.50 for about 10 minutes of work.

They are easy to sell, a shop will buy 10 to 100, depending on the shop & if they can sell them onto other like shops.
Head shops, second hand shops, pawn shops. Sell them by hand or stalls for extra profit.
Normally a shop will buy for about 1/3 to 1/2 their retail, ask them what they would sell them for or work out your profit margins.

You need to take the primers out, drill (wear saftey glasses & earmuffs, never had one go bang, but theres always a first time) pick or hydrolic method, thats easyer & safer, uses water too.
Army ammo can't be reloaded without a rework because of the primer design.
So its easyish to come by, find a reloader & get both the shells & tracer tips at the same time.

Tracer tips are longer & reloaders buy expired tracer ammo & reload them with hunting or target practice projectiles.
You have to drill the tracer mix out & thru the metal wall, melt the lead out & redrill the tip out & polish.

By using the correct bullet shells you can use a small shell as the mouth peice, it slips onto the larger ones neck.
Dosn't look as good, but its a lot faster.

To polish, use a bench grinder with a polishing mop & some car polishing compound.
Put a 'easyout' in a hand drill & reverse the drill & put the projectile or shell on the easyout & start the drill up & polish the metal part against the polishing mop.
Thats 10 times faster & better looking than just the bench polishing mop.

The ear plug things only need a copper pipe cutter ($10 or less) & a hammer & swadge to form the chamfer & 2 'O' rings, easy job that one, good earner too, 2 at a time...

Yesterday was a banner day at the range. Took my Colt Umarex .22 out for a little target shooting and started loading scrap. Got 3 computers, a large swamp cooler, quite a bit of aluminum (not sure what was up with that but it was aluminum day yesterday) and a bunch of misc steel.

I also found an Xbox 360 that had the case cracked off it. I wonder what is in there, I saw at least 2 aluminum heat sinks that were decent size.

All the stuff I got pretty much filled up my truck.