Brass Catcher Plans

Good Evening, Does anyone have plans for a brass catcher? After purchasing a Dave Salyer accurized Springfield Mil Spec, Dillon 550, and components, I'm trying to save some $$. Would appreciate your help. Thanks, Tom

i would love to build one as well and not spend 95.

Someone out there has to have made one.

Most of the homemade ones I've seen involve pvc pipe, a Walmart or similar laundry bag, tie wraps and a 2.5 lb. weight at the bottom.

I bought this one and it works great even mounts on a tripod if needed.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/942827/ctk-precision-universal-brass-catcher

George

I built one using a laundry bag, copper pipe, some conduit, wire and a wooden base. Give me a day or two and I will get some pictures and some dimensions.

One dude in our league uses a square folding minnow net. Looks dorky but seems to work. About $16 bucks at Bass Pro.

I started down the path of making my own. After messing around with it for a bit I gave up and decided that the CMM unit was well worth the money. Been using it for 2 years now and can't say I regret the purchase. I am certain it has paid for itself many times over. Yeah, I know it seems expensive, but then again, what isn't in this sport.

Chris

Thanks to everyone for your comments and suggestions.
Tom

i just broke down and got a CMM..... now i need something to attach to my box to keep people with a brass catcher from showering me with brass.

Minnow net material wrapped around a hoop of some sort, will work but you have nice equipment, the CMM machine net is the nicest and trouble free, and based on other DIY projects, they tend to cost more than you would think in the long run. To keep ejected shells from a neighbor shooter, a 1.5 square piece of hardware mesh is whats used, wrap the edges with duct tape and hold to box lid with spring clamp.

Thanks to everyone for your comments.
Tom

Here is my rendition of a brass catcher.  I looked online and could not justify the cost of a new production version so I decided to build my own.  It consists of $6 1/4 x48" aluminum rod from Ace Hardware, and a $2 laundry bag.  Assorted wood leftovers from the shop, some screws.  The rod was tempered, so I heated up the bends with a propane torch.  Took about a minute or so for it to get soft, then bent it over a 1/2 inch bolt I put in the vise.  Total time to build was about two hours.  Course I spent some time thinking about it before hand. 

https://i.servimg.com/u/f39/19/00/61/07/brass_11.jpg
https://i.servimg.com/u/f39/19/00/61/07/brass_12.jpg

Went the fish net route because I had one (foldable fly fishing net) worked great.  Wasn't easy to set up in some situations.  Then I built one, again it wasn't adjustable enough.  Now I have a CMM and wonder why I didn't just start there. 

- Dave

Mine uses an ammo box with the lid removed. 1/2" copper elbows, 2x3 cut to fit tightly in the can, mosquito netting , some 1/2" and 3/4" pipe to make the height adjustable, some drills and taps, bolt and 1/2 inch wooden dowels. I used what I had. PVC will work too.
Assorted spring clamps work to hold the mosquito netting.
I'll take a pic at my next range time.
Most of it breaks down easily.
Yiogo

Please remember the 1/4 inch requirement for brass screens should apply to the brass catcher as well.  The Match Director and Range officers need to be able to see through it so we can watch the line and we don't want you building a wind screen that would have to be addressed later.  

By the way, I had one guy that wanted to use a fiberglass furnace filter as a brass screen, so if you want to start complaining about why we have rules, don't even bother to post.  Apparently if we don't try to write it down, we could wind up with condo gun boxes and outdoor patios and ..... well, nevermind.  And if we do write it down, the range lawyers come out of the woodwork.....   So, Match Directors can't seem to win or even break even, so please just give them a break when you build your "next best thing ever" for brass catching.  They really do have everyone's best interests at heart.

So again, good luck and best of luck with the new brass catchers.  I'm always interested in seeing new designs. However, I have noticed the same number of points come out of the case, no matter where it lands.

Cecil

I bought this net on sale. its nice because it folds and sits in the bag
http://www.gandermountain.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?pdesc=Frabill-Kwik-Stow-Folding-Net-18-x-16&i=403681
I also purchased a spotting scope that came with a tripod. I took the center stem of the tripod out and used pipe fittings to stand them up on the bench. a nice clamp holds it all down in the wind.
i'm trying to upload a picture, but having a hard time. I get the popup, but nothing seems to happen.

maybe this will work
i made it an attachment

Cecil brought up a good point.  I do believe my cheapo laundry bag is less than 1/4 inch. 

According to the NRA Rules -
3.9.1 Deflecting Screens - Shooters may use a screen fastened to their shooting kit, or similarly placed, to deflect empty cases, provided the screen is made of material such as "Hardware Cloth," with wires not larger than 1/16 inch in diameter and spaced not closer than 1/4 inch. Screens of solid material may not be used.

Help me interpret that.   Does that only apply to the netting?  What about the framework or the stand part?

pfeathers wrote:Cecil brought up a good point.  I do believe my cheapo laundry bag is less than 1/4 inch. 

According to the NRA Rules -
3.9.1 Deflecting Screens - Shooters may use a screen fastened to their shooting kit, or similarly placed, to deflect empty cases, provided the screen is made of material such as "Hardware Cloth," with wires not larger than 1/16 inch in diameter and spaced not closer than 1/4 inch. Screens of solid material may not be used.

Help me interpret that.   Does that only apply to the netting?  What about the framework or the stand part?

They are referring to the mesh size, anything smaller than the rule describes is considered a wind break.  The tubing isn't called out because even a 1" diameter tube won't really block the wind but a net with really small holes and large webbing will.

Dave

I bought a cheap landing net from Walmart about $10. The net has 1/4" holes. Bought a piece of 3/16 steel from the drops room at Alro steel about $3. Welded a piece of 3/4" electrical conduit, to the plate. Then used two radiator clamps about $1 a piece to fasten it together.  I can loosen the clamps and adjust for height if need be.