Accurate Concepts Brass Catcher
SPORT SHOOTING IS expensive, and to compete at the highest level, shooters go to great lengths to source the best ammo components, and spend many hours preparing their cartridge cases to ensure near-perfection.
Quality cases, especially if imported, are not cheap, so reloaders strive to get the longest possible accurate life out of each case. Various factors affect case life, but most importantly, reloaders need to retrieve their fired brass with a minimum of damage.
Accurate Concepts markets a brass catcher that retrieves ejected cases before they hit the ground. I first saw one on a bolt-action rifle used by a fieldshoot competitor near Bloemfontein. Willem Botha of Die Skietwinkel later supplied me with one to test.
Simply stated, the brass catcher is rather like a butterfly-net positioned adjacent to the rifle’s ejector port. The mouth of the net is attached to a rectangular, light aluminium frame, the uppermost section of which has an integral extension projecting out to the right to keep the net open and elevated (if the net were to hang straight down it could prevent the spent case from ejecting). The frame hinges on a plastic, inverted U-shaped, rubber-lined attachment which fits over the scope tube (the test example was for a 25mm tube). On the elongated left ‘leg’ of the inverted ‘U’ is a magnet; likewise on the lower rear corner of the netframe. These adhere to the steel receiver (it would not work for aluminium-alloy receivers). The net itself is durable nylon fabric mesh, and is secured to lugs on the frame by means of a rubber band – easily detachable.
Simply slide the inverted U-bracket over the scope tube as far forward as possible – its magnet will clamp it to the left side of the rifle’s receiver. The frame’s magnet will clamp it to right side of the receiver just ahead of the bolt handle. Work the bolt to ensure that the frame does not interfere with the action. I found the catcher easily attachable to my .22 Hornet, 7x64 and .303 rifles, all with Mauser-type actions. The magnets are powerful enough to secure the catcher during recoil. When you swing the hinged catcher open to remove the empty cases, the magnet resists strongly. I use my scoped .22 Hornet for problem animal control on sheep farms, for teaching young shooters safe firearm handling, and for competing in shooting competitions. I attached the case catcher when accuracy testing a new batch of Winchester cases, while sitting in a shooting chair on the back of a bakkie. Usually, the ejected cases fall somewhere amid the shooting equipment on the back, and sometimes get stepped on, or else land in the veld. Problem animal control usually takes place at night, so I have lost many cases in this manner.
During the test, the net began to sag only when it held ten .22 Hornet cases, but remained open, accepting a further handful of cases. It begins to sag under the weight of two 7x64 or .303 cases, but accepts up to ten of either. However, I found that with six to eight 7mm or .303 cases in it, the weight began to influence rifle handling. During a low-volume string of fire, the brass-catcher ensures that, once ejected, the cases remain undamaged. It is ideal for testing loads, doing night-time PAC work, or participating in field shooting competitions. And it is quickly and easily removable. I found it to be a really useful accessory. Fanie van Staden of Accurate Concepts informs me that separate interchangeable ‘U’ attachments for 30mm scope tubes are available. Die Skietwinkel (phone 051-4443590) advertises the brass catcher at a price of R325.