The Perfect Brass Catcher.

I am still searching for the Perfect Brass Catcher (R).  But not finding one, and not wishing to wait for industry to do it for me… I did it myself.

To start out, I needed to study the mechanics of how brass ejects from my AR-15.  I figured a high speed camera and a few hours of range time would do it.  OR I COULD JUST GANK SOMETHING OFF YOUTUBE THAT SOMEONE ELSE ALREADY DID.

As you can see from the pattern, AR brass flips out of the ejection port shoulders first, slightly upwards and then strikes the brass deflector on it’s side.  Then bounces out around  3 O’Clock.

So, unlike my other brass catchers, the one I need will have to have sufficient upward clearance.

My material of choice is Kydex.  I bought a couple of sheets off Ebay.  

So first I Cut off a piece to practice with and see if it will have the grip I’m looking for.

I cut it several ways.  The Razor knife is slow but smooth.  Coping saw also worked.

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Then I got this ides that it would be really bed if I messed up my only two sheets of Kydex.  So I built a prototype first out of paper.

Then I cut it apart to lay it out flat.

Then I made another pattern out of light cardboard.

Fortunately I just happen to have some old boxes around that were perfect for this.

Then I lay that out flat too and add some “assembly tabs” to the edges.

Then I cut my sheet of Kydex using that pattern.  Then, I heat it gently with a propane torch set on low and make the bends I need by folding it between two straight edges of steel.  I also clamped the Kydex to an old piece of rail.  Once the Kydex cools, It will maintain this shape and hold onto any rails.

Then I drilled a bunch of holes to attached on old piece of zippered net.

And VIOLA!

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