Firearm shells fired and left in public places

[Oscar_Actuary]

This thread was inspired surprisingly by Matt Z.
"I saw two .380 shell casings (fired) in a gas station parking lot on my way to the gym today"

It got me thinking.
Whether you are a tree hugging, sit-n-pee liberal, or a hard core gun toting homosexual hating right wing nut, you care about your right to lay your shells anywhere you darn well please. Or, in the case of a green minded poofter, your right to not have to be reminded of this caustic trash.

Which firearm shells should be allowed to be discarded in public places? Under what circumstances?

discuss.

ps The motivation to post this made more sense in my head

[stuward]

By my way of thinking, empty shell casings in a public area would suggest that someone fired shots in a public area. That would mean that they were used in a crime, in nothing else, discharging a firearm in a public place, or were used in trying to stop a crime or apprehend a suspect. In any case, these casings should be treated as evidence and the area around them treated as a crime scene.

On the other hand, finding shot gun casings in the woods is common and hunters should just clean up their debris.

[Matt Z]

"By my way of thinking, empty shell casings in a public area would suggest that someone fired shots in a public area. That would mean that they were used in a crime, in nothing else, discharging a firearm in a public place, or were used in trying to stop a crime or apprehend a suspect. In any case, these casings should be treated as evidence and the area around them treated as a crime scene." - stuward

Not necessarily. People often save their fired brass for reloading, since it's less expensive to load your own ammo. It's possible someone just stopped for a cup of coffee on his way home from the range/gun club (there are several gun clubs nearby) and dropped them there.

Also, if someone had fired a pistol in the parking lot (my first thought), someone would have heard it.

[Matt Z]

PS) It's also possible someone got shell casings stuck in the tread of their shoe. It happens a lot with .22 LR brass, and could probably happen with larger calibers if someone was wearing boots with a wide tread pattern.

[KenDowns]

I found a non-empty casing in my front yard. It's big, but I don't really know what it is. It's a slug, not buckshot. Kind of rusted. Maybe I'll post a picture.

[Matt Z]

Usually they're marked on the back (near the primer).

[Jungledoc]

ps The motivation to post this made more sense in my head

And the replies to this that came to my mind seemed more clever and funny at first.