Fear & Loading: Brass Thieves

by
posted on March 2, 2017
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
brass.jpg

A pair corralled in Tennessee are charged with running a shell game that separated range owners from brass destined for recycling—and ultimately, is was a pair of cunning women who set the trap that caught them.

Local gun ranges collect a lot of spent casings. Reloaders routinely police part of the leftovers, when allowed, but the rest rarely goes to the landfill. The price of metal has skyrocketed and recycling can pay serious dividends—environmentally and financially. Where there’s cash, unfortunately, there’s also opportunity for criminals. 

An alleged con man arrived in Chattanooga, Tenn., in January, posing as an employee of a reputable recycler. When he offered a decent price of $2 a pound for spent brass to Kristi Manning, owner of Carter Shooting Supply, she took the offer. It needed to be weighed before cash exchanged hands, though. So, she agreed to let him drive off with roughly $1,500 worth of brass after making a copy of his driver’s license, taking a photo of his truck’s plates and checking that the cell phone number he provided worked.

He never came back. Calls weren’t returned. It was a scam.

Manning filed a police report and called nearby recyclers and firearm dealers, including Aimee Smith and her father—who own nearby Shooter’s Depot—to alert them about the fraud. When the alleged perpetrator called the Smiths, the two firearm-store-owning gals hatched a scheme, set it in motion and contacted law enforcement with full details on how their plot would unfold.

It worked, and Manning made positive ID that led to his arrest on the spot, as well as that of an accomplice. A truck stolen in another state was also recovered, the Times Free Press reports, and the pair also face charges of possession of a controlled substance.

TV networks looking for a new reality series worth watching should visit Chattanooga. I know I’d tune into this pair of gun store gals.   

Latest

Gotw Wilson Combat Divison 77 Project 1 Web
Gotw Wilson Combat Divison 77 Project 1 Web

Gun Of The Week: Wilson Combat Division 77 Project 1

Join American Rifleman staff on the range in this video to get a closer look at Wilson Combat’s somewhat cryptically named “Division 77 Project 1.” 

The Armed Citizen® July 18, 2025

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Review: POF-USA LMR BASE Rifle

The Patriot Ordnance Factory LMR Base offers a .308 Win. chambering in a lightweight, AR-15-size package, which makes it a capable platform for today's new gun owner. And it comes at a fair price.

2025 Accessory Of The Year: Wyoming Sight Drifter

For each of the past 23 years, the editors of American Rifleman have convened to select our top picks for the past year’s best and most innovative products. Here are the most recent winners.

Henry Donates Rifles To Support Young Leukemia Victim

Henry Repeating Arms has donated a limited run of 50 “Team Keane” Golden Boy .22 lever-action rifles to support 13-year-old Keane Rhodes of Universal City, Texas, who is currently undergoing aggressive treatment for ALL T-cell leukemia.

Rifleman Review: Springfield Armory Echelon

Springfield Armory introduced its Echelon in 2023, bringing a modernized, chassis-style, striker-fired handgun to the market that has since seen several notable line extensions.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.