TheOtherErik Posted October 9, 2002 Share Posted October 9, 2002 I think it was Tom Hanks in Saving Private Ryan that said "its like looking for a needle in a stack of needles" How can I find my needles easier? Im sick of the 10 to 15 % return. When a spent case it lying on its side they all look the same. lazy brassers dont help the return either. I have come to the conclusion that marking the headstamp doesnt work. What are you guys doing? Marking the rim? Marking the sides of the case? But isn't that a great pain to mark each one by hand rather than running a felt pen over the head stamp when they all in a box facing the same way. More importantly, whats going to stay visible after going through the tumbler. Erik- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted October 9, 2002 Share Posted October 9, 2002 Polish the bejeezus out of your brass. If it looks new & shiny it tends to stick out - at least on *our* gravel covered bays. Markers on the headstamp only help for ownership, not finding it in the first place. This may be the only good reason to resort to nickel-plated brass. E Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julien Boit Posted October 9, 2002 Share Posted October 9, 2002 Hey all, As Ericw said, try to have "look like new" brass. For myself, I made a little tool to help me marking my brass with a marker. Take a piece of metal, or aluminium, plastic , whatever, and drill it a bit bigger than your cartridge diameter but not all the way (half or more, as you like ) then drill a perpendicular hole at the height you want to have your rim marked, big enough to allow the marker's tip to go through. Then, put you cartridge in the "super marker" (patent pending ) , put the marker in place and twist the case. I do it as I get the cases through the gauge, so it do not take too much time. You can make one for each caliber you shoot, I have one "universal" for 9mm, .38 super and .40sw. The line around the case allow you to see it immediately on the floor. DVC Julien Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlos Posted October 9, 2002 Share Posted October 9, 2002 Had thought about this solution for keeping track of .40 brass before deciding to stick with .45 (lasts forever so no need to count): DyKem metal stain The machinists here can tell you more about it but I understand that its used to stain steel and other metals blue so that scribe-lines for machining will be visible. Hence, it is quite cheap and goes a long way. Does not hurt the steel, and I imagine it would not hurt the outside of a brass case or a chamber. Put a little on a cookie sheet, roll your brass around in it and viola! Red or blue brass that NO ONE will want to touch! (except you 'cause you know the secret!). Another wacky idea I tried was reloading Russian wolf steel .45ACP boxer primed cases - worked great for one load though about 10% showed a minor crack after one reload. Shoot and forget the brass. The indoor ranges would LOVE for you to show up with a huge magnet and offer to get the steel out of their "scrap brass" bins so supply is unlimited. I would NOT try it with their .40 cases on account of the high pressures of that round. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shred Posted October 9, 2002 Share Posted October 9, 2002 The only way I ever got all my brass back was when I shot 9x25 Dillon. Nobody wanted that. I'd be getting cases back months later. There are a few brass-coloring formulas around, but I don't know anybody that's tried them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted October 9, 2002 Share Posted October 9, 2002 I've thought about Dykem, but unless there's a way to cure it, it would be just a HUGE mess and I mean HUGE. You only need to use it once and ruin all your clothes in the process to see that in a hurry. Until someone can anodize it in bright neon colors, I think we're back to polishing and the honor system. E Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerome Poiret Posted October 9, 2002 Share Posted October 9, 2002 For big matches, I put loaded rounds in boxes (mtm) so I can check the primers and paint the headstamp with a bright orange/red fluo painting that's sold at fishing stores (that's where I found some, at least). My shooting buddies mark them with blue, black, and red pen (marker ?), so it's easy to know what belongs to who. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julien Boit Posted October 9, 2002 Share Posted October 9, 2002 Let me guess, Big is painting them in red , right ? When you mark all the case, it's easier to see which one is yours immediately on the ground, you don't have to pick up all the brass, put them on a barrel, and then say: "red, it's mine, blue it's yours" . Because, there's often a funny guy who comes and inadvertadly () bump into the barrel and make all the cases you put headstamp up mix again with others DVC Julien (Edited by Julien Boit at 10:04 am on Oct. 9, 2002) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErikW Posted October 9, 2002 Share Posted October 9, 2002 One of the ranges where TheOtherErik and I shoot is covered with unclaimed brass, mostly .40. I get some of my Supers back but next to none of my .40s. The case head thing doesn't work. It's got to be the extractor groove like I do or side of the case like Nolan does. Yet more time making ammo. I'm gonna make use of that unused 650 station and get rich with a custom brass marker... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerome Poiret Posted October 9, 2002 Share Posted October 9, 2002 Shred, Do you know the brand names of some brass-coloring formulas ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shred Posted October 9, 2002 Share Posted October 9, 2002 I don't think any of them are available for sale (with the possible exception of Birchwood Casey's Brass-Black, which is probably a bad idea on the case head for unload & show clear reasons). A chemist threw together a list of them over on rec.guns a long long time ago, and Deja might still have it. Try these.. but most of them say "it's not worth it, use a marker". The ultimate would be brass with no headstamp and a custom breechface with your initials slightly raised on it-- Your brass would stamp itself every time you fired it. Once you can no longer read the mass of initials, it's time to throw it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julien Boit Posted October 9, 2002 Share Posted October 9, 2002 I heard once that Starline would make special headstamp if you have a "big enough" request. Is it true ? I don't know, but it would be cool ! Just imagine : .38 super DOUDOU or .40sw MYBRASS I know there is a marker with some kind of acid that can mark the brass for looong time, it's permanent but the thing is : I just Can't remember its Damn name I'll try to retrieve it. BTW, I know that Jerome would love to have colored cases to match his gun Remember the thread about gun finishes ? Imagine a blue and yellow gun ejecting pink or purple cases DVC Julien Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TMC Posted October 9, 2002 Share Posted October 9, 2002 I'm practically the only guy at the ranges I go to shooting TJ brass so that takes care of the custom headstamp. The problem is, around here than ranges are gravel and its just plain hard to see brass, even worse if its nickle. I think Eric Warren is on the something, but it has to mark the side/extractor groove in a really brite color, like neon orange! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErikW Posted October 9, 2002 Share Posted October 9, 2002 Actually, an orange permanent marker is the worst color I've tried. Doesn't show up on the brass color at all. Better on nickle, but nothing like the other colors. Julien, that's true. Back when Smith & Wesson was politically incorrect among the pro-gun crowd, some people had a bunch of .40 Liberty brass made so they wouldn't have to see "S&W" on their cases. I like the idea of ".355 FOO-FOO" for my Open gun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheOtherErik Posted October 9, 2002 Author Share Posted October 9, 2002 Red Green Blue Purple and Black markers are pretty much your only options that show well on brass. And every one uses them. I think im going to hand paint all mine like barber poles. No mistaking whos is whos then. Erik, have you started looking for investors for you 650 brass marking die? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerome Poiret Posted October 10, 2002 Share Posted October 10, 2002 Quote: from Julien Boit on 11:20 pm on Oct. 9, 2002 I know that Jerome would love to have colored cases to match his gun Remember the thread about gun finishes ? Imagine a blue and yellow gun ejecting pink or purple cases DVC Julien Oh yeah ! I'd love it !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted October 10, 2002 Share Posted October 10, 2002 This isn't mine. It took me forever to find it again. http://glocktalk.com/showthread.php?s=&...t=striped+brass They mention food coloring in the tumbler and purple brass too. (Edited by Flexmoney at 3:52 am on Oct. 10, 2002) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edmond Posted October 10, 2002 Share Posted October 10, 2002 Hi, easy for me, before I shot 10 mm Auto and now they are always the cleanest of the bunch :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BSeevers Posted October 10, 2002 Share Posted October 10, 2002 I recently started wearing one of those "bag" brass catchers on my right wrist while shooting on the course of fire. It really helps out. (Edited by BSeevers at 9:45 am on Oct. 10, 2002) (Edited by BSeevers at 9:46 am on Oct. 10, 2002) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErikW Posted October 10, 2002 Share Posted October 10, 2002 Yeah sure Bill, but what about us Limited, L10, and Production shooters? That would put us in Open. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TMC Posted October 10, 2002 Share Posted October 10, 2002 I think it easiest deal is get back what you can but don't let it rule your match. Super brass runs 7-10 cents each new and .40 brass is nearly free (I just bough 5000 round of once fired Federal .40 for $59 delivered), so just buy more when you need it. If your time is worth anything building a brass marker or marking them by hand is a big waste. If I mark 1 per minute I'm adding $1 to the cost of each round. I don't mean to sound like a snob here, but I'd rather use what little extra time I have for something else. My .02 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BSeevers Posted October 10, 2002 Share Posted October 10, 2002 Haha Who in world invented those things. They get more heavy with every shot and have to get in the way. Even casual target shooting would be affected Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edmond Posted October 10, 2002 Share Posted October 10, 2002 ""I'd rather use what little extra time I have for something else."" what I always say about case cleaners and progressive presses Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Bagoly Posted October 11, 2002 Share Posted October 11, 2002 I have an AET Barrel, so all my brass is ribbed, for more pleasure. If the other shooters are picking brass, I smile, say thank you, and accept what they hand me. If nobody is picking brass, I grab whatever I can find. No need to get stressed about it. (Edited by Rich Bagoly at 7:20 pm on Oct. 10, 2002) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nolan Posted October 11, 2002 Share Posted October 11, 2002 Quote: from TMC on 12:44 pm on Oct. 10, 2002 If your time is worth anything building a brass marker or marking them by hand is a big waste. If I mark 1 per minute I'm adding $1 to the cost of each round. I don't mean to sound like a snob here, but I'd rather use what little extra time I have for something else. My .02 It doesn't take 1 minute per round to put a stripe around the brass. It probably takes me about 2-3 seconds a round. I use it as part of my inspection process. Today I found a real oddity while marking 500 rounds of 38 Super. One round that had passed the case gauge had a hole in the web of the brass. As I turned the round against the marking pens it hung up on the pens. I have also found a couple of split cases (I had a bad batch of Starline brass that cracked) that passed the case gauge. I can also spot high or smeared primers because the round wobbles against the marking pens. And just to be a snob, my time IS worth money. I do my case gauging, marking, gun cleaning, and dry fire practice at work instead of surfing the internet and hanging out on forum boards. I'd put one of those smiley face things here to denote humor but I forgot how. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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