Coloring brass???

[Dave M.]

Maybe this has been discussed previously, if so I can’t find it though.
Does anyone know of a way to permanently color brass? Assuming it didn’t change the overall performance or life of the brass, imagine how nice it would be to have brass colored different colors to keep them separated for each rifle or barrel??

To be clear, before 50 people respond, I’m not interested in any sharpie rings, marking the head with a sharpie, or using nail polish or anything of the like.

Dave

 

[Straightshooter1]

Maybe this has been discussed previously, if so I can’t find it though.
Does anyone know of a way to permanently color brass? Assuming it didn’t change the overall performance or life of the brass, imagine how nice it would be to have brass colored different colors to keep them separated for each rifle or barrel??

To be clear, before 50 people respond, I’m not interested in any sharpie rings, marking the head with a sharpie, or using nail polish or anything of the like.

Dave

Use a laser etching machine.

 

[6Creed73]

I saw something awhile back about coloring brass green by giving it a bath in a mixture of something like water, sodium, and iron. I think there is also a blue recipe. No idea about the ratios or process though. I'll try to find it.

 

[Dave M.]

lol. Found this post on another site when I googled this looking for ideas. I thought some of the older members who have been around a while would appreciate this poster….lol

 

[David Christian]

I use different colored boxes. Pretty simple.

 

[Gabe22BR]

Use a file, little Nick on the rim or a dash, possibly a center punch dot..

Different color boxes be a good start, I just don’t over think simple things..

 

[SSL]

Like others, I use different color boxes to start. I also use different colored permanent "magic markers" to color the head of each different batch of brass according to load and use. I renew the color each time I load it. Red is reserved for cases that last gave a little too easy primer seating and is discarded after after current use rather than priming and loading again.

 

[JFrank]

I’m wonder if there is a way to do a bake on color change of some type?
Probably not….

 

[bozo699]

lol. Found this post on another site when I googled this looking for ideas. I thought some of the older members who have been around a while would appreciate this poster….lol

View attachment 1514970

If F Guffy says it it has to be true!…
Wayne

 

[DiRTY DOG]

You could leave one rifle's brass natural, *ghasp* tumble/polish brass for one rifle, and on the third one use too much Lemishine while wet tumbling so they turn pink.

 

[jxb]

I can see where that would be really handy at ranges that let you pick up your own brass and not from others, but that really only affects semi-auto folks who IMO should be using a catch bag or net so I'm not always getting dinged in the site of the head while trying to do my fun. I digress. Anyhow, yeah in the sea of brass at one of the ranges I frequent having them colored certainly would make them stand out. Since I don't have to find my brass, something like the colored box thing works and I do that but I also put labels in mine so I can keep em all straight and not mix between guns of the same caliber.

 

[DiRTY DOG]

 

[Dave M.]

If F Guffy says it it has to be true!…
Wayne

I wasn’t active on the site when he was, but I’ve heard enough guys mention his name to know he is almost at “meme status”. I just thought the guys would appreciate the find.

 

[Dave M.]

You could leave one rifle's brass natural, *ghasp* tumble/polish brass for one rifle, and on the third one use too much Lemishine while wet tumbling so they turn pink.

Hell no. I never clean my brass. I have tarnished brass and “extra” tarnished brass.

 

[cem]

Seems to go in and out of fashion. There have been extensive discussions over the years in Handloader. Maybe somebody with easy access could post some issues; mine are in dead storage. Model railroaders and shops are a useful resource. Brass black is of course readily available for muzzle loader fans. Reddish is an easy color.

 

[LHSmith]

Like others, I use different color boxes to start. I also use different colored permanent "magic markers" to color the head of each different batch of brass according to load and use. I renew the color each time I load it. Red is reserved for cases that last gave a little too easy primer seating and is discarded after after current use rather than priming and loading again.

Ditto here. But the color denotes an anomaly to that case vs. the rest of the batch. Red = suspected primer pocket issues/ Green = neck tension issue / Blue = length issue (H/S or case length) Purple = Extraction issues / Black = # times fired denoted by how many dash marks on case head.
In my method, developed over seasons of BR competition, it is treated as a dynamic as case characteristics can change from firing to firing. So permanently identifying brass cases would have no use for me. Different colored MTM and Berry's, boxes ( properly ID'd for gun/ bbl used in) work just fine.

 

[dryhumor]

Post it note and a ziplock bag. If I have two chambers same caliber, different reamer, I write down which rifle. I bag it and put in a tub. It takes up less space than cartridge cases.

I’d worry that any marking involving a chemical reaction might weaken the cases introducing a failure point.

 

[Fuj]

I found some Winchester law enforcement .223 training ammo that had
a purple coating. I rough sanded a piece and it shows the brass that was
then plated, then the coating. Something I would not run in my chamber ??

 

[Oso]

I have thought about this before for my rifles. Unfortunately, there appears to only be three color options: Brass, Nickle, and Brownings "Black" Nickle Cases. Browning made a marketing splash with introduction of their Black Nickle cases. It was a distinct look that made it stand out from their competitors. If there were other color options then there would be a product line offered by manufacturers. I think the real challenge is a "permanent" coloration that doesn't easily wear off. Commercially, any coloration would have to hold up to steel pin tumbling. Browning's Black Nickle starts fading after a few tumbling sessions, and starts looking like dirty aluminum or steel cases.

My solution has been to keep separately store and clearly label:
1) Empty Cases (clean or dirty) separated in stackable plastic containers with a Case Prep Data Card
2) Loaded Cartridges placed in separate ammo containers labeled with a piece Blue Painters Tape & Sharpie on outside and on inside container is a card detailing the loaded ammo and designated rifle.

Case Prep Data Card - I reload quite a bit and I have rifles in the same cartridge. It became too difficult to keep track of status of cases, lone enough designating for a specific rifle, so I came up with a data card that I include with in the container for each batch of cases. It details everything I need to know about these specific cases: Cartridge, Manufacturer, # Firings, designated Rifle, as well as a detailed list of Case Prep steps and status of completion, etc. This allows me to grab a container of brass that I haven't touched in years and immediately know what I have in hand, and easily identify what steps still need to be completed before the cases are Ready for loading.

 

[Clous]

Neve tried it but thought about it. https://www.sciencecompany.com/DIY-Patina-Formulas.aspx