Oddball question on coloring brass

[Allen]

I reload 40 cal and 45acp. I reload 38spl and 357. There's not much difference beween the 40/45's and 38/357's. Yeah you can look at them and easily tell but when I am going through a lot of them I don't want to pick them up one at a time and inspect them. Question: outside of using something like a red ink marker have any of you dyed or in someway colored your brass cases to make identification quicker? As far as some being brass and some being nickel they are mixed so I can't use that.

[p246]

I bought the three tray brass sorter at midway USA. Yellow tray on top holds 45. Rest drop into blue tray that holds 40 (308\30-06). Rest drop in black tray which holds 9mm (223). Very fast and simple method.

38 and 357 stay in blue tray due to rim.

[raymeketa]

In olden days (don't you love hearing old guys talking about old days??) many competition shooters colored their brass, for various reasons. To separate match loads from practice rounds; to separate different calibers; or to keep other shooters from snatching your fired brass off the ground before it had a chance to cool. There are chemical formulas that you can use to get any color that you want. Most libraries have books on stuff like that. (A library is a big building that has a lot of books in it). You can probably find them on-line too. A big difference between then and now is that when you go to your local druggist and ask him for the chemicals, he will probably call the FBI, BATF&E, and DHS.

Good Luck

Ray

[Liam]

...a library is a big building that has a lot of books in it : ) Ha!

I shoot 6.5x55 swede in several different rifles. To make the good/expensive Lapua brass last longer I neck size for each individual rifle. I am better now at keeping the brass segregated for each rifle, but early on I simply used a Sharpie black pen. One dot denoted the Norwegian Krag, two dots the Model 96, three dots the Swede 300m rifle. Yes the Sharpie would wear off after handling, ejecting, vibrating, etc., but the markings were easily maintained. - Liam

[Dollar Bill]

Not that oddball of a question as it comes up periodically. here's a link to a method of "coloring" the brass chemically. I have not tried it myself.

https://www.gunandgame.com/threads/colouring-brass.24363/

[Fred Pillot]

I use permanent felt tip markers. Red,blue,black. Although they are not as permanent as they used to be.
In the "olden days" I used El Marko pens. It took acetone to clean it off. I would mark in the extractor groove.

[Allen]

Not that oddball of a question as it comes up periodically. here's a link to a method of "coloring" the brass chemically. I have not tried it myself.

https://www.gunandgame.com/threads/colouring-brass.24363/

Thanks. I saved this link to my "favorites".

[raymeketa]

Some of those chemical names bring back memories of when I used to color some of my brass, even though I have no idea what they are, and most of them I cannot pronounce.

Go to your local druggist and ask him for 2 ounces each of Ammonium Hydrosulfide and Potassium Nitrate. See what he says. If he wants to know what you want it for, tell him you are mixing an enema for your horse. That usually gets their attention.

Ray

[Richard Turner/Turner Saddlery]

For blackening brass, I used to use the old formula listed in one of the U.S. Army Saddler's Manuals, which called for mixing Cupric Carbonate (Copper Salts) in a solution of Ammonium Hydroxide 29.9% (Ammonia Acid), for for use in blackening brass as used in the late 1800s. Ammonium Hydroxide is deadly, more than just noxious fumes, must use a acid proof respirator and use out doors if possible. Since they didn't have respirators in the old days, I'm sure they finished hardware out doors. It only takes one once to discover that this process should not be done in doors since I found out through past experience. The dust from the copper salts is bad for the lungs as well.

I currently use B/OX 311, mfg. by Electrochemical Products, Inc., distributed by the Parish O Co., St Louis, MO. http://www.parisho.com/room1.htm

B/OX 311 gives the same blackened brass color as the old saddlers formula, and seems to be a little more durable and consistent. It is used at room temperature in a formula of 20% B/OX 311 and 80% distilled water. The brass should be polished and clean for the solution to work. It seems to give better results if you agitate or stir the brass with a plastic stirrer or plastic spoon. This also helps to prevent air bubbles from forming on the brass, which will leave bright spots on the brass if the bubbles are allowed to remain on the brass. The mixed solution can be used over and over many times. I have a large 2 gal. pickle jar which I had been storing old dead solution in for several years, I started to dispose of the old solution, but discovered that it almost seems to have regenerated its self, working almost as good as a fresh batch. Any glass jar with a plastic lid will work for storage or plating. This solution will form a type of powder or soot on the brass part being plated/stained. Once allowed to air dry, I place the parts in a vibratory tumbler with clean corn cob media and tumble for 15 minutes to remove the powder residue.

Richard

[Former Cav]

I color the back of my cases (the primer end) with "marks a lot" permanent magic marker.
It'll wear off after a couple of times through the tumbler, but some residue stays in the case markings RP WW and years 90, etc etc