How are brass cases made?

[FAL_Freak]

Title pretty much says it all. I'm curious about the process of making new rifle and pistol brass. Anyone have a good (or even a somewhat good) link to the info?

 

[Art Eatman]

Real quick, it's a complex, 15- or 20-step process. Until somebody gives a link, try the various ammo companies' websites to see if any of them show the sequence. I know some of the reloading manuals show pictures of it.

Even with modern automated equipment, it's amazing that new brass sells as cheaply as it does.

Art

 

[KP95DAO]

There are three methods in order of most used to least:
Drawing, impact extrusion, and turning bar stock.

 

[cordex]

Saw a neat display at a Cabela's one time that covered this.

I had the same thought that Art just expressed. Basically, they manufacture a bunch of little brass cups with thick walls and slowly work them into longer brass tubes and then cut/form them to size and then extruded some more and then cut some more and then ...

Very amazing process.

 

[mete]

Typically it's done by back extrusion. A slug of brass (cartridge brass 70Cu, 30Zn) is put into a female die then a male die is pressed into the slug. The brass then flows up along the male die forming a cup shape. This is done a number of times with annealing steps in between. Also in the process the primer hole is punched or drilled , the rim is machined.

 

[FAL_Freak]

Thanks for the great replies guys! I whipped up a quick graphic in photoshop, close to what you guys are thinking?