How to make cammo colored brass

[FROGO207]

I figured out how to make cammo colored brass. Just put it in water with a couple tablespoons of limeout and let it soak for 10 minutes. Longer for a darker green color. I was trying this to see if the stuff would clean any better than LemmiShine or IOSSO case cleaner. It takes on a dark greenish/brownish dull surface. I am going to load up some 44 MAG rounds after they dry out and see if it hurts the brass any. I would think that it is OK still as the soaking time is short.

 

[Rule3]

Citric acid, lactic acid and Hydrogen chloride. Most of the lime cleaners are a from of acid such as phosphoric acid and will turn brass green. Straight vinegar, acetic acid will also.

Don't loose your brass in the weeds.

 

[1SOW]

My experience with a water-soap-vinegar mix is that the brass will have splotchy "PINK-ish' areas due to leaching zinc from the metal, leaving copper if left in the solution too long.

 

[VaGunNut]

and thus degrading the molecular composition of the brass making it weak. Ready for a head seperation? Or split? Like all of your fingers intact?

 

[medalguy]

And why exactly are we doing this?

 

[223man]

Just buy Wolf or something like it. Not quite camo, but the price is right and the stuff will not stand out in the grass. I realize the caliber availability is limited, but within limits will serve well.

 

[FROGO207]

I shot it 6 times with full house loads in the 44 MAG and it did not split and blow up the Ruger yet. I would also be wary of soaking them longer than a short time as it can degrade the brass and make it dangerous. As to the poster that asked why. I stated that I was trying to CLEAN the brass and this was the result. I posted partly as a warning and partly as information IF you ever needed to do this.

 

[medalguy]

As mentioned, soaking in chemicals that dissolve out the zinc can weaken the brass, that's 100% correct. I was just concerned that you were thinking of loading up .44 mag ammo treated this way, "to see if it hurt the brass any." It just seems to me that's a pretty powerful round to be testing brass that might be weakened. Maybe try .45 ACP to see if it hurt the brass, and maybe save yourself a damaged gun or worse? Just a gentle warning to always be safe.

 

[Four Knives]

Might be a good way to color brass to if you're going to make some dummy rounds or snap caps.

I'd like to make some, but want the brass to be undoubtedly distinguishable from loaded rounds.

Mind shooting a picture for us?

 

[GLOOB]

^Good thinking.

I think Hoppes will do that, too, if you leave it long enough. I don't have any lime cleaner, but I'm curious which comes out the prettier green.

 

[ranger335v]

Vinegar reacts with the oxygen in the dark tarnished surface of a case, leaving the dark surface a pinkish color that is not harmful. Any 'leeching' of anything occured when the surface got tarnished in the first place and normal tumbling removes the thin pink discoloration to leave the cases looking and working quite normal.

Green brass is a form of corrosion, much the same as rust on steel, and that's not the same as tarnish. Corrosion does damage the metal. Like rust, how much it matters depends on how deep the corrosion goes.

I've learned to toss green cases but use vinegar to restore tarnished cases, then tumble them to match the rest of my cases.

 

[theicemanmpls]

why color the brass

I for one pick up all brass, and hulls that I eject in the field, or at the range. Some can be reloaded, some can not.

Leave only your foot prints behind.

When loading firearms in the field, I have dropped cartridges. Why color them so one can't find them n the weeds?

Oh, I forgot,,,,,,,Cammo colored brass looks so "tactical".

 

[1KPerDay]

I for one pick up all brass, and hulls that I eject in the field, or at the range. Some can be reloaded, some can not.

Leave only your foot prints behind.

THANK you.

 

[provoartkaa]

I thought black was tactical