Making bullet keychains. What to coat them with?

[Zaydok Allen]

A lifetime friend of mine who reloads is in his last days (cancer). He gave me a number of 45 acp FMJ, and a bunch of brass. I'm thinking about making some of them into keychains and giving them to his family. I might take them to a trophy/engraving shop and have his initials put on them too.

So ok, this should be pretty easy. I figure I'll use short cotter pins bent to wedge up against the flash hole, and then thread a little dental floss through the head of the pins. That way I can rotate the brass through my press to seat and crimp the bullets with the cotter pins inside the case and the floss will hang through the flash hole/primer pocket. Get them off the press, and then pull the cotter pins through the flash holes and use a round nail gently tapped through the cotter pin head to expand it, and then slip a key ring on it. I figure I'll drip a little super glue into the flash hole and turn them bullet side down so that the glue sits on the base of the bullet and adheres to the case walls to prevent bullet creep. I just want to make sure the cotter pins don't get glued in place so they rotate alright. Not a big deal though if they do get set in place. A siringe would probably make it easier.

But I feel like I should coat them in something to help prevent tarnishing. Clear lacquer? Any suggestions? I don't want the coating to crack and flake off though if the keys are dropped.

 

[D Rock]

I think it's a really nice idea and a thoughtful gesture for his family.

I'd probably clean them well and then let them tarnish with age. Give them a nice patina. Any sort of finish on them will eventually wear off if they get used and carried in a pocket or purse.

Dave

 

[Patocazador]

I can rotate the brass through my press to seat and crimp the bullets with the cotter pins inside the case and the floss will hang through the flash hole/primer pocket. Get them off the press, and then pull the cotter pins through the flash holes and use a round nail gently tapped through the cotter pin head to expand it, and then slip a key ring on it.

I don't understand why you pull out the cotter pins after seating the bullet.

Edit: OK, I thought it over and think that you don't pull them out all the way- just the loop head.

 

[milemaker13]

I agree with Dave, don't finish them, just polish them up nice. Also, I dont think I'd worry about gluing the bullets in place, just put a heavy roll crimp. That should do it.

I'm interested to hear if the cotter pin/ nail expansion works out. Sounds like a good method.

 

[Mizar]

You need Zapon lacquer (Zaponlack) - it's a nitrocellulose lacquer developed for coating metal. I believe that the case hardened gun parts were one time coated with Zapon. Usually it is sold in arts and crafts shops.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Edit: OK, I thought it over and think that you don't pull them out all the way- just the loop head.

Correct. The cotter pins would be bent inside the case end for retention and only the loop would come through for a key ring attachment.

 

[Varminterror]

For keyrings, I drilled through the sideWALL above the web, then inserted a key ring directly through the case. I carried the first one I made at 9-10yrs old until about Sept of last year, so 25yrs, which admittedly was a loaded factory .30-06 Winchester Supreme Ballistic Silvertip. I stopped carrying it because the bullet fell out - I’ve intended to seat and crimp it back. That brass is nickel plated, so it still looks great, but there are a few scratches through the lubalox coating on the bullet. As long as it has been in my pocket, I’ll chalk it up to “character.”

For all others I’ve made over the years, I’ve NOT used live rounds. I typically thread the primer pocket and screw in a brass post - they don’t spin, but don’t really need to. I epoxy that in place, and crimp the heck out of the bullet.

 

[D Rock]

Good ideas there, Varminterror.

Dave

 

[beag_nut]

This whole thread describes a nice thing to do. However, brass is a notoriously difficult material to add a finish to. The finish goes on easily, but it won't last. It will eventually wear off, unless the brass is plated with something, usually gold being the most common. But gold doesn't take wear well, either, being a soft metal. The "patina" which naturally occurs (by being exposed to atmosphere) is the most durable/doable.

 

[Dudedog]

Brasso and a rag


I might try a empty test case with lacquer and one with Poly Urethane and see how it works out.
Don't know how the poly will stick to brass.

 

[someguy2800]

I made one as a kid out of a .243 case. I drilled a hole through the side of the case above the case head and put a key ring through it. I had no way to size the neck so I super glued a bullet in place.

Anyway I think the cotter pin through the flash hole is a good idea. You’ll probably need to drill out the flash hole to fit. I wouldn’t bother finishing it or gluing the bullet. Just seat and roll crimp.

 

[someguy2800]

This has been on my keychain for 15 years. I shot it with a 25-06

 

[entropy]

For keyrings, I drilled through the sidewalk above the web

I suppose Al Gore built that, too.

Krylon lacquer.

 

[Varminterror]

Argh! Didn’t catch the autocorrect. Ain’t technology grand?

 

[labnoti]

You should be able to seat the bullet with the cotter pin sticking through the flash hole. The ram on your press should have a hole as big as the primer in the center. So there's no need for floss to pull the pin out or to expand the pin afterward. Just put the pin through the flash hole, expand it inside the case, put glue around the mouth of case, seat the bullet and you're done. To secure the cotter pin inside the shell better, you might put a blob of solder on it after expanding it.

Lacquering them isn't necessary, but you could use a brass lacquer if you want. If I had such an object for EDC, I would put a little wax on it and that is all. Renaissance museum wax. It's not as long lasting as lacquer but even lacquer would only last a while, probably not even a year of heavy use, and wax is easier to reapply without needing to remove the old lacquer first.

 

[Ironicaintit]

I've been making cartridge key fobs for quite a while.

-Size and prep the brass as normal.
-Drill out the flash hole to accept a 1/8" OD cotter pin. (Don't mount it yet)
-Install cotter pin onto a key ring (it'll be tight) and spread the pins legs apart a bit.
-Push the cotter pin into the flash hole as far as it'll go.
-Clamp the key ring in a bench vice, case mouth up.
-Use a standard screwdriver to open up the cotter pin within the case.
-At this point, use the largest punch you can fit, and tap it down between the cotter pin, which will spread it apart as far as it will go.
- drip some fairly thick epoxy down near the flash hole (optional insurance)
-using the vice (preferably with padding...IE- wood) squeeze your chosen bullet into the case.
- work the key ring around the cotter pin a bit to loosen it up.
Bam, you're done.

You could then tumble it with car wax? I don't worry about it, as I like the patina they get with use.
I have these things on all my key rings, a lot of lamp pulls, or anything else you can figure to hang a bullet onto.
And I hand them out to most anybody I think is gunny and a good guy.

 

[Ironicaintit]

Here's a 1934, 30-06 case with a 1909 cupro-nickel bullet, and an HK striated 7.62.

 

[Jonesy814]

I would use a spray on polyurethane and do a couple coats. To start with I would rough them up just a bit with steel wool

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Thanks all for the input. I'm thinking that maybe skipping the coating is a good idea as many have said. I have a 45 acp hanging off of my car keys and while it's no longer bright and shinny, it's still fine. That's the inspiration for this idea to begin with. The bullet has taken a beating, and the cotter pin idea came from that example I already have. I was just trying to figure out how to do it with the parts I have. I don't have a bench vice, but I'm convinced my idea will work on my press. I guess I better buy one one of these days. I have limited space on my bench so it hasn't been a priority.

Still not sure on the epoxy. I know a heavy crimp would probably be fine but I just feel like a little extra grab is a good idea.

I may pick up a few basic necklace chains also and the ladies may prefer to string it on there and wear it around their necks. Not everyone wants a bullet hanging off their keys.

-At this point, use the largest punch you can fit, and tap it down between the cotter pin, which will spread it apart as far as it will go.

That's a good idea on how to spread the cotter pin open in the case. Thanks

 

[buck460XVR]

For keyrings, I drilled through the sideWALL above the web, then inserted a key ring directly through the case.

^^^This is how I do it. Usually leave a spent primer in the case. Usually with handgun rounds on a keychain, the constant use, keeps the brass/bullet polished enough. Lacquer/finish will chip/scratch and look worse than natural patina
if the keychain is used much. If it's just for show, and not used, and one wants to keep it pristine, than a protective finish might be just the ticket.

 

[Catpop]

That’s a great gesture to your friend! Kudos to you!
I’ve done bullet key rings in the past also.

But later switched to a 4” adjustable wrench on the key ring as it was more functional! I bet that wrench came out of my pocket a dozen times a day when I was running a sawmill!

 

[lightman]

I agree, thats a really nice thing to do in honor of your friend. You could polish them with about any of the polishes as most leave a waxy coating on the surface. If you have a chuck that holds cartridge cases you can put a nice polish on a case pretty quick. I polish some of the cartridges in my collection and they stay nice for years.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

You should be able to seat the bullet with the cotter pin sticking through the flash hole.

I only have one press, a Dillon 550B. Decapping and repriming happen on the first station. Belling and powder drop on the second. Seating on the third and crimping on the fourth. Stations 3 and 4 do not have a hole in the shell plate, nor would I be able to rotate the shell holder. That's why the cotter pin needs to be inside during seating and crimping. I wouldn't even be able to get the shells in the holder to do anything.

 

[Jesse Heywood]

Get some VHT Wheel Paint clear. Comes in gloss & matte. Very durable. I would use the gloss. Available at most auto part stores. http://www.vhtpaint.com/high-heat/vht-wheel-paint

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Thought I'd do a quick update. I got the keychains made. My original plan had some issues but I adapted. I ended up completely drilling the flash holes out on the cases. They get pretty darn hot when doing that, and if they catch, you need to let go immediately.

My idea about putting a thread or a piece of dental floss through the pin to pull it through was no good. In order to use a pin large enough, I would have had to flatten he heads with a hammer to have them move through the flash hole. So I instead chose a size that I could slightly flatten with a pair of pliers, and they then pushed into the primer pocket when put on the press for bullet seating. The ends of the cotter pin inside the case were bent into a rectangular shape that you would really have to crank on in order to get the pins to pull free.

Seated the bullets, crimped, and when removed from the press the pin head stuck out fine. I used a nail gently tapped in to expand the head and slipped a key ring on each one.

They are at the engraver now getting my friend's initials put on them.

I was concerned about years of carrying them in a pocket pushing the bullets in too far. So I stopped at the pharmacy in my local Target store and after explaining what I was doing, asked them if they could sell me a medical syringe so I could draw super glue from a bottle, and inject it into the case past the cotter pin. I tried dripping some in on a practice one, and it just made a mess. They of course needed to "look to see what they had" which means they were observing me to see if I was a tweaker. When they realized I was on the up and up, they laughed, and so did I. I said "I imagine you don't get too many requests for "arts and crafts syringes."" The response was "You'd be surprised at the requests we get." They sold me one for $0.35. I wish I had just asked for 10 of them. I imagine I could reuse it again if I suck in water and blow it out right away before the glue hardens, but at least I know where to get them.

Once I get them back from the engraver I plan to use a metal polishing cloth to give them one last cleaning, and send them off.

The family should be able to put them on their keys, hang them from a rearview mirror, take the key rings off and put them on a chain, or even hang them on the Christmas tree if they prefer. In any case, I will be happy to put them in the mail.

It makes me sad knowing he never even got to read the last message I sent him. It was about a rifle I bought.