Marking Brass

[RustyFN]

I have only marked primers with sharpies for load development. I have heard of people using an ink pad for rubber stamps and they press the bottom of the case on the ink pad to color the bottom of the case. sounds fast and easy.

 

[Havok7416]

I marked some of my brass with a Sharpie stripe (all of them already had primer markings). While the stripe does smear and in some cases come off, it works well enough to identify most of the time. I managed to come home with all the empties I fired.

The brass black seems like a decent idea to try, I will have to track some down.

 

[Rule3]

I use one of the Magnum size markers in what ever the brightest color I can find.

 

[Old Guy]

One of my buddies shoots, and goes to Glock matches a lot.

He has a little cage on the end of a pole, he runs it over his brass on the ground, picks them up real neat. He does nor re load, but gives the fired cases to a guy who does.

 

[Havok7416]

I recently bought some paint pens and I will be updating this thread as I get pictures and results available. Hopefully in the next few weeks.

 

[Havok7416]

Here we have the test paint, from Testors in 3 colors (the black is actually Sharpie). Although it is admittedly blurry, you can still clearly pick up the contrast. I have already tried red Sharpie marks to good effect and it looks like the light blue paint will be perfect if it holds up to feeding and extraction.

 

[gamestalker]

A colored sharpie has worked well for me when I've needed to use one. Even in AL's the sharpie will be easily visible. Just run it all the way around the cartridge, you'll see it right away.

GS

 

[Havok7416]

Do you have any problems with some of the Sharpie mark coming off?

 

[x_wrench]

i, like most folks here normally use a sharpie marker. although most felt tip marking pens would do. but on occasion, i have also dipped several rounds (fully loaded not quite to the bullet) in Dykem layout die. they make 2 different colors, deep blue and red. and i am sure there are other manufacturers making layout die for the tool & die trade.

 

[Havok7416]

X_wrench, interesting idea, but I'm not sure I'd do it with loaded rounds. Do you have any issues with the dye penetrating primers?

 

[spitballer]

If you catch it, you don't have to go hunting.
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=283657

I agree. I've always appreciated guys who use brass catchers at the range. Shows class.

 

[Dudedog]

Painful losing my 9mm Mak brass, the regular nine I dobn't mind.
Sharpie seems to work for me.
I use red, blue, green and black in the large size.
Can do the whole case head with 2 swipes.

Maybe hot pink when they are going to end up in the grass?

 

[Havok7416]

Dudedog, I started doing that exact thing on my 9mm Mak brass, but I found that since the cases almost always land on their side, the sharpie marks are hard to see.

As for a brass catcher, I would love to have one that I can use. Unfortunately, several of my guns have erratic ejection patterns that would force me to put the catcher in off-limits areas (the walkway behind the line for instance). Whenever I have a friend shooting with me we usually alternate picking up each other's brass.

I DO have a rigid brass catcher for my PTR because it not only throws brass 30 feet, but also in front of the line. Plus, being a rifle I can actually mount the catcher to it.

 

[Havok7416]

I finally got around to testing the painted brass. It didn't turn out as well as I had hoped, but I think it was still a mild success. The blue came out the worst and the green is hard to see against the ground, but the red did ok. See for yourself.

 

[photosaurus]

If you reload, just drop a round into a reloading block, touch a Sharpie or Marks-A-Lot to the case wall and spin it between your thumb and first finger. Takes hardly any time at all.