Brass marking question

[blackjac]

:? Hello All, another brilliant question from a "newbie"! I'm reloading 22-250 for both my Encore (14" bbl.) and Browning "A" bolt rifle.  I purchased 500 new brass cases and reloaded same, no problems.  I soon came to the realization and understanding what fire forming was all about. The reloads fired from he Encore did not fit the Browning, very tight fit when closing the bolt.  I fired all the reloads, cleaned the brass and full lenth resized and trimmed them all, back to square one, so to speak. Here is the question, is there anyway to mark the brass for each gun, either with a physical mark or a color marker.  All the brass has the same head mark. If a physical mark can be made, how would one do it, a file mark?? I tried colored magic marker but it came off during the cleaning/tumbling process.  Seems I read somewhere you can use the blue dye that tool and die makers use, don't recall the proper name for that die or where to buy it for that matter. I'd appreciate any suggestions or comments you might care to share and thanks in advance for your time.--blackjac

[longwinters]

I have the same deal with two 7M-08 rifles I load for.  What I do is make up the loads for each rifle . . . . shoot them and then the brass is put it ziplock bags labeled with what rifle each is for. I clean, resize etc... seperately so as not to mix them up.   I do use magic marker to write #'s on the loaded cartridges which show what particular load it is (ie...1, 2, 3, 4 etc...) for a specific rifle but like you say it comes off when tumbling the brass (which is what I want it to do).

long

[Graybeard]

When I'm faced with this situation I use different brands for the different guns.

GB

[Jack Crevalle]

I just separately tumble brass from different lots of the same caliber. Then, like longwinters, I keep each lot in a separate plastic bag that's got a checklist in it saying what's been done to it thus far, decapped, primer pocket cleaned, etc.

When separating rounds loaded differrently such as when working up a load, I mark the primer with a different colored permanent marker for each load. It works well.

You might also try decapping the brass for one rifle before tumbling but not the other.

[Donna]

You can probably get that blue dye from a tool and die maker, look in your yellow pages. But were rubber gloves when using it because it does not come off it has to ware off. I dated this guy the was in the US Navy in submarines and once he was on leave and his you know what’s were blue and he said some of the “A” gangers, I think that was the guys that work in the engine room, gave him blue b#lls (giggle). :roll:  Those military guys sure are friendly for not being gay. But any ways, if you mark the head stamp with the stuff that might work. I just keep mine in a separate ammo can and reload them separately.

Donna :wink:

[John Traveler]

Donna,

If you are referring to the blue stuff that tool and dye makers use for layout fluid, it's called  "Dyekem"  and it IS soluble in most solvents, including lacquer thinner, MEK, acetone, etc.

John

[Flint]

Blue Dykem is really an Acetone thinned laquer, and won't really stand up to tumbling much better than a Magic Marker.  I use Magic Markers to show caliber by sight in a gunbelt, but I apply it after loading, and tumbling does indeed remove it.  I color code 44-40, 44 special, 44 Magnum 45Colt etc so I don't load the wrong ammo in the guns at a CAS match.  Removing the Dye from your hands required washing them with Acetone, and is a very good reason why the Sailor didn't opt to wash it off his nether regions.

[Dand]

You could use a triangle file and file a small notch in the rim of all the cases for one of your guns.  Just make it big enough to see and feel but not to threaten the integrity of the rim or case.  Or get different brands of brass - or use nickel cases for one gun.

[Chuck White]

I completely agree with "DAND"!  

Just file a small notch in the rim of "one batch" of brass!

I've done that for years and haven't had a problem with it!

[HappyHunter]

I have this "problem" with my 25-06, encore 15 inch and Remington BDL.  

This is the best reason to have nickle brass...I use nickle for the Encore and brass for the Rifle.

Buy a  hundred Nickle cases for the Encore.

That is my suggestion.

Fred :money:

[Tom W.]

"Dand" has the best suggestion. Layout fluid will wear off in short order, and it's somewhat pricey, about $14 a can. I use it all day at work to check the wear of the Babbitt saw guides, and to check my grinding progress on the saw teeth.