Brass head stamp change/removal possible?

[Kev18]

I use 45-90 brass for my 40-82. I have loads of them and paid hundreds of dollars just for one box. Its minor problem honestly, but i was wondering if its possible to just buff the stamps out? Just a question I was wondering, I know they make actual cases with the right head stamp but I have so much 45-90. Will it affect the case structure or the rim at all?

[smithnframe]

You would change the rim thickness by "buffing " the head stamp off! I wouldn't do it.

[Cheeto303]

You would change the rim thickness by "buffing " the head stamp off! I wouldn't do it.

This would also make the primer pocket shallower and it would have to be deepened.

[dverna]

You might be able to fill the headstamp with an epoxy and sand it flush. I would just get the proper cases.

[JimB..]

I don’t know for sure, but wouldn’t think that chucking it up in a lathe and cutting a single shallow groove through the current headstamp would affect casehead integrity. I’d try a very narrow strikethrough rather than totally obscuring it. The big problem is that you have no way to test it other than in the gun, which I assume you’d rather not sacrifice in the process.

[pietro]

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Fahgettabout fooling with the rim - thinning the rim WILL result in excessive headspace.


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[LAGS]

I filled Reformed 30-06 cases that I formed into 8x57 with soft Solder and lightly buffed them flush.
I used a soldering gun to do it and not a torch.

[Kev18]

I filled Reformed 30-06 cases that I formed into 8x57 with soft Solder and lightly buffed them flush.
I used a soldering gun to do it and not a torch.

That sounds doable.

[oldred]

I filled Reformed 30-06 cases that I formed into 8x57 with soft Solder and lightly buffed them flush.
I used a soldering gun to do it and not a torch.

But doesn't the number markings still show??????? It seems to me that while that might fill the markings flush it would tend to highlight them due to the color difference rather than make them obscure, or am I missing something here???

[Mytmousemalibu]

I have seen converted brass where a tiny, round tipped bit was used on a lathe just to remove the stamping. Only the letters/numbers removed so it didn't effect the rim thickness, etc. It looks kinda neat and I doubt it would hurt the case integrity. This was done to something .41 to .45cal brass. Its a lot of work.

I tried this by chuckling some brass in a drill and sharpened a drill bit shank into a toolbit. It worked pretty good but I wouldn't want to do a bunch without a lathe.

[mozeppa]

if your 40-82 uses 40-90 brass.....wouldn't it be easier to re-stamp the rifle 40-90 ?

[Dapaki]

You could just re-stamp the cases?

[kootne]

Kev18, there is a lot of good conjecture in the answers above, from actual experience let me explain what I have done. My conversion example is .348 to 45/75, done about 30 years ago. At that time there was a lot less available resources of parent brass, dies, info etc.
To the part of changing the head stamp I did the following;
1. Faced off the old stamp in a lathe,
2. Recut the depth of the primer pocket.
3. Formed the rim forward at a slight angle to recover the headspace lost to machining stamping off.
4. Re-stamped caliber marking
Of course it required a lathe and the ability to use it. I made all my own dies to do not only this part but to re-form the brass also. The caliber stamp was made using "Pryor" brand steel type in 1/16" tall figures. Hopefully a picture will show up with my homemade on the right and a commercial example on the left.

P.S. I felt the same flustration as you, when I levered a shell out I wanted to see the right info looking back at me.

[Texas by God]

Personally, I wouldn't do a thing about it. Anyone who knows what a 45-90 IS will not mistake one of your 40-82s for it. Neither cartridge is remotely common. When you get older, you can't read head stamps anyway without help

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[KCSO]

Use a 1/2 round cutter in the lathe to shave the head stamp but not the outer rim. This won't involve changing the rim or the primer pocket and you will not be annealing the head of the case any.

[country gent]

The groove cut thru the head stamp will remove it but will also remove surface area from the case head. depending on the condition of the bolt face breech block this might also affect head space. Over stamping the head stamp can be done with number stamps but this will displace metal and distort the rim some. Facing off and recutting primer pockets then reforming the rim could be done but the edge is no longer a parallel square edge.

You could use clear epoxy and brass filings mixed to fill in the stamping then clean up after its cured. Wouldn't re Id the case heads though. The ideal way to do this would be to fill in the head stamp then re cut with a cnc router. Another way would be a small fixture to use a dremel tool to cut the ID in with an engraving point. A small disk made to press into the primer pocket with the desired marking and guide the dremel tool. Thinking about it a computer printer could be used to print disks out with tape / adhesive labels stick on head using primer pocket to center then engrave.

Stamping will distort you need to cut the new in the reworked rim.

[Kev18]

if your 40-82 uses 40-90 brass.....wouldn't it be easier to re-stamp the rifle 40-90 ?

I use 45-90.

[Kev18]

Kev18, there is a lot of good conjecture in the answers above, from actual experience let me explain what I have done. My conversion example is .348 to 45/75, done about 30 years ago. At that time there was a lot less available resources of parent brass, dies, info etc.
To the part of changing the head stamp I did the following;
1. Faced off the old stamp in a lathe,
2. Recut the depth of the primer pocket.
3. Formed the rim forward at a slight angle to recover the headspace lost to machining stamping off.
4. Re-stamped caliber marking
Of course it required a lathe and the ability to use it. I made all my own dies to do not only this part but to re-form the brass also. The caliber stamp was made using "Pryor" brand steel type in 1/16" tall figures. Hopefully a picture will show up with my homemade on the right and a commercial example on the left.

P.S. I felt the same flustration as you, when I levered a shell out I wanted to see the right info looking back at me.

Atleast someone understands. Thanks. I dont ahve a lathe or any knowledge on how to reshape a rim...

[Kev18]

Personally, I wouldn't do a thing about it. Anyone who knows what a 45-90 IS will not mistake one of your 40-82s for it. Neither cartridge is remotely common. When you get older, you can't read head stamps anyway without help

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From what I can see they are the same, except mine is 40cal. Nothing changes in the case shape or anything, just boolit diameter.

[LAGS]

Putting Solder in the stamping just covered up and obscured the original marking so I would not try and put that ammo back in a 30-06 , or mix it up and try to reload the casing as a 30-06.
You do seperate your cases for reloading when you get home from shooting.
And when they were sitting in the ammo boxes , you could clearly see if a 30-06 case got mixed in with them.
But how many times do you LOOK at a case Rim while you are shooting.
You check your Lot of ammo , then begin shooting.
And you should ALWAYS clear off the ammo from your bench before you switch calibers.