Stamping numbers

[Battis]

What's involved in stamping numbers in metal? Brass head stamps, reviving old serial numbers, etc.
How do you determine what size character to use? How do you keep the numbers straight and even - stuff like that.

[Uncle Grinch]

Go to Brownells website and search for “number stamp”. You will see various stamp sizes and guides to keep the individual stamps lined up.

[garandsrus]

Harbor freight has a cheap set of stamps that work pretty well.

[Handloader109]

If numbers are REALLY almost gone, find someone who has a fiber laser and can deep engrave into the metal. Not a CO2 laser, but a fiber. If they are good, they can most probably go right over the same area and closely match the original. Will be straight. And shouldn't be too much. Find small local guy...,

[country gent]

One problem with restamping isnt just size and alignment. But matching the original "font" of the stamping. Roll stamps are cut and quite different than hand stamps and are mostly made in house or custom. they can vary some from one to another. worn stamping that re done with a close match will end up with wide spots and slightly different radius's and angles giving it an itilics type look.

As to new stampings a fixture can be made to align and space stamps or a holder to hold the whole thing in place. Its a job that requires patience doing by hand. in industry the stamps are a roll stamp or in a die while parts are being formed. same location spacings and force of blow. Even uneven hammer strikes make it look different letter to letter. In an old article in practical machinist was a project for a spring loaded stamp driver that mounted in the spindle of a mill. It does a very nice job, but is slow. And on bridge port type mills it will eventually move the head out of square.

Also some thing to remember is that stamping produces a lot of stress warpage and distortion into a piece do to to metal stretching and the blows. Stamping dosnt cut but presses the image into the materials.

[waksupi]

If you do this, stamp the number below the original number. Do not alter it in any way, the feds don't like that at all.