how i color brass to identify it from similar brass

[green mountain boy]

when i bought a 7BR XP-100 new in 1980, i also bought forming dies and loading dies. playing around one day i formed about 50 old 30/06 brass to see if i could make them shoot with the large primer pocket and compare to the small primer pockets. thats just me...fast forward many years and i found them sitting just waiting for me to get with the program. i decided to color the large primer pocketed some how and i did it with DEF fluid...you thats right DEF ! i de greased the cases then put DEF fluid in a large pill bottle and left them a couple weeks before peeking...they needed a bit more time.....so i added a week. they look slightly camoflaged now with a random pattern. still smoothe no different feeling at all, and after several fireings still look pretty good. i assume that just sitting them upright in a shallow tray would do the same thing. i hope this helps someone who dosent want to buy brass black.

[ulav8r]

Brownells Oxpho Blue liquid will do the same in just a few seconds.

[Wayne Smith]

DEF? It would help to have a context.

[jonjon00]

DEF? It would help to have a context.Diesel exhaust fluid

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[trails4u]

Would the urea in the DEF not be leeching alloy from your brass??

[405grain]

Soaking brass cartridge cases for weeks in acid solution to change it's color doesn't sound like a very good idea. It's a lot easier to just mark the cases with a Sharpie.

[trails4u]

"Urea is slightly alkaline with a PH of ~ 9.0. Since its composition is 67.5% water it should not be kept in
contact with aluminum, brass or mild steel. Urea contact will rust steel, oxidize aluminum and leech
brass"

...from the interwebs.

[Shawlerbrook]

A colored Sharpie works for me.

[John Boy]

Just cut a nick on the case rim .... done forever

[bimus]

Colored Sharpe on the primer for me also then write down what it stands for.

[winelover]

I use sharpies, on primers, for day to day load changes. For more permanent brass markings, I use Birchwood Casey's Brass Black to color the head stamp. When I shorten brass, ie 44 Magnum to 44 Special, I take a Dremmel with tiny rotary file and erase the Mag on the head stamp.YMMV

Winelover

[jmorris]

You can put them in blackland dirt and let it rain on them once...

[17nut]

Stupid me for just marking the rim!
282548

Tumble all you want to get squeaky clen brass and they stay true.