Chess pieces using ammo - need help!

[Huskerguy]

I am attempting to build a chess set using ammunition of various shapes, sizes and colors. My first thought is for the pawns to be 9mm which is easy, I have that in brass and nickel. Most of my reloading has been done in a handful of rifle but mostly pistol cartridges so I am a bit lost when it comes to anything out of the ordinary for rifle.

For those that know chess and ammo, looking for some ideas of calibers I need to be on the look out for

There are usually black and white pieces but I am planning on brass and nickel
I need some ideas of ammo that represents the following chess pieces and can be found in both nickel and brass - rook(2), knight (2), bishop (2) , king and queen.

I just do not know what is out there in ammo that is/was made in nickel and brass. I have also thought about rooks being a shotgun shell in brass and nickel with some colors as well.

So some unusual shapes and sizes available in nickel and brass would be great if you have ideas. Let me know what to look for and I will search the interne for a picture. Someone may have already done this, if so, pictures would be welcome. Thanks in advance

[Winger Ed.]

I'd look for unusual big BP cases along the lines of .50-120 for King, .45 or .50-90 for Queen. Maybe .45-70 for Bishop.
Rooks & Knights could be along the lines of .50S&W, .44Mag., .45 Long Colt.
I'd make pawns more like .38Spec., they're noticeably smaller than the back row, and easier to pick up and move than 9mm.

It's a cool project, but I'd seek out unusual but distinctive cases to build it with.

For what you're doing, ya might try a 'want to buy' request for them on S&S.
There's quite a few folks shooting these large BP cartridges and might make ya deal on pairs of them.

[shell70634]

I would try to keep the pieces short and fat. Or maybe braze brass disks on the tall slender cartridges. They tend to fall over easily.

Shelly

[kungfustyle]

You could powder coat the bullets/leads to what ever color you wanted, just an idea.

[Sasquatch-1]

50 BMG for King and 338 Lapua for Queen

[Ickisrulz]

While a neat idea, I hope it is for display only. Playing with sets made up of unusual or novelty pieces isn't fun. That's why chess set design has been standardized (Staunton).

[quack1]

I seem to remember an issue of Handloader magazine had a chess set like that on the cover.

[Rcmaveric]

You could also use different bullets. Like a polymer point for bishop, serrated point (castlated) for the castle. Use big bullet carved into a horses head for the rook. You could probably 3D print a horse head bullet the make a one or two time use mold from silicone or plaster.

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

[lightman]

That sounds like a cool idea. The problem is going to be finding cases in both brass and Nickel. I think cases that are larger diameter will be more user friendly when moving them around.

How about something like:
Pawns --- 45 ACP, 45 Colt or 44 Magnum
Kings --- 30-06 or 300 Winchester magnum
Queens --- 308 Winchester or 300 WSM

[Huskerguy]

You guys have some great ideas which I why came here first. I simply do not know the unusual rounds available. I do like the idea of being bigger and I have thought about being top heavy. To answer some of the questions:

I do powder coat and have several colors but taking a bullet in and out and seating it won't be possible for those calibers.

I would like to keep the round as standard as possible, some of the various self defense bullets would be fine but I want to keep them as standard as possible.

yes, it will be for display only. My son, who is now 41, and I played a lot of chess when he was young. He purchased a chess set for me when he was in HS and on a missions trip. Then when I retired from running a technical college, the machine shop made me a set of stainless steal and brass that is pretty cool. So, these three will be on display in my downstairs family room just around the corner from my man cave.

Now I have to look up the rounds mentioned and see if they are available in nickel and brass. Thanks everyone

[358429]

I bet if you poured some molten lead in the casings they would be bottom heavy and less tippy. Then a dab of clear rtv in the case mouths if you like to seal them up.

[kevin c]

How about brass black on one set of pieces instead of using nickel cases?

One possible issue might be that brass by different manufacturers might not darken the same. Maybe a lacquer instead?

[Polymath]

A suggestion: Drill out the primer pockets to fit a small super magnet. Glue them in place and then use a steel chess board to keep them from falling over. Cases always seem to be top heavy. I have a metallic travel chess board with magnetic pieces.

[Winger Ed.]

I'd weight the taller cases too, and just use empty cases.
Having boolits on them is cool, but that makes them real top heavy, and for unusual
calibers, they may be hard to find.

Molten Lead would be a bit of a hassle, I think I'd go with small size shot and a squirt of glue.

Finding Nickel cases may be pretty hard.
Ya might check into home electro plating them yourself.
It's not a complex process, and you might could power up the bath with a battery charger.

[GregLaROCHE]

There are lots of interesting ideas here. I’d be for PCing for color codes. Maybe pour some lead in the bottom of the cases to make them more stable. Whatever, it would be interesting to see some pictures of the finished product.

[Rcmaveric]

Fill the casses with sand?

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

[nvbirdman]

Rook should be easy, 45Colt case with notches in the mouth, Bishop would be maybe 44mag case with round nose bullet with the appropriate notch in the bullet.

[BK7saum]

Instead of nickel, you could powdercoat thr cases silver.

[Winger Ed.]

.50BMG for the King. Yeah,,,,, that's the way to go.

[Mk42gunner]

Since the Bishop is usually long, tapered, and skinny, the .300 H&H seems made to order for it.

Robert

[Shanghai Jack]

32-40 for bishop - nice taper
50 might be a little big - 338 for king maybe

[jimlj]

I’d decide on the cases you want, then either nickel plate them yourself or have someone do it for you. Could you drill out the base of the bullet so they wouldn’t be so top heavy?

[bedbugbilly]

Or . . . if you wanted to mix things up, you could use a dummy 10 gauge shotgun shell for the King and a dummy 20 gauge shell for the Queen - possibly a specific color hull for one side and another for the other side? Or, brass base and somehow coat the other with silver color?

It sounds like a fun project and lots of good suggestions on how to keep all the pieces upright. Hope you'll post some photos of what you come up with!

[MT Gianni]

Glue or screw the cases on a thicker wooden or plastic base. 9mm and other small cases should have a riser so they can be handled easier.

[TyGuy]

I was thinking 45-70 for king and .458 Socom for queen (that was she has that feminine curve!) I really like the magnet idea if you’re doing bare base or the wide wooden bases with a felt bottom and a lead filled base. PC would be how I would go to tell one side from the other. Maybe .50AE for the pawns so they are nice and wide but not too tall.

[TyGuy]

I told Wifey about this idea and she gave me the evil eye. Apparently this was one of her gift ideas. She showed me this on on Etsy. 291304

[jonp]

Nickel for one set, brass for the other. King 30-06, Queen 308. Bishop, say 223. Knights 357Mag, Rooks 38sp.Pawns 380 or 9mm. Fill the cases half full of lead for stability and top with a boolit. Powder coat if you want.

[daengmei]

Found this https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=ammunition+chess+pieces&id=E4BCD57FC49BDA666C18DB28BEF0F90639B6452C&form=IQFRBA&tsc=ImageHoverTitle&first=1&disoverlay=1

[Plate plinker]

500 mag wadcutter for rooks.

[rockrat]

50 BMG for king and 50 spotter for queen. 500 S&W would be good for pawns, or 50AE. Don't know if they ever made the 50 spotter in nickle, but they did the 50 BMG and the 500 S&W. Maybe a nickled 50 Alaskan for a rook

Use 50 cal for everything!!!

[Huskerguy]

You guys are great! I am in the process of looking at some samples of these suggested options.

My original plan was for one side to be all nickel and the other all brass. I still hope that works out, problem for me is I am not in to thre larger rifle calibers and have no clue what is available in both finishes.

I will be making the board as well. Leaning towards wood, not a fan of the wooden basses. I will play with some lead bases if I can pull bullets and put them back.

This is going to take on a life of its own and at the rate I get things done these days.....

[jonp]

You guys are great! I am in the process of looking at some samples of these suggested options.

My original plan was for one side to be all nickel and the other all brass. I still hope that works out, problem for me is I am not in to thre larger rifle calibers and have no clue what is available in both finishes.

I will be making the board as well. Leaning towards wood, not a fan of the wooden basses. I will play with some lead bases if I can pull bullets and put them back.

This is going to take on a life of its own and at the rate I get things done these days.....

If you get ready to do the nickel one side and brass on the other just ask on here for a sample of the caliber you want. I'm sure you will get what you need as long as you promise to post a picture of the final results

[shooterg]

I would try to keep the pieces short and fat. Or maybe braze brass disks on the tall slender cartridges. They tend to fall over easily.

Shelly

Pour a little lead in the large ones to make tipping harder.

[Huskerguy]

Yes, for sure, pictures will follow. And yes, lead poured in to keep them stable. Some samples from a wonderful and supportive member are on the way!

[blackthorn]

Pour a little lead in the large ones to make tipping harder.

Use Zinc! Lead is for making bullets!!!

[Half Dog]

I’ve got a small bucket of nickel plated range pickup brass. I’m sure they are common calibers but when you decide what you want, I’ll check to see it I might have it. Just let me know.