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.

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[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?

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[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