Marking your brass for retrieval?

[Wayne02]

Seems like a relatively straight forward concept to mark the brass with a permanent marker or some such, but thought I'd ask anyway in case there are some tricks.

I end up at group shoots where all the brass from shooters ends up mixed together on the large tarps. Sometimes I'm able to retrieve my brass immediately after I shoot a string, other times not so much. Of course this is not a problem with the revolvers but some of my semi's like to throw the brass into the next county (especially the rifles).

In some cases this means I will retrieve the brass on the tarps while the line is hot (and slow), in other cases I may not get to do this and the next time the brass shows up is when we pull the tarp and shake the brass to the center. At this stage it is a giant pile of mixed brass to pick through.

So how do you guys mark your brass? Permanent marker - ring around the primer, single slash on the head, fluorescent circle around the case rim, happy face on the side of the case?

And do these markings tend to come off during the next tumbling cycle?

Thanks

 

[alde]

I just put a line accross the bottom with a bright pink sharpie. Everybody knows the pink ones are mine.

No wise cracks now

.

 

[walnutred]

I use a clear marker. Anything without a colored mark is mine.

 

[OKFC05]

Whatever you do, don't make the heads black, because then you can't see if there is a cartridge in the chamber.

 

[Skip Sackett]

I've done all of the above, although I never thought about the clear one!

Most of us just shoot what we pick up. If we notice there is a line or something on it, we pass it on to the right person. If not it goes into our bag. I'm sure none of us has new brass!

For a short time I used steel 45ACP cases. EVERYONE left them alone. It was like they had the plague or something. They shot well and I like the novelty of having something different. Other than a pink marker that is!

 

[Amici]

I use a large ("44 Magnum," so-called) marker. It's wide enough so that I can cover most of the case with one pass.

I mark the cartridges when they are in the ammo boxes, as they are all nose-down. This is also a great way to spot high, missing or inverted primers.

Everyone knows the all-red ones are mine.

 

[ChuckS1]

The simplest way to eliminate this whole problem is to buy a revolver... And hey, my 600th post for a smarta** remark!

 

[sar4937]

I rotate between about 5 colors that corespond to the particular powder charge used. No matter what color is used someone else will be using the same. It comes off in the tumbler.

 

[Gatofeo]

Put the cartridges bullet down in a styrofoam holder. Lightly coat with spray paint.
I've done this with white paint, so I could spot the brass on the grond more easily.
Now, because I shoot at a gravel pit, I just secure a big, blue tarp to the ground with a few tent stakes and stand on the left edge, middle.
All cases land in the tarp.
But yeah, a light coat of spray paint can be used. It's more permanent than markers.
White works well. Yellow too. Fluorescent colors only work well if you have an undercoat of white. Too much bother.

 

[10-12]

A number of us at my club mark our brass with a marker. The lines and X's were all taken so I mark mine with the number 7, God's number of perfection. Still doesn't help my marksmanship though.

Bill

 

[Skip Sackett]

Here is the easiest way to pick your (or other's for that matter)brass.

Notice the "X" mark. Nice thing about it is that it all lands on one spot!

 

[HAWKEYE10]

i mark brass with a red and black marker while in the case heads up.

don

 

[yugolovr]

always just used a purple sharpie.

 

[Andy Griffith]

Why not order brass with your own headstamp?

 

[VonFatman]

A. Griffith,
Wouldn't that be a kick! Let's see..."VonFatman" brass...or "Bob" brass. Now that would be impressive. A great way to pick up "range chicks"....that's assuming there were any!

Bob

 

[rburg]

Anyone remember the name of the primer sealing company? Bob and Teds?

Anyway nail polish works just the same if you thin it way down. After you prime and/or load the cases, just seal the primers with your own favorite color. From my Grand daughter I've discovered the wonderful world of nail polish colors. Everything from black and dark purple, up through and including the yellows and "mauve", even sparkly. Pick your color and some acetone to thin it way down.

Seal your primers. When you pick up the brass, you know if its yours or some other idiots!

You can also color code your loads. Particularly helpful if you load for different ages of guns. Examples would be the 44 specials you load for your Triple Locks that really should be on the modest side. Those you load for use in magnums or M24 variations can be about as hot as you like. Just don't switch them. Red is a good color for hot loads.

Not pink. Or maybe.

 

[David Sinko]

I find that most people who mark their brass don't even bother to pick it up. They seem to broadcast "I have so much brass that I don't NEED to pick mine up!" Or maybe they find picking it up demeaning yet mark it anyway. A lot of shooters will mark it just to identify what kind of load it is. In any event, it's a good way for me to know whose brass I'm taking.

There are some pretty sophisticated brass marking setups being used. One shooter marks his .38 Super with rings of both red and blue. The markings are perfect and it was obviously done with some kind of machine. And I don't think I've ever seen him picking up his brass.

Dave Sinko

 

[VonFatman]

David,
I agree...many who mark their reloads must do it help them keep it correct in their mind, not to ensure pick-up....I too find a lot of marked brass...far too much to have been "missed" after shooting.

Bob

 

[Rule3]

Originally posted by Gatofeo:
Put the cartridges bullet down in a styrofoam holder. Lightly coat with spray paint.
I've done this with white paint, so I could spot the brass on the grond more easily.
Now, because I shoot at a gravel pit, I just secure a big, blue tarp to the ground with a few tent stakes and stand on the left edge, middle.
All cases land in the tarp.
But yeah, a light coat of spray paint can be used. It's more permanent than markers.
White works well. Yellow too. Fluorescent colors only work well if you have an undercoat of white. Too much bother.

I tried that once. When you clean your pistol look real close at the extractor. All kinds of gummed up stickie paint turds. The Sharpies work much better IMO.