Newsgroups: rec.crafts.metalworking
Subject: Re: Methodology? making rifle brass
From: Robert Bastow <Teenut@hotmail.com>
Date: Fri, 26 Feb 1999 02:03:51 GMT

Bob Frazier wrote:
> 
>     In some older references I've heard of people making odd caliber brass
> on their lathe. I haven't heard of any modern attempts at this. Anybody
> tried it?
>   

NO! NO! NO!

Turning cartridge cases from barstock might (did) work OK for Black Powder
pressures..But for modern nitro powder pressures you are almost certain to get a
base blowout.

Very few actions support the base of the cartridge case fully.  Some of them by
little enough to make your hair curl.

Modern cartridge brass is VERY carefully formulated, and the heat treatment and
work hardening controlled to the "n"th degree, to be able to safely hold the
50,000 plus psi pressures experienced.

It is easy to forget, that it wasn't the development of sophisticated breech
mechanisms that made modern weapons feasable.  Rather it was the development of
the modern brass cartridge case.

Robert Bastow

Newsgroups: rec.crafts.metalworking
Subject: Re: How to shread some .22 cases?
From: Robert Bastow <Teenut@hotmail.com>
Date: Tue, 23 Mar 1999 01:39:03 -0500

I hope you don't want to machine the castings afterwards. Cartridge brass is
70/30..great for deep drawing..But the nastiest, stringiest, stuff you can
imagine to machine.  Chips have the uncanny ability to weld back on the work
piece behind the tool.  

Forget negative rake tooling, treat it like soft copper..Lots of toprake, razor
sharp tools and plenty of lube.


Robert Bastow

John Wasser wrote:
> 
> I have access to a large supply of .22 rimfire amunitaion cases (fired) and
> would like to melt them in my Propane-Fired Coffee-Can Foundry
> (http://www.John-Wasser.com/NEMES/PCCF.html).  The main problem is that they
> allow so much air circulation that the zinc content tends to burn. I think if
> I could grind or shred them into smaller pieces I could fit more in the
> crucible and they would melt better.
> 
> I have thought of using a kitchen meat grinder on them but don't want to spend
> $50 on one without knowing if it has a
> chance of working.  Does anyone have other ideas?  I suppose I could try
> crushing them, too.