wildcat case Identification

thorborg · Jul 18, 2016

After reforming 257 Roberts brass into 6.5 X 257.
I am left pondering the now incorrect head stamp.
Rechambered barrels have lots of room to modify and or add data, case head, not so much.
I'm curious as to technique's others may have used when approaching this minor quandary.
Obviously well labeled boxes, but is this enough? I've used sharpie indelible pens on the side of load workups waiting for analysis. For brass, it is stretching the word "indelible" some.
Vibrating engraver may be the answer albeit I'll need to enlist younger eyes with less arthritically stifled dexterity than I.
Any input to retire my thoughts on the subject appreciated.

pakrat57 · Jul 18, 2016

You could color in the existing casehead markings with different paint and keep a chart denoting which color is what cal. It may not be as good as a permanent engraving, but brass has a limited lifespan anyway.

filsonhand · Jul 18, 2016

I run different color sharpie marks around the primer edge with a chart that coincides when I'm working up loads. FWIW

Ura-Ki · Jul 18, 2016

Almost the same idea, I paint the inner grove of the rim different colors depending on Cal. This works well for all the .30/06 based brass I use! For rimmed mag loads, this is especially helpful as many are the same length!

P7M13 · Jul 18, 2016

I just use well labeled cartridge boxes.
I've never tried this, but it may be worth consideration:

Dyeing Brass

Jamie6.5 · Jul 18, 2016

thorborg said:
After reforming 257 Roberts brass into 6.5 X 257.
I am left pondering the now incorrect head stamp.

Do you own a .257 Bob?
If you don't, I wouldn't worry about it.
If you do, you'll have to use a 6.5 bullet like a go/no-go gauge when you sort fired brass.

I've tried every kind of coloring agent on case heads I can think of and haven't found one yet that will survive a good cleaning or two.

BTW, I love your choice of caliber/cartridge. The 6.5x57 is awesome.

thorborg · Jul 19, 2016

Jamie6.5 said:
Do you own a .257 Bob?
If you don't, I wouldn't worry about it.
If you do, you'll have to use a 6.5 bullet like a go/no-go gauge when you sort fired brass.

I've tried every kind of coloring agent on case heads I can think of and haven't found one yet that will survive a good cleaning or two.

BTW, I love your choice of caliber/cartridge. The 6.5x57 is awesome.

And that is what it logically boils down to, but no harm no foul asking just to see if there was some cute trick I haven't thought of.
Thanks for taking the time share the experiences with me.

Jamie6.5 · Jul 19, 2016

thorborg said:
And that is what it logically boils down to, but no harm no foul asking just to see if there was some cute trick I haven't thought of.
Thanks for taking the time share the experiences with me.

No prob Tborg.

And if anyone is interested in a PTG reamer for the Ackley version of that chambering, let me know. I have one cut for a no-turn neck chamber. It has only cut one chamber, so it's not new, but it's damned close.

The resulting round is better than a .260Rem Ackley, but not the barrel burner a 6.5x284 is.

PaulB47 · Jul 20, 2016

Nobody is accidentally going to put one of your 6.5 cartridges into a .257 gun. Not easily anyway.

ageingstudent · Jul 20, 2016

thorborg said:
After reforming 257 Roberts brass into 6.5 X 257.
I am left pondering the now incorrect head stamp.
Rechambered barrels have lots of room to modify and or add data, case head, not so much.
I'm curious as to technique's others may have used when approaching this minor quandary.
Obviously well labeled boxes, but is this enough? I've used sharpie indelible pens on the side of load workups waiting for analysis. For brass, it is stretching the word "indelible" some.
Vibrating engraver may be the answer albeit I'll need to enlist younger eyes with less arthritically stifled dexterity than I.
Any input to retire my thoughts on the subject appreciated.

I saw some .401sl that was made out of 7.62x39 that had the headstamp removed with a lathe. Whoever did it only removed the stamped portion and left the outside portion of the rim and the inside portion around the primer untouched so the brass would still sit against the bolt face and the primers wouldn't be sticking out. Seems like a lot of work though. With my .351sl I use reformed/turned .357 brass that will still chamber in a .357 mag pistol. I've been using powder coated bullets to color code the .351 cartridges. The brass looks different enough to sort though after fired.

No_Regerts · Jul 20, 2016

7x57 brass would fewer characters off! But, they would likely chamber in a 7x57.

Jamie6.5 · Jul 21, 2016

I think I would just get some low melting point solder and fill the headstamp letters/numbers with it.
It still won't reflect the proper caliber, but it would make them easily discernible from the .257Bobs you want to keep separate. And it would be permanent.
And at low-melt temps, you won't get the case heads hot enough to soften them.