Permanent marking brass cases

[Denvir Tire]

I'm somewhat new to reloading and I need some advice regarding 8x57 Mauser cases.

My first adventure with reloading was with 8mm Mauser, using the pre-war .318 diameter bore. I now have rifles with both the .318 and .323 bore diameters and I'm anticipating reloading for both.
My question is simple, how can I mark the cases that allows quick and certain identification?

The parent brass case is the same for both, and the head stamp is the same for both, the only difference being the neck diameter.
I've been tossing around idea's with some friends and we've come up with Sharpie type marker, file a tiny notch in the rim, etc.

Has anyone here faced this dilemma , and if so, what's a good solution ?
Thanks

 

[JHT]

A-Square used to paint the heads of their Lion Loads red. It appears they used some type of fingernail polish.

 

[Wyfox]

These are used for competition PRS shooting to ID your brass

Brass Marker

Perfect for the shooter that is always forgetting to mark their brass before a match! This brass marker takes up no space at all. Hook it to your pack, your keys, or your chamber flag string. This is “THE” brass marker that you’ll will want to make a part of your match kit. Made from...

grayopscnc.com

 

[USMA84DAB]

Buy one make of brass for .318, another make of brass for .323.

 

[shootist~]

I use about six different color sharpies and put a stripe on the bottom of cases after reloading. This is to track the number of times a case has been loaded/fired. Fired cases go into a zip lock by color (also with a note).

When polished / cleaned, the stripe is gone, but cleaned cases get an additional note added (sized, trimmed). Resized and otherwise fully processed cases then go from the garage to the reloading room.

So, you could use one color for one rifle and another for the other. Maybe add mini stripes to designate number of times loaded if desired.

Edit: I add a heavy sharpie stripe to the ziploc bag as well.

 

[Grumpy gumpy]

I have two 303’s both have different chamber specs, I use a dremel to mark the bottom of the "sloppy " chambers brass. Never wear off, easy to see.
Gumpy

 

[wvfred]

Get a stamping kit and mark the base of the .323 brass with a S.

 

[Longwalker]

I’ve been in that exact situation, and decided to use USA made “8mm Mauser” stamped brass for the .318 bore and proper European 8x57IS stamped brass for the modern rifle.

 

[Nevada Smith]

Instead of a Sharpie, how about Dykem?

 

[Denvir Tire]

Thanks for the help!

 

[Luvthunt]

Good info

 

[Black Fly]

I mark my 8x57R cases with a groove across the head on my .318 loads. On my Makarov, I use shortened resized 9mm cases. I use an electric engraver to blurr the 'Luger' and do very light wipe or smear of white paint with a Qtip.

 

[EarlsSon]

I shoot 1,000 yard benchrest and both my light gun and heavy gun use the same brass. Even though both guns were chambered with my reamer they have slightly different head spacing. In order to tell what brass belongs to which gun I took a Dremel tool with a 1/16" round ball bit and engraved a small "dot" on the bases of the brass (no concerns for weakening the brass) that were fore my light gun. I have separate body dies for each gun so as to be able to "bump" the shoulders accordingly. All other brass prep is the same regardless of which gun it is for.

 

[steve white]

I use about six different color sharpies and put a stripe on the bottom of cases after reloading. This is to track the number of times a case has been loaded/fired. Fired cases go into a zip lock by color (also with a note).

When polished / cleaned, the stripe is gone, but cleaned cases get an additional note added (sized, trimmed). Resized and otherwise fully processed cases then go from the garage to the reloading room.

So, you could use one color for one rifle and another for the other. Maybe add mini stripes to designate number of times loaded if desired.

Edit: I add a heavy sharpie stripe to the ziploc bag as well.

Good ideas. In addition to number of times fired, I perform a test for incipient head separation with a piece of bent, stiff wire. The bend in 90 degrees, very short and sharpened. It is really easy to feel an incipient head separation--feels like the wire point crosses a gully...time to throw them away.

 

[steve white]

I'm somewhat new to reloading and I need some advice regarding 8x57 Mauser cases.

My first adventure with reloading was with 8mm Mauser, using the pre-war .318 diameter bore. I now have rifles with both the .318 and .323 bore diameters and I'm anticipating reloading for both.
My question is simple, how can I mark the cases that allows quick and certain identification?

The parent brass case is the same for both, and the head stamp is the same for both, the only difference being the neck diameter.
I've been tossing around idea's with some friends and we've come up with Sharpie type marker, file a tiny notch in the rim, etc.

Has anyone here faced this dilemma , and if so, what's a good solution ?
Thanks

All the brass I have used has been stamped on the base either JR, if it is the 318 dia. or if it is the S bore. If they don't mark the S bore, then you know it is the S bore, because the other WILL be marked as the J bore. Or file a notch.
I generally save the magic markers for specific loads being tested, recording them in my loading book, especially since the marks will be removed in the tumbling polisher anyway.

 

[Sabre]

I'm somewhat new to reloading and I need some advice regarding 8x57 Mauser cases.

My first adventure with reloading was with 8mm Mauser, using the pre-war .318 diameter bore. I now have rifles with both the .318 and .323 bore diameters and I'm anticipating reloading for both.
My question is simple, how can I mark the cases that allows quick and certain identification?

The parent brass case is the same for both, and the head stamp is the same for both, the only difference being the neck diameter.
I've been tossing around idea's with some friends and we've come up with Sharpie type marker, file a tiny notch in the rim, etc.

Has anyone here faced this dilemma , and if so, what's a good solution ?
Thanks

What if instead of filing a notch at the rim, instead make a small engraving near the head stamp.

 

[Flbt]

I'm somewhat new to reloading and I need some advice regarding 8x57 Mauser cases.

My first adventure with reloading was with 8mm Mauser, using the pre-war .318 diameter bore. I now have rifles with both the .318 and .323 bore diameters and I'm anticipating reloading for both.
My question is simple, how can I mark the cases that allows quick and certain identification?

The parent brass case is the same for both, and the head stamp is the same for both, the only difference being the neck diameter.
I've been tossing around idea's with some friends and we've come up with Sharpie type marker, file a tiny notch in the rim, etc.

Has anyone here faced this dilemma , and if so, what's a good solution ?
Thanks

How much brass do you go through?
Isn’t one of the 8mm a j? Or I or something to mark the size and type difference?
What would coustom brass with a mark on the head Samp cost?

Or how about using primer and case sealer on one and not the other?

 

[Denvir Tire]

How much brass do you go through?
Isn’t one of the 8mm a j? Or I or something to mark the size and type difference?
What would coustom brass with a mark on the head Samp cost?

Or how about using primer and case sealer on one and not the other?

I don't reload much, however I certainly don't want to mix up the projectiles. When hunting, I use factory or commercially loaded ammo only, this situation applies to range day exclusively. The ideas here will help tremendously .

Rather than start a new thread, let me ask another question regarding ammunition for these older Mauser rifles. When I began this journey last year, there was no .318 diameter projectiles available in the states that I could find. In light of this, I was able to purchase some directly from an online retailer in Germany. They sold me some S&B cup and core, 196 grain, that shoot terrific using a published load of Varget.
I also obtained some 150 grain, Fox Classic Hunter, lead free bullets. While attending the SCI show, I casually asked the Hornady rep about loads, powder, bullets for the .318 bore antique Mauser. His instant reaction was,"Don't use solid copper bullets in that old rifle".
So, I have not loaded any copper projectiles.
I'm not an engineer or anything special, but a lifetime as a mechanic allows me to understand the how and why of his warning. I'm also aware the untold number of variables that can affect this.
Any thoughts?

 

[Flbt]

I don't reload much, however I certainly don't want to mix up the projectiles. When hunting, I use factory or commercially loaded ammo only, this situation applies to range day exclusively. The ideas here will help tremendously .

Rather than start a new thread, let me ask another question regarding ammunition for these older Mauser rifles. When I began this journey last year, there was no .318 diameter projectiles available in the states that I could find. In light of this, I was able to purchase some directly from an online retailer in Germany. They sold me some S&B cup and core, 196 grain, that shoot terrific using a published load of Varget.
I also obtained some 150 grain, Fox Classic Hunter, lead free bullets. While attending the SCI show, I casually asked the Hornady rep about loads, powder, bullets for the .318 bore antique Mauser. His instant reaction was,"Don't use solid copper bullets in that old rifle".
So, I have not loaded any copper projectiles.
I'm not an engineer or anything special, but a lifetime as a mechanic allows me to understand the how and why of his warning. I'm also aware the untold number of variables that can affect this.
Any thoughts?

Since you use factory ammo yes I believe I would mark the case
If nothing else a permanent marker