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Pink cases

Posted: Sun Aug 18, 2013 12:01 pm
by Meaty
Anyone got any ideas as to why my cases have a pink tinge on them?
I just put a batch in the cleaner and used a new (to me) cleaning fluid which seems to do the business really well. The cases in the picture were filthy before going in the tank and this is the result after 5 minutes of cleaning-the insides and primer pockets are as clean as the outside :goodjob:
IMG00054-20130818-0939.jpg
I am sure that I have seem a 'pink cases' thread before but cant find it now.

Re: Pink cases

Posted: Sun Aug 18, 2013 12:05 pm
by John MH
Copper leaching out.

Re: Pink cases

Posted: Sun Aug 18, 2013 12:10 pm
by Meaty
John MH wrote:Copper leaching out.
Thanks John.
Nothing to be alarmed about? I just spun a case up in the drill with a bit of worn scotch-bright and it came out cleaner than the new ones with no signs of any mottling.

Re: Pink cases

Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2013 8:20 pm
by Magpie
Something is leaching the zinc out of the brass leaving more copper
. Hence it's pink
I guess this is probably just surface effect but it will probably leave the cases weaker to some extent or other. Polishing them till it goes away just removes the surface copper and of course the case is very slightly thinner walled then as well.

I'd probably chuck them if it was me.

Re: Pink cases

Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2013 8:26 pm
by ovenpaa
Meaty, what was the cleaning fluid you used?

Re: Pink cases

Posted: Tue Aug 20, 2013 6:23 am
by dromia
Meaty wrote:Anyone got any ideas as to why my cases have a pink tinge on them?
IMG00054-20130818-0939.jpg
I am sure that I have seem a 'pink cases' thread before but cant find it now.

They are P*****r cases.

Re: Pink cases

Posted: Tue Aug 20, 2013 7:08 am
by Meaty
ovenpaa wrote:Meaty, what was the cleaning fluid you used?
Seaclean-2 caps in hot water and the cases were only in for 1 cycle so I can vouch that the stuff really works. I tried some 8mm Yugo surplus cases last night as they are notoriously dirty and they also came up spanking clean with no pink. The Seaclean is made from coconut oil, seaweed extract and fruit juice!
They are P*****r cases.
Well, Pink is the new Black tongueout
I have a nice 'salmon' shirt that has now been reserved for shooting with these cases in my Martini Henry.

Re: Pink cases

Posted: Tue Aug 20, 2013 7:14 am
by dromia
Its called the victorian public school effect.

Re: Pink cases

Posted: Tue Aug 20, 2013 7:36 am
by Meaty
I'd probably chuck them if it was me.
Chuck them :o they are £3-4 each.
Just off to anneal them, cast some more boolits and load em up. I will let you know if there are any issues.

Re: Pink cases

Posted: Tue Aug 20, 2013 7:47 am
by rox
Meaty wrote:Anyone got any ideas as to why my cases have a pink tinge on them?
I just put a batch in the cleaner and used a new (to me) cleaning fluid which seems to do the business really well.
I had similar results while developing cleaning concoctions. That Seagreen2 has some interesting acids in it (data sheet - see section 3.2). I would try to eliminate the effect in future by reducing the clean time or chemical concentration (if you did that in 5 minutes then reducing the concentration is probably the only option). I tested using scrap brass, rather than cases that cost £3 or £4 each!

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