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I have some ugly looking stains/corrosion on my Martini Henry 577/450 cases.

Can anyone tell what is happening.

I use an ultra sonic cleaner to get the crud out after firing, dry them and then tumble them to give them a polish.

Caused by zinc leaching out of the brass perhaps?.

Looking good, a few more firings and there will be a nice black/deep dark brown patina overall.

All my cases are now black, that is one of the joys of BP cartridge shooting the cases soon loose their horrid shiny blingyness that the smokeless people have to put up with.

What do you do with your cases on the range directly after firing?

dromia wrote:

dromia wrote:Looking good, a few more firings and there will be a nice black/deep dark brown patina overall.

All my cases are now black, that is one of the joys of BP cartridge shooting the cases soon loose their horrid shiny blingyness that the smokeless people have to put up with.

Thank goodness for that, I was beginning to think they were rotting away

After firing, I just put them in my cartridge box until I get home and then straight into the sonic cleaner.

I always deprime mine immediately after firing and drop them into a plastic milk jug with water and a touch of Fairy liquid added.

It will stop these local blotches and give a more even patina.

Thanks Adam

I'll give that a go

Now if you really must pimp your cases drop them into a milk carton with a few teaspoons of vanish in, that stuff eats fouling alive.
The journey home with stir them about a bit then wash them afterwards.

Next a bit of sonic cleaning and tumbling will make them look all gangsta bling again.

Or just let them gain the gravity of a well earned patina reflecting many hours of happy use. I've never had someone not want to try my .43" Remington Lee because my cases weren't shiny, I suspect the same is true of your Martini, it's doubtless an impressive sight on the firing line even before the first round is touched off.

spikedueller wrote: Or just let them gain the gravity of a well earned patina reflecting many hours of happy use. I've never had someone not want to try my .43" Remington Lee because my cases weren't shiny, I suspect the same is true of your Martini, it's doubtless an impressive sight on the firing line even before the first round is touched off.

Surprisingly, I get few takers when I offer someone a shot with the Martini. Very, very few who have a go want more than one!