Working brass.

[appalichian hunter]

Think of it this way your having a rifle built say the year is 1780 from a local reputable builder this will be a decent quality build as you have a few extra coins too splurge a bit, well the rifle is finally finished and you are all excited too pick it up and off you go to recieve the awaited rifle, the builder hands you a very finely crafted gun nice wood, good barrel, polished and fine brass furniture, good finish on the wood, perhaps a bit of carving and in general a finely crafted weapon, would you not want too show it off a bit too the folks back home. (kind of like a new car now) as the years pass the gun sees much use and ages gracefully kind of like us (maybe) develops its own character still a fine weapon but has matured so too speak. Life in the colonial periods was hard,with very little bling so too speak the fancies that one could afford afford was appreciated and cared for but items age why rush the process.

 

[45man]

Ever pee on the campfire? Bill Large told me long ago a barrel will get shot smooth and lose accuracy so the bore was filled with urine overnight.

 

[JCKelly]

I have heard a lot that the old timers used urine to brown barrels. Don't.know as I believe that, but who knows.

The urine of a three year old goat fed only ferns for three days has been used/recommended in the past for certain metallurgical processes.

 

[JCKelly]

Whatever mix you may use to age your brass, do not use one that contains ammonia. Ammonia causes brass to crack, though not right away. For example, while there is ammonia in Brasso, it causes no harm when polishing one's brass. However, put Brasso in a tumbler to polish some quantity of brass & it will be cracked.
Oh, and the shoemaker's kid reminds you not ever to store your Unmentionable ammo in the same room as the kitty litter (likewise, never in a horse barn, or where mice may spend time on it)
The British first learned this when they brought the advances of Western Civilization to the Hindus, along with their new cartridge Sniders. 'Twas during the monsoon "season" when they stored their ammo in horse barns. The cases cracked. Since they only cracked when it rained hard, the Brits called it "season cracking". About 1921 people learned it was from ammonia in horse urine.
Shoemaker's kids? I noticed my S&W .22 was spitting when I shot. Then I had to pound on the ejector to get the old cases out. The heads were all cracked. Hmmm -- brilliant metallurgist that I am, I'd kept my unmentionable rim fire ammo in the same small room as the kitty litter. Not serious with rimfire but could have been a real problem with hunting ammo. Mice are a more common problem industrially.

 

[Eddie Southgate]

I don't color mine but I do let it color on it's own. Time does a better looking job than I can.