Preserving a brass 155mm casing

[grog18b]

I had a guy ask the question and I didn't have the answer so I thought I would ask the pros.

How would one prepare an empty 155mm shell casing for long term collection, so corrosion does not take hold and ruin it?

My recommendation was to clean all powder residue out of the inside, polish the outside as one desired, and give it 2-3 light coats of lacquer. I also recommended trying to find an inert projectile, and throwing a couple of decassant inside and seal the projectile in place with RTV or similar.

Good ideas or is there a problem? How do you guys prepare your finds for storage in your displays? Anything special, or just keep "as is"?

Thanks guys, GROG

 

[HAZORD]

Yes, clean out all the fired powder residue, but don't go overboard with the cleaning materials. Harsh chemicals can etch the case and cause it to discolor. Polishing a case is questionable. Yeah it makes it shiny, but some collectors prefer it in original arsenal condition or just as fired. Polishing it can devalue it to other collectors if the owner plans on selling it in the future.

Putting a projectile in it and using sealant to seal it raises a question. You didn't mention the origin of the case. If it truely is a 155mm U.S. case, it is either a WWI case, or an experimental 155mm tank case from the 50's. Both are extremely rare, with the tank case being the rarest. Neither case was used in a fixed round, so a projectile wouldn't fit the mouth anyway. It isn't necessary to put a projo in it. Lightly oil it or use car wax on it. I would stay away from laquer as it isn't original either and a pain to remove.

 

[raymeketa]

I'll second the "no-laquer" recomendation. Polished and lacquered cases are the bane of all collectors, whether small arms or the biggest artillery case. It's better to clean the inside, especially the primer residue, put in some sort of material to bring it to weight, and top it off with the appropriate cork or plastic plug. If the outside is polished, it will eventually acquire a patina that looks good, especially if you live in an area where the air is not as clean as it could be. Smog has it's benefits too. ;-)

As Hazord said, 155mm was almost always seperate-loading so you don't want to try to put a projectile in it unless that is the way it was originally made.

Ray

 

[SG500]

In addition to the comments made make sure its kept/displayed in a dry place and don't stand it on a concrete floor as the base will get scratched and the chemicals in the concrete end up corroding the brass.
Dave.

 

[kahu1]

A neat trick i've recently tried to 'age' polished brass.
Place an open container of vinegar with the shell, in a sealed container/bag. Don't let the vinegar get on the brass ,but just the vinegar vapour. I find if the shell is suspended or placed upside down the aging is more even,if you just put it on its base it ages differently,with edging and streaks.
The aging patina i get is similar to about 5 years exposure ,in about 24hrs!
Make sure the shell is cleaned first,ie wipe down with a solvent cleaner ,and after treatment give it a wash with soapy water.

 

[2pounder]

I'd be very careful of ageing with chemicals as some cause stress cracking in brass, ammonia is one. The last thing you want is for your case to craze and split.

 

[super7]

Grog, I always use a good quality car wax on the larger brass cartridge cases after polishing on the buffing machine. It will slow down the discoloring process and prevent
leaving fingerprints after handling.

Regards, Jan
http://www.westernfront.nl

 

[HAZORD]

To add to what Dave has said, concrete corrodes almost any metal that sits on it, and it really gets bad in a moist location like a basement. It corrodes projectiles and steel cartridge cases horribly. I don't rest anything on concrete, without a layer of wood between the concrete and the metal item.

 

[kahu1]

Also ,try not to use a buffing machine to polish the base, as it tends to round off the headstamp markings and primer pocket edge.