It just so happens that I have a few boxes of (fired) SA80 cartridge 5.56mm cases that I got from a self-loader. He bought them at Bisley but the hole for the primer was too small and he couldn't use them so a deal was done for a few pens.
Now I have made a few pens using these but I have yet to find a finish for the brass bits that doesn't wear off. I haven't tried CA yet btw. Letting the metal tarnish may be a solution, in fact I quite like them like that.
A few turners on here are making bullet pens from cartridges rather than kits - have any of you solved the tarnishing problem?
I use Rustins metal lacquer at the moment - this keeps them nice in the show case but it wears off pretty quickly in use.
Ta!
Ralph
