Brass reference / Forming brass
C260 cartridge brass
Made for deep drawing and cold forming, not for cutting, and rated 30 against C360 at 100.
Also known as Cartridge brass, 70/30 brass, Alloy 260. Published typical values for the alloy, never a promise from a shop.
Composition
| Element | Nominal weight % |
|---|---|
| Copper | 68.5 to 71.5 |
| Lead | 0.07 max |
| Iron | 0.05 max |
| Zinc | remainder |
Properties
- UNSC26000
- EN equivalentCuZn30 / CW505L
- Hardness55 to 75 HRB
- Density8.53 g/cm3
- Typical tolerance±0.05 mm, tighter needs a finish pass
- Common formsSheet, strip, tube, some bar
What it is for, and what it is not
Specify it for
- Deep drawn and cold formed parts
- Stamped components and spun shapes
- Parts formed after machining, where ductility is genuinely needed
Do not specify it for
- Machined parts where nothing is formed afterwards, C360 is usually cheaper and better
- Potable water, it clears the lead rule but dezincifies badly
- High volume turned work
What a buyer should know
Single phase alpha brass. It is ductile, work hardens in a controlled way and draws beautifully, which is why ammunition cases are made from it. None of that helps a lathe. When C260 appears on a machining drawing it is usually inherited from a stamped design that changed process without changing material, and switching to C360 often cuts the price without changing anything that matters.
Dezincification resistance is poor, so this alloy is the wrong choice sitting in hot water or seawater regardless of how well it machines. See dezincification and the grades that resist it.
Closest alternatives
| Alloy | Lead % | Mach. | DZR | Why you might switch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C464 naval brassC46400 | under 0.20 | 30 | High | About 1 percent tin added for seawater and dezincification resistance, at a heavy cost in machinability. |
| C377 forging brassC37700 | 1.5 to 2.5 | 80 | Poor | Hot forged to a near net shape then machined only where a sealing face or thread requires it. |
| C69300 silicon brassC69300 | under 0.09 | 80 | High | The usual lead-free answer for potable water, roughly twice as strong as C360 and highly dezincification resistant. |
Need a shop that runs C260?
Send the drawing and we match it with up to 3 shops that turn brass. Free for buyers, reply within 24 business hours.