Cartridge Brass 260 / C260 / C26000 - Knowledge

What is C26000 metal?

GNEE maintains a stock of C26000 brass plates, bars, and round rods in various specifications, available to meet your needs. C260 brass is one of the most ductile brasses, and its usage far exceeds that of other copper-zinc alloys. Copper alloy 260 exhibits excellent corrosion resistance in most environments, but is not suitable for certain substances such as acetic acid, moist ammonia or ammonia compounds, hydrochloric acid, and nitric acid.

Typical Cartridge Brass 260 Applications

Cu (1)
68.5
71.5	0.07	0.05

	1750
	1680
Density lb/cu in. at 68⁰F	0.308
	8.53
Electrical Conductivity % IACS at 68⁰F	28
Thermal Conductivity Btu/sq ft/ft hr/ ⁰F at 68⁰F	70
Coefficient of Thermal Expansion 10-6 per ⁰F (68-572 ⁰F)	11.1
Specific Heat Capacity Btu/lb/⁰F @ 68 ⁰F	0.09
	16000
	6000












	30

		YS-0.5% EXT (KSI)				ROCKWELL (30T)			IZOD (ft-lbs)
H02	42	36	14	40	84	50	26			13		0.04
H01	38	30	35	25	70		25				25	0.025
H01	38	30	25	25	70	36	25					0.04
H00	36	28	40	10	60		25					0.025
H00	36	28	30	10	60	25	25					0.04
M20	32	10	50		40		22					0.025
M20	34	10	45		45		23					0.04
H10	57	53	4	62	95	64	29					0.04
H04	50	45	12								28	0.24
H04	50	45	6	50	90	57	28				28	0.04
H04	45	40	20	45	85		26					1
H04	50	45	12	50	90		28					0.025
OS025	34	11	45		45		23			11		0.04
OS050	32	10	50		40		22					0.025
OS050	32	10	45		40		22					0.04
H08	55	50	4	60	94	63	29			14		0.04
M20	32	10	55		40		22					1
H04	48	44	16	47	87		27			17		1
H04	45	40	20	45	85		26	6.4	32			2
H04	55	50	10	60	94		29					0.25
OS050	32	10	55		40		22					1
M30	32	10	50		40		22					0.5
M20	32	10	50		40		22					0.5
H04	40	32	30	35							26	0.5
OS050	32	10	50		40		22					0.5

What is C26000 brass?
C26000 brass, commonly known as Cartridge Brass, is a copper-zinc alloy containing approximately 70% copper and 30% zinc. It is a single-phase (alpha) brass renowned for its excellent cold workability, good strength, decent corrosion resistance, and attractive gold-like color. Its primary historical use is in ammunition cartridge cases, but it is now widely used in electrical connectors, heat exchangers, decorative hardware, and various stamped components.

What is the difference between C260 and C26000?
There is no practical difference in the material itself.
C26000 is the full Unified Numbering System (UNS) designation.
C260 is a common shorthand or truncated form used in industry (e.g., in older SAE standards like SAE CA260).
When sourcing material, specifying C26000 is the most precise and universally recognized way to ensure you get the correct 70/30 brass alloy.

What is the difference between C260 and C360 brass?

C26000 (Cartridge Brass): A binary alloy of Cu (~70%) and Zn (~30%). It has excellent cold-forming properties (deep drawing, bending) but only fair machinability (rated ~20% of a free-machining brass).
C36000 (Free-Cutting Brass): A leaded brass containing Cu (~61%), Zn (~35%), and Pb (~3%). The added lead improves machinability dramatically (rated at 100%, the industry standard). However, this comes at the cost of significantly poorer cold workability (it cracks if severely bent or stamped) and lower ductility.
Choice: Use C26000 for formed parts. Use C36000 for parts that require extensive drilling, turning, or milling.

What is the difference between C2600 and C2680?

C2600 (JIS): The direct equivalent to C26000. It is CuZn30 (70/30 brass) with excellent cold workability.
C2680 (JIS): This is CuZn35 or 65/35 brass. It contains roughly 65% Cu and 35% Zn. This higher zinc content makes it slightly stronger and cheaper than C2600, but with reduced ductility and cold-forming capability. It is often used for simpler stamped parts, hinges, and plumbing fixtures where the highest formability is not required.

What is the melting point of C26000 brass?
The melting temperature range is approximately 915-955℃ (1680-1750℃F).

Can C26000 brass be welded?
Yes, it can be welded using gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW/TIG) and resistance welding, but it is more commonly joined by brazing or soldering for best results.

What is the hardness of C26000 in the hard temper?
In the hard (H04) temper, C26000 typically has a Rockwell B hardness in the range of 55-75 HRB.

Is C26000 brass non-magnetic?
Yes, like most copper alloys, C26000 is essentially non-magnetic.

Our factory specializes in the production and manufacturing of high-quality copper products. We operate a comprehensive, end-to-end production line equipped with advanced continuous casting and rolling mills, precision drawing machines, high-speed rolling mills, and automated heat treatment systems. We professionally produce a wide range of copper tubes, plates, bars, wires, and foils. A strict quality inspection system is implemented throughout the entire process, from raw material intake to finished product delivery. Supported by precision instruments such as spectrometers, metallographic microscopes, tensile testing machines, eddy current flaw detectors, and laser dimension gauges, we ensure that our products fully comply with international and domestic standards-including ASTM, EN, JIS, and GB-in terms of chemical composition, mechanical properties, dimensional accuracy, and surface quality. We are committed to providing global customers with stable, reliable, and fully-specified copper material solutions.

Brass coil thickness

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Soft brass coil