One other thing I have given some thought to is the
metallurgy of the brass used these days. Brass can have a wide range of alloy. Things that affect strength of the casings...
Annealing (
v) Multi-phased heat and stress treatment that alters the microstructure of a metal adding strength, pliability, and hardness.
Ductile, Ductility (
v) A physical quality ascribed to a metal that will permit plastic elongation (wire drawing) without fracturing.
Forging (Forged) (
v) Heating a metal to a temperature where the metal becomes malleable (red hot) or deforming its shape by compression or exertion of force (hammering or cold forging).
Malleable, Malleability (
v) A physical quality ascribed to a metal that can be compressed, deformed, extruded, hammered, and rolled.
Plastic, Plasticity (
v) A physical quality ascribed to a metal that can be bent and worked without rupturing. A non-brittle metal.
These terms were borrowed from
http://www.allaboutgemstones.com/glo...etallurgy.html to provide some insite to what metals go thru while being produced or used.