Soft Brass CDA 260 (UNS C26000)

C26000 is the Unified Numbering System (UNS) designation for one of the most widely used and versatile copper-zinc alloys, universally known as Cartridge Brass or 70/30 Brass. As the name suggests, it is primarily composed of approximately 70% Copper (Cu) and 30% Zinc (Zn), with tightly controlled minimal impurities.

CDA 260 has the highest ductility in the yellow brass series. Soft Brass CDA 260 is also easily machined but is more commonly cold formed.

CDA 260 is available in Sheet, Plate, Bar, Disk, Rod, Strip, Tube Seamless, Tube Welded, Wire. CDA 260 Foil (Shim) is available in various thicknesses. View stock list for further information. For all other stock availability contact Sales.

This is a comparison between two fundamentally different brass alloys:

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.

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.

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Our products are packaged using professional, customized industrial packaging solutions to ensure they remain intact during long-distance transportation and multiple handlings. For long products such as copper tubes and bars, we use sturdy waterproof wooden crates or metal-frame boxes for secure fixing and protection. Copper plates and foils are individually wrapped with anti-rust paper, then packed into steel-edged boxes or on pallets with reinforced hard corners. Copper wires are wound with moisture-proof film and neatly coiled onto custom-designed reels or placed in wooden cases. All packaging is clearly marked according to customer requirements with shipping marks, specifications, batch numbers, and handling symbols. Desiccants can also be placed inside the packages when needed, providing complete protection against rust, moisture, and impact throughout the entire journey from production to the destination port.