Annealing question

[Merc]

i only neck size my .303 British and .30-06 Sprg cases and recently began annealing the necks after having several split after being reloaded several times. Annealing only takes a few seconds per case so I do it every time I reload them.

Question: in order for annealing to take place, should the cases be allowed to cool down gradually, or should they be cooled rapidly in water?

Merc

[p246]

Annealing takes place once the brass hits the 650 to 750 mark (experts vary in their opinion on which is best (I use 750 on everything but 223, that I go to 650). Once the brass hits that mark its properly annealed. Whether it's air dropped to a damp cloth or water dropped makes no difference. Brass only work hardens, rapid decreases in temperature does not effect it. Mine gets dropped on a damp cloth. I then soak it in a 10 percent alcohol/water solution to remove the Templac. I anneal my 303 Brit every time. Long range 300 WM and 308 every time. All else every 3rd firing.i use the Anneal Rite system (3 torches) which is plenty fast enough for me. There are several automated systems that work well and are faster but a lot more expensive.

[kcw]

My circa mid 70's Lyman manual instructs to stand the unprimed brass in a pan of water at a depth of approx. one half the length (height?) of the brass. Heat case neck with torch until "cherry red", at which point immediately knock the brass over into the water with the tip of the torch. Immediately submerging the "cherry red" casing in cool water amounts to "quenching". This is the only annealing process I ever followed and it worked well for me.

[PhillipM]

i only neck size my .303 British and .30-06 Sprg cases and recently began annealing the necks after having several split after being reloaded several times. Annealing only takes a few seconds per case so I do it every time I reload them.

Question: in order for annealing to take place, should the cases be allowed to cool down gradually, or should they be cooled rapidly in water?

Merc

You may have generous chambers. I've not had that problem with 03 or M1 rifles. Can't speak to the 303

[kcw]

I don't think that you're hurting anything by annealing cases after just one firing, but then again if a case is properly annealed it should be good for at least a half dozen firings before even starting to need re-annealing.

[p246]

I don't think that you're hurting anything by annealing cases after just one firing, but then again if a case is properly annealed it should be good for at least a half dozen firings before even starting to need re-annealing.

Depends on what your doing. In my 303s I'm dealing with oversized chambers that over work the brass. I've found if I anneal every loading I can get six reloads on average instead of 3 to 4 with privibrass. My 300 WM 308 and 223 bolt guns are all blue printed rifles. Completely different animal, I anneal to help with equal neck tension on trimmed brass.

[fguffey]

i only neck size my .303 British and .30-06 Sprg cases and recently began annealing the necks after having several split after being reloaded several times. Annealing only takes a few seconds per case so I do it every time I reload them.

Question: in order for annealing to take place, should the cases be allowed to cool down gradually, or should they be cooled rapidly in water?

Merc

It has been so many years ago no one remembers how it all got started and most never knew 'the WHY'.

F. Guffey

[Major Tom]

My circa mid 70's Lyman manual instructs to stand the unprimed brass in a pan of water at a depth of approx. one half the length (height?) of the brass. Heat case neck with torch until "cherry red", at which point immediately knock the brass over into the water with the tip of the torch. Immediately submerging the "cherry red" casing in cool water amounts to "quenching". This is the only annealing process I ever followed and it worked well for me.

This is what I do!

[Merc]

This method seems simpler and much less expensive than trying to reach a specific 700 degree temperature using Tempilaq. Everyone agrees that raising the neck temperature to a glowing 1200 degrees doesn't harm the brass.

[Johnny P]

I shot the .22-250 for several years before it became a commercial caliber, forming the cases from .250 Savage brass. I used the heat and tip method and got great case life.

Unlike steel, the brass remains soft when quickly quenched.

[p246]

If heating past 850 works for you great. When building match loads for my long range rifles that won't work. Using a Redding bushing the brass becomes too soft and the bushing pushes a ring of brass down the neck. If I stay at 750 I get the neck tension I want. I'm shooting a rifle I expect 1/2 MOA accuracy out of everyday. Since I'm set up to anneal
this way, I use it on the mil surp cases to. Regardless the important aspect of annealing is not heating the rim area past 450 degrees. Using the base in water method works for this just fine. If your trying to build precision ammo for precision rifle like everything else it takes more time and money.

[Sunray]

"...I do it every time I reload them..." 100% totally unnecessary.
"...cherry red..." Too hot. WAAAAY too hot. Means the rest of the case below the shoulder is likely annealed. You do not want that.
Brass needs to be hot enough to change the colour of the brass and no more. Brass melts at roughly 1652-1724F. Brass anneals at approximately 650-700 degrees Fahrenheit.

http://bisonballistics.com/articles/the-science-of-cartridge-brass-annealing

http://www.6mmbr.com/annealing.html

A propane torch kit with a pan of tap water is cheap and easy to use but rich guys buy these.

http://www.annealingmachines.com/how-to-anneal.html

[Parashooter]

For most rifle cases, this doesn't have to be complicated, expensive, or wet. Hold base in fingers, apply torch to shoulder, watch color change, drop in dry metal pan to cool. (Fingers tell us if we're doing it wrong.)



Standing in water needed only for short pistol cases - which few handloaders anneal anyway.

[Merc]

For most rifle cases, this doesn't have to be complicated, expensive, or wet. Hold base in fingers, apply torch to shoulder, watch color change, drop in dry metal pan to cool. (Fingers tell us if we're doing it wrong.)



Standing in water needed only for short pistol cases - which few handloaders anneal anyway.

Like you say, it doesn't have to be complicated.

[fguffey]

It has been so many years ago no one remembers how it all got started and most never knew 'the WHY'.

F. Guffey

Like you say, it doesn't have to be complicated.

There is nothing impressive about starting with "All you have to do...." I believe parashooter's video has changed, at one time he started out holding the case in his hand and then; the video stops, the hand disappears and the annealing video starts again without it. So overtime he has changed his method and or technique.

Like I said there are a few simple rules to annealing , I do not know on one that starts with "all you gotta do is etc."

F. Guffey".