Thoughts on this annealing method?

[gixer1]

This -

With other threads on the annealing machines - what are peoples opinions on this hand method of annealing? Is it better than no annealing?

I have some lapua brass that is on its seventh firing, no annealing has been done to it and it’s still as accurate as it was on the first firing, I have nothing to lose trying this and it’s more for brass longevity rather than anything else - if it doesn’t work the I’ll be buying a new batch anyway.

I haven’t seen any neck cracking etc yet and the primer pockets are still snug so no issues there.

Thoughts?

Regards,
Gixer

 

[Lateral]

IMHO, I think he's making a right bodge of it, he's not even heating the whole circumference, he's not hitting the shoulder, and I think it's too little time.

Most annealing machines take circa 5-6 seconds to anneal, depending on the size of the case.

Nothing against a "Macgyver solution", some people are finding dirt cheap solutions, for nigh on pennies

 

[Liveonce]

I made this, cheap parts of ebay including motor speed controller to run the small 12v geared motor at required speed, from memory total cost was about £20. Simple to make and looks to work, surprise you can hold the brass case by hand without getting burnt at the temperature required to anneal them.

 

[User00036]

Gixer, as usual old gun blue talks sense if a little long winded. Very much worth a watch.

 

[Alantoo]

KISS method....Spin the cases in a cordless drill, rub the neck and shoulder against a bar of soap, spin case in flame until soap goes black.

Soap goes black when it achieves 400˚ C which is the stress relief annealing temperature of 70/30 Cu/Zn cartridge brass

Annealing cases

Hi All I am about to dip my toe in the water of annealing my .243 cases. So far I have bought a blow lamp. I dont do enough reloading to invest in a dedicated annealing machine so what are the top tips for getting it right. Initial try with a crap case and my fingers didnt go too well really...

www.thestalkingdirectory.co.uk

 

[mealiejimmy]

The bottom line is that he has no idea if he has actually annealed the brass or how well he has annealed it.
All he did was waste gas and get close to burning his fingers
BTW when brass is properly annealed, dropping the hot case in water is not necessary because annealing is complete when it come out of the heat

Cheers

Bruce

 

[gixer1]

The bottom line is that he has no idea if he has actually annealed the brass or how well he has annealed it.
All he did was waste gas and get close to burning his fingers
BTW when brass is properly annealed, dropping the hot case in water is not necessary because annealing is complete when it come out of the heat

Cheers

Bruce

I think the water part may be to stop it burning the bench or whatever it’s laid on after being in the heat.

 

[Alantoo]

BTW when brass is properly annealed, dropping the hot case in water is not necessary because annealing is complete when it come out of the heat

Agreed, it doesn't have any effect on the heat treatment of brass...just the subsequent handling, prevents you picking up a case from the hot end in error.

Though there always was some discussion that when fully annealing pure copper, quenching from orange heat helped achieve maximum softness, but I never felt any difference working it. I used to take a deep breath and quench in acid to speed up the pickling process (H&S horrors!) and also to speed up the work flow process instead of waiting for it to cool down to handling temperature.

I think the water part may be to stop it burning the bench or whatever it’s laid on after being in the heat.

I drop mine into water for two practical reasons...

1/ it is a non bruising catcher...even a damp cloth can bruise a case once it has a pile of annealed cases on it!

2/ it helps to remove the black soap.

Alan

 

[User00044]

This -

With other threads on the annealing machines - what are peoples opinions on this hand method of annealing? Is it better than no annealing?

I have some lapua brass that is on its seventh firing, no annealing has been done to it and it’s still as accurate as it was on the first firing, I have nothing to lose trying this and it’s more for brass longevity rather than anything else - if it doesn’t work the I’ll be buying a new batch anyway.

I haven’t seen any neck cracking etc yet and the primer pockets are still snug so no issues there.

Thoughts?

Regards,
Gixer

That's f'in hilarious . So much is wrong in that video.

 

[mealiejimmy]

The video dates from 2014, so let's hope he's improved his annealing method since then

Cheers

Bruce

 

[Doric]

This -

With other threads on the annealing machines - what are peoples opinions on this hand method of annealing? Is it better than no annealing?

I have some lapua brass that is on its seventh firing, no annealing has been done to it and it’s still as accurate as it was on the first firing, I have nothing to lose trying this and it’s more for brass longevity rather than anything else - if it doesn’t work the I’ll be buying a new batch anyway.

This -

With other threads on the annealing machines - what are peoples opinions on this hand method of annealing? Is it better than no annealing?

I have some lapua brass that is on its seventh firing, no annealing has been done to it and it’s still as accurate as it was on the first firing, I have nothing to lose trying this and it’s more for brass longevity rather than anything else - if it doesn’t work the I’ll be buying a new batch anyway.

I haven’t seen any neck cracking etc yet and the primer pockets are still snug so no issues there.

Thoughts?

Regards,
Gixer

I haven’t seen any neck cracking etc yet and the primer pockets are still snug so no issues there.

Thoughts?

Regards,
Gixer

I anneal every fill now. get them done through Ythan Field Sport Supplies. prolonged case life and way better ES.

 

[zambezi]

I think he's making a right bodge of it, he's not even heating the whole circumference, he's not hitting the shoulder, and I think it's too little time.

Agree.

There have been some excellent YT vids on the metallurgy of brass and the minimum heat required to achieve an annealed state.

I will repost the two that seemed to best explain the heat+duration dynamic for reloaders:

 

[Woodsmoke]

I have some dies I use to hold my brass for annealing. They sit in a drill chuck, and I just rotate them in a gas flame until I see the colour just begin to change. Seems to work ok.

 

[Andyquadra]

Can you anneal brass if it's got a live primer in? Just asking for a friend

 

[Woodsmoke]

Can you anneal brass if it's got a live primer in? Just asking for a friend

Of course you can. You'll probably just do it the once though . . . . . .

 

[Andyquadra]

Of course you can. You'll probably just do it the once though . . . . . .

Got to try everything one haven't you?

 

[Ronin]

Case isn’t in the flame long enough

Dropping heated cases in water - causes stress fractures and will harden the heated area better to drop on a tray and allow to cool

No actual 360 degree spin of case neck so annealing is not uniform (if done at all)

Typical amateurish “let’s save money and bodge it” video

Buy some tempilac and make a case holder to spin in a low speed drill (at worst ) and hold on flame

Better still buy a proper annealing machine or send brass away to be done properly

 

[Alantoo]

Dropping heated cases in water - causes stress fractures and will harden the heated area

? You’re thinking of ferrous metal heat treatment surely? It shouldn’t / couldn’t happen with 70/30 brass or most other copper alloys. (Berilium copper alloy excepted of course) Especially not to just-annealed / stress relieved cartridge brass at 400degrees.

Happy to learn different though.

Funnily enough the thought of a stress zone on the border between the heated and unheated parts of the case did occur to me as a possibility given the intensity and isolation of the heat in an induction annealer. But not for the wider border zone generated by the much slower heating process of a gas flame.

Alan

 

[Foxyboy43]

Can you anneal brass if it's got a live primer in? Just asking for a friend

Err, I think a habitually unsuccessful monthly draw SD member has some experience in this regard!

 

[Malxwal]

@gixer1, that rather luxurious reloading annex to your stately pile you call a garage is crying out for a full blown AMP annealer.