Annealing brass

[joe-836]

At what stage of the reloading process do you consider the proper time to anneal the brass? For example; before or after cleaning, before or after resizing, before or after trimming.

[nksmfamjp]

After initial cleaning….before anything else

[Ivan the Butcher]

Annealed brass has a discoloration to the annealed area, running through the tumbler or vibratory cleaner will take that right off.

Many Long Range Black Powder Cartridge shooters, anneal before each loading! The idea is to have the most uniform "release" possible. One of the proponents is a several time National and World champion.

I just scrap my 308 Win and 338 Lapua after about 20 reloadings!

Ivan

[Just another 22 shooter]

the way I usually do it:
deprime the brass
clean the brass
anneal
size the brass
trim to length

[Scharfschuetzer]

Just Another 22 Shooter has it nailed. I do the same with revolver cases or straight wall rifle cases that get a lot of sizing, belling, and crimping. I don't bother with it though for many loadings. Case life is certainly extended from the process.

[TIMETRIPPER]

Just annealed some brass for the first time, a batch of older 38-40 cases. They were once fired cases, by me, that were probably 60 + years old. The brass was so hardened by age that they would not take a factory crimp. I annealed them simply by placing the cases in a short socket mounted n an electric drill chuck and rotating them in in the flame of a propane torch until they turned red, about 4 or 5 seconds time. Nothing fancy but it worked nicely. The cases showed good color to just below the shoulder, and the brass softened enough that I was able to easily put a factory crimp on them when reloading. Prior to annealing the crimp would not hold the bullets in place when fed into the tubular magazine of my model 92 Winchester.

Certainly a worthwhile effort to prolong the life of the older, harder to find cartridges I like to shoot. Got a couple boxes of old 32-40 cases that are next on the list. Been losing to many due to split case mouths.

John

[DWalt]

Personally, I anneal after resizing and before loading. I use a propane torch. It is not necessary to quench them in water. The manufacturers do not quench. Some dip case necks in molten lead instead of using a gas flame. I do it only on bottleneck rifle cases, have never annealed any handgun caliber cases.

[oink]

I'm thinking of annealing a bunch of 44 mag cases. They've been reloaded many, many times but the vast majority of times with just powder puff loads. So I figure the mouths are getting pretty work hardened even though the they were lightly used otherwise. I've never done it before so I guess I should start out with a small batch.

[DeplorabusUnum]

Originally Posted by Just another 22 shooter

the way I usually do it:
deprime the brass
clean the brass
anneal
size the brass
trim to length

This is my sequence as well.

[jcelect]

The purpose of annealing brass is to soften it again after work hardening from firing, belling(straight wall brass), and resizing. Another purpose is to reform brass into a different caliber! Whether you are firing forming or step forming into a smaller caliber you should anneal before doing anything to the brass. Case loss will be a lot less. I never anneal any of my pistol brass but always check all the brass before reloading and cull any that have case mouth split cracks or side wall splits. I do reform 22 Hornet brass into .224 Harvy K-Chuckers and reform 22 Jet brass into .256 Win Mag brass.
jcelect

[gwpercle]

You don't have to anneal every time you reload a case .
We would anneal after 5 firings ... you will gain nothing by annealing every time you reload a case .
Gary

[ArchAngelCD]

I know I'm supposed to know this but since I don't annual I forget.

What temperature should you annual brass at? Is it 750° but no more than 800°?
Thank you...

[mikerjf]

So you're saying heat it red hot 4-5 seconds in the torch and then let cool on it's own? No quench of any kind?

(I know different materials require different annealing processes. Some quench and some not.)

[elpac3]

I anneal using a powered screwdriver fitted with a deep set socket when I work with .222 brass.

I hold the case shoulder in the flame tip for 5 seconds, do not let the brass color change to red hot - you will be over treating the brass. After a 5 second flame exposure you should see the rainbow color on the case neck and slightly down the shoulder of the case.

I have found it easier to turn off the room lights when annealing as it makes seeing the flame tip much easier. Be sure the flame tip is at the case neck juncture and not on the shoulder of the case. You do not want to anneal the case body.

[DeplorabusUnum]

Originally Posted by mikerjf

So you're saying heat it red hot 4-5 seconds in the torch and then let cool on it's own? No quench of any kind?

(I know different materials require different annealing processes. Some quench and some not.)

It's always been my understanding that you don't want to see your brass "red hot". If it's glowing red, you've overdone it, and that will actually make your brass more brittle. I anneal until I start to see just a hint of pink and then drop it in the pan to air cool. I've never seen any recommendation to water quench brass after annealing.

[mtgianni]

I would be too afraid of heat migration to do pistol brass that wasn't being resized. I only anneal bottle necked cases. I put them in a 1/2" deep socket with a 1/4 inch drive adapter. That is chucked up in a drill and the case dropped in it. I rotate it in the flame of a propane torch until I just start to see orange then tip into a bucket of water. The water keeps the brass from melting the plastic bucket and keeps it in one place. I don't have to drop it on the floor or step on it.

I never anneal common cases but generally only those I resize.I believe I would need match grade guns to show me any difference in grouping.

[rockquarry]

I annealed long before it was popular. In making .219 Zipper brass from .25-35 or .30-30 brass, the working of the brass required annealing if you were to get any decent brass life.

I think annealing done right causes no harm, but it's likely not necessary in many situations. If I were to anneal today, I'd first compare the accuracy and brass longevity with a batch of annealed brass vs. brass that hasn't been so treated. Lots of changeable factors in play here and an "anneal all bottleneck rifle cases" practice may prove beneficial or it may be busy work.

[DWalt]

Originally Posted by mikerjf

So you're saying heat it red hot 4-5 seconds in the torch and then let cool on it's own? No quench of any kind?

(I know different materials require different annealing processes. Some quench and some not.)

I have observed factory case neck annealing operations at Winchester, Federal, and Remington. Cases pass under a series of gas flames. No quenching is performed. I have no idea if post-annealing quenching is helpful, harmful, or has no effect. Only that the factories do not do it.