This is for my Thompson Center Encore Carbine in 358WSSM. I have to size the neck of this brass up to accept a .358" bullet, all the way from .223"!
In order to get that done, the brass has to be soft enough to work and not split. In order to do that, you do a process called "annealing".

Heat the brass up to over 650*F and then cool it quickly.

Here is a video of the best way I have found to do it to this point:
Click on the picture to watch.


Here are some finished cases:

The one on the right is the first one I have split using this new method of annealing. Before annealing them to start with, I lost as many as 13/50 and that was from 243WSSM cases! They didn't have to stretch as far as these ones!

After they are neck sized, then, the wall of the neck has to be turned to fit into the chambers. When sizing the necks up, most of them are kind of tapered and thick at the base of the neck. Some chamber, some don't so, to make them all chamber, you have to neck turn them.

At any rate, I know this is a handgun forum and you will most likely never have to anneal handgun brass BUT, if you ever get a 7mmJDJ or something of the like in an Encore or Contender, you will have to size the neck up of those cases too and this video might just help you!

Enjoy!

Rifle cases are put in a pan filled with water 1/2 way up the case............top is heated and knocked over into the water.

Should work with pistol bass ?

Good luck.

I kneel for brass all the time when picking it up at the range,

You might find this interesting.

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

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Still Running Against the Wind

Yep, tried that, and Ed, this works a gazillion times better. I have done nearly 300 cases so far, about 50 the way you suggest and 250 like this. BY far, this is more consistent, easier, and much less time consuming BY FAR!

I have enough tools now! I don't need any more!


Wanna buy my Lee?

I thought you adopted me and was going to send me a Dillon?

Do you have the Pro Disc Powder measure and the turrets??

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Still Running Against the Wind

I've had too much trouble with consist temperatures with the propane torch and the water bath. Just a little too much heat and the brass becomes too soft. My method is to set my casting pot to 700 degrees and dip the upper part of the case in, and hold for 5 seconds. Toss the case into cold water and it's done. Very consistent.

I use a 1/2" x 3/4" steel bar. Bore a hole in it that just fits the case neck.
Heat it red hot with my oxy-acetelyne torch.
Insert case neck into the hole and watch the color change across the case shoulder. remove case and drop in water.
Re-heat and repeat.

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-jwk-
US Army '72-'95

I was going to try that but, opted for this. I'm sure it will work. This has no mess though at all. And, I can do it in the house instead of the garage!

I have one that has the double disk attachment. I did not get it with the press though. All I got was the press for Christmas and then I bought the extra turrets...

I have had an annealing method explained to me. The older guy said he used a lead smelter. Same as for making your own bullets. Dipping the neck of the cartridge into hot lead ? then cool water quenching. I was young then and I didn't ask any more questions. Is this even possible? He was an armorer in the Army ,and a Range Master at the shooting club. He was a straght shooter in everything else , that he taught me.^^^^^^^^ How can you keep the the hot lead from not adhering (a little) to the neck case?

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Dino in Pittsburgh's Rat Pack

Did some annealing a couple years ago, except the opposite direction than you went. I formed 22-250 brass from 30-06 Lapua casings. I was trying to get a tight fit to my Ackley chambered varmint rifle, seemed to work as the gun shoots in the .3" range.

I used Hornadys annealing kit. They have these nice little drill bit holders that allow you to spin the case then lean it forward to quench them in water.

Skip,

For years I have used basically the same method except for using a Lee case spinner chucked in the drill and quenching under running water. I like your deep socket method better, I will have to try that.

Cleandean,

This is what planojack is explaining in his post. Lead alloys used for bullet casting do not contain sufficient Tin to wet the brass and solder to it, so there is no sticking problem. The brass usually is not clean enough either.

I have been intending to try the lead method, but have usually not wanted to take the time to heat the pot. Works good for tempering springs though!

Lead works nice because there's little chance of over heating the brass with it. A torch will in an instant bring the thin brass to red heat where the molten lead is only about 650 or 700F and that's as hot as the brass will ever get.
You can use a thermometer and bring the lead alloy right to the temp you need.

You don't want to make the brass dead soft or it'll most likely collapse during some of the forming processes,,just anneal it from the work hardening it's gotten from reloading or forming.

IF a tiny blob of lead does adhere to the brass and you flip that into a bucket of water, you'll be greeted with an unkindly steam explosion of sorts.
Give the case a shake as it comes out of the molten lead to try and make sure it's clear of any. Wear eye protection of course.
It's not quick or cheap to run a lead pot for case annealing, but it is one way to do it.

I still anneal brass with the propane while holding onto the case with my fingers.
A simple quick 4 or 5 count while twisting it in the same position near the flame gets uniform results.
If your fingers get warm, you're getting the neck too hot. Adjust the time in flame. It doesn't take much.

Brass doesn't need to be quenched to be annealed.
I just put them on the concrete floor to cool. The thin brass cools off almost immediately and no need to dry them out from a water bath.
I only do rifle cartridge brass as that is the tougher stuff to find or I actually have to buy it at times for a few odd calibers.

If I had to do a lot of them, I'd find another way probably, but it really doesn't take too long to do what I use.
It is a rather boring part of the reloading job though.

Pistol brass is a use it till it breaks proposition. There's always pistol brass to pick up at the range.
Then into the recycle bucket for a trip to the scrap yard. Turn it into cash to buy more reloading stuff.

Thanks ya'll,----Plano, Alk, & 2152 , Clear on that now.

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Dino in Pittsburgh's Rat Pack