Annealing Question

[JMD82]

Just got through annealing a batch of brass and noticed somthing odd. Out of the batch of a hundred, two of them have a copperish color to them just below the shoulder. Same process as before, just turned out different this time. This is the first time this has happened on this batch. Anyone see anything like this? A little history on the brass below.

308 Lapua Brass (same lot)
7 firings
Annealed after every firing

Are these two casings safe to shoot (two on the right).

A picture of the full batch for comparison.

TIA for your help.

 

[CK1.0]

Every now and again I'll get the copper color to show up a little more on a few cases more so than others... I know it can be caused by a little too much Lemishine (or maybe just the Lemishine landing on those cases before it fully dissolves in the drum). AFAIK it indicates zinc leeching its way out of the brass. If you wet tumble, chances are that's all it is.

If you don't wet tumble... then IDK lol.

 

[2aBaC̶a̶]

what happens if you anneal them a 2nd time?

 

[OREGUN]

How are you annealing?

 

[Partsunavailable]

I've just started annealing. Those look like they were pretty hot to me. But like I said, I don't know much. I don't think I'd see that color change without the line moving farther up the case with my setup.

 

[308pirate]

what happens if you anneal them a 2nd time?

Nothing. Or they might get softer if they didn't reach solution temperature before. Or they might soften further down the body and be fucked.

It all depends on how well you know and control your process.

And since virtually no one here actually knows how to check the metallurgy of their cases, everyone is guessing.

 

[Tokay444]

How are you annealing?

Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!

 

[Tokay444]

Nothing. Or they might get softer if they didn't reach solution temperature before. Or they might soften further down the body and be fucked.

It all depends on how well you know and control your process.

And since virtually no one here actually knows how to check the metallurgy of their cases, everyone is guessing.

Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!

 

[rustyinbend]

I've never seen any annealing anomalies ... I have an AMP.

 

[JMD82]

Thanks for all the reply’s. So here’s my set up and the way I have been doing it. Been running it for about 4 to 5 years now with no issues until these two cases popped up last night. When I initially started annealing, I did use some templaque 750 but have since transitioned to the pitch black room method until I see the faintest and I mean faintest red glow and then it drops into the pan. I have never let the neck get to the point where they are glowing bright red. When I transitioned to this method, I made sure to templaque the case wall to make sure heat wasn’t creeping too far down the body...all was good. Set it up and let it run. When I do anneal, it’s lights out and I watch every case start to finish to make sure there are no hiccups.

I use the bernzomatic propane (blue bottle) and bernzomatic torch (pencil type). Set the flame about 1-1/2” long and position the inner blue flame at the neck shoulder junction.

All casing last night turned out like they always do, except for these two and they never even got bright cherry red...just the faintest glow. Didn’t even notice the color until the batch was done and turn on the lights.

 

[straightshooter1]

Thanks for all the reply’s. So here’s my set up and the way I have been doing it. Been running it for about 4 to 5 years now with no issues until these two cases popped up last night. When I initially started annealing, I did use some templaque 750 but have since transitioned to the pitch black room method until I see the faintest and I mean faintest red glow and then it drops into the pan. I have never let the neck get to the point where they are glowing bright red. When I transitioned to this method, I made sure to templaque the case wall to make sure heat wasn’t creeping too far down the body...all was good. Set it up and let it run. When I do anneal, it’s lights out and I watch every case start to finish to make sure there are no hiccups.

I use the bernzomatic propane (blue bottle) and bernzomatic torch (pencil type). Set the flame about 1-1/2” long and position the inner blue flame at the neck shoulder junction.

All casing last night turned out like they always do, except for these two and they never even got bright cherry red...just the faintest glow. Didn’t even notice the color until the batch was done and turn on the lights.

View attachment 7853447

I use a similar annealer (an Annealeez) and my .308 and 6.5 PRC cases after annealing, which is done before cleaning) look much like yours in the pics you posted. See pic below for how my Lapua brass looks after annealing then cleaning.

As far as those odd looking color cases, I wouldn't be concerned at all as it's really just a surface blemish. I'd ignore it and just continue to use them as with the others.

 

[OREGUN]

if You were watching them and there was no anomaly in the process, i wouldn’t worry about the color. Something in or on the brass Maybe but theres not enough variation in the cases to have “over annealed” or otherwise effed them up unless something went way wrong in the process…which you would have noticed. See if they size and seat normally. If you aren’t going to trust them, use them for sighters or warm up shots.

 

[JMD82]

Thanks fellas for the responses. I appreciate it. When I first got into annealing years ago, I noticed the same coloring on some test pieces of RP brass when I was experimenting. I never really got them too hot as I was just testing things out and experimenting. Must be something with the content in the brass, zinc, etc or traces of polish from the tumbling process. Then I really toasted the RP brass just to see what it would looked like...you could tell a big difference.

What’s odd to me is that these casings in question have been annealed numerous times and this is the first time this has happened and it’s only these two. Kind of like OREGUN mentioned, there is really not enough variation in the cases to think they were over annealed.

I’ll move on to sizing and seating and note any difference in effort to do so. If they are not to my confidence level, I’ll more than likely scrap these two.

Thanks Again fellas.