Annealing questions

[Scratchthejeepguy]

I'm still fairly new to the world of precision shooting but am learning...
I've been reloading for a few years, mostly handgun and .223 but have also loaded a few hundred .308. I knew about annealing but didn't really know if I needed to do it. With my background in metalworking, I completely understand the idea of work hardening and how annealing helps, and how it can be a good idea to anneal cases.

But should I anneal every case after every time? I can easily build a turntable style table like I've seen in many YouTube videos, since I have a CNC plasma table and have built a couple propane forges. I just don't know if annealing is something that I should do after every shot or not.

I'm not doing crazy velocities or anything and I've never even shot anything longer than 300 yards. Would this also be something I might want to do with .223 cases every time?

 

[AZ.noob]

I've not found any benefit to annealing after each firing. For my precision stuff, every other cycle and only because I'm after consistency. For autoloaders, every third cycle.

 

[thrusty]

Anneal after the 3rd or 4th firing and always before sizing. That should do the trick to extend your case life and put the spring back into the brass.

 

[damoncali]

The tighter your chamber neck, the less you need it. The only folks I know who insist on doing it every firing are 1000 yard benchresters.

 

[Longguns]

I believe you should anneal after every second or third firing. It sure makes it easier to trim the brass and also on the neck turning. you can sure tell the difference between a freshly annealed case and one that has not been annealed.

 

[sentry1]

I believe you should anneal after every second or third firing. It sure makes it easier to trim the brass and also on the neck turning. you can sure tell the difference between a freshly annealed case and one that has not been annealed.

I'm pretty confident that annealed brass is much more consistent after sizing. Un-annealed brass comes out of my die with a lot more variation in length than annealed brass. I anneal after the first firing, and then every third firing after that.

 

[targaflorio]

If I put in the time and effort to build an annealng machine, I think I would anneal between every firing. If nothing else, just so I could admire my handy-work in action.
BTW what's a Plasma Table?

 

[targaflorio]

If I put in the time and effort to build an annealng machine, I think I would anneal between every firing. If nothing else, just so I could admire my handy-work in action.
BTW what's a Plasma Table?

 

[Scratchthejeepguy]

So it doesn't hurt to anneal after every firing then correct? I would think it would only make the brass last longer right...?

A CNC plasma cutting table is a big table, controlled by a computer, that cuts metal using a plasma cutter. Kind of like a water jet or laser cutter, but not quite as precise. I'd post a pic but I'm on my iPad right now. Google image: "CNC plasma table" if you want to see one.

 

[damoncali]

If you're concerned about life, annealing every time is not necessary. It resets things to zero, so to speak, so it doesn't matter as long as you anneal before the case splits. People who anneal every firing are doing so because they think it gives them more consistent neck tension. But no, it wont hurt so long as you do it right.

 

[Rookie]

I anneal after every firing because I don't want to keep up with what brass has been fired however many times since it was last annealed. Plus the Giraud is stupid easy so all my rifle brass comes out of the tumbler and into the annealer.

 

[targaflorio]

OK, I've seen these advertised. Great for cutting metal signs.

If I had a machine, I would anneal every time. If nothing else for the looks. But then, I clean my barrel every time I shoot...

 

[jetlyting]

I anneal every third firing....keeps my necks soft and not brittle...

 

[cacoltguy]

I anneal after every firing but then again I have a lot of time on my hands I enjoy the whole reloading process. It's kind of therapeutic. Like others have said though, it's not necessary to do it after every firing unless you are a record setting benchrest shooter (I am not). I do it every time because I strive for consistency and I do notice that freshly annealed cases give me much more consistent bullet seating depths.

 

[barnesuser28]

When you guys anneal, do you clean out all the carbon from the necks with an ultrasonic cleaner or similar? I have been but would like to skip this step if possible. I then spray the insides of the necks with hornady one shot to lube the necks for consistent bullet grip.

 

[Creature]

I anneal every couple times with .308 and every time with .338lm. I just use an electric screw driver and it works pretty good.

 

[ZombieMonkey]

When you guys anneal, do you clean out all the carbon from the necks with an ultrasonic cleaner or similar?

Before I touch any fired cases they spend a couple of hours in the tumbler with the stainless media getting nice and clean. Then if they are getting annealed the go into the bench source unit and if not they get processed from there before a final bath in the tumbler. I'm pretty sure most would recommend cleaning the cases good in either a rinse, wet tumbler, or ultrasonic prior to annealing.

 

[barnesuser28]

What do you use for a neck lube?

 

[cacoltguy]

I just tumble in walnut media prior to annealing. It gets them clean enough to do the job for me. I just use a cordless screwdriver and propane torch. The cleaner the cases are, the easier you will be able to see the color change when you anneal and know when to stop. I don't lube the inside of the neck at all when seating a bullet. This would allow for easier bullet seating but not necessarily consistent bullet grip. IMO all lubing the inside of case necks would do is risk contaminating the powder and allow for easier bullet setback of a loaded round. (especially if going with minimal neck tension that is often recommended for accuracy) You want the case neck to grip the bullet so it doesnt get set back during recoil, chambering or rough handling. You just want it to be gripped in a consistent manner which is one of the things annealing helps accomplish. The only time I lube the inside of a case neck is if I am using a resizing die with an expander ball, but all of the lube is removed when I tumble afterwards.

 

[nuclear_shooter]

Will something like this work: BernzOmatic Basic Use UL2317 Brass Pencil Flame Propane Torch Head - Amazon.com? Is the pencil flame what I want?

 

[sentry1]

Before I touch any fired cases they spend a couple of hours in the tumbler with the stainless media getting nice and clean. Then if they are getting annealed the go into the bench source unit and if not they get processed from there before a final bath in the tumbler. I'm pretty sure most would recommend cleaning the cases good in either a rinse, wet tumbler, or ultrasonic prior to annealing.

Hours?!? Good grief, the whole reason I switched to stainless steel media and a Thumler's is because it does in 30 minutes what walnut media can't do in 3 hours!

I've already annotated the time it takes to anneal my Lake City brass, so I anneal my brass right after firing, then toss it in the tumbler to get cleaned up. It comes out, dries off, gets lubed, resized, then I wash it again to get rid of the lube, then it's primer, powder, bullet, and done!

 

[P7id10t]

+1 to Sentry's method
A normal propane torch you can buy for $12 will do just fine.
I anneal them dirty. 338LM take approximately 10sec per case -- 6-7 of heating, and the remaining 3 seconds for handling.
Do it in the dark/very low light so you see when it just starts to glow.
What I found is the case neck will stop reflecting, looking black, just before it starts to glow.
I center my heat just above the shoulder at the neck. The glow will start at the end of the neck and start to migrate down. Don't let it get all dull red (~900°F). You are fine when the tip of the neck starts to glow.

Just did 225 338LM cases in 45 minutes. Then decap, then Ultrasonic clean. I had them all primed ~ 4 hours later (after drying).
If you use a wet method to clean, BHA and Hornady brass really hold onto water inside. Make sure they are truly dry before priming.

 

[barnesuser28]

It takes me 2 minutes and 57 seconds to anneal 40 30/375 ruger cases on my benchsource.