Case Annealing

[patrickd34]

Ive been wanting to try to anneal my 300WM brass. I have always been able to get good accuracy out of my brass without ever annealing so im a little hesitant.

I have never tried it before and im not really sure what a simple way is to perform the annealing process without any serious equipment. I have the templac but im not sure how to get the best results with my limited Knowledge.

On the other hand im wondering if im going to be able to see a difference even if I do get my cases annealed..

Any advice is appreciated...

 

[Teggy1]

Re: Case Annealing

Ton of threads on this already, use the google search in the lower right hand side of your screen.

 

[clmayfield]

Re: Case Annealing

Consistency will be better from firing to firing. It also makes neck tension a more exact firing. We usually talk about neck tension in terms of thousandths less than the bullet diameter. In practice, if you don't anneal, the neck will work harden over time leading to more spring back and a harder hold. Generally, this means more neck tension over time, but sometimes it means less. Either way, neck tension is constantly changing. When you anneal, you will find that neck tension (and you feel this as force to seat the bullet) is consistent regardless of how often you have fired the brass.

Does this make it more accurate? Probably not at short range, but at long range, consistency in all aspects of reloading seems to matter more.

 

[Graham]

Re: Case Annealing

Why bother? How many loadings are you getting out of your brass now? When it comes time to anneal my .300WM brass I throw them out and buy more new ones.

 

[Tripwire]

Re: Case Annealing

Not only is annealing beneficial to neck tension and case longevity, it's frugal concerning your bottom line on reloading cost, and it's conservative regarding an ever increasingly costly/limited resource. Simply throwing it out when it no longer serves your purpose because you are too lazy to learn annealing, or you are prodigal enough to just go buy more, is wasteful and profuse, IMHO.

Annealing can be expensive in it's own right, if you allow yourself the fancy annealing machines. They work great from what I read, but are far outside of my budget, unless I ever take the notion to just build one for myself. I accomplish satifactory results with nothing more than a propane torch, a varible speed drill with a shell holder to slowly rotate the case in the flame, a dark room, and a clear understanding of what to look for temperature wise. Been doing it that way for decades now.

If you want to attempt it then practice on some old scrap brass until you get the hang of it, it's not rocket science. Lot's of threads here that will help you.

 

[patrickd34]

Re: Case Annealing

Thanks for the info. Ive been reading up on other threads and Im just going to dive in and learn as I go.

 

[Graham]

Re: Case Annealing

I would suggest not taking Tripwire's advice. It appears from his above post (and the others he has made yesterday and today) that he intends only to follow me around this Board, continuing to give puerile advice to others and making-up information that he tries to pass-off as 'authoritative' in an effort to attack me and attempt to derail other people's Threads. He is a disruptive influence, and my bet is that if he continues doing it he will be gone.

In a previous post he made it clear to all that he lacks a detailed knowledge of long-range shooting:<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Tripwire</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Some of the things that help me with long range shooting in the field are: A precise knowledge of the range of my shot and the dope for my load.The environmental factors that make a difference and compensate for them.</div></div>
Now it is evident that he has never annealed brass and that he also lacks a detailed knowledge of reloading. The 'How many loadings do you get now' question was meant as a hint, and in giving his advice Tripwire missed it.

OP, note that there are other very valid reasons to throw out your 300WM brass by the time they 'need' to be annealed. Annealing can not in good conscience be recomended for the practical precision rifle shooter, the across-the-course shooter or the belted magnum shooter. Why? In your case because it is folly to try to get those last few loadings out of .300WM brass. If neck thickness is causing you chambering problems after three reloads either your chamber/brass/sizing relationship is too tight, or you need more case-prep. Either way, prolonging the life of your case necks on a .300WM is neither the problem, the issue, nor the goal.

And with regard solely to economy, it will be cheaper in the long run to buy WW brass and prep it well first than to spend the amount of money and time necessary to anneal and turn a neck in order to get one, maybe two more loadings out of a case.

 

[EWP]

Re: Case Annealing

Will you see any difference in your groups? probably not unless the brass is so bad already that it's throwing fliers all over the target.

Annealing will extend your case life but I'm not a belted Mag shooter so I don't know if it's worth extending the brass life like it is with bottle neck cartridges that head space in the shoulder. With cases that head space on the shoulder if sized just the min amount you will not get much if any brass stretch or flow so the case life can safely be doubled and sometimes even tripled by annealing with no ill affects what so ever.

I just retired a set of cases that had over 25 very hot reloads on it because one of the cases split down the side, those cases would not have lasted even half that many loads if I hadn't annealed it at least once or twice. So annealing does have it advantages but you have to weigh the risk at the same time and it's just not worth it with some brass.

 

[MALLARD]

Re: Case Annealing

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Carter Mayfield</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> In practice, if you don't anneal, the neck will work harden over ... When you anneal, you will find that neck tension (and you feel this as force to seat the bullet) is consistent regardless of how often you have fired the brass.

</div></div>

while i believe annealing does increase accuracy, reguarding neck tension... if your neck tension was not consistent before you annealed it will not be consistent after you annealed , variations in case neck thickness cause this. If you neck turn you do, in my expernice, increase uniform neck tension but you have to ask yourself if neck turning is for you ( meaning for your chamber)

basically , if your cases weren't good before you anneal , they won't be good after either. ( if were talking about consistent neck tension)

as far as improving case life , die maker neil jones told me annealing deteriorates the surface of the brass , if that is true how can annealing prolong case life ?

 

[Graham]

Re: Case Annealing

I see the point in annealing for Benchrest shooting, when one is using the same few pieces of brass many, many times and controlling their dimensions to a much greater degree. But in the case of the OP, what chamber does he have? How is it headspaced? How much case stretch is he getting? and Is he monitoring the inside dimensions of his brass? Those are things I would want to know before I gave him a recommendation to anneal.

 

[EWP]

Re: Case Annealing



Annealing the case does not deteriorate the surface of the brass, that's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. It does cause some surface oxidation but that's removed with a good tumbling and does no permanent damage to the brass.

World record holding Bench Rest shooters anneal their brass after every use, I doubt they are doing anything to hurt their brass.

Those who bash annealing are usually the ones that don't understand it, so take the info given for what it's worth.

 

[ChrisGarrett]

Re: Case Annealing

Wow...lots of sandy manginas here in this thread.

I have an RCBS Trim Mate and fashioned a cup out of a cigar tube and threaded a small bolt through the bottom. Pictured is my older cup which yields to a newer, improved version with differing washers for various case body diameters.

I set it up in the kitchen and, dim the lights and use a handheld torch while I watch and rattle off a cadence in my head. I even fashioned a couple of finger/thumb booties out of a kid's sock I found on the floor at the laundromat, to keep my fingers from burning after a long session!

It works pretty well on my 338LM, 7RM, 22-250 and 308 brass. It's not very hard to do properly.

Chris

 

[Graham]

Re: Case Annealing

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ChrisGarrett</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Wow...lots of sandy manginas here in this thread.</div></div>LOL!

After reading your post I couldn't get this image out of my head of you, in the kitchen, with the lights dim, soft music playing, wielding a hissing blowtorch while singing cadence - and all the while with little knitted booties on your fingers to prevent your soft hands from chaping after a 'long session'. Wow indeed!

 

[ChrisGarrett]

Re: Case Annealing

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Graham</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ChrisGarrett</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Wow...lots of sandy manginas here in this thread.</div></div>LOL!

After reading your post I couldn't get this image out of my head of you, in the kitchen, with the lights dim, soft music playing, wielding a hissing blowtorch while singing cadence - and all the while with little knitted booties on your fingers to prevent your soft hands from chaping after a 'long session'. Wow indeed!

</div></div>

Glad you're finally having some 'happy thoughts' as you were whining a lot there, for a moment.

After a few dozen cases initially, I had blisters on my thumb and finger that lasted a week. Those cases are hot and wearing a heavy glove prevents me from grasping them individually, out of the container I have them in. Hence the thin, cotton 'sleeves'.

I generally just count off in my head, but there is a rhythm that you want to get into, otherwise you'll 'cherry them out' and do more harm, than good.

I'm sure I toasted some in the beginning, but I've gotten better at it, no doubt.

Whether it makes more accurate ammo, or not, I can't say but I'm sure it has prevented a bunch of neck splits, so it's been worth the time to make the cup and it's been worth the $15 for the Benz O Matic torch.

I'm more of a punk rock and jazz guy, than a Barry White man.

Chris

 

[Graham]

Re: Case Annealing

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ChrisGarrett</div><div class="ubbcode-body">... you were whining a lot there, for a moment.</div></div>You know, I disagree with you about the whining. That's a common accusation around here, but this is the definition: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/whining
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ChrisGarrett</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I'm more of a punk rock and jazz guy, than a Barry White man.</div></div>Likewise, and here's my list:
https://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthr...057#Post2229057

 

[Squid284]

Re: Case Annealing

I like the idea of using the trim mate for annealing. I'll have to try that and hopefully won't melt all the green plastic.

 

[biner626]

Re: Case Annealing

On a side note...
If your brass has gone past its life expectancy. Recycle it. Saves everyone some money down the road.