Did I over-anneal my brass?

[biometrician]

I tried annealing for the first time and am paranoid that I over-annealed my cases. I struggled a bit- my torch seemed to vary in temperature every few cases for some reason.

Most of my cases look like the middle three cases in the two pictures I've attached. I think the three on the right are probably unsafe, and the three on the left probably didn't get hot enough.

This is unfired Starline 30-06 brass, and I plan to load it fairly hot with heavy bullets. I used an ugly annealer- I tried using a tempil stick but it did not really want to stay in place. I'm mostly concerned about safety. The more questionable cases will be relegated for subsonic ammo.

What do ya'll think?

 

[Cr1775]

Probably all ok , that's my opinion.

 

[hafejd30]

You definitely need more consistency. You went from not annealed at all to possibly baked in the same setting. So something needs to be done about the consistency first and foremost

I use tempilaq. 400° on the body, 650° below the shoulder and 750° inside the neck. I use the same brass for the testing I just set aside that piece the first time I annealed. So be it Lapua vs Nosler etc I have a piece to test on

That said my Lapua brass tends to look similar (a bit less cooked) then your 3 center pieces where the Nosler is darker and more like the second from the right. Not quite that dark but similar

People will argue you need this or that to do it properly. A flame annealer will work. But you definitely have an issue with timing or flame consistency

I run a vertex bench source. Have had it probably 10 years. Runs a dual torch. I test with tempilaq every time I anneal and use the case that corresponds with what I’m annealing

Bottom line we can’t (and won’t) tell you it’s safe. I for certain can say you’re not doing yourself any favors in consistency loading those. Which ones correct temp is anyone’s guess. The left 3 probably aren’t annealed at all.

 

[biometrician]

You definitely need more consistency. You went from not annealed at all to possibly baked in the same setting. So something needs to be done about the consistency first and foremost

I agree, I tried a 700 degree tempilstik inside the neck, but it seemed to melt instantly.

 

[hafejd30]

I agree, I tried a 700 degree tempilstik inside the neck, but it seemed to melt instantly.

Is your flame pointing at the tempilaq? My 750 melts about 4 seconds into dual torches. No flame hits the 750. It hits the top of the 650 but that melts below the flame near the shoulder

I tighten the blue flame up a bit but this is the basic setup