[Squirrel_Slayer]

Can anyone here tell me what they think of annealing their own brass with a pencil torch after it has been reloaded several times? I have read an article in regards to brass hardening when you work it cold, and that you can get more accuracy and lifespan if you re-anneal the case necks with a torch and cold water. Any opinions or anyone ever done it?

[CA357]

That is a great question!


I dunno.

[Millwright]

Not hard to do, but unless you've "worked" that brass a lot, why ?

Over the years I've noticed brass hardness varies from various mfgs/brands to lots from the same mfg/brand. If you're seeing something, (like split necks, say) early on in the reloading cycle, you might benefit from annealing. Just put the cases in a shallow sheet pan of DI water, heat the necks/shoulders to a light cherry red with a propane torch and immediately tip. The DI water so stray chlorides/flourides or minerals/saltys from your tap water don't get into the brass, undoing what you're doing....

FWIW I only reload rifle ammo now and never bother to anneal. I'm getting 6-8 reload cycles on Remington brass for my .22/250, but. I don't load them 'hot'. And I just work the cases enough to neck size and "bump" the shoulder. Your results may vary.....

>MW

[cpttango30]

Annealing is heating brass so that it returns to the original state. That is the nice thing about brass when it is heated it doesn't harden it returns to its original metallic state.

I do mine after about 4 reloading's. Even if you neck size annealing will lengthen your case life.

I started annealing because I was always having really sooty necks on my loads. I thought I was not loading hot enough to fully expand the case neck. So I tried hotter loads. Still I was getting sooty necks. So I started annealing them and what do you know no more sooty necks. Accuracy improved a little bit as well.

Annealing allows the brass to place a more uniform pressure on the bullet. The more uniform things are the better and more accurate things are going to be.

The best most informative article out there on annealing is found over at 6mmbr.com

If I ever do get to build my custom 6ppc ground hog rifle I am going to invest not only in nightforce of S&B glass I am going to invest in an annealing machine.

[patret]

I think annealing is good after you change a 30-06 to a 8mm or a 35 whelling and after you fire several rounds of your favorite calliber.

patert

[Switchbarrel]

Here's a little bit of information...

Ballistic Edge Mfg - ABOUT ANNEALING

Same site-
Ballistic Edge Mfg - HOW TO ANNEAL

[cpttango30]

Originally Posted by patret

I think annealing is good after you change a 30-06 to a 8mm or a 35 whelling and after you fire several rounds of your favorite calliber.

patert

Anytime you change caliber on a cartridge you should anneal. Going from 30-06 to 270 or 25-06 anneal 30-06 to 338-06 anneal.

If you want to start learning annealing just get some range pick up brass and start messing with it.

You want it to look like factory laupa brass (ifn you ever seen it) or military loaded ammo.

[Squirrel_Slayer]

I was messing around with a few pieces of brass last night, heated one up with a pencil torch till it was glowing light red, dumped it into some tap water (didn't know I should be using DI water), and then dried it off. The case neck came out kind of scorched looking. Was that because I was using the tap water?

[cpttango30]

I use plane old tap water myself never seen any problems with it.

They should come out looking like the ones here.
Lapua: Cases

[Squirrel_Slayer]

Thanks for the info, maybe I just got them a little bit too hot and scorched em. I will goof around with some more scrap brass that I have tonight after work and see if I can get it down.