Annealing question.....

308BAR said:
I thought I share a little of my story from the last batch I annealed. 120pcs of Lapua brass I believe are over annealed, because when I go to re-size it in a bushing die it has drag marks and ridges on the entire neck due to the brass being too soft. Never happen to me before but I didn't quench my brass in water this time around. Sucks big time because of the thickness of the brass is compromised due to the abrasion created by the re-sizing process. I can't use my bushing die on this brass again. I had a competition in week of my annealing WA so I had to use the brass, I didn't have time to prep another batch. So I loaded them up and they all shot perfect waterline for all three days of my shoot. The neck tension was very consistent and the shoulders didn't collapse when seating. No splits formed from all the cases I inspected so the held up.

With the brass being overly soft I can't run them through my bushing die because the brass flows to easily. So I purchased a Lee collet neck sizing die to salvage still usable brass that has been damage buy my annealing process. Lesson learned.
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I hear you there, been too often I should have tested a small batch, but no, I have to do the entire batch. Oh well, easier to remember now.
 
I once over annealed 50pcs. WW .375 h&h cases ($ ouch!), had to toss them as they would never again hold a bullet .. no matter how often they were resized.
Lesson learned, never let 'em get even close to red hot.

Nowaday's I spin them in a very dark room and watch for that subtle colour change in the torch flame where it wraps around the neck and rejoins behind. When the light yellowy blue changes to yellow, done, then quenched.
It's only a matter of a second or two too long in the flame to overheat them, so one must pay attention.

Evenly annealed necks most definately contribute to accuracy and consistency of POI in my precision rifles.
 
I have found that annealing in potassium nitrate is the only way to go, you control the heat there is no turning the brass the heat is the same on all exposed surfaced. It is the easiest method I have seen to date.
 
kamlooky said:
My first time annealing was when I was resizing the 45-70 into 33 WCF.
I tried the finger hold system and the brass was way too hard to be pliable with the press.
I then placed the brass standing up in a cake pan with about an inch of water.
I staggered them to eliminate the domino effect.
Heated up the necks until they were red or a slight version there of and bumped them over.
Big difference on the effort and force required to sckrunch the necks down.
I have also lernt (bwahahah....bit oh Lookaneez fer yah) to shorten the brass a bunch when
necking down as they do tend to grow and sometimes git bunched up in the top end of the dies.
Makes fer an unhappy Lewkie.....
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Standing cases in 3/4 to 1 inch of water in a cake pan and heating the necks (in a slightly darkened room) was the procedure that Norma recommended about 50 years ago. They suggested heating the neck and shoulder til the neck just starts to turn a rosy colour NOT red. Then tip the case into the water. Brass and copper soften when quenched in water. If you let them air cool they get harder. I have used this method for over 45 years and have never had a problem.
A couple other comments. If you have fired your cases enough to actually require annealing the cases have likely stretched a bit. I suggest trimming the cases first. The harder brass machines much nicer. If you are concerned about not enough neck tension anneal the cases before you resize and de-prime. Once through the re-size die will work harden the brass enough to hold the bullet. If you have a hard kicker (375 or more) you are likely crimping your bullets. If once thru the re-size die plus a crimp still isn't enough neck tension I would use that brass for 1 round of target practice. You will have enough neck tension after a resize-fire- and second resize. If you are using a different procedure and are happy with it... great. This procedure is simple and just plain works. A good place for someone just getting into annealing to start.
 
308BAR said:
I thought I share a little of my story from the last batch I annealed. 120pcs of Lapua brass I believe are over annealed, because when I go to re-size it in a bushing die it has drag marks and ridges on the entire neck due to the brass being too soft. Never happen to me before but I didn't quench my brass in water this time around. Sucks big time because of the thickness of the brass is compromised due to the abrasion created by the re-sizing process. I can't use my bushing die on this brass again. I had a competition in week of my annealing WA so I had to use the brass, I didn't have time to prep another batch.

So I loaded them up and they all shot perfect waterline for all three days of my shoot. The neck tension was very consistent and the shoulders didn't collapse when seating. No splits formed from all the cases I inspected so the held up.

With the brass being overly soft I can't run them through my bushing die because the brass flows to easily. So I purchased a Lee collet neck sizing die to salvage still usable brass that has been damage buy my annealing process. Lesson learned.
Click to expand...

You may have annealed your brass enough to perform properly... :)

If the bushing is scratching the necks, check the bushing for burrs and/or get a new one.

I don't think you have wrecked any brass.

Jerry
 
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