Anneal .375 check for .368 bullet?

[NuJudge]

I have a 9.3mm mold that produces a bullet which is intended to take a .375" gas check. Should I anneal the .375" gas check before installing it? I believe I have both Hornady and Gator checks, the latter being a lot harder to put on bullets of the same diameter, much less a bunch smaller.

CDD

[Buckshot]

...............Annealed GC's are much softer. and if you're wanting them more 'plastic' that's the thing to do.

................Buckshot

[cjensen]

I have a 250 grn. .367 mold and run .375 gas checks on them as is sized to .366. No muss, no fuss.

[snowwolfe]

What are you guys shooting the 9,3's in? I have a 9,3x62 bolt rifle and a 9,3x74R double and would love to start casting for both.

[9.3X62AL]

My castings for the 9.3mm use the 375 caliber checks, and the Hornady checks fit well and have a slight convex aspect after being run through the sizer die (.367"). I haven't tried annealing them, 'cause if somethin' ain't broke I'm not prompted to fix it.

My 9.3 x 62 is a CZ-550 Lux. GREAT rifle!

[madsenshooter]

I've been reading about annealing checks recently, as I just got the NOE 311284 and the check seat is a little large. Some of the fellows talk about putting them in a skillet and such. Seems to me that a proper annealing would involve getting them red hot, like you do cartridges, then quenching. I tried putting some in a 500 degree oven and quenching, they seem to be just as hard as they were before that. Time for an experiment. Yep, heat to a dull red and quench, those guys that think they're softer when they change color are fooling themselves. I had to enlarge my Hornady checks to get them on, takes a pretty good strike on a primer seating rod from a 30 caliber Lee Load All kit to open them up, takes a lot less of a strike now that they're properly annealed. I can put the small sledge away now!

[9.3X62AL]

Annealing........wouldn't slow cooling rather than fast via the quench be the proper way to soften the gas check's temper? I've heard of casters just placing the checks to be annealed into the melt for a time, then removing them to air-cool. Anyone tried that?

[NVcurmudgeon]

I use the MT Gianni technique (see sticky.) I put a pipe nipple full of GC in the fireplace coals overnight in winter, or in the barbie in summer. And as 9.3 said, a slow cooling does the trick. My annealed GC are definitely softer. If the GC are being annealed because the GC shank on the boolit is too large, annealing makes them softer and easier to expand with a homemade punch. If the GC shank is too small, annealing allows the GC to be installed without springback so that they go on tight. Opposite problems both solved by annealing.

[BABore]

With copper, it doesn't matter if you quench or slowly air cool it. End result is the same, annealed.

I too use a pipe nipple and wood stove. I also throw in a piece of TP to robb the O2 and keep them shiny. I have run into problem with too much heat. My pipe nipple will be bright red within a hour or two. That's usually all the longer I leave it in. I have hade thinner GC's like 338, 357, and 375 warp and curl on me. Sometimes as many as 15-20%. I used to blame it on Gator or Hornady til I paid attention more. Oops!