Air cooled brass annealing

[Von Gruff]

My very first annealing test was with old many times fired cases, that were starting to show the odd neck split, and I did the lead pot dip. Did it on un polished cases and got a bit of leading on the necks that took a bit of removing. (edit to add. I am still using that particular brass with at least another 30 reloads through them with no more losses but annealed regularly)That and the need to anneal when the pot wasn't on had a deciding factor in my choice to go the gas torch route. This is my set-up. 4-5 sec for small cases. 7-8 sec for med and 8-10 for large. I have a seperate socket for each size. I just drop them out of the socket into a steel bowl without water.




Von Gruff.

[fatelk]

Learn something new every day. I guess I've been drastically over-annealing my brass for many years. I was taught to hold them in my fingertips, rotate them in the flame from a propane torch until the neck glows but before my fingertips get hot, then dump them in water.

I'm quite sure I haven't damaged the bases, as they never get hot enough to burn my fingers, but it looks like I sure don't need to get the necks near so hot.

[nanuk]

according to some "Experts" if the neck "glows" it is too hot and possibly irreversable damage has been done. You should not be able to easily bend in the neck.

but then again, there are numerous examples of just that and they work just fine.
I would also think that the softer the neck the better for Cast. as the lighter loads will still seal, and a death grip is not necessary on the boolit

so the term "YMMV" is wholey appropriate in this issue.

[nanuk]

Hey, you guys that lead dip for annealing

do you have a special mix that you keep just for that? and do you set the temp different for annealing than casting?

[fatelk]

according to some "Experts" if the neck "glows" it is too hot and possibly irreversible damage has been done.

I think what they mean by irreversible damage is damage to the base. So long as the base doesn't get too hot, it doesn't hurt the neck. I've been getting them "too hot" for years and have never had a problem, but I'm not a bench rest shooter either. The neck just gets too soft, resulting in possibly insufficient neck tension and inferior accuracy.

From now on I will watch carefully when I anneal and see how it works.