45-70 Case Annealing

[Rockindaddy]

I have around 4000 45-70 cases that I use in my two Gatling guns. One is a Thunder Valley 10-barrel reproduction and the other is an 1877 Colt Bulldog. Hard cranking will produce around 300 rounds per minute as long as a loader is keeping the Bruce Feed stocked up. The smokeless charges are light with a 385gr Magma Master caster boolit. The cases are pin tumbled and dried and fed into a Dillon 1050 Super. The case mouths are belled as they go around the shell plate and a crimp secures the boolit when seated. A good crimp is required as the boolits cannot slip into the case as a jam usually results. Some of my cases have been loaded 10 times or more. I do not experience much case mouth splitting but the sides of the cartridges show tiny blow holes and splits. These are culled out and go into the scrap cartridges bucket. I never anneal the cases! If I get a dozen loadings or more out of a cartridge case I am happy. Always on a quest for 45-70 empties.

[icecold9487]

i don't think it hurts to anneal any case neck. more consistent bullet tension and longer case life. i mainly reload 556 and they get annealed every time. too much hassle to figure out which reload i'm on.

[georgerkahn]

Friends:

Any comments or tips on annealing
nickle plated 45-70 brass ?

I have a myriad of annealing machines, gadgets, and gizmos -- I cast, load, and shoot a few obsolete calibres for witch the brass is really precious -- with my main machine being that by Giraud. That said, imho the correct annealing of brass -- at least in my case -- has pretty much amortized the equipment cost. Again being said, I will not voice "failure" -- BUT, I do NOT anneal nickel plated brass. "Might be me?", but I could not get the spring-back on plated brass -- the results being either not-enough, or ruined. Again, maybe just me -- but again vis nickle plated brass annealing? I avoid it/do NOT do it.
geo