So what do you think?

[Little Joe]

Should all gas checks be annealed before use?

I have never annealed one so how would I go about it if the answer is yes to my question above.

As always a big thanks to you and isnt that Brown Alox the best going today?
Makes me wonder what Shemp would have to say about this.

Out of here for now,
Little Joe

[454PB]

I've never had to anneal gas checks. I suppose if they were too tight it might help, but I can't think of another reason it would be required.

[lurch]

I had a couple thousand Hornady's that were about 20 years old - my hiatus from casting - that benefitted from it. Two things it helped for me: less springback and easier seating on a fat shank.

If you have relatively new ones they "should" be soft and not need annealing. If they are older and are giving you some trouble, try annealing them. If they aren't causing problems, I'd just as soon not trouble with it.

[Sundogg1911]

can someone explain annealing to me. I've only ever used GC's on my 30-30 bullets. I've heard the term several times, but i'm not quite sure the procedure.
thanks

[454PB]

It's basically the same as annealing cartridge brass......bring the checks up to a high temperature and then let them cool. It softens the metal. I make bullet jackets from fired .22 rimfire cases and anneal them before use. I put them in my old Lyman cast iron pot and then on a hotplate. I bring the temperature up to the point that the cases start to darken, then let them cool. Gas checks could be done the same way. Though I've never checked the temperature, it's probably around 400 degrees.

[Parson]

lurch has it right. There was a time when they were hard and springy. We would just run a torch over them enough to discolor them but have not needed to do it for years now

[MtGun44]

Annealing is removing the hardening that exists in a metal
by heating it.

For certain metals, heating them up and cooling them
rapidly can cause hardening - steel is the most prominent
example. Other metals do not harden with heating and
rapid cooling, only by "working", such as sizing brass or
forging, or hammering - anything to permanently change
the shape of any metal will 'work harden' it. The copper
based alloys will soften when heated up (like to red hot
for max softening) and cooling - makes no difference on
how fast or slow you cool copper based alloys (like brass),
they will lose the 'work hardening'.

There are two groups of stainless steels - one will ONLY
work harden and the other will harden like ordinary steel
by heating and cooling rapidly.

Probably more than you ever wanted to know. . . . . . :roll:

Bill

[Little Joe]

If the gas checks are working good and not comming off there is no need to anneal them?

Maybe I can try to anneal some just for fun just so i can see if the bullets shoot better.I want my 444 to shoot as good as it can shoot.

Out of here,
Little Joe