Can the steel brass be anneal?

[brstevns]

Not for sure this is the right place for this question. Can steel brass like the 223 rem, 8m/m and 7.62x54r be anneal so it will expand in firer forming other brass?

[jmorris]

Steel can be annealed but I don't reload steel, aluminum or plastic cased ammunition that was never intended to be reloaded. None of it lasts long enough to seem worth it to me.

[uscra112]

If steel has enough carbon to harden, it can also be annealed. The process is quite different from annealing brass. It requires heating to red heat and then a long, slow cool-down. Some steels work-harden, like brass does, but those are not alloys that would be used for cartridge cases. Neither would a high-carbon steel be used. So the answer is no, steel cartridge cases can't be annealed the way brass ones can be.

[KCSO]

Heat it red hot at the neck shoulder area and then bury it is wood ash till cool. Then use it to scratch up the loading dies. IMHO I wouldn't use the steel cases, we ruined a good set of dies loading steel 45's years ago.

[brstevns]

Will steel cases firer form to fit chamber as do brass ones?

[johnnybar]

Will steel cases firer form to fit chamber as do brass the ones? No. End the experiment now for safety sake. Steel's elongation specifications do not place it in the same category with brass. And as already mentioned, even if you could come up with a process to reform it, you wouldn't be able to reuse them. Only way I can see steel being used is straight walled cases with a carbide sizer. Stick to well proved and process spec'd brass.

[brstevns]

No. End the experiment now for safety sake. Steel's elongation specifications do not place it in the same category with brass. And as already mentioned, even if you could come up with a process to reform it, you wouldn't be able to reuse them. Only way I can see steel being used is straight walled cases with a carbide sizer. Stick to well proved and process spec'd brass.

Don't worry. I do not expect or plan to fire form any of the steel brass. It was just a question I needed to have answered.

[skeet1]

The only experience I have with steel cases were some 1943 USGI cases in .45 ACP . These war time cases loaded very well several times but did finally crack on (I think) the fourth shot. Using carbide dies they didn't scratch the die. Even if they could have been annealed I don't see the value in doing it.

Ken

[brstevns]

The only experience I have with steel cases were some 1943 USGI cases in .45 ACP . These war time cases loaded very well several times but did finally crack on (I think) the fourth shot. Using carbide dies they didn't scratch the die. Even if they could have been annealed I don't see the value in doing it.

Ken
I had about 20 of those myself. lasted about 4-5 loadings.

[oldred]

Wouldn't it make more sense to say steel cases? I mean steel Brass???????

[brstevns]

Wouldn't it make more sense to say steel cases? I mean steel Brass???????

You got me on that one. Just so use to using the word brass for the empties. Steel cases would be correct.