Do my cases need annealing

[chevyiron420]

After using a .315 expander plug on my 32 long cases my .315 boolits are still being sized down to .313 when seated. The brass is magtech loaded twice and the alloy is 50\50 coww, soww air cooled. So, my questions are

1 Do you think the brass needs annealing?
2 I have annealed rifle brass many times in a pan of water using a torch, but not pistol brass. will you share your techniques for annealing pistol brass?
:castmine:

[Nobade]

Is your seating die resizing the boolits? Most of them won't allow seating a boolit that big.

What happens if you seat some by hand and then use the die to straighten out the flare with the seating stem removed?

[chevyiron420]

Is your seating die resizing the boolits? Most of them won't allow seating a boolit that big.

What happens if you seat some by hand and then use the die to straighten out the flare with the seating stem removed?
I havent done that exactly, but I'll tell what I have done. After three passes over the expander the case i.d. measures .312-.313 with my callipers. I know that's not the best way to measure, but its all I have for a i.d that small, plus I have a pretty good feel for em. Also, I can back out the seater die so to not close the flare and pull the boolit and its the same thing. I don't think the seater is sizing anything down. I think this brass is to hard. I was hoping for an annealing procedure that was easier than I have been doing.

[drklynoon]

pyle ya

[Nobade]

Wow, that's pretty weird. They don't usually spring back that much. You are sure your expander is .315"?

At any rate, I anneal pistol cases by holding them with the Lee shell holder that comes with their case trimmer. I spin that in a drill motor, and hold the case in the flame of a propane torch. Watch the heat line and when it gets where you want it, drop the case in a bucket of water. Or you could do what you have been doing, that works too. Best way I have found is to use my boss's Vertex annealing machine. It will do 1,000 cases in a half hour and is a lot more fun than doing them one at a time at home!

[geargnasher]

Not a fix, but you might check the inside jaws of your calipers vs. a known good micrometer set at at .312" and see what the calipers read. I have a $120 set of swiss "Veri-nears" that indicate exactly one thousandth smaller than actual on the ID jaws.

As to your issue, here are a couple of things to look at. Air cooled 50/50 ages VERY slowly, and is quite soft even after aging for a month or more. Your resizing die might also be a little small, consider honing it out so that your resized brass measures .313" on the ID after sizing. Then hit it with your .315" expander and see how it goes. If you alloy was green, it's still too soft. If it is aged, you might consider a mild heat-treat or adding more WW and recasting them.

Gear

[chevyiron420]

Not a fix, but you might check the inside jaws of your calipers vs. a known good micrometer set at at .312" and see what the calipers read. I have a $120 set of swiss "Veri-nears" that indicate exactly one thousandth smaller than actual on the ID jaws.

As to your issue, here are a couple of things to look at. Air cooled 50/50 ages VERY slowly, and is quite soft even after aging for a month or more. Your resizing die might also be a little small, consider honing it out so that your resized brass measures .313" on the ID after sizing. Then hit it with your .315" expander and see how it goes. If you alloy was green, it's still too soft. If it is aged, you might consider a mild heat-treat or adding more WW and recasting them.

Gear

Thanks Gear, I have never used an alloy this soft before and I'm not used to it. Not only that but I dont have enough of the SOWW to continue using it. It was recommended here to help me overcome leading issues and also fittment issues. It would be great if I can change to ACWW. With better fittment to the throats I have eleminated the terrible forcing cone leading, and most of the barrel leading. I'm not sure if I can switch back to ACWW though.
I annealed 50 today using the lee case trimmer do-dad as Nobade said. After a few practice cases I think I got a good procedure No more boolit crushing!!

[chevyiron420]

Wow, that's pretty weird. They don't usually spring back that much. You are sure your expander is .315"?

At any rate, I anneal pistol cases by holding them with the Lee shell holder that comes with their case trimmer. I spin that in a drill motor, and hold the case in the flame of a propane torch. Watch the heat line and when it gets where you want it, drop the case in a bucket of water. Or you could do what you have been doing, that works too. Best way I have found is to use my boss's Vertex annealing machine. It will do 1,000 cases in a half hour and is a lot more fun than doing them one at a time at home!

Thanks Nobade, I got 50 done today and I think it went well. I'll finish up tomorrow.

[Nobade]

You're welcome, glad to hear it works for you! Hopefully you don't have toasted fingers now like I usually end up with.