Case holder for annealing

[The Double D]

I load for the 577/450 Martini. Some of the things you learn early on about the 577/450 Martini is that brass ain't cheap and the bore isn't .458 and nodbody make dies with the right diameter neck. Now nobody like neck splits and especialy when your cases goes for $2.50 to $5 each. You must resize 577/450 neck after every firing or they won't hold a bullet. The amount of resizing is extreme and case necks won't last but a reload or two without splitting. Annealing after almost each use is mandatory.

Since I first saw the idea in his book Designing and Forming Custom Cartridges for Rifles and Handguns I have subscribed to Ken Howells method of case annealling. Here is an article describing it. Technique: Annealing Custom Cartridge Cases (http://www.gun-tests.com/performance/jun96cases.html)

To make a holder to anneal my Martini cases I soldered a piece of hex stock into the hole on a shell holder. The technique; Tempilac , electric screw driver and shellholder works fairly well. You must be careful to hold the case upright or the case will wobble out of the shell holder before you are ready.

I though about making a different holder but my move to South Africa came before I could put the idea to work. I was limited in what I could bring down to South Africa and loading gear didn't make the trip.

Didn't take me long to find Martini shooters down here. I quickly decided to deal with annealing issue.

Here's the setup I put together.

http://www.fototime.com/BE74D13524C18C7/standard.jpg

I took a piece of aluminum about an inch in diameter and 2 inches long and drilled a 7/8 in diameter hole in one end about 3/4 inch deep. (It's gotta be that large for the big rim on the Martini case.)

http://www.fototime.com/9F4EF53EBAAF0FD/standard.jpg

In the other end I drilled a pilot hole for my driver. My driver is one of those torex bits for use in the cordless screw driver.

http://www.fototime.com/D6D80023E3D0E20/standard.jpg

The hole was drilled to the minor diameter of the torex bit. I drilled a slight chamfer the major diameter of the bit to get things started and then pressed the bit in with a bench vise.

http://www.fototime.com/68388C8ADBE392B/standard.jpg

To use, just paint your case with tempilac. Put the case in the holder and turn on the drill and hold the neck in a flame. As soon as the tempilac melts or turns black dump in a bucket of water to quench.

http://www.fototime.com/350CD830FBAA3E8/standard.jpg

http://www.fototime.com/DFA24A804000193/standard.jpg


By the way if you are doing a bunch of cases, watch your water temperature, it can heat up and get hot quick!!!

This little tool is such a neat idea that Hornady is now selling a similar set up. This is one of those thing that falls into the "why didn't I patent this?" catagory.

[gzig5]

DD,
Nice, simple tool. I use my fingers to hold the case and judge temperature, but I'm not using Tempilac.

BTW...looks like you need to get closer to the bucket when you dump ;-).

[The Double D]

DD,

BTW...looks like you need to get closer to the bucket when you dump ;-).

You think that might be why I keep missing it? :)

I have annealed plenty of cases by holding them with my fingers and judging temp. Worked when I was doing bunches of 223 to 7 TCU...was spotty and uneven with the large case and ended up with a batch of burned Martini case necks. That stopped that. The rotary action of the electric screw driver is much more consistant and I haven't had a blister on my finger since I started doing it.

[eka]

Nice post! I'm with the other guys, I anneal while holding the head of the case in my fingers. I sit the torch on my bench freeing both of my hands to rotate the case. The flame enters the case mouth at about a 45 degree angle. If you watch close, you will see the color change as it progresses down the neck to the shoulder. This happens quickly and about the time it reaches the shoulder, you can no longer hold the case. (If your nervous system is operating properly). You then just drop the case into a bucket of water. The only draw back is that after 25 to 30 cases, my fingers start to get a little sore and I take a break. The really good thing about this method is that you can't hold onto the case long enough to soften the head.

Keith

[The Double D]

Like I said the fingers worked fine for small cases. But have you ever tried to roll a 577/450 case between your fingers and not burn a case...at best you will get an uneven aneal and still split necks and worse, like I did burned brass and your fingers never even notice...at $5 a case you'll find a better way... of course cases are down to about $2.50 each now so it's not as painful.

I can also tell you that my fingers say drop it before the tempilac changes color.

[imashooter2]

Hmmm... seems a deep well socket might work for those of us without access to machine tools.

[Nueces]

Now, there's a heckuva good idea....

Mark

[scrapcan]

I have used a hex drive nut driver int he same fashion. No tempilac, but it does work good. You could possibly ind a hex drive adapter to 3/8 drive and then you have a whole set of case anealing tools.

[The Double D]

I thought of the deep socket when I first started this project. The problem at the time was finding a 3/8 or 1/2 to hex adpater to fit sockets to electric screw driver. I had already tried the 3/8 and 1/2 inch drive sockets with my drill driver and it was too big and awckward. I also couldn't find 20 mm or 13/16 or larger deep sockets that were 1/4 drive.

That's when I just soldered a piece hex into the hole in a shell holder.

Are there adapters out there now to adapter 3/8 and 1/2 inch drive sockets to electric screw driver hex drive? If there are that would be a perfect set up.

Oh on the tempilac. I never used tempilac until I burnt the case necks on the Martini brass- 20 rounds. It's cheap insurance.

[garandsrus]

DD,

There are adapters that go from 1/2 to 3/8 drive and also 3/8 to 1/4 drive. Once you get to 1/4 drive, you can use an adapter to fit the drill.

I kind of like the idea of having the holder made out of aluminum as it would cool more rapidly between cases and probably not get as hot over a session.

John

[imashooter2]

3/8 to 1/4 and then into the screwdriver was exactly what I was thinking. The connection would be a little sloppy, but maybe some masking tape shims would tighten it up.

I totally agree that the custom piece DD made is superior on many levels, but without machine tools...

[The Double D]

This could be made on drill press...

[imashooter2]

This could be made on drill press...

I'm ashamed to admit that a drill press qualifies as a machine tool at my house.:oops:

[The Double D]

SMLE303 I found the post. Post a picture of your annealing tool.

[303smle]

Here is an non-machine tool version for those that don’t have a suitable chunk of aluminum/brass/steel, drill press and a 3/4-inch drill bit. All you need is solder, torch and something to cut the pipe.

I used a 3/4 to 1/2-inch reducer and a 1/2 to 3/8-inch reducer joined with a piece of 1/2-inch pipe and a piece of 3/8-inch to fit the drill chuck.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v207/303smle/Annealer/Annealer2.jpg

[dannyabear]

Have any of you tried annealing using molten lead? It's the best way i've found yet. Just dip case into lead at casting temp. for about 10 -15 seconds and then into water to quench. Case is heated evenly and to the depth/height/length that you want.
Of course, it does help if you have a furnance for casting your own bullets.

[The Double D]

Yep I sure have tried dipping in the lead pot and that's why I built one of these case holder and use Tempilac.

It's faster,simpiler more efficient and consistant; that is important dealing with cases that cost between $2.50 and $5 each.

Once you have tried it you won't do it any other way.