what do you use for case annealing?

[444ttd]

i use my old bernzomatic propane torch and a tupperware bowl of H2O. i use my fingers to rotate case on the torch and i haven't burned them yet!!!!:wink: when i'm done with annealing(3 - 6 seconds), the case goes into the tupperware bowl and there is hiss, then the next case. i've been doing annealing for about ten years now. i've seen that many people have constructed some form or another, of case annealer. i know(a little bit) of a salt bath, i was going to purchase it but something was more needed.

what do you use?

[high standard 40]

I found some plans online and built my own. It uses a propane torch and is adjustable for duration of applied heat. It rotates the case while heating and automatically ejects the case and feeds the next case.

[RedlegEd]

Hi,
I used to do the salt bath annealing, now I use the Annealeez II (https://annealeez.com/)for everything from .45 Colt to .45-70.
Ed

282695

[MostlyLeverGuns]

I have a Mike-s Reloading Bench Annealer. Load the cases, start up, come back when empty. Saves time, so easy I anneal every loading, adding consistency, accuracy to the process. Only use for rifle brass, really helps crimp consistency for 32 Special, 35 Rem, 45-70, neck splits from crimping eliminated.

[sharps4590]

I've been doing the same thing you've been doing....for a heck of a lot more years. Propane torch and my fingers. I stopped water quenching them over 20 years ago. It's completely unnecessary. If I was doing hundreds of cases I'd be looking for something automatic also.

[JimB..]

Giraud for big batches, AMP for little batches.

Overkill for sure, but I got this big bonus and...

[444ttd]

I've been doing the same thing you've been doing....for a heck of a lot more years. Propane torch and my fingers. I stopped water quenching them over 20 years ago. It's completely unnecessary. If I was doing hundreds of cases I'd be looking for something automatic also.

i've read the quenching is not necessary, but i do it the way i was taught. :redneck:

the most i have ever done was around 300, but its more like 50 - 100 cases. i am reforming '06 brass to 7x57, 8x57 and 7.65x53. i did the '06 to 270 case and the 221 rem fireball to 20 vartarg without annealing. the 270('06) will be annealed when its done firing the 5th shot(its around 2 firings), while the 20vt needs to annealed(6 or 7 shots).

[screwcutter]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYYy9pnrpUk
I cobbled this together after I got tired of the drill and socket. Quenching not required, but it saves picking up hot brass!

[paul edward]

Since 1963, I have used a propane torch to anneal cases standing in a pie tin full of water. Tip them over when the right temp is reached. For really small batches, I just hold them in the flame with my fingers and drop in water to quench. Have annealed cases this way converting range pickup 30/06 into 7.65x53, 7x57, 7.7x58, 8x57 and a few 308 Winchester. When my 44 Magnum cases started splitting at the mouth from crimping and belling, annealing stopped that.

[high standard 40]

Hi,
I used to do the salt bath annealing, now I use the Annealeez II (https://annealeez.com/)for everything from .45 Colt to .45-70.
Ed

282695

My home built annealer is very similar in function to this. It has digital adjustment features.

[Stephen Cohen]

I also do as 444ttd does, 2 gallon bucket between my knees and just drop shells in when I feel the heat getting a bit much. The bucket between my legs also has some citric acid powder in the water which cleans up the cases and removes all the darkness from the flame. Could someone explain the salt annealing to me. Regards Stephen

[GARD72977]

I use an AGS brass annealer. Inexpensive and works great.282742

[pworley1]

I built an annealer like one I saw on youtube.

[444ttd]

. Could someone explain the salt annealing to me. Regards Stephen


https://www.ampannealing.com/articles/52/salt-bath-annealing--does-it-work-/
http://www.targetshooter.co.uk/?p=2882

[dbosman]

I use a candle. I don't shoot much bottle neck anything so I don't need to anneal much. This works for me.
************************************************** *************************
By John Barsness <--- not me. Argue with him or Fred Barker

I use a method perfected by my friend Fred Barker, who writes for some gun magazines, including Precion Shooting. Fred found that the normal annealing methods used for years made the necks too soft, as they normally involved heating the brass to red-hot then quenching in water.

Fred is a retired metallurgist and developed the following:

1) Light a standard wax candle.

2) Hold the case halfway up the body with the tips of your fingers.

3) Heat the neck in the tip of the candle flame until the case is too hot to hold.

4) Wipe the front end of the ecase with a wet towel (paper towel will do) which finishes the annealing process AND cleans off the candle-flame soot.

I do it with any lot of brass as soon as the necks start feeling stiffer when resizing, or if one cracks. It also helps after making wildcat rounds after necking up or down.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oqt4FTk3Ac

[racepres]

I use a candle. I don't shoot much bottle neck anything so I don't need to anneal much. This works for me.
************************************************** *************************
By John Barsness <--- not me. Argue with him or Fred Barker

I use a method perfected by my friend Fred Barker, who writes for some gun magazines, including Precion Shooting. Fred found that the normal annealing methods used for years made the necks too soft, as they normally involved heating the brass to red-hot then quenching in water.

Fred is a retired metallurgist and developed the following:

1) Light a standard wax candle.

2) Hold the case halfway up the body with the tips of your fingers.

3) Heat the neck in the tip of the candle flame until the case is too hot to hold.

4) Wipe the front end of the ecase with a wet towel (paper towel will do) which finishes the annealing process AND cleans off the candle-flame soot.

I do it with any lot of brass as soon as the necks start feeling stiffer when resizing, or if one cracks. It also helps after making wildcat rounds after necking up or down.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oqt4FTk3Ac
Having inexpensive Natural gas... I do the same as above... but, use the kitchen stove burner...Dip in bowl of cold water to cool brass and fingers, and go again... no soot thanks
Been working for many years...

[Hick]

I stand about 25 cases at a time in 1/2"-1" water in large pan (like a cookie sheet). I do not rotate the brass. Instead, a use a propane torch with the flame pointing down into the open neck-- that heats the whole neck evenly. As soon as each one is hot enough I tip it over into the water.

[15meter]

I do mine with two propane torches set down to about as low as they will go, pointing at each other with the flame joining into one flame.

I only do it in an almost dark room, the brass will start to glow red then dunk the neck in a can of water. In a darkened room(dark enough it is difficult to see the brass to pick up with a pliers), the brass will show color. If you turn on the lights the color is so faint you won't see it.

I use the pliers because my eye hand coordination is not what it once was and getting my fingers that close to that flame makes me nervous. I don't use the pliers because the brass is getting that hot.

Just did ~140 pieces of 50-70 brass that was starting to split necks. Still have adequate neck tension.

By just dunking the neck, I cool them without filling them with water. When I'm done I toss them back into the tumbler for an hour to clean off the tarnish from the heating. I always polish them to a very bright polish before annealing, it seems to leave less ugly brown staining on the neck.
With some brass you just can't avoid the brown stain, I think it is in the alloy itself. Norma seems to stain the worst.

Annealed a fair number of different cartridges from 221 Fireball up to 470 N.E. Hasn't failed me yet.

YMMV

[GARD72977]

I leave the brown stain. I have come to like it.

[TNsailorman]

I tried emailing Annealeez on 3 occasions about 2 weeks between each and got no answer to a simple question. They either don't want or need my business as I told them I wanted to buy their machine but need info first. I am moving on.

[zarrinvz24]

Giraud is what I use and I haven’t had any issues with it at all. Works great.

[Bloodhound689]

I tried emailing Annealeez on 3 occasions about 2 weeks between each and got no answer to a simple question. They either don't want or need my business as I told them I wanted to buy their machine but need info first. I am moving on.

I just ordered an Annealeez and received an email from the owner telling me my product just shipped. He did say that he is getting over a thousand emails a day and it almost sounded like he is building them by himself so it is either get on his email or build product for customers.

My order shipped in three weeks for those who are curious.

Update: After using the Annealeez a few times. I am very happy with it. You cant go wrong. Just make sure your propane hose is tight after you adjust the torch nozzle or you will get a pretty blue flame in places it shouldn't be.

[Rapier]

I use a sheet pan with about 1 inch of water, stand my brass in it, light the propane torch, turn the lights out, get the neck and shoulder area pink in the dark and tip them over. I just started reloading cats yesterday, 59 years ago. This method is what I use in making my match brass.

[marlin1895]

my method is to heat the until cherry red & throw the case into a bucket of water. no problems but do not over heat

[QuackAttack24]

I tried emailing Annealeez on 3 occasions about 2 weeks between each and got no answer to a simple question. They either don't want or need my business as I told them I wanted to buy their machine but need info first. I am moving on.
Another vote for Annealeez here. I think he's a one man business and up to his neck with orders. I finally got my machine a couple months ago, and I love it. Works great. Well worth the extra cheese!

[Win94ae]

i use my old bernzomatic propane torch and a tupperware bowl of H2O. i use my fingers to rotate case on the torch and i haven't burned them yet!!!!:wink: when i'm done with annealing(3 - 6 seconds), the case goes into the tupperware bowl and there is hiss, then the next case. i've been doing annealing for about ten years now. i've seen that many people have constructed some form or another, of case annealer. i know(a little bit) of a salt bath, i was going to purchase it but something was more needed.

what do you use?

Basically the same as you, but I use a socket set deep-well socket and extension, to hold the case.
Sometimes I hookup a drill to spin it. :)

[444ttd]

Basically the same as you, but I use a socket set deep-well socket and extension, to hold the case.
Sometimes I hookup a drill to spin it. :)

whoa there!!!!!!!! you're getting fancy!!!!![smilie=l:

[243winxb]

A candle. Hold neck shoulder low in flame. Sponge is wet with water. Rotate 180 degrees till the water sizzles. Done.

The neck will be annealed & lower case body will be stress relieved.
Less chance of a case head separation.

Then use a bushing die to stop over working the necks.

[tankgunner59]

I use the cordless drill, short extension, cheap socket and burnzamatic torch. About 5-6 seconds and drop in a pan of water. Works out beautifully.

[rmark]

Alcohol lamp instead of the candle as above.

[Chris S]

I started out using a torch to anneal, then went to a salt bath system. Now I use this:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07KWQDYZY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Best method yet...at least for me.
Chris

[Cosmic_Charlie]

I use a deep socket on a 6" extension and rotate the case in the torch flame by hand. I do it in dim light so I can see the change to dull orange and I dump them in a dry coffee can. Works well enough.

[PhilC]

PiD controlled salt bath.

[Conditor22]

I spent hours of research and bought a bunch of motors/parts. I have a lot of pictures --- just can't decide which one I want to make :groner:[smilie=b:

[rfd]

It's such a pleasure to anneal with Annealeez Gen 2 ...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKZnwnkkDtc

[Tedly]

I have'nt quenched in a long time. Not at all on my cast boolit lot. Soft necks are best for cast IMHO.

[Cosmic_Charlie]

It's such a pleasure to anneal with Annealeez Gen 2 ...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKZnwnkkDtc

That's the cat's meow all right!

[hunter49]

I use the anneal-rite https://cartridgeanneal.com. I could of made one like he sells but, for some reason enjoyed watching his video and he came across as genuine. Great service, it works and I'm happy with it!

[lightman]

I use a Giraud machine and I'm happy with it. I've always liked Winchester brass but it seems like during the Obama shortages their QC slipped quite a bit.( Its not come back yet) I was getting a high % of split necks on new brass. Brass was pretty cheap back then but I put a lot of prep into my brass and it hurt to junk so many on the first firing.

[samari46]

Is the annealeez caliber specific? Asking because I have a bunch of Lake city 30-06 match brass that dates back to '67 and want to anneal it prior to trying it out with cast bullets and also some Lake City 7.62 match brass. Frank

[gwpercle]

I use the propane torch , hold case between thumb and forefinger , rotate case and heat neck area over a pan of water , when the case gets hot you drop it ... you will not over heat too many cases because your instincts to let go of a hot object kick in and you can't over ride that .
I used this on some hard 41 magnum cases I wanted to anneal to load some 41 Special loads in without the cases getting all blackened and it help extend the case life of the lead boolt loads .
Gary

[rfd]

I use the propane torch , hold case between thumb and forefinger , rotate case and heat neck area over a pan of water , when the case gets hot you drop it ... you will not over heat too many cases because your instincts to let go of a hot object kick in and you can't over ride that .
I used this on some hard 41 magnum cases I wanted to anneal to load some 41 Special loads in without the cases getting all blackened and it help extend the case life of the lead boolt loads .
Gary

Dang, you is a better man than me, hoss.

[Postell]

I have an Annealeez. Money well spent.

[rockrat]

I use to do like Cosmic Charlie did, with a deep well socket, but finally decided to get an Annealeez. To answer the question of doing '06 and 308 without changing wheels, yep, works fine.

[imashooter2]

I’m a salt bath guy. Cheap and consistent. I wouldn’t turn my nose up at a torch based machine, but I couldn’t pry my wallet open that far.

[dogmower]

I use blasting media from harbor freight, heated in a lyman furnace. Dip the cases in and quench in water.