45-70 Case Annealing

[RustyNail]

Is it beneficial to anneal 45-70 cases? Will be shooting from only one rifle and not full sizing.

[BLAHUT]

Are you crimping the bullets in ?? I load single shot, same gun, do not size, index, bell only to get bullet bases in with out damage.

[Castaway]

If you’re moving the brass by neck sizing or even with gentle crimping, the brass is worked and eventually work hardened. Maybe not so much as could be but annealing will soften it again. I don’t size or crimp, but occasionally I’ll anneal. Maybe it’s not necessary, but on the other hand, some of the big boys anneal after each shooting

[Winger Ed.]

If you'll be using the same case 4-5 times and roll crimp it-
yeah, I'd anneal it to keep the mouth & sides from splitting like you see old .38Specials do.

You could anneal it every time you load it, but you'd just be making extra work for yourself.
I try to avoid that myself. I've found there is plenty of other people more than willing to do that for me.

[shortlegs]

Annealing will make it more consistent shot to shot. With the price of brass and availability of it I bought an annealer and will now make that a step in brass prep.

[tctender]

I would not anneal every firing unless i was target shooting. Probably after three to five firings under ordinary circumstances .

[stubshaft]

I usually anneal after every three firings. Annealing helps the case sal the chamber with lower power loads too.

[Chief TC]

I've read enough on here and throughout other forums that annealing 45-70 cases has benefits, so I have been doing it after a few firings. Even not resizing and not crimping it has benefits of extending case life and consistent neck tension. Like many of the guys here, I don't resize and just load them back up, so i concur with tctender.

[RustyNail]

Thanks for all the replies. I will go forward with trying to find a Bench Source Annealer. I will be also using for 308 and 223. From my searches this unit seems to handle the calibers I will be handling. Does anyone have any advice on annealers?

[smoked turkey]

Just a comment regarding the purchase of an annealer. This is just my personal way of annealing bottleneck rifle brass. I do it after every 3 or 4 loadings. I just use a cheap propane torch set up on a small bottle. I hold the brass with my bare thumb and forefinger. I put the junction of the neck and shoulder about 1 1/2" from the tip of the blue flame and begin rotating the case back and forth to a 10 count and then dunk it into a bucket with about 3-4 inches of cool water. I just dunk the case about 1/2 way into the water. I judge myself by the change in color of the shoulder after the process. I look for a blueish tint to the case at the neck/shoulder junction. After a few cases you will get the process down such that you are pretty consistent with it. Believe me you will be the first to know when you need to leave the flame by the heat generated in the case as it travels quickly up the case to your fingers. I count fairly fast when I'm doing the 1 to ten count! I use a hair dryer to make sure the cases are dry on the inside especially.

[JimB..]

I have a giraud annealer and an AMP annealer, they serve different purposes and I really like them both. Have run a lot of 223 and 308 through the Giraud, lots of smaller batches and straight-walled brass through the AMP. I don’t recall anyone having issues with a bench source. Order some tempilac.

[M-Tecs]

I have the benchsource and it does everything I need it to do. I recommend it but I have not used any of the other annealers in the same class.

[Rapier]

I do not anneal the 45-70 brass, when the primer pockets get loose, I toss the brass. I do not shoot light loads in my 98 Mousers.
This is the 20" barrel hog and bear stomper.

[FredBuddy]

Friends:

Any comments or tips on annealing
nickle plated 45-70 brass ?

[MSGuy]

There are many annealers out there, all with pros/cons. You have to think about what and how often you’re going to anneal. I’m a CAS shooter and I contacted Benchsource IRT .45C cases, they said they don’t recommend it on their machine, so basically that machine was no good for a good part of my annealing. There’s a new machine that came out recently “The Ugly Annealer”,https://www.uglyreloadingusa.com/. It looks like a modification of Annealeze machine.

So, ask yourself: what calibers are you going to anneal, how often and how many cases will you anneal?

I have an Annealeze, but I like the metal wheels of the Ugly Annealer.

[grayscale]

My wife gave me the ugly annealer for christmas, I wonder how she knew...

[huntinlever]

There are many annealers out there, all with pros/cons. You have to think about what and how often you’re going to anneal. I’m a CAS shooter and I contacted Benchsource IRT .45C cases, they said they don’t recommend it on their machine, so basically that machine was no good for a good part of my annealing. There’s a new machine that came out recently “The Ugly Annealer”,https://www.uglyreloadingusa.com/. It looks like a modification of Annealeze machine.

So, ask yourself: what calibers are you going to anneal, how often and how many cases will you anneal?

I have an Annealeze, but I like the metal wheels of the Ugly Annealer.

Eventually, pretty certain it will be a .300-.338 WM, but for now, exclusively 45-70. That machine looks promising. Will give hand-annealing a try for now as I am only doing things in limited runs, but if I ever "kick in to high production" this unit will be shortlisted. Thanks.

[trebor44]

There are many annealers out there, all with pros/cons. You have to think about what and how often you’re going to anneal. I’m a CAS shooter and I contacted Benchsource IRT .45C cases, they said they don’t recommend it on their machine, so basically that machine was no good for a good part of my annealing. There’s a new machine that came out recently “The Ugly Annealer”,https://www.uglyreloadingusa.com/. It looks like a modification of Annealeze machine.

So, ask yourself: what calibers are you going to anneal, how often and how many cases will you anneal?

I have an Annealeze, but I like the metal wheels of the Ugly Annealer.

Yep, can see the advantage of the 'metal wheels' with the inserts! But, the Annealeze works great for me. The "socket, drill and benzomatic" was good in the short term but got old after awhile.