Brass case annealing

[SWANEEDB]

For those who have not tried this little trick on annealing, i'm now using my smelting pot (3 qt cast iron) on my turkey fryer, i can do 5 or 600 (22 caseings) at a time, put the lid on and lite er up, do a few stirs to get good coverage, when finnished I can pinch the case mouth flat with my fingers, doing 9 and 40 cases I trim the amount off I want first and then anneal in the same manner, tried to trim after annealing but brass was to soft, it just rolled over. Annealing time with this process is really not alot of time. I'm sure others have tried this but thought I would share with those who have not. Brass is dull when finished but paper & critters don't know the difference.

[ReloaderFred]

If you clean them in a citric acid bath after annealing, and then rinse in hot water, they will come out clean. After swaging, then I tumble and the critters and targets think they're being shot with shiny factory bullets.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[a.squibload]

Hmm, like a small oven, thanks Swaneedb I'll try it.

I used a propane torch before, they get glowing red but it takes a while to do a batch.

[thegreatwrzesinski]

Is there liquid in the pot? how long do you leave them in?

[RP]

I have been trying to learn how to anneal cases myself. So far I have used a torch but that is slow and some lose the primers. I heat them up red and drop them into water. I have also tried a hot plate the coil time but it did not get hot enough for me I place the brass right on the coils. Also tried a flat sheet of steel on a turkey cooker just did not get hot enough. Thing is how hot do they need to be? If I dont get them red they dont seem to be soft enough maybe iam over doing it. I have some burners off a stove top I was going to build a box to fit over them and maybe get a control to keep the heat steady and bake them. Some post on how to anneal them and different ways of doing it may be in order for us newbies to swagging.

[alfloyd]

This is what I use to anneal my 22 LR brass. I fill it up, put tinfoil over the top, turn it to 8.5 and let it heat for 45 mins. They come out soft and clean. It holds a lot of 22 brass. :)

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?pictureid=3056&albumid=450&dl=1292131593&thumb=1

[RP]

Is a longer heat time better than a fast quick hotter heat time? When I use a torch heating red hot and water dropping I get soft brass. But if I air cool they dont seem to be softer.

[a.squibload]

From what I've read here, air vs water cooled shouldn't make a difference to brass.
I spray 'em with a squirt bottle just to cool 'em down a bit for handling.

[stainless1911]

Why anneal? I load for .40, is it necessary?

[RP]

well iam talking about taking 40 cases and making them into 44s or 45 bullets not just reloading 40s

[recycledelectrons]

This is what I use to anneal my 22 LR brass. I fill it up, put tinfoil over the top, turn it to 8.5 and let it heat for 45 mins. They come out soft and clean. It holds a lot of 22 brass. :)

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?pictureid=3056&albumid=450&dl=1292131593&thumb=1

I tried that with my Saeco meting pot. The first time, it had a bit of lead (1/8") on the bottom, and a few cases got hot enough to anneal. The second time it had no lead in the bottom, and no cases got hot enough to anneal. It may be that the pot seems to not get as hot without lead in it.

I didn't try aluminum foil - I tried an old aluminum pot turned upside down.

I'll try again.

[recycledelectrons]

I apologize in advance for my reply - this post scares me.


Why anneal? I load for .40, is it necessary?

If you are swaging the projectiles, then this thread is for you.

If you are reloading or handloading projectiles that you buy, plus brass, projectiles, and powder into your own ammunition, then you are in the wrong place. If you were to anneal .40 cases the way we discuss in this thread, your gun would probably explode. It would be the equivalent of trying to rev a diesel truck to the12,000 rpm you see in motorcycle racing. BOOM!!!

[a.squibload]

Yeah, maybe "swaging" should have been in the thread title somehow.

The deal is you stuff a 9mm cast boolit into an annealed 9mm case, then squish it in a larger die
to make a .40 JHP boolit.
Annealed cases stretch easier.

An annealed case full of powder with a boolit attached would stretch easier if fired in a firearm,
causing damage and most likely injury.

[alfloyd]

Isn't this the "Swaging" section of the Castboolits form?
Seams like all threads in this section would deal with "Swaging", not reloading.
Just my $.02 worth.
Lafaun

[Rock]

Isn't this the "Swaging" section of the Castboolits form?
Seams like all threads in this section would deal with "Swaging", not reloading.
Just my $.02 worth.
Lafaun


You have entered a swaging area, not a reloading area. We anneal brass to change its dimensions and use it as a bullet jacket.

[sargenv]

I have found that annealing 9mm cases for 40 cal bullets is un-neccesary. You are sizing them up only .0120". I cannot tell the difference between an annealed brass case or a non-annealed brass case in my Rock Chucker setup. I have since stopped annealing and haven't noticed a thing.

[a.squibload]

Isn't this the "Swaging" section of the Castboolits form?
Seams like all threads in this section would deal with "Swaging", not reloading.
Just my $.02 worth.
Lafaun

Sure is, I didn't think of that!

Sarge, maybe I'll try some 9mms without annealing, I'm using a Lee Classic Cast.
Would eliminate a lot of work, and I hate work.
I think you have a threaded shell holder in the top of your ram, suppose my
slotted ram would still be OK?
I figured annealed would make it easier on the equipment.

[sargenv]

The slotted ram kinda works, make sure that the stress of the punch is resting on the bottom of the slot and not on the top of the ram since the pressure will bend the top of the ram and make it impossible to insert any more shell holders.

I got the swaging ram for the Rock Chucker and had Brian machine it for me (since it came pretty much unmachined from RCBS). I have since had RCBS replace my reloading ram (thanks RCBS!!) and have been using the swaging ram exclusively for months.

I think if we were swaging the 40's into 45's where you need swage up about .0320" (.420" -> .452") then annealing comes into being worth it, but 9 into 40 only goes up at most .0120" (.3880" -> .3995" to .4000") and 40 into 44 magnum only goes up .0090" (.420 -> .429") I don't think it is neccesary since forming the lead will likely put more strain on the press than the small amount of brass we are forming, at least in my case since I am using remelted berm lead that BHN's in the 8-9 range. Try both ways and see if you can tell the difference.. it sure does save a lot of time and trouble, in both propane and/or electricity.

[RP]

Ok we got the other covered now any more thoughts on annealing cases.

[stainless1911]

Just checking. Measure twice, cut once.

[BwBrown]

"Some post on how to anneal them and different ways of doing it may be in order for us newbies to swagging. "

Here goes... by a newbie for the newbies.

I picked up on ebay a hobby/glass kiln, and a pyrometer, about 200 shipped - the kiln was a little heavy.

Makes it soo easy! Put 250 cases in a steel box, set it inside.
Turn on high. it takes 15 minutes to reach 1100 degrees f.
Turn it back to low, it will maintain temperature right around 1,000-1100 for an hour.
Let it cool.

Wash off the cases in vinegar and water, rinse - like butter!

It is true that I spent 200 bucks, but it works like a charm, no guess work.
This IS about saving money, right?
Bob

[b2riesel]

Ok...so it's like 18F outside with 6 inches of snow on top of 5 inches of snow on top of 4 inches of snow...hell..I haven't seen the ground since Thanksgiving....anyway...I want to anneal some .40 brass and I was reading up on my electric oven. If I turn to broil it only reaches 500F and cuts on and off constantly...HOWEVER...if I put it on 'Self Clean'...it goes to 900F for 3 hours.....is 3 hours too long?

[Smokin7mm]

I have annealed jackets in the oven on clean cycle. What I do is set it to clean and let it go for about a total of 50 minutes to 1 hour from the time I hit start and then I turn it off. It takes a while to cool down so you can open the locked door but at least on my oven I do not have to complete the full cycle. Also to keep the cases cleaner I loosly rap them in tin foil and then place them on a old cookie sheet, that way any burn off from the oven clean cycle depositing on the cases is minimized. Hope this helps.
Bret

[b2riesel]

50 minutes to one hour huh? I'll try that. I don't have to worry about keeping my brass clean due to oven cook-off....mainly due to the fact that I simply don't cook in the oven...I have a gas grill for steaks and chops...use the top burners...or the microwave...but what good is the inside of an oven for a single guy? I mean besides annealing brass in the winter time?