Commercial jackets not forming flat tips.

[Medicaus]

Hey guys,
I just got an order of buckets of jackets in 223 cal that simply aren't forming like the last.
I'm guessing they've changed their copper because I still have some old jackets, they are darker in colour (New ones look more like H65) and form just fine.

I'm just wondering if anyone has experienced swaged bullets having tips that are longer on one side than the other, giving it a point like appearance on one side. I'm not sure if it's just stretching one side more than the other or if the jacket batch is toast. I've tried all the lubes in my arsenal now and since running a few old jackets through with perfect results, I'm thinking it's the brass.
Should I send it off to a professional annealer? There's about 20lbs worth to do. I've noted that annealing them does help significantly but I don't have a furnace or heat treat oven.
Thanks for any and all advice.
MA

[HWooldridge]

The self-cleaning cycle in your household oven might get hot enough to do some good. I'd try running a few dozen through that temp on an old cookie pan or in a cast iron skillet. It's easy enough to do and your oven might appreciate it...LOL

[kokomokid]

A top bullet maker told me to hold J-4 or any untreated jackets at 460* to 470* for two hours in an argon purge oven or keep door closed while cooling. Bring them back shiny by pouring into boiling water with citric acid. Can not find my notes but think I used 1qt distilled water to 1 tbl spoon citric canning acid.

[Willbird]

I think you could use a Lee lead pot with a PID, make a lid for it. Memory is telling me I saw that idea posted somewhere for annealing jackets.

Yea it was posted here in the past and I am thinking I saw it in other places as well.

https://castboolits.gunloads.com/arc.../t-322395.html

Would not HAVE to be a lee but they are probably the cheapest, I see the little 4lb dipper pot on ebay for like $60.

Friend uses his electric stove burner to anneal fired brass before making jackets out of it, maomart sells a cheap hot plate that would do the same too, but IMHO the lead pot with PID would be perhaps a more repeatable process, and perhaps easy to dribble a little argon into it so nothing oxidized.

Cheap and dirty just to try your existing pot cleaned out may work even without PID, just nudge temp up IMHO and monitor it until it stabilizes where you want it.