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Thread: annealing brass

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy
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    annealing brass

    how much of accuracy improvement could one expect from annealing. The farthist would be no more than 300 yards.
    thanks
    rrh

  2. #2
    Boolit Master
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    IMO, Annealing is to let you load, without splitting cases, will help with sealing chamber. Are you using a heavy crimp ? You do not say what you are shooting or reloading ? I see very little plus on the accuracy side, other than to use old tight brass ?

  3. #3
    Boolit Master slim1836's Avatar
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    The accuracy may not have been improved much if any, the benefit is a consistent batch of brass. A batch of brass that is consistent, used in addition to all else needed to develop a load, contributes in overall improvement in accuracy. It's just one step in the right direction, and it allows you to achieve more loads per casing. I anneal my cases every 3rd or 4th use to extend its life, others may do it every time they shoot, each to their own. I just shoot paper nowadays, just for fun.

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  4. #4
    Boolit Master deces's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by slim1836 View Post
    The accuracy may not have been improved much if any, the benefit is a consistent batch of brass. A batch of brass that is consistent, used in addition to all else needed to develop a load, contributes in overall improvement in accuracy. It's just one step in the right direction, and it allows you to achieve more loads per casing. I anneal my cases every 3rd or 4th use to extend its life, others may do it every time they shoot, each to their own. I just shoot paper nowadays, just for fun.

    Slim
    What is the most about of reloads you have gotten out of a bottle neck case?
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  5. #5
    Boolit Buddy
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    I am shooting mostly 308 win with jacketed bullets. If I crimp it will only be a very light crimp. I dont want to invest in a annealing set up if it would not improve the accuracy, because 308 brass is avalable and faily cheap.

  6. #6
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    Check the F-class and Benchrest gang, and their views on annealing (which they do after EVERY firing). It promotes consistent neck tension.
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  7. #7
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by redriverhunter View Post
    how much of accuracy improvement could one expect from annealing. The farthist would be no more than 300 yards.
    thanks
    rrh
    To answer this question we kinda gotta know how you define accuracy. If you’re shooting pie plate size groups at 100 or 200 then annealing won’t help.

    You want to try it I’m happy to run a batch of your brass through an AMP annealer and send it back to you.

  8. #8
    Boolit Grand Master Bazoo's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by deces View Post
    What is the most about of reloads you have gotten out of a bottle neck case?
    https://castboolits.gunloads.com/sho...Case-Life-Test
    Course a lot of variables but I got 22 reloads without annealing in this test.

  9. #9
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    Winger Ed.'s Avatar
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    I'd always heard annealing was to help keep the necks from splitting.

    If your brass is otherwise consistant I doubt you'll see any difference in practical accuracy
    until you get off into a serious bench rest rifle, and high end/match everything else.
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  10. #10
    Boolit Master slim1836's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by deces View Post
    What is the most about of reloads you have gotten out of a bottle neck case?
    I really don't know as I just don't shoot that much anymore, I just throw them into the scrap pile once the necks split. Record keeping is not my thing. Others might be able to chime in on their findings. I built my annealing machine and annealed several hundred .308's shortly thereafter. That's enough to last me to the end.

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  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by deces View Post
    What is the most about of reloads you have gotten out of a bottle neck case?
    My sons rifle, we loaded for a few years and never changed brass. 6mm x 22/250. No crimp, Mollied bullets, fired and single loaded rifle, would fire 100/200 per week, more when he was competiting, started with about 1000 brass and had most of it when he stopped shooting that rifle, even primer pocket stayed tight on all most all of it, that was the only reason we culled some. He set 4 national Reckord's at 500 or 600 yds with that rifle.

  12. #12
    Boolit Buddy SoonerEd's Avatar
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    In order for annealing to help with accuracy it must be done precise and consistently. Neck tension is very important but probably only perceptible in guns shooting F class or bench rest where the rifles shoot sub .2 MOA. F class and bench rest shooters get good at this or they stop doing it. Where annealing helps most reloaders is in improving brass life and shoulder spring back making a neck sized case increasing difficult to chamber until the shoulder is bumped. It may also be needed to soften the brass to form a new cartridge from a donor case or if you full length size a lot especially if the chamber is large and the case is being FL sized a lot. Just remember with annealing you can do just as much damage or more than good if not done right. If done right it can substantially extend brass life. I have full power loads in a 220 Swift and 243 AI where the cases are 20+ years old with over 20 firings and not perceptible thinning of the brass inside case above the web. When staring out work on consistency and error on the side of not annealing enough. You can always anneal some more but you can't un-anneal. Plus, if you over anneal to the point the case head is softened, it become a safety issue.
    Last edited by SoonerEd; 11-04-2022 at 12:26 AM.

  13. #13
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Annealing done right may not greatly affect accuracy, but what it will do is increase case life, On expensive or hard to find brass this is a plus in itself. It will improve consistency as the case hardness affects spring back. It improves the case seal on the chamber
    On brass with a lot of prep work increasing the life of it is good. Ive also found when neck turning or reaming it may improve surface finish

  14. #14
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    I only anneal the 300 BO cases I form, and I only anneal them once. My experience is that seating depth is inconsistent (.005 +/- ) with un-annealed cases and very consistent with annealed cases which I attribute to consistent neck tension. Accuracy remains a work in progress for me.
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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check