What are our thoughts on annealing pistol cases?

[Rapier]

Have annealed many different types of pistol cases when forming or when special loading. Example, when I load the 200 RCBS for a 357 Mag revolver or my Marlin 94c, the bullet is seated then taper crimped over the ojive, after the case mouth is expanded in the brass/brass cases with a highly compressed load of H-110 / 296 w SRPs. The annealing saves on the number of split necks from work hardening. I use the old water in a pan and torch in the dark method.

[barnetmill]

Annealing will help the shorter cases will be more challenging to keep the heat from traveling to the heads. But it should extend case life. I would work with the old pan water and torch method as this will keep heat out of the base.

I wonder if for low pressure loads such as 38 spl and 32 S&W wad cutter loads if a soften brass head presents any danger of failure when fired. I think that original cases were balloon head as in the .45 colt that were balloon head and not particularly strong. So light loads should work with the case being completely annealed one would think.
Balloon head vs solid head.

[stubshaft]

I don't anneal readily available brass like 38/357 but definitely anneal costly cases like 357 Maximums.