annealing copper for freechex

[original]

I just ordered a freechex III for 458 socom. I have read where people were annealing the hornady checks. Guessing this is to allow them to shape to the base and not spring back. when I get arround to actually pressing out my own should I anneal the metal before or after the checks are pressed? Is annealing needed on the brass and also alluminum? thanks again.

[dragon813gt]

I haven't found a need to anneal the aluminium checks I make. But I use quality aluminium, not roof flashing. Annealing is dependent on the quality of the material you use. Not necessarily the fact that it's copper, aluminium or brass.

[flint45]

Not all copper is the same just like not allsteel is the same some will need to be annealed some wont experament!

[country gent]

If you want to anneal and are able to get good gas checks formed with the stock as is , no wrinkles and to size. I would anneal after blanking them out. This would not only remove stress and hardness that was present in the stock but also what was generated during the blanking forming of them. There are many grades of copper and aluminum all with diffrent properties and qualities. Alot use aluminum from pop cans which is a grade easily formed Look at the bends and forms on pop cans. The stock for this is blended to form easily with little problems.

[tjones]

Sounds like your anticipating issues ahead of getting your freechex tool. -tj

[original]

Nope, not anticipating major issue just trying to get ahead of the learning curve that is involved with anything new. I wasnt sure if the factory checks were annealed and if the homemade ones needed to be. Thanks for the info, I will experiment and see what works.

[JeffinNZ]

I have never had to anneal a factory or homemade GC.

[Forrest r]

I anneal the strips I use to make my own al gas checks simply because I use roof flashing for gc's. After cutting the al flashing into strips I'll put on a pair of gloves and dip them 1 at a time into a pot of melted lead. Dip it in, count to 5, pull it out and turn it around and dip counting to 5 again. Then I wipe any excess lead off of the strip. I do this at the beginning of every casting session, it doesn't take long to get a pile of annealed strips for the 30cal's/35cal's/44cal's.

I don't anneal the gc's after they have been formed/made. The annealed material is still extremely soft. At least the one's I make are. If you're not sure about how soft your material you're making the checks out of is. Try bending/folding a corner of it over. Then anneal some of it in hot lead and bend it over. They should both have the same resistance. Then try making a check with the material your use and then the material annealed in lead. Then press on them crushing the sides of them. They both should have the same resistance, if not anneal your material. In 10 minutes I can anneal enough strips to make +/- 300 gc's depending on how many gc's I get per strip and the length of the strips.

[original]

thanks again for all of then info. I was not sure if it was something that was something that had to be done, I will give it a go not annealing and see how it goes. also just noticed at the end of my my post I said brass but was talkng about copper. thanks