Will worn out brass get thin walls?

[S Mac]

So I'm cheap, usually reload brass till it cracks. I noticed recently a batch of RP 44Mag doesn't have the neck tension as usual, same sizing die, expander. I suppose it's time to scrap it, just thought it curious.

 

[Ian]

The brass work-hardens and loses its elasticity. When you seat a bullet in tired brass it just takes the new shape without much "spring", so you lose your neck tension.

 

[Rick]

The brass work-hardens and loses its elasticity. When you seat a bullet in tired brass it just takes the new shape without much "spring", so you lose your neck tension.

And consistency . . .

It can be annealed . . .

 

[S Mac]

The brass work-hardens and loses its elasticity. When you seat a bullet in tired brass it just takes the new shape without much "spring", so you lose your neck tension.

And consistency . . .

It can be annealed . . .

Makes sense, never thought about that. Thanks

 

[RBHarter]

Had to anneal some 45 Colts after about 25 cycles . Neck tension was ok but it was smoking cases even with loads well into Ruger loads .

 

[358156 hp]

Remington handgun brass cases have generally seemed to be thin at the mouth to me. I especially had issues with jacketed bullets, so I started segregating Remington cases for use with cast bullets only. I continue this practice today. I've heard that Remington generally buys brass from other manufacturers, and this is reinforced to me by the wide variance of case headstamp fonts & headstamp layouts. Federal seems to be good for this, but 9mm Remington brass for example really shows a lot of headstamp variations. A lot of the cases I've seen lately appear to be either Aguila or perhaps S&B. My 44 mag brass all seems pretty uniform, but 45 ACP brass has really required a tighter taper crimp with jacketed bullets at times too,

 

[S Mac]

One thing I did, check some of the tired cases and compared some new sized Starline with a ball gauge, the RP were a bit larger id, but I guess they probably didn't spring back after the sizing die. Didn't check the wall thickness, nothing to measure with but calipers for that.

 

[S Mac]

Had a few minutes this afternoon, annealed a handful, what a difference. After the sizing die decreased the id .001-.0015 less than preanneal. Should make a substantial difference. I'm pleased, probably have 150+ of those cases.

 

[Ian]

The little Lee trimmer shellholders that fit in a cordless drill make excellent annealing fixtures. Spin them, hit them with a torch for X counts (you decide) and quench them immediately to stop the heat migrating toward the head. Personally I don't like to get them hot enough even for a dull glow in a dark room, that's too annealed. You can take a pair of Vise-Grip pliers and set them to pinch the mouth a little, measure a slightly squeezed mouth before and after annealing to determine how much hardness you've knocked out.

 

[Rick]

You can take a pair of Vise-Grip pliers and set them to pinch the mouth a little, measure a slightly squeezed mouth before and after annealing to determine how much hardness you've knocked out.

Nothing scientific about that but it does work surprisingly well. With just a little on the job training you can tell how much "spring" you've brought back to the brass. Try that with several and then try it with some virgin brass to compare and you'll soon be an old pro at it. Instead of regular vice grips I use needle nose vice grips. Set the jaws to where they just barely squeeze the case mouth slightly, not trying to bend it, just looking for the elastic spring back.

 

[462]

The little Lee trimmer shellholders that fit in a cordless drill make excellent annealing fixtures.

You can take a pair of Vise-Grip pliers and set them to pinch the mouth a little, measure a slightly squeezed mouth before and after annealing to determine how much hardness you've knocked out.

I use needle nose vice grips. Set the jaws to where they just barely squeeze the case mouth slightly, not trying to bend it, just looking for the elastic spring back.

I like.

 

[FrankCVA42]

When it comes to annealing brass I use a variable speed drill, 3/8" socket extension with the female end cut off and a socket big enough to take an '06 case head. Usually do this with the lights off in the garage. Anneal and into a bucket full of water. Then stick in an aluminum colander and set on top of the a/c unit behind the garage. Half hour or so and the cases are nice and dry. Frank