Just for comparisons

JWFilips

JWFilips

Well-Known Member
I noticed there was a similar posting about annealing over the other side of the street today: Very similar to our recent one started by KHornet: Let's just say the similarity was only in the word "annealing"
I thought about putting in my 2 cents but after reading all the distorted views of the very simple process I just closed the window....Man! I'm so gad to be here with the educated folks!!!
Jim
 
Maven

Maven

Well-Known Member
"Man! I'm so gad to be here with the educated folks!!!"

Jim, Ben, you, I, et. al post over there all the time. Are we somehow lacking in gray matter or am I missing something? (LOL)
 
RBHarter

RBHarter

West Central AR
I think everyone has a particular method that works with their set up . I've tried several methods ,none of them make me happy. What I wonder is how it is that I get 12-15 cycles out of brass guys are throwing away after 4 . I've tossed more split 38s than any other brass but it was almost UMC nickel WC brass known to have been from the 50s. I've split a few 9mm but I have a lot that is almost blank headed I must have 25+ cycles on some of my 45 Colts an have annealed it because it wouldn't seal any more . Some brass just doesn't show color until it cherries . At which time it's "ruined" ..... sure generically that might be true sometimes,but a red mouth rim is a long ways from a ruined body or head on like a WM , RUM or other super mag . I guess about the only way to be science certain is with the temperature change markers or a timed/speed constant machine. But the average Joe content with 2" at 100 and giggling like a school girl after hitting a 500 yd steel plate likely won't see the difference that the guy with $3000 bench rifle sees when he has 1 indexed case and sorts powder kernels expecting. 007 10 shot groups at 200yd.

The choices in how we prep brass comes down to expectations, set up and exceeding the basic needs. What I'm happy with might be slip shod to the next guy and anal over kill to the last guy.

I the words of Dr Kirt Karlson "normal is what is normal for you".
 
fiver

fiver

Well-Known Member
I haven't quite figured out why getting a piece of metal up to a certain temperature and letting it cool down again is so hard.
you only need 715-f for a nono-second to make brass/zinc molecules re-align and lose the brittle striations inside the alloy.
it's like putting water quenched cast boolits in an oven, heating them up and letting them cool down again, the alloy will return to it's actual alloy bhn.
 
Maven

Maven

Well-Known Member
I've tried various annealing methods, e.g., dipping in molten metal, standing deprimed cases base down in water, using an alcohol lamp, and twirling cases held in my fingers in a propane flame in a darkened room. Although they all produced the desired result, some were better and/or faster than others. E.g., with an alcohol lamp you won't overheat case mouths, but it is also very slow. The hot metal dip is better as you can regulate the alloy temp. if you use a casting thermometer. However, soldering/tinning of the case necks was too often a problem even when the case neck & shoulder was smeared with ATF. The propane torch + finger twirling, then dropping the case in water works well for me, is reasonably fast, and if done carefully, doesn't destroy the integrity of the case, particularly the base.
 
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