Annealing Poll

[Docendo Discimus]

I thought it would be interesting to see how case annealing is done (or not) here at THR. Of all of the topics around handloading this seems to have the most diverse opinions.

 

[barnfrog]

I voted never on both, but would like to qualify my vote by saying I plan to start annealing rifle brass.

 

[markr6754]

I had to vote Sometimes Anneal Bottleneck cases, as it was too much trouble when I was converting free or dirt cheap .223 Rem or 5.56 Nato to .300 AAC Blackout. However, getting over my fear of shooting/reloading rifle, and building multiple ARs just because it's fun, and I can, I've had to buy costly brass and ammo, and I bought a Burstfire Annealing and Case Prep Center in January. So now I am, and will anneal every bottleneck case that I shoot going forward. I can't provide any valid reason why...except that it makes me feel like I'm a real reloader if I anneal cases. It just sounds so cool when I tell people that I anneal my brass. Hey, look at me, I'm annealing brass!!

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

I thought it would be interesting to see how case annealing is done (or not) here at THR. Of all of the topics around handloading this seems to have the most diverse opinions.

You left off an option: "I anneal all cases to improve concentricity and reduce run-out." That'll get some "discussion."

 

[Soonerpesek]

You left off an option: "I anneal all cases to improve concentricity and reduce run-out." That'll get some "discussion."

3.................2..................1.............................................................!!!

 

[Hooda Thunkit]

I don't always anneal, but when I do it's bottle neck rifle, with a socket and torch, to extend case life.

I've heard rumors about concentricity, but I'm not sure what that is, or if it means anything...

 

[Laphroaig]

I don't always anneal, but when I do it's bottle neck rifle, with a socket and torch, to extend case life.

Same here except that I hold the brass with pipe pliers and slowly rotate in the flame. I do it after the 3rd firing (or so) to extend case life and found that cracked necks don't usually happen until I scrap the brass for some other reason. I've done it mostly with 30 cal brass that I had to remove primer pocket crimps from and want to extend its useful life so I don't have to prep a new batch as often. Also my .223 long range brass that is of a higher pedigree than mixed LC.

I also used to quench the brass to stop the anneal but based on the discussions in the recent annealing threads don't plan to do it any more. I'm starting to think the brass will cool below critical temperature fast enough to not make any difference.

 

[.38 Special]

I anneal expensive cases and cases that are subject to more-than-average abuse. For me, that pretty much means .416 Rigby, and .30-'06 fired in a Garand and sized in a small base die. (It also includes wildcats, especially during case forming, but it's been years since I last played at that game.)

On the whole, I'm not sure that there's all that much argument about annealing in general. It only really takes one or two people to turn any subject into a brawl...

 

[.38 Special]

I also used to quench the brass to stop the anneal but based on the discussions in the recent annealing threads don't plan to do it any more. I'm starting to think the brass will cool below critical temperature fast enough to not make any difference.

Same. Maybe if I wet tumbled, but as it is I find that water quenching may just be adding several unnecessary steps to the process.

 

[Bearded Phil]

I anneal bottleneck and straight wall cases at least every other firing just to keep the brass going. Is that too often? I dunno, but it's a routine that feels ok to me.

On my cartridge labels I even notate it in the "times loaded" field. For example: 4A2 means 4th time loading and twice annealed.

 

[murray brook]

I use the salt bath method of annealing which wasn't listed.

 

[BushMaster-15]

I always anneal Rifle bottle neck cases after no more than #3 firings . Have for #40 Years it extends case life dramatically and sometimes depending on what one shoots ,brass is or can be Near impossible to obtain . Very wise to keep track of reloads and annealing #'s ,last thing anybody wants is a case separation in an AR platform

 

[edwardware]

I thought it would be interesting to see how case annealing is done. . .

You neglected case forming; annealing before, and sometimes during, forming dramatically improves yield rate (reduces torn cases).

 

[JFrank]

Whether correct or not, I currently reserve annealing to larger cases that resist sizing. This is always subject to change depending on which way the clues lead.

 

[Walkalong]

I anneal some calibers to get more consistent neck tension from loading to loading.

 

[N555]

It depends. On 8mm Mauser I anneal to extend case life because they're like $2 per empty case if I can find them or make them out of 30-06 cases.
For 6.5creedmoore I anneal them to make cases last longer and hopefully make them more accurate. I run them through my torch machine so at least it's a consistent annealing.

 

[The Glockodile]

Yeh, I flaym.

U flaym?

 

[Varminterror]

Tools for tasks. I don’t blindly anneal everything, but I always anneal some things.

I’ve been annealing for now over 23 years - I have done water pan, drill socket, lead bath, briefly salt bath just to say I did, automated turntable, automated roller, and induction, and automated induction (haven’t done candle, but have done Bunsen Burner by fingertip). I’ve had multiple retail offerings and have built turntable, roller, and induction annealers of my own devise. I’ve been mislead by pseudoscience and luckily found education through proper resources to correct my processes. Stress relieving - “annealing” - serves multiple purposes to varying effect, and certainly some of the belief in benefit is nigh impossible to prove out, but remains worth the effort for peace of mind for many annealers.

I will say, having now a Dillon feeder on an Amp mate with an Amp annealer, I never want to use any other method, and despite having ~$1600 (plus 2x $400 off certs) on my system, I do not feel that a single penny of it has been wasted. My time is worth a lot, and my peace of mind is often worth more to me still, and the hands free automation and intelligent temperature controls offer exactly what I want and need. A Giraud feeder with a homemade Annie type coil was very close, but the Amp set up is like having a voice controlled TV after growing up with knobs on the TV, or like owning a smart phone after growing up with an entire set of encyclopedias on the shelf beside your desk - I never want to go back.

 

[gifbohane]

I anneal some calibers to get more consistent neck tension from loading to loading.

Walk- when did you break down and buy an annealer? I think that it was last year that you talked me out of it. Well, I went ahead and got one eventually also. What brand or method?

 

[Walkalong]

I finally went with the AMP, pricey up front, but idiot proof, which I wanted, and as consistent as it gets, might be overkill, dunno. A long cry from the days (35+ years) of putting .222 Mag cases in 1/2" of water and annealing with a hand held torch.

6 Creed

 

[FROGO207]

I use the lead pot method and you did not include that option either. I voted for I somtimes anneal as I do not do it every cycle so there's that as well. I feel it is worth doing though.

 

[Bartojc]

I do not shoot enough volume of bottleneck cartridges for me to anneal. Most of mine are for hunting and at the rate I am shooting I have enough brass to last a lifetime. For .223 I have a few batches with 3+ reloads and several thousand once fired waiting to go, plus .223 is not that hard to find. If I ever start shooting rifle seriously for distance or anything then I may look into annealing, but for now I haven't.
I've never heard of anyone annealing straight walled brass. Is this a new thing ?

-Jeff

 

[Spclk]

I use one for forming proprietary/wildcat cases to help prevent neck splits.

 

[JFrank]

I finally went with the AMP, pricey up front, but idiot proof, which I wanted, and as consistent as it gets, might be overkill, dunno. A long cry from the days (35+ years) of putting .222 Mag cases in 1/2" of water and annealing with a hand held torch.

6 Creed
View attachment 1090889

Those sure are pretty . Amp is cool.
Q- how much bullet hold does your combination like ?

 

[David Hoback]

I’ve been doing the old fashioned spinning socket/torch method. But at some point I’m going to build my own induction coil.