Why Quench?

Status
Not open for further replies.

Olon

Member
Joined
Oct 8, 2018
Messages
1,108
Location
Roaming around the Heartland
Hello,

I was reading through some reloading threads here on THR. One thing that came up a few times that has me scratching my head is why some folks would quench their cases before reloading them.

I get that, by annealing, you are undoing the effects of what is essentially cold working the case when you shoot it. Annealing repairs those dislocations in the crystal structure, making it more ductile and essentially brings it back to square one.

Then people go and quench them, once again embrittling the case. Why is this desirable? I would think that all quenching does is make it more likely for the brass to split.

On another vein, I understand that by using unquenched brass, the wall thickness is decreasing by more each time you shoot. Does this affect the life of the case more than possible splitting? If that's what it is, why don't you just trim it and call it good instead of adding 2 more steps?

Genuinely curious here, as I'm not at all experienced in the reloading world. What do you all do, and why?

As always, thanks for your input,

Olon
 
I did neglect to mention earlier, I quit dropping brass into water a long, long time ago. I do run a little blower fan into my catch basket to cool them faster, so I can handle them into the next step, but it’s really not a value-add step in the process. I did grab a couple pieces and see how hot the case head would get if it wasn’t quenched, and it didn’t get hot enough to cause any phase shift.
 
I did neglect to mention earlier, I quit dropping brass into water a long, long time ago. I do run a little blower fan into my catch basket to cool them faster, so I can handle them into the next step, but it’s really not a value-add step in the process. I did grab a couple pieces and see how hot the case head would get if it wasn’t quenched, and it didn’t get hot enough to cause any phase shift.

Phase shift... you're talking like an engineer haha.
 
Restating what has been said in multiple posts above:

1. Rapid cooling ("quenching") has no effect on brass. None. Zip. Nada. :ninja:
2. If you heat the neck/shoulder so long as to have 750° heat actually transfer to the case head, you've Looooong since burned up that neck/shoulder. Gone. Elmúlt. Yшел.:what:
3. All that you have accomplished is having to dry the now-wet cases out before use.:cuss:


.
 
Brass life- A standard fl die that over works the neck area will work harden the necks causing splits. Bushing dies help, only sizing just enough to hold the bullets.
 
In the past, reloaders annealed their brass by sitting the cartridge in a shallow tray of water. This was done to keep the base cool, while annealing the neck. From what I have seen the step of tipping the case soon was adopted following annealing. And thus began another bit of foolishness that became the gospel of the gunwriters.
 
In the past, reloaders annealed their brass by sitting the cartridge in a shallow tray of water. This was done to keep the base cool, while annealing the neck. From what I have seen the step of tipping the case soon was adopted following annealing. And thus began another bit of foolishness that became the gospel of the gunwriters.
Standing in water was to protect the case head from heat like you say (Likely good advise for newbies who might get the case to hot and weaken the case head if it wasn't protected.), but tipping it over was just to cool the case to make it easy to pick up.

It is how I annealed my first cases decades ago.
 
Actually, I think annealing, in most cases has become the "gospel of foolishness" of the gunwriters.

Then you probably shouldn’t waste the time to do it.

For my match rifle (gas gun) only loads, I have been converted from the “why bother” camp, to the “must do” camp.
I was getting what I believe was to many cracked necks on cases that had only been shot a few times, and in only one rifle.
So, I started annealing new cases and every reloading. It has helped a lot. I built a little machine and now it’s just part of the routine.
 
Last edited:
’m about to anneal a few hundred .308 and water will not be a part of the process, however, a few cold coors lights might be

My garage floor is covered in carpet that homeowners in my area ripped out and left by the curb. If it gets too oily, from my leaking vintage vehicles, I find more! As it is, I am concerned a hot case might melt the shag, be difficult to remove from the case, and so, I drop the case into water, away from the flame, after a count of four (or so).

MjBXF4Q.jpg

The greatest problem I have had is over annealing the case necks. Based on my experience, if I see orange the case neck is too hot. I try to rotate the case, spread the heat evenly, and just stop before orange appears. I anneal in the inky shadows of the garage. Since I am holding the case head in my fingers there is not a chance in hell that the case head will reach annealing temperatures, as my fingers will be burnt before then!
 
If you do it right you don’t even need water to cool before the heat can migrate.

You can hold the case at the base right out of the flames.

 
Last edited:
I was always led to believe brass anealing was exactly bass actwards from steel.
Harden steel by quick quench
Harden brass by slow quench or prolonged heat soaking
So to aneal brass, heat it quick and cool it quick, although air cooling may be quick enough
It used to be in Dixie gun works catalog I think, but don’t get me to lying!
Jmtcw
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top