My 1st ever attempt @ case annealing

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Ricky Bobby

New member
Decided this morning that I was going to try annealing some brass for the very 1st time. I have read up on the subject several times & have learned that there are numerous ways of doing it, which are probably all debateable. Anyways, I decided I would keep things as simple as possible for my 1st time around. I had some once fired .204 Hornady brass that came from factory loaded ammo, which is what I decided to anneal. I have heard of the Hornady .204 brass only lasting for 3 or 4 reloadings and split necks start showing ... so I figured it couldn't hurt to try annealing it right from the start. I found a 3/8" deepwell socket that the .204 brass fit perfectly inside of. It held it without it being able to flop around but when I flipped it upside down the brass case would slide out on it's own. Perfect for when I get it hot enough and wanted to drop the case in a bucket of cool water.

This is a pic of my reloading area with the bucket of water sitting on the floor next to me while I was annealing.
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I left my torch running constant at a somewhat medium to light setting, on top my bench. With all the lights out in the basement, I would load a casing & raise the drill slowly into the flame. All the while watching as the case neck started to change colors. It would go black then kind of blue and then to a deep dark maroon and at that second I would quickly dump the brass case into the bucket of water. Here is a pic of me raising a case towards the torch, to start heating it.
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I tried to time them as I was heating them but I found it much easier to do it by sight. I think it was taking somewhere around 7-8 seconds per case. I tried holding the flame at the base of the necks, where they met the shoulders. This last pic is of the brass after I removed it all from the water bucket. I stood them upside down to let them dry.
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So ... I just gotta hear from the experts! Does my brass look like it's properly annealed? I haven't a clue whether I'm in the right or wrong. I need honest opinions and or suggestions. Thanks for looking!
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It is very small! It is only 48" or less in length. I have to keep it organized or I have no room to do anything. I keep stuff either in my overhead cabinets or down on the lower shelf. I have an old limestone type cellar/basement that I do my reloading in. I have been begging the better half to let me move upstairs because if I don't keep stuff lightly oiled, it starts to show signs of rust. I have way to much invested in my equipment to watch it go bad. I have to convince her to let me move upstairs!
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Originally Posted By: EJ ReichenbachYour reloading bench is too clean

And everything has those pretty little covers on them - definitely a woman's touch at work here.

By the way, the cases look great (except that they are all neatly lined up
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Yup, definitely too clean - let me help you with that, I'm a professional disorganization expert.

Oh, and your brass looks great.....except it's all in neat little lines, balanced on the skinny end.....and those covers........
 
Originally Posted By: Ricky BobbyWill the discoloration on the cases, from the annealing process, disappear if I run them through my tumbler?

Just wondering.

Yes, it will... but why do you want to remove it?

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Cat~

I'm fine with the way they currently look. I was curious if I load them, fire them, and then run them through the tumbler; what they'll look like then. I like running my brass through the tumbler after every firing. I'm kinda anal like that.
 
It looks as if they got a little to warm to me. Did you use any paint to or a welder's temp stick to show the proper temp? I could be wrong but in the pic they sure look like they were to hot.
 
Originally Posted By: tuneredThe way the torch is angled down that socket was a good idea.

If you look at the high dollar case annealing machines that are available on the market ... the torch tips are clamped in a vise at a very similar downward angle. I agree though, the socket did help keep the heat off the lower portion of the cases. I really think regardless of torch tip angle that if you don't quickly cool them in the water, the heat would easily ruin the lower portion of the cases. The heat seemed to quickly creep downward on the brass.
 
Originally Posted By: Warboar_21It looks as if they got a little to warm to me. Did you use any paint to or a welder's temp stick to show the proper temp? I could be wrong but in the pic they sure look like they were to hot.
I thought they looked a little dark too. Mine normaly look a little more gray but I use propane in stead of map gas. Other than that not bad. Annealing will definitely help your brass last longer. I have some 243 brass on there 84th loading with no problems with a single case in the lot. Before anealing I got maybe 5 before splits in the necks
 
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I'm definately NOT an annealing expert, but will throw in a comment (hopefully helpful) or two. I use a very similiar set up, but I aim my flame more toward the neck/shoulder junction of the case. My heat on the case doesn't flow as far down the case as yours. I use templac painted down the neck and partially down the case. Also, my times are shorter than yours, but that depends on how you have your torch set. Lastly, I don't dump my cases in water, but in a shallow cardboard box. The heat doesn't travel much after removing from the flame, and I didn't want the issue of wet cases to deal with. Tumbling your brass will shine up the annealing section, but I kindly like the annealed look.
Your cases look good, not over heated, which is easy to do. Looks like your first attempt was a success!
 
For the most part, they are gray in color. The last pic, there is one piece standing right side up closest to the camera that for some reason looks a little black. I think it is the way the camera came into focus on the bulk of the brass that's behind it. There are a few pieces that you can tell the heat might have crept a little further down the case than one might like, but hey ... this was my very first time! I'm sure I can get a little better for the next time.
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Originally Posted By: CatShooter
They are not too hot.

The color depends on the ratio of air and gas.

Those cases are find - it is hard to over heat them.

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Learn something new every day
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Ricky,
I think they got too hot also. Map gas gets them too hot to quick. The blue color you saw should have the necks at about 725. Any hotter and the next color will have them 800 to 850, a real red and they are ruined. You can check the temp using tempilac below the shoulder, use the 650 degree version. If they have lost their spring they are maybe ruined. You can find it explained much better than I have but the process is pretty tricky. Most of us don't get it right! this process and an article by Sinclair Reloading Press will come up and explain it properly. Good luck!
Greg
 
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