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Old August 12, 2013, 08:38 AM   #8
dahermit
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Join Date: October 28, 2006
Location: South Central Michigan...near
Posts: 6,501
Quote:
It is a simple process. I use one 'torch'. I don't set it for a sharp hot cutting flame. I put a 'deep well' socket on a short extension, drop a case in and rotate. After a full rotation, into water (ice water would be better but I just use water). I prefer to do this in the late evening so I can watch the metal go from a crinkly surface to smooth. There are markers that can be used to tell the actual temp.
Ice water serves no purpose. The purpose for water quenching the brass is to prevent the heat from conducting from the area being annealed to the area (case head) of the case that should/must remain harder. Quenching has nothing to do with the process except as a convenient way of stopping the heat from migrating from the neck to the body to the head. If one wanted to anneal just a small piece of brass (not a cartridge case), it could just be heated and left to air cool...it would still be just as soft. "One full rotation", is ambiguous as to time and heat, and naught but a "guesstamate".

Annealing is not as simple as some are suggesting. The cartridge case should be fairly soft in the neck, a little harder in the body and harder still in the head. If the head becomes soft, the primer will blow-out on the next firing. If you wish to anneal your cases, do some research and find the correct temperature (not "crinkly to smooth") or red heat...that is too hot and the necks can become too soft, causing the cartridge necks to prolapse into the case when seating a bullet. To get the correct temperature, it is safest to get the temperature indicating crayons that can be found via the internet.
Uniformity is also important, the neck should be heated uniformly around its circumference, which is difficult to do with a hand held torch. If a case neck is rendered softer on one side more than the other, bullet-pull and accuracy will most certainly suffer.

If you are determined to anneal your cases, do research using credible sources (for instance, do a search on the "annealing temperature of brass"). A forum where anyone can post, is not the best of sources. Take everything posted here with a gain of salt. Some posters on the subject will consider themselves knowledgeable on the subject if they get away with if after doing it X number of years, but in fact are courting disaster. Some will be quite knowledgeable and will have perfected their methods in conjunction with good science...you will have to be able to tell the difference.
Here is a very good source:
http://www.6mmbr.com/annealing.html

Last edited by dahermit; August 12, 2013 at 08:50 AM.
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