Wet Tumbling Curiosity - Page 2

Metal god · August 19, 2015, 12:57 PM

Quote:

You know if the brass spend a lot of time in the fire? Might have gotten heated hot enough to make it too soft. Suspect the odd color indicates excess heat and it's been annealed too much.

Quote:

Don't know exactly how long or how hot the fire, although it was hot enough to melt lead out of bullets leaving the copper cup/jackets.

Annealing starts around 500* , lead melts just over 600*

Cartridge brass is annealed at the neck and shoulder only . It's important the case does not get to hot at the head . I would not load those cases that came out of a fire . If it burned hot enough to melt lead out of cartridges . The heads of the brass were likely annealed rendering them to soft to be safe .

Panfisher · August 19, 2015, 01:32 PM

No worries, these were never going into the reloading bin. Just an attempt to see if I could clean them up. The ones that have been in the Lyman 600 for a few days are.almost normal looking now. Also ran the second batch of through the wet tumbler a couple more time they are slowly getting lighter in color. Amazing that even after I think 4 cycles (2 were very long) that the water is still filthy. One more last test to clean some of my fired brass to make sure that somehow I haven't forgotten how to clean brass, then I will find something else to be curious about.

jimk60 · August 20, 2015, 10:24 AM

Disclaimer:
I am not a metallurgist.
I did not play one on TV.
I did not stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

Here goes my understanding of annealing.

Brass, and other metals, are a crystalline structure.
When heated, the crystalline structure 're-arranges itself' (non-technical term)
in order to create a strong yet soft, or ductile (technical term) structure.
This allows for the expansion, and contraction of the case when loading as well as firing.
Each time the case is fired, it looses some of the ductability. If not re-annealed, the case will eventually split.
This is because the crystalline structure has re-alligned itself, and created a less ductile, or work hardened metal.

For a completely technical description Try this explanation form Wikiedia

Someone please correct me if I am mistaken on any of this.

Metal god · August 20, 2015, 10:39 AM

Thanks Jim

Was there something specific you were getting at in your post or just general info

jimk60 · August 20, 2015, 02:17 PM

Just general info on annealing. Many do not understand why they need to anneal. Just that they do. I believe if you are going to execute some process, you should have some understanding of why you do it, and what it does.

August 20, 2015, 10:39 AM	#29
Metal god Senior Member Join Date: April 10, 2012 Location: San Diego CA Posts: 6,876	Thanks Jim Was there something specific you were getting at in your post or just general info __________________ If Jesus had a gun , he'd probably still be alive ! I almost always write my posts regardless of content in a jovial manor and intent . If that's not how you took it , please try again .

August 19, 2015, 01:32 PM	#27
Panfisher Senior Member Join Date: July 30, 2010 Location: Missouri Posts: 1,337	No worries, these were never going into the reloading bin. Just an attempt to see if I could clean them up. The ones that have been in the Lyman 600 for a few days are.almost normal looking now. Also ran the second batch of through the wet tumbler a couple more time they are slowly getting lighter in color. Amazing that even after I think 4 cycles (2 were very long) that the water is still filthy. One more last test to clean some of my fired brass to make sure that somehow I haven't forgotten how to clean brass, then I will find something else to be curious about.

August 20, 2015, 10:24 AM	#28
jimk60 Member Join Date: April 16, 2015 Posts: 18	Disclaimer: I am not a metallurgist. I did not play one on TV. I did not stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night. Here goes my understanding of annealing. Brass, and other metals, are a crystalline structure. When heated, the crystalline structure 're-arranges itself' (non-technical term) in order to create a strong yet soft, or ductile (technical term) structure. This allows for the expansion, and contraction of the case when loading as well as firing. Each time the case is fired, it looses some of the ductability. If not re-annealed, the case will eventually split. This is because the crystalline structure has re-alligned itself, and created a less ductile, or work hardened metal. For a completely technical description Try this explanation form Wikiedia Someone please correct me if I am mistaken on any of this.

August 20, 2015, 02:17 PM	#30
jimk60 Member Join Date: April 16, 2015 Posts: 18	Just general info on annealing. Many do not understand why they need to anneal. Just that they do. I believe if you are going to execute some process, you should have some understanding of why you do it, and what it does.