Baked Brass?

pack_rat · July 24, 2000, 09:28 PM

The other day at work, I was discussing reloading with a friend and he mentioned that a fellow he knows bakes rifle brass in the oven. He asked if I had ever heard of this.
My best guess was it is to heat treat the brass. Told him I wasn't sure, but know where to find out. Anyone heard of this?

Thanks
p_r

bk40 · July 25, 2000, 12:13 AM

pr,

the only thing I know of close to what you describe is annealing (sp?). The shooters I know only heat the necks... you can see this on some brass such as IMI, slight discolorization.

beemerb · July 25, 2000, 04:19 AM

Are you sure that he isn't useing the oven to dry it after cleaning with a water,soap solution?

------------------
Age and deceit will overcome youth and speed.
I'm old and deceitful.

Southla1 · July 25, 2000, 07:39 AM

Don't! Don't! Don't! The process of anneling the necks is needed to soften them but the case body and head area are specialy hardened and there is a possibility that baking them may change the hardness, weakening the head area!

------------------
Carlyle Hebert

swampyMO · July 25, 2000, 08:22 AM

Guys,

In my youthful and ignorant days (before I started using a vibratory cleaner) I would take freshly lubed & sized/deprimed cases and wash them in a soapy boiling water solution on the kitchen stove. To dry them, I'd place them in an aluminum cake pan and place them in the oven at LOW temp, rpt. LOW temp for approx. 2 hours. About 225 degrees is all that is necessary to get the job done. This is much too low a temp to affect the annealing of neck, body, or head.

I handled hundreds (thousands ??) of cases this way over many loadings and never suffered any noticeable ill effects.

While I certainly don't recommend this procedure, I relate this purely as an example of the possibilities. Using a vibrating cleaner is much faster, easier and more convenient.

As Southla1 said, the hardening of the case body-head area can be negated if a case is subjected to a high heat, even for just a few minutes. Pardon me if I say that the last thing I want to do is load up a magazine with a bunch of .223 or .308 cases that have what I know to be "softened" bodies & heads. There are safer ways to destroy my rifles that are much more pleasurable to my face & hands.

Best to all,
Swampy

pack_rat · July 25, 2000, 07:38 PM

Thanks for the replies.
I was kind of reluctant to post a "friend of a friend" thing. It did sound strange, but hey, if you don't ask you still won't know.

Cheers,
armus_rattus

July 24, 2000, 09:28 PM	#1
pack_rat Senior Member Join Date: March 13, 2000 Location: AL50 Posts: 156	The other day at work, I was discussing reloading with a friend and he mentioned that a fellow he knows bakes rifle brass in the oven. He asked if I had ever heard of this. My best guess was it is to heat treat the brass. Told him I wasn't sure, but know where to find out. Anyone heard of this? Thanks p_r

July 25, 2000, 12:13 AM	#2
bk40 Senior Member Join Date: January 12, 1999 Location: Mississippi Posts: 1,004	pr, the only thing I know of close to what you describe is annealing (sp?). The shooters I know only heat the necks... you can see this on some brass such as IMI, slight discolorization.

July 25, 2000, 04:19 AM	#3
beemerb Junior member Join Date: October 2, 1999 Location: AZ Posts: 1,759	Are you sure that he isn't useing the oven to dry it after cleaning with a water,soap solution? ------------------ Age and deceit will overcome youth and speed. I'm old and deceitful.

July 25, 2000, 07:39 AM	#4
Southla1 Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 19, 2000 Location: Jeanerette, La. Near the Posts: 1,999	Don't! Don't! Don't! The process of anneling the necks is needed to soften them but the case body and head area are specialy hardened and there is a possibility that baking them may change the hardness, weakening the head area! ------------------ Carlyle Hebert

July 25, 2000, 08:22 AM	#5
swampyMO Senior Member Join Date: December 29, 1999 Location: Missouri Posts: 327	Guys, In my youthful and ignorant days (before I started using a vibratory cleaner) I would take freshly lubed & sized/deprimed cases and wash them in a soapy boiling water solution on the kitchen stove. To dry them, I'd place them in an aluminum cake pan and place them in the oven at LOW temp, rpt. LOW temp for approx. 2 hours. About 225 degrees is all that is necessary to get the job done. This is much too low a temp to affect the annealing of neck, body, or head. I handled hundreds (thousands ??) of cases this way over many loadings and never suffered any noticeable ill effects. While I certainly don't recommend this procedure, I relate this purely as an example of the possibilities. Using a vibrating cleaner is much faster, easier and more convenient. As Southla1 said, the hardening of the case body-head area can be negated if a case is subjected to a high heat, even for just a few minutes. Pardon me if I say that the last thing I want to do is load up a magazine with a bunch of .223 or .308 cases that have what I know to be "softened" bodies & heads. There are safer ways to destroy my rifles that are much more pleasurable to my face & hands. Best to all, Swampy

July 25, 2000, 07:38 PM	#6
pack_rat Senior Member Join Date: March 13, 2000 Location: AL50 Posts: 156	Thanks for the replies. I was kind of reluctant to post a "friend of a friend" thing. It did sound strange, but hey, if you don't ask you still won't know. Cheers, armus_rattus