# Annealing brass



## jk3hunter (Dec 29, 2010)

I've heard from many accounts that annealing improves brass life but does it help accuracy as well?


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## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

Yes and no.

Quality brass, its benefits may be negligible.

Cheap brass it might help. Depends on how good a shooter you and the rifle and load are. Most shooters won't see any appreciable accuracy gain.

I only anneal expensive or tough to come by brass to extend its life.


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## jk3hunter (Dec 29, 2010)

I shoot only lake city, its been pretty good so far


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## People (Jan 17, 2005)

It can help it can also make it worse. Overworking your brass is very hard on it. Most factory chambers are very loose and most dies are very small then combine that with the expander ball.

Most machines to anneal your brass are expensive. Many shooters just toss brass when necks start splitting. I have been doing a lot of close range shooting with my 15 and every time I go out I spend 120rds. These 120 get annealed every other go. I think I am on reload 11 or 12 on them and they still look good.

Who let the dogs out? Chuck Norris let the dogs out... and then roundhouse kicked them through an Oldsmobile.


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## jk3hunter (Dec 29, 2010)

There is a cheap way to do it that works well from what i've heard. all you do is attach a socket to a drill thats close to whatever size your shell is and spin the shell over a torch until the neck starts to get discolored


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## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

jk3hunter said:


> There is a cheap way to do it that works well from what i've heard. all you do is attach a socket to a drill thats close to whatever size your shell is and spin the shell over a torch until the neck starts to get discolored


It does work ok, you will probably ruin a case or two learning how but once you get the hang of it its easy. The problem with "any old socket" method is if you expose to much of the case you could accidentaly anneal the body and base, this is BAAAAD. You only want to heat the neck and shoulder. A deep well socket cut to the proper length to expose just the neck and shoulders works better, or the special annealing case holder sold specifically for this purpose.

But, its also time consuming. And if your like me, I hate reloading, so any step I can eliminate is good in my book.

Annealing would be great to do to cases you have a lot of time and/or money invested into. Wildcat cartridges you had to make from standard stuff, expensive stuff (like .338 lapua), or tough to find stuff. Something you want to milk every possible reload out of.

I anneal my .260 brass just because its not terribly cheap (but not terribly expensive either), but mostly because it can be tough to come by (I swear it was backordered everywhere for a year once). So I like to milk those last few reloads out of it.

I do not anneal .308 brass, .22-250, or .243. This stuff is easy to come by, and cheap. I shoot it till I loose it or the neck splits than chuck it. An extra couple reloads on it is no big deal to me, id rather save the time not annealing it. Ive got .22-250 and .308 brass that have over a dozen reloads in them, I usually loose them in the snow before they're "wore out".


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## jk3hunter (Dec 29, 2010)

Yes I know it is bad to anneal the sides. I have a deep well socket all picked out for my 223 brass that exposes the neck and up. I have already over heated one case but thats what it costs to learn I guess. I enjoy reloading so the time it takes is worth it to me.


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## xdeano (Jan 14, 2005)

just pick up some templaq and a short socket, you don't need a deepwell socket. All i do is count to 6 and drop the brass. I did this after i figured out how long it took to melt the templaq that i'd bought with the hornady annealing kit. It's not that hard, don't over think it.

xdeano


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## People (Jan 17, 2005)

BBJ can I have some cash? Lol It is probably the same cost to buy a machine or just toss cassings over a life time. I just hate going to the store.

Chuck Norris can do a roundhouse kick faster than the speed of light. This means that if you turn on a light switch, you will be dead before the lightbulb turns on.


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## xdeano (Jan 14, 2005)

The whole reason to anneal is to create uniform/consistent neck tension over the life of the brass. A secondary effect of annealing is the brass lasts longer. Consistency=accuracy.
Xdeano


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## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

People said:


> BBJ can I have some cash? Lol It is probably the same cost to buy a machine or just toss cassings over a life time. I just hate going to the store.
> 
> Chuck Norris can do a roundhouse kick faster than the speed of light. This means that if you turn on a light switch, you will be dead before the lightbulb turns on.


Like I said, for expensive stuff and hard to find stuff id do it. Annealing takes time, and time is money. They have some nifty machines that allow ya to do something like 25-50 cases at a time (im trying to build one), but damn they are spendy!

For run of the mill stuff, nope. Brass has certainly gotten more expensive than it was ten years ago (but what hasnt?). But comparatively, stuff like .30-06, .308, .223, .22-250, .243 is easy to come buy and cheap compared to say, .260 or .338 LM.


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## People (Jan 17, 2005)

Time is only money if you are getting paied for it. Other wize it is worthless. Just take into account how much TV time all of us have. Just cut out one hour and you will have so much free time it is not funny. I tell my friend if you just stop touching your self for 60 min that is 60 min you can reload.


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## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

People said:


> Time is only money if you are getting paied for it. Other wize it is worthless. Just take into account how much TV time all of us have. Just cut out one hour and you will have so much free time it is not funny. I tell my friend if you just stop touching your self for 60 min that is 60 min you can reload.


I dont watch much TV, but are seriously asking me to cut into my "me" time?!?!?!?! :rollin:


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## Savage260 (Oct 21, 2007)

If you have 60min of "you" time, I would like to buy stock in the lotion company you use!


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## People (Jan 17, 2005)

Savage260 said:


> If you have 60min of "you" time, I would like to buy stock in the lotion company you use!


Classic.


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## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

Savage260 said:


> If you have 60min of "you" time, I would like to buy stock in the lotion company you use!


If you want to be a coyote killer or bowhunter you better learn some stuff.

No bowhunter worth his salt would use lotion. Way to smelly!

Good ole petroleum jelly. Supports big oil too. :wink:


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