Annealing order of operations?

[jackbrownii]

For those of you who anneal after every firing, what's your order of operations?

Shoot-clean-anneal-size-load?
Shoot-anneal-clean-size-load?
Shoot-clean-size-anneal-load?

Something else?

Working myself up to buying an annealing machine...

Thanks.

- Jack

 

[Nomad47]

#2

 

[ar15topgun]

Shoot-de-capp-clean w/ss media solution-anneal-size-trim-load-shoot again

 

[762willdo]

#2

WHAT HE SAID!

 

[Cakes]

It appears it boils down to "operator preference" as I've done thousands in a Bench-Source using #1. I do anneal after the 3rd firing but IMO, I found if I didn't clean them up before annealing, the "soot" got baked in and was tougher to remove. I've gotten away from the tumblers for cleaning and just use a little "krazy cloth"... works for me. Eric in DL

 

[300 RUM]

Any way you want will work, just don't size until you have annealed. If you size before you anneal you can get very inconsistent neck tension.

 

[Erik Cortina]

#1
I will add depriming to the mix. I use a Lee universal depriming tool so that the SS media can clean inside primer pockets as well. This is my list:

Shoot, deprime, clean, dry, anneal, resize, trim, load, shoot.

The reason for cleaning before annealing is to get rid of the carbon on the necks.
Always clean before sizing so that you are not putting dirty cases inside your dies and risk scratching the inside or the dies.

The reason for annealing is to make brass pliable. So always anneal and then size.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

For those that anneal after you clean, what are you doing to the inside of the necks? Brushing, burnishing, nothing?

 

[CZ550]

^^^

 

[Martin52]

After cleaning and annealing I run a stiff nylon brush inside the case necks before resizing. I then dip the neck in powdered graphite if neck sizing or lube the case with RCBS lube on a pad (works really well) if full length sizing.

 

[nosualc]

I'll add my $.02 to #1:

shoot-deprime-wipe clean-brush neck-anneal-brush neck-FL size-load

After trying all the case cleaning methods, I don't really clean my target shooting brass anymore. Although it looks nice, i find it counter-productive. Carbon on the inside of the neck is your friend. I just wipe the outside down with ballistol or a crazy cloth to get the soot/carbon off, then wipe it with rubbing alcohol.

I minimally brush (push nylon brush in, pull it out) before annealing to get any chunks off the inside of the neck I don't want to cook on, and minimally after to remove any soot that may have be added by the annealing process.

I do this every time I load. I found this regime really helped my bullet seating consistency. Might seem excessive, but it seems to be working for me.

-nosualc

 

[jackbrownii]

Thanks, all. Sounds like the big thing is anneal before sizing. Cleaning regimens vary greatly...

 

[Cakes]

Jon- ++ on your routine. Almost exactly the process for my brass other than I don't deprime initially & anneal after 3x. And since I scored your 200-19x, I definitely know it works for you!! I'm too of the theory that "squeaky" clean brass is counter productive. Krazy cloth and a nylon brush thru the case neck and ready to go!! I guess I'm looking for a "consistent/uniform level of crud". IMO SS media to clean interior parts of the brass, especially the neck, for me at least would create havoc on my neck tensions. Like you stated;"a bit of carbon is your friend" I haven't used a tumbler in years..sitting in the corner collecting dust. Headed to Duluth?? Eric in DL

 

[nosualc]

Eric, seems like great minds think alike? . I've got a SSM tumbler, a vibratory tumbler and a commercial ultrasound cleaner sitting around collecting dust too.

One of the things I'm convinced of is that everyone who reloads has to figure out for themselves what works for them. If it works for u, keep doing it, and refine. If it doesn't work, try something different.

Yes, Scott, Adam and myself are all going up to Duluth. Think we're leaving Friday morning. You headed up too? I heard that Rod is out.

-nosualc

 

[Cakes]

Jon- You're spot on in that one finds what works for them and then "tweek" as they desire. I looked at the Duluth format for both days and I don't have 176 pieces of brass for my 6SLR. Being a LR type of guy I'm heading out to Moffit the same weekend for the ND LR Regions..bringin my trusty ole 284!! You boys have fun in Duluth!! Eric in DL

 

[amlevin]

I like to clean first then anneal. Easier to see color change in the metal and it leaves fewer "crusties" on the case. I then use a brush to clean the inside of the necks before sizing. I use an old silicon bronze bore bush that I've pretty much worn down to size from bore cleaning.

Since I use SS media for cleaning, I also like to add a trip across the trimmer after any sizing operation to make sure case mouths are square.

 

[FroggyOne2]

I'll add my $.02 to #1:

shoot-deprime-wipe clean-brush neck-anneal-brush neck-FL size-load

After trying all the case cleaning methods, I don't really clean my target shooting brass anymore. Although it looks nice, i find it counter-productive. Carbon on the inside of the neck is your friend. I just wipe the outside down with ballistol or a crazy cloth to get the soot/carbon off, then wipe it with rubbing alcohol.

I minimally brush (push nylon brush in, pull it out) before annealing to get any chunks off the inside of the neck I don't want to cook on, and minimally after to remove any soot that may have be added by the annealing process.

I do this every time I load. I found this regime really helped my bullet seating consistency. Might seem excessive, but it seems to be working for me.

-nosualc

Just curious, how many cases you work on at a time?

 

[nosualc]

Anywhere from 25 to 100.

-nosualc

 

[FroggyOne2]

Your way of doing it would not do well with me, only because when I work over the brass, it is ususally like 700 pcs at a time.

The way I do it is

I put the K&M case holder(from the neck turning handle) in a drill and use steel wool and quickly clean up the outside of the neck shoulder of the case, then anneal the brass, size, clean, then trim etc.

 

[Martin52]

My order: Deprime, clean, anneal, brush inside case necks, resize.

I put a deep socket (12mm) onto the drill and drop the case requiring annealing into the socket. The case is exposed from the case mouth down to about a half inch below the shoulder, below that it is held in the deep socket. Spin the drill with the case in the socket and the neck in the flame for the required time (I use 6 seconds for .308 Lapua brass).

Once annealed, tip the drill so the annealed case drops out of the socket and into water or onto a surface to cool down (whichever cooling method you prefer).

I used to use a case holder but found it much faster once I started using the deep socket.

I always clean the cases first, usually just in a vibratory cleaner and brush the inside of the case necks after annealing and before resizing.