Looking for a quick and EASY way to anneal brass

[mugsie]

I've been reloading long enough to know that in order to eliminate as many variables as possible, one of the things I need to do is to anneal my brass in order to uniform the neck tension. Hi - my name is Bill and I don't.

So - that out of the way - do any of you have a quick and easy - operative words here are quick and easy - way to anneal brass. all ideas are appreciated and welcome.

Fire away.....
(pun intended guys!)

 

[MrMajestic]

Get somebody else to do it! ;D

Buy a Bench Source, it's quick and easy.

 

[Erik Cortina]

Bench-Source annealing machine = quick and easy.

 

[CoverDog]

+3 on the Bench Source...

 

[necchi]

There is a learning curve. Expect to mess up some brass learning.
Hit the videos on youtube
I use Varmint Al's method,, it's frowned on by some.
Al has a web site too.

 

[timeout]

Bench Source

 

[LHSmith]

I would advise NOT to peruse annealing video's on You-Tube.........too many "experts" , some whose methods may result in catastrophe. There is good info on this site...do a search and ask questions here.

 

[nosualc]

Quick and easy, but not exactly cheap? Bench Source or the Giraud.

Better to cry once.

-Nosualc

 

[CPorter]

The annealing machines are quick and easy. I have the Ken Light. The Giraud looks to be a good investment.

I have used the drill with a socket sized to fit the case and while simple, it is not fast. With the Ken light I can do 100 cases in 15 minutes, using the drill takes an hour or more.

 

[jonbearman]

How many cases need annealing for starters.I wouldnt buy a machine unless you intend to do alot as they are not cheap. I bought a ballistics edge for 325.00 and I have done 1000's of cases. But if you only do 50 a year,do it by hand.

 

[300 RUM]

Do you shoot bench rest or "F" class? Are you using Lapua, Winchester or Nosler brass? How many firings do you get before your primer pockets get soft?

Any combination of the above you should anneal with a machine that gives you constancy other wise your at a 50/50 percentage for constancy and your doing yourself no good.

To be honest your better off buying 1000 W-W cases and cycle through them 1-1000 throw the toasted ones out and when you get to 500 remaining buy 1000 more etc. I have shoot 1700+ .308's year to date and still have four more matches to shoot. That will give 2 (two) loading per case this year and most likely next year and the year after that and the year after that and maybe the year after that I will buy 1000 more cases Do the math!

About $400.00 for 1000 pieces of brass good for 4 years or longer or $500.00 for a annealing machine good for about i would hope 7-10 years. Either way your still going to have to clean, size, clean primer pockets, trim, clean again

If your not shooting at least 1500 rounds a year and your using Lapua brass don't brother annealing.

My 2.5 cents worth


PS: If your married! Don't let your wife stand behind you when you are on Powder Valleys site ordering 2000 Lapua 155's, 16 pounds of H 4895, and 2@1000 count boxes of CCi #2's. She will want something that costs a lot more like your "A S S"

Good shooting!

 

[CaptainMal]

Electric drill, socket, and about 9 seconds in a propane torch.

No big deal.

 

[NorCalMikie]

I'll second what CaptianMal said. Torch, Map Gas, (gets hotter faster) deep socket, drill motor and you're in business.
First, do some range pickup brass to get the hang of it. Doesn't take long to get the feel for what you're doing. And in the process, you're learning something new. 8)
Sure beats spending $300.00 to $400.00 for a machine that you won't be using "all the time". $$ could be better spent on powder, bullets and primers. JMHO, .

 

[watercam]

I, too, use the drill and socket method. Purchased the Hornady version, used the Tempilaq supplied (goes on the body instead of inside the neck) to get the hang of how much time we are talking about (about 7 sec. for my set up). I anneal cases every third or fourth firing before cleaning. With the torch clamped in a vise I heat the brass and dump it directly into the tumbler. Takes about ten seconds per case to load, heat and dump. 100 cases in about twenty minutes. One does not need to quench the case after heating, just remove it from the heat.
To save time I MAY buy a Giraud trimmer though...

 

[Leaddog]

I know all you drill and socket spinners like your process and yes, it mostly works, but money aside, all of you would chose the Benchsource over your current method. I know, I was a spinner for long time.

First off, you don't get the precision (perfect timing and perfect flame distance) annealing that you can get with a Benchsource and secondly, if you are quenching as well, your process takes way too long if you have to dry brass. Let me know how you like your new Benchsource when you get it.

 

[jlow]

I would second what Charlie just said. I used to do the socket drill thing until I realize that you cannot get the reproducibility you are looking for when you are annealing with the drill thing. The way I look at it is there is no sense in annealing if you are just reloading for plinking. The only reason to anneal is because you are looking for that very high accuracy/precision. To do this, you need to do very accurate and reproducible annealing and the only way to do this is with a machine.

It is very difficult for a person to hold a drill, have the other hand on the burner, keeping a precise distance from the flame, and aim at a reproducible point on the brass, and at the same time be looking at the clock. One can use a metronome for the timing but that distance and target point is still very hard to reproduce. So in the end, why bother to anneal if one cannot do it absolutely reproducibly. I went with the Bench Source to get that “quick and EASY” and reproducible annealing and stop fighting the loosing battle.

 

[necchi]

[quote author=jlow] The only reason to anneal is because you are looking for that very high accuracy/precision. To do this, you need to do very accurate and reproducible annealing and the only way to do this is with a machine.
[/quote]
Poppycock!
Annealing is done to extend brass life and resurrect hardened necks to a reasonable working tention.
While the action done precisely does indeed add to the accuracy factor, stating that there is only one way to anneal and to that end have to use an expensive machine to do it or get it done properly is akin only to marketing.
People have been annealing metals with a high rate of success for a centuries and doing brass cases for at least 100yrs.

 

[jlow]

I really wish that it was poppycock as it would have saved me a bundle of cash and a hell of a lot of frustration.

What is a fact is that annealing will soften the brass and reduce the springback – we all knew this. Unfortunately annealing more will further soften the brass. Now certainly if you anneal it like hell, it would be unsafe, but that is not what we are talking about. What is a problem is long before that happens, that brass of different degree of softness will affect your sizing and neck tension – that is the problem. So unless there is only three level of brass softness (hard, soft perfect for shooting, too soft and unsafe) and one gets to those stages in an abrupt and absolute manner, you can see that there could be a problem.

So no, you absolutely do not need an expensive machine to anneal perfectly but I know I don’t have the skills to do it manually. If you can do it I would say that is great!

 

[rjnallie]

I built one that is a rotary type for less than $100.00. Graingers sells a 1 rpm motor for $52.00, used some 1/4 aluminum plate for the base and top with an O-Ring glued in to rotate the cases. The bottle and torch are mounted on a PVC pipe and hose clamp. I used the Tempilaq initially and found out 6 seconds in the flame would work. 10 holes were spaced out in the top, but if I did it again I would put in 6. It does 70 rounds in about 10 minutes.

 

[Dgd6mm]

Good for you rj, sounds like you got a winner.