When annealing brass, do you water quench?

[koger]

Just wondering, if you should water quench or just drop on a soft towel, what say you fellows. I have seen it in articles both ways. I load a large variety of varmint/hunting calibers and about 8 different straight wall rounds for single shot rifes, 45/70, 40/82, 38/55, 50/70 and so on

 

[mike mccormick]

Well.....you can cool the brass off with water after annealling, but you are not actually quenching it. Brass doesn't work that way. Brass only work hardens, and to a minor extent, age hardens.
Water or not is purely a matter of how soon you wish to handle it after annealled.

 

[mikeinct]

Not any longer. I used to. I just drop them on a wet towel mikeinct Ps: I use the old school torch method case in a proper fitting socket w extension to spin in the flame.

 

[Gargoyle]

I drop them on a cookie sheet after they come out of the socket.

 

[6MMsteve]

it only takes them bout 6 to 10 minutes to be cool to the touch, if it's cold outside, set them in the window, if you quench them it takes a 24 hrs unless you stick them in the oven, for 30 minutes, you can quench and blow off if an air compressor is handy, but just drop them on a towel after anneal and 10 minutes your good

 

[Big_Daddy]

Very short answer.......NO

 

[Sniper338]

No

 

[Park ranger]

Years ago before I knew much about reloading, I was just a teenager, I would put my brass in a pot of water to the aneal line so I didn’t get heat migration to the base. Made for sharp lines, but I doubt I was getting and even aneal around the neck and shoulder.

 

[PopCharlie]

I use an AMP annealer. I just drop the cases into one of those baking tins. They cool in about 5 minutes.

PopCharlie

 

[AlNyhus]

I stand the cases in 1/2" of water, draw back the brass until it reaches the temp I want, then tip the cases over to stop the draw back process. Did these cases for a 223-based .17 cal. case the other day with excellent results.

Good shootin' -Al

 

[AWS]

I drop on a wet towel, sucks the heat right out of them without getting the insides wet.

 

[Emmett Dibble]

Damp towel.

 

[NorCalMikie]

Damp towel if any. Dry will burn from the hot brass and Momma will warm YOUR butt.

 

[old_heli_logger]

I stand the cases in 1/2" of water, draw back the brass until it reaches the temp I want, then tip the cases over to stop the draw back process. Did these cases for a 223-based .17 cal. case the other day with excellent results.

Good shootin' -Al

Interesting...I like the shape of your propane torch tip. It looks like a "burning ring of fire."
Ingenious! Good job!!!

 

[Bojo]

I stand the cases in 1/2" of water, draw back the brass until it reaches the temp I want, then tip the cases over to stop the draw back process. Did these cases for a 223-based .17 cal. case the other day with excellent results.

Good shootin' -Al

I like your setup. Care to share tubing size and orifice size ?

 

[AlNyhus]

Interesting...I like the shape of your propane torch tip. It looks like a "burning ring of fire."
Ingenious! Good job!!!

I bought it years ago from Todd Kindler at The Woodchucks Den. They were made by Hugh Meeks and sold as the Meeks Annealer. They're no longer available, unfortunately. After they stopped making them, I made a few for pals.

Here, it's drawing back some formed cases called the 6MM Jet...basically a shortened 243 Ackley but based on the rimmed 307W case (a rimmed 308W).

L-R: 307W case, f-formed 6MM Jet, full length 243 Ackley for comparison.

 

[SmokinJoe]

My answer is no, unless I'm annealing a really short case like a TCM, then I would want to cool it as quickly as possible to eliminate as much heat going to the case head as possible.

 

[4xforfun]

Didn't read any of the other posts. No. No need to as it doesn't do anything extra. Brass does not need to be quenched.

Tod

 

[Mr Barrel’s wingman]

My answer is no, unless I'm annealing a really short case like a TCM, then I would want to cool it as quickly as possible to eliminate as much heat going to the case head as possible.

Just wondering, if you should water quench or just drop on a soft towel, what say you fellows. I have seen it in articles both ways. I load a large variety of varmint/hunting calibers and about 8 different straight wall rounds for single shot rifes, 45/70, 40/82, 38/55, 50/70 and so on

 

[Mr Barrel’s wingman]

Just wondering, if you should water quench or just drop on a soft towel, what say you fellows. I have seen it in articles both ways. I load a large variety of varmint/hunting calibers and about 8 different straight wall rounds for single shot rifes, 45/70, 40/82, 38/55, 50/70 and so on

I just heat, let’m drop in a pan and go have coffee. Tried water quenching initially, then the oven. I realized I’m prone to forgetting as well as “momma warming my butt” as norcalmikkie says, so the coffee method works best for me.