I want to reload 7.62x39 and have recently found a way to reload the cheap berdan-primed steal rounds at my local range. However, reloading the steel cases work hardens them, which means that they can only be reloaded a few times.

Annealing brass cases makes them less hard, would the same process work on steel cases? Has anyone tried this?

Just anneal them in a trash barrel.

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Annealing brass cases makes them less hard, would the same process work on steel cases? Has anyone tried this?

you will have to heat the steel to the threshold of the material.
then cool it slowly. The cases are usually coated to control rust.
The primer pockets are larger in diameter than standard rifle primers, And standard primers are a little longer and will probably stick out . At the time I decided it was not worth it.
The ammo I loaded caused more problems with primers falling out and jam up.
Dave

Way back before the 7.62x39 was available, I used to alter Berdan cases for boxer primers; but for BRASS cases. I swaged the pockets smaller, and milled them a bit deeper. It sounds like got past that problem; annealing steel is the reverse from brass; let it cool slowly; do not quench.

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posted 25 May 2013 10:59 Hide Post
Just anneal them in a trash barrel.

best advice there is

Just did the math:

1,000 rounds wolf ammo and a mag, $398

Components for 1,000 rounds, $375 + time.
My single stage press means that 1,000 rounds may take 40 hours to reload, so I'm going with the free mag option.

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Originally posted by Cowboy_Dan:
Just did the math:

1,000 rounds wolf ammo and a mag, $398

Components for 1,000 rounds, $375 + time.
My single stage press means that 1,000 rounds may take 40 hours to reload, so I'm going with the free mag option.

40 hours?

40 hrs?

I do 100 an hour on my single and 300 on my progressive

Why 40? Also....why buy steel one and done? I wont spend money on ammo that I can't reuse the brass

It might make sense to reload steel case but I sure don't see it. roger

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It might make sense to reload steel case but I sure don't see it. roger

I sure wouldn't bother with steel.

I'm not here to discuss the cost effeciveness of steel vs. brass, but if you want to anneal steel, the best way is to heat (evenly) to a dull red (around 1150 degrees - give or take a few) and drop the cases in motor oil, gear oil etc. The oil will flame so do it in a safe area, away from children, combustables, etc. and wear PPE, blah, blah, blah, blah........

Oh and leave the cases in the oil until you can reach in by hand and get them out "without receiving 1st,2nd or 3rd degree burns". Of course wear rubber gloves because the state of Kalifornicate has determined that moter oils are a cancer causing agent and....................

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Originally posted by Rae59:
I'm not here to discuss the cost effeciveness of steel vs. brass, but if you want to anneal steel, the best way is to heat (evenly) to a dull red (around 1150 degrees - give or take a few) and drop the cases in motor oil, gear oil etc. The oil will flame so do it in a safe area, away from children, combustables, etc. and wear PPE, blah, blah, blah, blah........

Oh and leave the cases in the oil until you can reach in by hand and get them out "without receiving 1st,2nd or 3rd degree burns". Of course wear rubber gloves because the state of Kalifornicate has determined that moter oils are a cancer causing agent and....................

And after that degrease the cases, deal with whatever scale/crud is left on the steel after the annealing process. And I don't know how long a set of dies would hold up loading steel cases.

Buy brass.

I would like to make something a bit clearer from my previous post.

The "oil quench" cooling method generally does nothing to mild steels other than slowly cool and give it a blueish color. It can, however, actually have the reverse effect on certain high carbon and alloy steels.
It may or may not depending on the steel chemistry.
After thinking about this, it probably would not be a good idea to drop the heated cases in oil but rather just let them air cool slowly, since the steel composition may not be certain.

Under any situation, the cases should be checked by a simple destructive test to check if any softening or possibly even hardening has taken place after the heating and cooling process.

Steel cases are usually berdan primed. There used to be a drill bit kit for making a single flash hole

Try that first with brass cases and figure out how it works. Then think about steel.

You find steel casings on the ground at shooting ranges because nobody wants them and the bums that fired them are too lazy to properly dispose of them in the trash containers.