So far am very impressed with the Bench Source unit. Has certainly made the process go faster. Still in the learning mode but ran a few WSM brass tonight and it looks pretty right to me. Comments/critique invited.

Looks just right.

George

Dam fine job

I assume your time is just about the 4 second mark.
the only thing I see is where you have your torches aimed might need a small amount of adjustment, to get that shoulder anneal leveled out.
other than that they look good.

Here's a kneeling that stirred up some debate.

Point your flame just a tad deeper on the shoulder, maybe an 1/8th or a 1/4" to encase the whole shoulder..My annealer uses two bottles to get both sides at the same time..

While what Ray is suggesting has merit and I would normally flame a little more of the shoulder myself when annealing, in reality it is the neck that is work hardened with constant resizing and seating bullets. If the shoulder is not set back too often, if at all, then it is just the neck that needs annealing.
Cases such as the 416 Rigby with sharp shoulders should probably not be annealed on the shoulder as these cases can have a propensity to collapse shoulders when bullet seating so soft shoulders could be a problem.

OK guys. Got a rather silly question. I've been handloading for myself for 30 years. I just work up my hunting loads and rarely have to shoot much over 300-330yds. I haven't gotten terribly technical. What is the purpose of annealing the case?

quote:

Originally posted by lechwe:
OK guys. Got a rather silly question. I've been handloading for myself for 30 years. I just work up my hunting loads and rarely have to shoot much over 300-330yds. I haven't gotten terribly technical. What is the purpose of annealing the case?

Cases which are reloaded multiple times, especially if fired in a somewhat oversized chamber and particularly if full length sized, will work-harden in the neck/shoulder area. This may lead them to crack or the neck to be too springy to provide proper neck tension on the bullet. Annealing by heating the neck/shoulder area just the right amount softens the work-hardened brass, restoring its ductility and therefore less apt to crack.

If your cases aren't loaded more than a few times and you have a fairly snug chamber then you may never need to anneal for your hunting rifle(s).

and/or when enlarging the caliber to something
else.

Like I did with 7mm & 300RUM cases to .35 cal.

Split a bunch of necks on used brass. Annealed

the rest and tested both: quenched and air

cooled. 20 of each. 7 or the first 10 quenched

split.

I reheated the rest of the quenched and let them

air cool and opened up all of them to 35 cal.

Out of 453 cases NOT a single one of the air

cooled split.

I wanted prove to myself what I've been harping

about for the last 50 plus years. This turned

out just as I have claimed it would.

Rather than argue with me about it. Do the same

test yourself to see which works.

I paid a $1 each for 500 cases and lost 47 to

split necks before I got it all done. Everyone

that split, was either at first, or water

quenched.

George

I anneal for one reason only, to make brass last forever...and I only bother with hard to come by brass..Common caliber brass I toss after x number of loads and buy 200 new ones..

The way things are looking I may be using the annealer more often in the future..Perhaps folks should consider that now before its too late????

All comments appreciated...thank you.

My annealer is so easy to set up and use and takes only seconds per case and it's automated. It makes sense to anneal high volume cases and/or worked brass (necked up or down or turned or reamed) and do the little cases periodically too just to "make 'em last forever" like Ray said.

Zeke

I bought an AMP and loved it so much I bought a second one for my place in CO.

I also brought an AMP unit. Easy and quick for me.

I have had brass last longer already (only had it one year) which was the main reason for getting it.

Its not the best thing if you are doing really high volume stuff as it really does not have an easy automation system (they sell a rube goldberg like apparatus) but if you load lots of under 500 rounds, its no big deal, and I don't feel like I have to be concerned that I am using it in a indoor reloading room like I would with a torch unit- especially if I get called away...

The downside of the AMP unit is $$$.

You can anneal with a blow torch or cutting torch for that matter, probably a cigerette lighter, who knows...damn its been so long since I smoked I forgot how to spell cigerette..

Hold a case in your hand until its too hot to handle then drop it in water or on board has been done and it seemed to work just fine..I used a liquid that told ya when it was good to drop, can't even remember the name someting laq?
Norm was worried about me blowing up or setting the house on fire that he gave me homade annealer that uses two butane bottles and goes in a circle and drops the hot case out the bottom, its on a timer, Once I got it figured out it works like a charm..

Tempilaq.
You're a brave man to hold the case! LOL

Best, Zeke

Zeke you will turn it loose for sure!! I only tried it on a suggestion of a friend who anneals all his brass that way..I do not.

I had 5 cases, 30-06, that I annealed after every load, I got up to 37 loads, IMO I think brass will last forever is annealed every time, but thats impractical for sure..just doing a test..It may at some point it time come to that however, pretty close right now!! well maybe not.