quote:

Originally posted by Doc:
...Water quenching is not necessary to complete the annealing process. So, neener neener neener Hot Core.

Hey Doc, How `bout this? It might not with the Method and Thingy you are using, but it sure helps with the Method I use.
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quote:

By the esteemed 303Guy:
On the red hot issue, it may not be necessary but does it do any harm? Thing is, how do I know when the necks are hot enough if they don't show some red? (I have been heating them to red but only just).

Not getting them hot enough can certainly create a problem - they won't be Annealed. If you are getting them just red in a darkened room, then you are just right. If you do not get them red, then you wasted your time and accomplished nothing. Getting them red "is just right"(like the porage in the 3 Bears story ).

But be positively sure they hit the water.
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One of my buddies hangs around another Board and tells me stuff just to spin me up. He said one of the Rag Writers "claims" you can Anneal Cases using a Candle!!!

I'd sure hate to disagree with anyone, especially a Rag Writer, but if you ever see that in print you can take it to the Bank that the fellow is completely full of beans.

Foolishness like that is so easy to disprove by simply Annealing correctly (as I outlined ) or trying other unnecessarily complicated fiascos.

Thanks Doc
There is simply no way a case head is going to get annealed if it is standing in water with the primer still in place. Controlling the depth of annealing is easily done with the depth of water it seems.

The next question is:-
How far past the shoulder does one need to anneal? And, how far is too far? (I have tried to keep to military 'specs' i.e. the same appearance).

A final point 303 posted ;

On the red hot issue, it may not be necessary but does it do any harm? Thing is, how do I know when the necks are hot enough if they don't show some red? (I have been heating them to red but only just).


If your overheating the brass YES !.It can make it to soft and does not retain neck bullet tension

properly . I agree with Doc golden brownish then blue your done .


Below are two factory and two I did can anyone tell the difference ?. I never saw Red , if you look

at a metal temp chart and correlate the color with the Temperature you'll see it's way hotter than

need be . I'm not telling you it wont work , It does I did it before someone informed me about

neck tension . A BR shooter showed me how it's done properly after seeing his groupings !!.

I'm a Believer , I also spoke to a Aerospace Metallurgical Engineer I worked with . He went off the

charts on me about a bunch of stuff and beat into me 660 degrees Repeat 660 degrees !.

quote:

Originally posted by 303Guy:
Thanks Doc
There is simply no way a case head is going to get annealed if it is standing in water with the primer still in place.

absolutely true.

quote:

Originally posted by 303Guy: The next question is:-
How far past the shoulder does one need to anneal? And, how far is too far? (I have tried to keep to military 'specs' i.e. the same appearance).

Do not anneal past the shoulder. Flame should be aimed at the neck only. Sure, you will get part of the shoulder but don't aim below it.

quote:

Hey Doc, How `bout this? It might not with the Method and Thingy you are using, but it sure helps with the Method I use.

Fair enough. I prefer my thingy.

quote:

Writers "claims" you can Anneal Cases using a Candle!!!

That I want to see! (Not try mind you!) Did the fella say how you get a candle flame to burn downward? OK. I'll admit it. I did once try the candle thing - back in the early days. How shall I put it? I got my fingers burned!

quote:

Below are two factory and two I did can anyone tell the difference ?

The second one in the pic? It has that 'pretty' shine to it that I got when one or two of my cases showed a little red (in a lighted room). When Hot Core says red in a darkened room, I think that second one would have glowed like red hot ember!

quote:

He went off the charts on me about a bunch of stuff and beat into me 660 degrees Repeat 660 degrees !.

660 minus 32 equals 628 divide 212 times 100 equals 296 degrees Celcius. Hey, that's nowhere near red, even in the dark!

So, if I start by polishing the case then heating the neck until it starts to change colour, will I be on the right track? Much like shiny steel does when it turns a straw colour then blue? That colour change is actually due to changes in the crystal structure.

That's how I anneal:



The pipe is about 20 cm. long. I put inside it a piece of rubber that I adjust to have about 3 mm. of the case shank exposed. The pipe gives some sort of protection to the lower part of the brass. I slowly rotate the pipe while keeping the case neck directly in the flame during about 7 seconds, then I let the case gently drop. No water for me. I found that annealed cases are easier to reload, the neck tension is more uniform and groups are a little tighter.

Wildboar,my setup is like yours except i use 2 torches aimed toward each other and about 6 seconds then into water.

quote:

Originally posted by wildboar:
That's how I anneal:



The pipe is about 20 cm. long. I put inside it a piece of rubber that I adjust to have about 3 mm. of the case shank exposed. The pipe gives some sort of protection to the lower part of the brass. I slowly rotate the pipe while keeping the case neck directly in the flame during about 7 seconds, then I let the case gently drop. No water for me. I found that annealed cases are easier to reload, the neck tension is more uniform and groups are a little tighter.

A heat sink holder!!!! I will make one tommorrow from beryllium copper or moldmax and I'm goint to make one for each of my loadings.

Just kiding.....I do like the idea and will make me a heatsink holder tommorow out of something...probably CRS. 30/06 lengths/dia and a another for .308 lengths/dia....neat idea for sure.

303 Guy ; Your math is off ; Approximately 349 C. = 660 F. actually 348.888 something or another .

The two on the right side are mine the other two are Lapua factory done .

WildBoar ; Do you rotate the pipe ?. This method works well enough as it protects the main body of the case

and head . When using two torch set up , oppose the torches about 170 degrees angled at the base of the neck .


It works ultra quickly and heats evenly . When opposing flames say 90 degrees from each other it actually

lessens the heat , as the flames tips are countering each other rather than working in unison .

303 Guy ;

So, if I start by polishing the case then heating the neck until it starts to change colour, will I be on the right track? Much like shiny steel does when it turns a straw colour then blue? That colour change is actually due to changes in the crystal structure.


I'm not sure what polishing prior to annealing is accomplishing ?. Yes Straw color then Blue Done .

If anyone has or uses Lapua cases note they're not re polished , that's factory color after annealing .

Cases can certainly be polished after annealing for beautiful shiny jewelery or anal retentive types .

I simply want longevity and correct neck tension and clean cases , shiny isn't a consideration for me .

I use BoeShield - T9 to lube and protect my cases when loading , then simply wipe with a clean soft cloth .

Mine stay like that for years if not shot , as Boeshield leaves a fine wax protection on them .