To Anneal, or Not Anneal? That is the Question.

[Caldad]

I have never annealed my brass (I just replace it as needed).

I'm aware it is supposed to extend the life of the brass. How much does it extend the life? Is it worth the time? ...and how many times can brass be annealed?

How much brass can be reasonably annealed per hour, once you've got the hang of it?

What is the cost of the fuel used per hour to anneal? I'm wondering how much money is really saved by extending the life of the brass, verses replacing it.

How often do you anneal your brass? Do different calibers need to be annealed more often then others? (I reload: 40SW, 38SP, 223REM, and 270WIN) Is pistol brass worth annealing?


And, if I didn't ask enough questions already... what is your system when annealing? Have you tried annealing different ways? What worked for you, and what didn't?

Thanks!

LONG LIVE...

 

[shibumiseeker]

There's no real reason to anneal pistol brass.

No one has yet been able to point to a definitive study as to whether it increases rifle brass life. So CountryBoy19 and I are in the process of conducting a test:
https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/ammunition_and_reloading/140337-new_brass_life_test_annealing.html

Preliminary results are that annealing does not in fact substantially increase brass life.

The biggest reason for annealing is to ensure a consistent grip on the bullet by the case mouth, and unless you are a precision shooter who can reliably tell if it's you or the gun/ammo, then you won't notice any difference.

 

[dukeboy_318]

I have never saw the need to anneal the cases, the gas checks, sure but anything else, not worth the time.

 

[jackadew]

I have found that if people ask if its worth their time usually it is not. I do it mostly for the increased accuracy. If you look at the pics on the first page of the link that shibumiseeker posted you can see the necks of the cases are black from not making a good seal. Anytime your loseing pressure your loseing accuracy. Annealing does work, and startup cost are very low if you want to try it. I just use a propane torch and a cordless drill with a socket that the brass will fit into. Here is link that will teach you everything you need to know. http://www.6mmbr.com/annealing.html

 

[red_zr24x4]

I have never annealed brass, I load- .223, .308, .30-06. I have one .223 bolt gun, and semi-autos of all three. I tend to lose brass before the necks split, or lose tension.

 

[csmith]

I reload for 243 wssm and anneal every other reload. This is the only caliber I anneal and only do it due to the extremely thick brass seems to split in the neck after the 3rd reload if not annealed.

 

[Broom_jm]

Annealing is one of those subjective topics that you'll never see folks agree on. Variables such as hot loads versus mild to medium loads, high-pressure versus moderate pressure cartridges, the different alloys and quality control found in various brands of brass, all contribute to making the merits of annealing very difficult to quantify. The best anyone can say is, "if it works for you, go for it".

Of the cartridges listed, the only one I would anneal for (and I do!) is the 270 Winchester. I anneal every 5th firing and have gotten more than 20 loadings from entire batches of cases, using a partial full-length resizing method where the die is not screwed all the way down to the shell-holder, in the press. I leave the thickness of a nickel between the mouth of the F/L resizing die and the shell-holder, which means the shoulder is not pushed back. This does work the neck twice (going in and out) so I anneal. Based on the findings from shibumseeker, perhaps a neck-sizing collet die would eliminate the "need" for annealing...that is something I intend to research.

That is all a lot more complicated than the OP was looking for: Anneal for your 270 if you like, but the better choice is to get a neck-sizing die and see for yourself how long your brass will last. For everything else, just follow the directions on your reloading die and forget about the torch!

Also, there is a technique for annealing bottle-necked cases that uses a simple candle flame. It is slower, but very effective and makes over-heating the brass almost impossible. Do a Google search for "annealing Fred Barker" and you'll find it.