Brass annealing services?

[JJE76]

Can anyone recommend a brass annealing service? Just got a couple hundred lapua 1x fired 308 brass at a great price. Was recommended to anneal it first? New to the whole concept, is it that important out of a gas gun?

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[DizzyJ]

Curious as to why they recommended annealing Lapua after one firing. What was it fired out of?

 

[3MTA3]

Curious as to why they recommended annealing Lapua after one firing. What was it fired out of?

Depends on what you are doing. If long range precision the recommendation for consistency is to prep all brass exactly the same each time including annealing.

 

[Stomper]

Can anyone recommend a brass annealing service? Just got a couple hundred lapua 1x fired 308 brass at a great price. Was recommended to anneal it first? New to the whole concept, is it that important out of a gas gun?

I have one of these and it works awesomely…

Annealeez – Annealeez

annealeez.com

Here's a video I made processing 5.56 brass.

 

[3MTA3]

I have one of these and it works awesomely…

Annealeez – Annealeez

annealeez.com

Here's a video I made processing 5.56 brass.

the hopper is awesome!

 

[3MTA3]

Curious @Stomper the website says it comes with a standard wheel kit and that others are available (Large case, small case, and super short magnum), but no cross reference. I wanna buy one and want to make sure I have 223, 308 and 30-06 based cases covered. Do you know what size wheel for which? I'm thinking it's based on case diameter and not case length? Might just go ahead and buy all the wheels to make sure I'm covered down the road.

 

[Stomper]

Curious @Stomper the website says it comes with a standard wheel kit and that others are available (Large case, small case, and super short magnum), but no cross reference. I wanna buy one and want to make sure I have 223, 308 and 30-06 based cases covered. Do you know what size wheel for which? I'm thinking it's based on case diameter and not case length? Might just go ahead and buy all the wheels to make sure I'm covered down the road.

It's based on diameter. Mine came with wheels that fit .223 and I think it can also do .308, but don't quote me on that because I haven't gotten around to .308 yet. I'd just get all three sets of wheels if you have a large spread of calibers.

 

[drstrangelove]

Totally over tech'd concept… using a long socket, put brass neck/shoulder in the blue flame on the stove for 6-7sec count while rotating. Drop it into a bowl of cool water. It will give a slight sizzle letting you know it's done. Shake and let dry in the sun. Takes about 10min for 50 brass. Haven't had a brass split yet with this technique. Only reason I toss brass is ICHS.

 

[eb in oregon]

Totally over tech'd concept… using a long socket, put brass neck/shoulder in the blue flame on the stove for 6-7sec count while rotating. Drop it into a bowl of cool water. It will give a slight sizzle letting you know it's done. Shake and let dry in the sun. Takes about 10min for 50 brass. Haven't had a brass split yet with this technique. Only reason I toss brass is ICHS.

You do realize you're supposed to let them air cool, right? Putting them in water actually keeps them harder.

 

[Stomper]

You do realize you're supposed to let them air cool, right? Putting them in water actually keeps them harder.

DOH!

 

[drstrangelove]

You do realize you're supposed to let them air cool, right? Putting them in water actually keeps them harder.

Actually brass does not quench harden. At all. Just makes them safer to handle.

https://askinglot.com/can-you-harden-brass

 

[3MTA3]

Actually brass does not quench harden. At all. Just makes them safer to handle.

https://askinglot.com/can-you-harden-brass

View attachment 1229306

Had to look that one up to verify and quenching is a ferrous metal thing - no affect at all on brass. I'd have lost money on that bet yesterday.

 

[eb in oregon]

Actually brass does not quench harden. At all. Just makes them safer to handle.

https://askinglot.com/can-you-harden-brass

View attachment 1229306

Well, you may have a point, but I prefer to air cool. There is still the issue that your technique has no parameters for actually gaging temperature of each case you run and it is basically a crap shoot. But that is simply an opinion, you do as you think best, I'll stick with my Mike's annealing machine as each case is exactly the same.

 

[drstrangelove]

I have watched annealing machines and every brass gets 6-7 seconds of blue torch flame. I don't think there are major differences of heat involved and my process works for me. I would own an annealing machine but i have a disease where there isn't enough room for all my shyte. But I envy those that do.

 

[Stomper]

To Quench or Not to Quench

Notice that there was no mention of quenching the brass. To anneal brass, all that is required is heat and time. Once you have allowed the structure of the brass to transform, it's done. You can cool it as slowly or as quickly as you like and it won't matter.

The myth that you need to quench brass comes from the requirement to do so when heat treating some kinds of steel. Those steels harden by a very different mechanism that has nothing to do with brass or work hardening at all.

Damon Cali is the creator of the Bison Ballistics website and a high power rifle shooter currently living in Nebraska.


Here's the link to the entire article if you like reading about STEM field type subjects…

The Science of Cartridge Brass Annealing

Want to know how annealing brass works? We examine the science here.

bisonballistics.com

 

[Stomper]

I have watched annealing machines and every brass gets 6-7 seconds of blue torch flame. I don't think there are major differences of heat involved and my process works for me. I would own an annealing machine but i have a disease where there isn't enough room for all my shyte. But I envy those that do.

Spreading the disease that everybody needs…. but no one wants to see.

 

[3MTA3]

Well, you may have a point, but I prefer to air cool. There is still the issue that your technique has no parameters for actually gaging temperature of each case you run and it is basically a crap shoot. But that is simply an opinion, you do as you think best, I'll stick with my Mike's annealing machine as each case is exactly the same.

That's a very well made machine! More expensive, but come with everything you need for all cartridges which offsets the extra cost a bit.

 

[Stomper]

That's a very well made machine! More expensive, but come with everything you need for all cartridges which offsets the extra cost a bit.

I like the Annealeez (sounds like a Swedish sex lube from the 80's… LOL!) because you load the hopper and it's practically automated without having to manually handle each piece of brass.

 

[3MTA3]

I have watched annealing machines and every brass gets 6-7 seconds of blue torch flame. I don't think there are major differences of heat involved and my process works for me. I would own an annealing machine but i have a disease where there isn't enough room for all my shyte. But I envy those that do.

I watched a video by, I think, Eric Cortana where he tries to demonstrate the effects of over annealing. It turns out it was more forgiving than he thought, but to me it makes sense for precision shooting the more consistent you are with every step the more consistent the results. For hunting, plinking, pistol IMO the kitchen stove should be fine.

 

[eb in oregon]

I have watched annealing machines and every brass gets 6-7 seconds of blue torch flame

All the annealing machines I've seen have a rheostat that varies the time the case is in the flame. And I can say for sure that time varies by a measurable time between something like .30 Carbine, 30-06, and .458 magnum and all calibers in-between. It's the temperature, not the time. Heck, even different lots and manufacturers can change the time by a second or so.