What did you do in the reloading room today?

[Master Carper]

Thanks! I will say that Bernzomatic torch is pretty banner for this --- it literally just lights off ever squeeze of the trigger. I had built a little spinny tray but didn't want to set it up so I went old school --- to the 1910's vice to hold the drill, a lee case holder in the drill and a gloved hand for the cases with a bowl of water below it to toss the hotties in. Left hand could pick up a case, right hand worked the torch and I probably did 100ish in an hour. Went surprisingly quick. Then hit them with the air compressor to get most of the water out and they'll sit in the sun for a couple hours tomorrow when it comes up.

I've experimented with a variety of different methods but this is the preferred one right now. Long term I'd like to invest in an AMP machine or one of the automated ones but it's just hard to justify the money when this goes fairly quick and I don't have to do it all the time.

I had looked at those AMP machines before, and like you, it's hard to justify the money for something like this!

I annealed 100 44 magnum cases this morning, that will be turned into a .224 Stark. This case will require two more annealing's, to keep the neck/shoulder from splitting...

One of my best friends shoots a 308X444 Improved and anneals his brass the same as what you do. When done properly, both the lead pot method and the torch will get the job done in proper fashion, and very affordable to boot!

 

[R Hicks]

I have the Ugly Annealer and it works pretty well. It's affordable compared to some of them and easy to set up. I've only done about 1200 cases with it and had no problems. Does it affect the annealing to have the cases drop into a pan of water?

 

[Master Carper]

I have the Ugly Annealer and it works pretty well. It's affordable compared to some of them and easy to set up. I've only done about 1200 cases with it and had no problems. Does it affect the annealing to have the cases drop into a pan of water?

You want to drop the cases into a pan of cool water as soon as they come away from the heat, whether you anneal with an open flame or a lead pot like what I use.

The purpose of dropping the case into a pan of water, is to keep the annealing from getting to too close to the head and weakening it, and controlling the annealing process to just the neck/shoulder area of the case.

 

[Rez Exelon]

You want to drop the cases into a pan of cool water as soon as they come away from the heat, whether you anneal with an open flame or a lead pot like what I use.

The purpose of dropping the case into a pan of water, is to keep the annealing from getting to too close to the head and weakening it, and controlling the annealing process to just the neck/shoulder area of the case.

Second this. Not pictured, but part of my process is that I had a bowl of water that went on the stool in the first picture. The trick for me then become get it from the chuck to the bowl as fast as possible. Not because it'd matter significantly to the brass, but because I didn't want to burn my purty hands. Plus its a fairly satisfying sound when the hot metal hits the water.

 

[PBramble]

I have the Ugly Annealer and it works pretty well. It's affordable compared to some of them and easy to set up. I've only done about 1200 cases with it and had no problems. Does it affect the annealing to have the cases drop into a pan of water?

No, it's not needed. The heat starts to decrease as soon as it's removed from the flame. And rapidly cooling it has no effect.

 

[ChrisWilson]

Thanks! I will say that Bernzomatic torch is pretty banner for this --- it literally just lights off ever squeeze of the trigger. I had built a little spinny tray but didn't want to set it up so I went old school --- to the 1910's vice to hold the drill, a lee case holder in the drill and a gloved hand for the cases with a bowl of water below it to toss the hotties in. Left hand could pick up a case, right hand worked the torch and I probably did 100ish in an hour. Went surprisingly quick. Then hit them with the air compressor to get most of the water out and they'll sit in the sun for a couple hours tomorrow when it comes up.

I've experimented with a variety of different methods but this is the preferred one right now. Long term I'd like to invest in an AMP machine or one of the automated ones but it's just hard to justify the money when this goes fairly quick and I don't have to do it all the time.

you can simplify that even more and ditch the glove, just get an appropriate sized socket and put it in your drill, just set case in socket, give it a spin, hit it with the torch and then dump on table towel or water, eazy peazy!!! I only anneal my big black powder cartridge's, an a couple of my larger rifles like 300mag and 30-06.

 

[Rez Exelon]

you can simplify that even more and ditch the glove, just get an appropriate sized socket and put it in your drill, just set case in socket, give it a spin, hit it with the torch and then dump on table towel or water, eazy peazy!!! I only anneal my big black powder cartridge's, an a couple of my larger rifles like 300mag and 30-06.

That's pretty stinking brilliant of an idea....I'm 100% going to try that this afternoon. Like, holy crap, that's a great idea.

 

[Rez Exelon]

Update --- didn't want to wait so I went to the bench and ripped through some 30/06 brass I had laying around.

Set the torch in the vice, and grabbed drill with a 12mm socket and just plain chewed through the brass. That method is absolutely brilliant. Great tip @ChrisWilson !

 

[Beautiful Mulberry]

You want to drop the cases into a pan of cool water as soon as they come away from the heat, whether you anneal with an open flame or a lead pot like what I use.

The purpose of dropping the case into a pan of water, is to keep the annealing from getting to too close to the head and weakening it, and controlling the annealing process to just the neck/shoulder area of the case.

You use a lead pot to anneal? Iv Not heard this method. I’m curious

 

[Master Carper]

You use a lead pot to anneal? Iv Not heard this method. I’m curious

I have used this method for the past 40 years.

Put a lead pot on the stove, open the kitchen window and set up a draw fan so you're not breathing the lead fumes.

Dip the case neck and shoulder into mica dust (motor mica) then gently holding the rim of the case with a pair of pliers, hold the case vertically, then insert the case neck and 1/2 of the shoulder into the molten lead.

Depending on lead temperature and the brass itself, the neck/shoulder will need to be in in the molten lead from 5 to 10 seconds, then immediately dropped into a bucket of cold water.

When shortening and necking 22 hornet brass down to .14 caliber, immersion time is 5 seconds.

When making 219 Donaldson Wasp brass from 30-30 cases, immersion time is 7 seconds.

444 Marlin brass necked down varies from 8-10 seconds...

And the purpose of the mica dust is to keep the molten lead from sticking to the brass.

It takes less than 45 minutes to anneal 100 pieces of brass.