Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Maybe a dumb question on annealing case necks but here goes

I'm looking for a way to anneal 100 new cases at a time. I'm thinking of standing them in a pan of water as usual, but instead of a blow torch doing one at a time, I was thinking of using really cold water (maybe ice water) up to about 1/8" below the shoulder, then sticking the whole thing in a pre heated oven. I noticed when using my kitchen oven to straw a knife blade I ground from an old file that I can get close to 600C. Am I just stepping back into my own oil pan with this idea?

Just use JB's candle method and be done with it. powdr

I just drop my hot cases on a towel and let them air cool. Is it important to cool them quickly by quenching in water?

Is it important to cool them quickly by quenching in water?

The grain of 70-30 brass doesn�t alter significantly until minimum 572�F. 680� to 700� F. is the ideal temperature for cases. Difficult to do in an oven when water boils @ 212�F, or less. Annealing continues until approximately 1400� F., at which point brass is completely annealed and dead soft. Beyond that brass burns and is completely useless.

I've tried a number of ways of annealing. For me the easiest, fastest and cheapest is with a small propane torch. I fire up the torch, adjust the blue cone to about 1" or less, �� is optimum. Right under the flame place a bucket about a quarter full of water where you are going to drop the cases as you anneal. You're best off in a semi dark room. I work principally with the light of the torch so I can see the color of the brass as I anneal. Take a clean and polished case in your hand holding it by the base between thumb and base of the forefinger. Put it in the flame of the torch so that the neck of the case is just forward of the blue cone with the cone aimed at the juncture of the base of the neck and shoulder, and roll the case in the flame with your fingers. If you observe the color of the flame as it plays across the mouth of the case, when the blue flame starts turning orange, start rolling the case. You are principally interested in the necks and that is where you keep your eyes. You will see the brass change to a golden, orange color as you roll the case. If you started with a polished case, the shine starts getting a bit dull. When you see this dullness, it's done. You will also see a �heat ring� going down the shoulder into the body. You�ll also start feeling the heat on your fingers. Drop it in the bucket to quench it and you are through with that case. It takes only 5-6 seconds. If it turns red or cherry red, it�s too hot and you�ve probably ruined it. If you twirl well you will have a very uniform discoloration to just below the shoulder into the body all the way around. You only have to twirl about 180 degrees. I can do about 50 cases in about 15 minutes or less. If you don't heat it enough you aren't hurting anything, you just won't anneal. If you overheat, the brass gets way too soft and you've ruined it. It needs to get to 700� F. to accomplish optimum annealing. You can't hold the base when it hits 130�-140�, so you can't hurt the bottom of the case. It takes more than 400� to affect the brass in any way.

It will take much longer to set up an oven or most any other method, so I think this way is the cheapest, fastest and most uniform. I generally drain my wet brass and toss the damp cases in a tumbler with walnut shells. Comes out polished and dry in about 30 minutes, with the blue discoloration gone.

How hot is a candle flame?

I just drop my hot cases on a towel and let them air cool. Is it important to cool them quickly by quenching in water?