Where to get brass annealed?

[journeyman713]

*Retracted, due to safety concerns.

 

[Muley Buck]

I read this before and thought, why is this so complicated?

Coming from a little bit of a metallurgy background, I understand Annealing and Hardening processes.
Never did shell casings before, but it sure seems this could be done in your kitchen oven, much better than with a torch.

Here's my thought on it for the guy that does nothing, or isn't locked in on his way.

Your trying to relieve stresses in the casing, that were caused by a rapid, unevenly distributed heat, and cooling, those stresses may result in cracking. The best way to get those stresses out is to reheat evenly, and cool evenly, slowly.

Here's my recipe,
load up a cookie sheet full of shells, put another cookie sheet over the top for a more controlled environment, put in a cool oven. Raise temp slowly (over an hour) to 550*, hold at 550* for 1/2 hour, lower temp 100* every 20 minutes. Done.

This should get it hot enough to relax the stresses, but not so hot it oxidizes. The slow, even cooling should be way better than the Torch - Air cool, method.

Definitely not a good idea to anneal the entire case. Please don't do this.

 

[MuleyFever]

I read this before and thought, why is this so complicated?

Coming from a little bit of a metallurgy background, I understand Annealing and Hardening processes.
Never did shell casings before, but it sure seems this could be done in your kitchen oven, much better than with a torch.

Here's my thought on it for the guy that does nothing, or isn't locked in on his way.

Your trying to relieve stresses in the casing, that were caused by a rapid, unevenly distributed heat, and cooling, those stresses may result in cracking. The best way to get those stresses out is to reheat evenly, and cool evenly, slowly.

Here's my recipe,
load up a cookie sheet full of shells, put another cookie sheet over the top for a more controlled environment, put in a cool oven. Raise temp slowly (over an hour) to 550*, hold at 550* for 1/2 hour, lower temp 100* every 20 minutes. Done.

This should get it hot enough to relax the stresses, but not so hot it oxidizes. The slow, even cooling should be way better than the Torch - Air cool, method.

I thought I read that you dont want to soften the case head area.

 

[Muley Buck]

I thought I read that you dont want to soften the case head area.

Exactly right @MuleyFever Only the neck/shoulder junction area should be annealed.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

NEVER heat the entire case to annealing temps!!!!!!

Softening the case head area will cause a catastrophic case failure. This is the exact reason why every single resource/device/machine/method for annealing only does the neck and shoulder.


edited once journeyman retracted his method, the last thing we need is this thread popping up when someone googles something dangerous.

 

[Tesoro]

Jeez!!! How can people post ‘advice’ that is contrary to the most basic caveat of annealing?!!

 

[amassi]

Jeez!!! How can people post ‘advice’ that is contrary to the most basic caveat of annealing?!!

Stop reading after someone says
" never done x before..."

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

 

[Ucsdryder]

NEVER DO THIS!!!!!!

Softening the case head area will cause a catastrophic case failure. This is the exact reason why every single resource/device/machine/method for annealing only does the neck and shoulder.

One of the reasons I like the finger method over drill bit. If it’s not too hot to hold at the case rim, then I can’t over anneal it! Then I dump it straight into the tumbler that’s already running which cools it quickly. One day I’ll step up to the big leagues and get a big boy annealer.

 

[Lawnboi]

One of the reasons I like the finger method over drill bit. If it’s not too hot to hold at the case rim, then I can’t over anneal it! Then I dump it straight into the tumbler that’s already running which cools it quickly. One day I’ll step up to the big leagues and get a big boy annealer.

Fwiw I can’t hold a piece of brass after it’s been through the amp. Too hot.

 

[Ucsdryder]

Fwiw I can’t hold a piece of brass after it’s been through the amp. Too hot.

That makes sense because I can’t hold a piece of brass after I’m done with the finger method. The heat travels to the head and gets it way too hot to handle. There’s a very finite amount of time between ok to hold and burn the shit out of my fingers.

 

[mfllood3800]

What are the options for a place that will anneal my brass?

I'm an hour away- you can come to my shop and anneal what ya need. I don't have the AMP, but the AGS annealer has suited me fine for a few years.

 

[MuleyFever]

I'm an hour away- you can come to my shop and anneal what ya need. I don't have the AMP, but the AGS annealer has suited me fine for a few years.

I may just take you up on that offer. Thank you.