AusVarmint

First posts I read about annealing said do it in the dark. Well I usually don't and the cases survive.

But last night I decided to anneal and rolled up the rear door of the garage and the light from the house windows illuminated the garage well enough to try without turning on the light.

And what would you know but it bloody well works. I held the torch on the first few( was only going to do the neck) and then let one get the shoulder in the flame and bugger me but as the count hits four the shoulder turns blue. So every time
I still do my count but I can see the colour change that precipitates the dunk!


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Do you anneal everytime you reload Trevor? Or do you eyeball the shells and decide some need doing and others are Ok?

I went years without doing it. I started with 17m4 cases formed from 223 as they split when I was expanding the necks to turn them if they weren't annealed. Then some 6/250 brass started to crack (threw a couple out) and some got so stiff they put no pressure on the pill and they got annealed. Like new again! More a case of after quite a few firings and they looked like they needed them.

I annealed the 20 dasher after first firing as the neck was worked four times in the forming process.

From the reading on here I will start doing it every third firing whether there is any visible sign showing they need it or not. Maintains even neck tension apparently (not a huge deal unless you are using bushing neck dies)

I found when using my AMP annealer that it didn't make any difference if the lights were on or off
They are expensive but easy to use, so my target brass is annealed every firing.

How are you doing your annealing Trevor, using a handheld torch or a handcrafted piece of technology?

I may need to so some annealing soon, so any simple techniques and tools advice would be welcome.

Dave I have the Sinclair caseholders that chuck in a drill so I can spin the case to heat evenly and a mapp gas torch from Bunnings and a pot of could water to dunk in as soon as the colour changes,

Its not that complicated

I think the AMP is the go but short arms and deep pockets that are generally devoid of coin anyway means I do not have one.
Raven 220 has a CRT case driver for sale (see appropriate area)Very easy to use just stick it in the cordless drill or screw driver.The other end goes into the primer pocket.Spin the case with the neck in the flame from your gas torch your bought at Bunnings for approx 4 seconds for a map torch and 11 for a butane.
By doing it in the dark which in some peoples case is mandatory you can easily see the colour change travel down the neck.It is not and I repeat not a dark art and in some ways not as hard as setting up your full length sizing die.
Dunderi a lot of target shooters anneal after every firing I anneal twice while forming 17mach 1V from 222/223 brass then after the first firing and from there every 3rd.Buy some templaq crayon and use it until you learn then time in the flame.Put the Templaq in the cupboard where the kids will find it and use on some of there art work generally on the bedroom wall behind the door.