I read a few threads on other sites, asking if you should anneal straight wall cases. Is this necessary, or just wasting time?
Even though you don't have a defined case neck like a bottleneck cartridge, resizing would work harden the case mouth. So, to have a consistence bullet release, I'd think it would be beneficial.
i never do
You know there is more spring back with annealed necks than necks not annealed.
Your question has got me thinking.
I have some R-P 357 magnum cases that will size down to only .357" ID through my carbide sized and I had to resort to using a 9MM die to size them down.
This is horrible if I am using .357" bullets.
I will go anneal 3 of them and see if I get a smaller neck ID
Your question has got me thinking.
I have some R-P 357 magnum cases that will size down to only .357" ID through my carbide sized and I had to resort to using a 9MM die to size them down.
This is horrible if I am using .357" bullets.
I will go anneal 3 of them and see if I get a smaller neck ID
Just went and tested one of the suspect Remington 357 Mag cases.
I sized it as normal and flared it and then placed a Hornady XTP .355" bullet by hand into the case mouth and it fell right in .
Then took a .357" XTP and it also fell into the case but just barely.
With said .357 bullet in the case I turned the case upside down and the bullet fell out.
I then annealed it and let it cool and wiped out the inside of the case and that .357" bullet still fell in and out.
Yes that was a case that was sized and then annealed.
I ran it through the sizer die again and then the flare die and the .355" bullet fell in and out like before.
The .357" bullet needed some pressure by hand to get it into the case.
I had to get pliers to pull it out of the case.
I held that 357 case by hand in the flame of a propane torch to anneal .400" of the end of the case.
Got hot and I let it drop in my aluminum pan.
If you are having inconsistent seating pressures with your straight wall cases and they all measure the same wall thickness I would say annealing may work in a favorable way.
If you have cases like my R-P 357 magnum cases that do not get small enough in the ID you may try annealing.
When I began annealing I tested a lot of cases but all rifle and I always had more even seating pressures and seating pressures came up.
Lapua cases not so much but winchester cases would take 18 psi to seat a bullet unannealed and 45 PSI when they were annealed and
it eliminated the odd fliers to some extent.
There will sometimes be that rouge case that does not have the same seating pressures and it will open the group.
Hope this little test helps you decide @cdschoonie
I sized it as normal and flared it and then placed a Hornady XTP .355" bullet by hand into the case mouth and it fell right in .
Then took a .357" XTP and it also fell into the case but just barely.
With said .357 bullet in the case I turned the case upside down and the bullet fell out.
I then annealed it and let it cool and wiped out the inside of the case and that .357" bullet still fell in and out.
Yes that was a case that was sized and then annealed.
I ran it through the sizer die again and then the flare die and the .355" bullet fell in and out like before.
The .357" bullet needed some pressure by hand to get it into the case.
I had to get pliers to pull it out of the case.
I held that 357 case by hand in the flame of a propane torch to anneal .400" of the end of the case.
Got hot and I let it drop in my aluminum pan.
If you are having inconsistent seating pressures with your straight wall cases and they all measure the same wall thickness I would say annealing may work in a favorable way.
If you have cases like my R-P 357 magnum cases that do not get small enough in the ID you may try annealing.
When I began annealing I tested a lot of cases but all rifle and I always had more even seating pressures and seating pressures came up.
Lapua cases not so much but winchester cases would take 18 psi to seat a bullet unannealed and 45 PSI when they were annealed and
it eliminated the odd fliers to some extent.
There will sometimes be that rouge case that does not have the same seating pressures and it will open the group.
Hope this little test helps you decide @cdschoonie
It does for sure…
The reason for my question is due to how scarce 45-70 and 45 Colt brass is to find in stock, also the prices when they are. So I’m thinking of any way possible to make them last longer. I’ll definitely be doing my 6.5 CM brass, but wondered about the straight wall.
A further question would be how often is perfect? Every shot? Every other? Every 3-4? For both straight wall and 6.5 cm?
Minimally working the brass will add much life to it.
If you are sending max loads down range the brass will not last as long as if you sent mild loads down the pipe.
I anneal every time with my rifle cases.
Not because I am afraid of a case neck split but because of accuracy.
When I did a couple brass fail tests for my .308 I shot the cases until they failed and all of them died of case head cracks not split necks.
My loads were mid range loads.
No annealing was done on my first test of .308 cases and R-P case lasted 54 firings and Full length sized each time.
Now I will say This I did not set the shoulders back more than .002" and the body of the case was not sized any more than .002"
anywhere except the neck.
If your die pinches(sizes) the case down .008" vs the fired size you can expect much less life.
I had a 45 Colt and something I hated about it was the brass.
Every manufacturer has their idea of how thick or how long it should be.
If you have different makes of brass for that do some measuring and I bet you find the same.
Sure makes it tough to come up with an accurate load when case sizes are all over the map.
If the gun was a better made one with all the cylinders the same size and shot accurate I would have gladly spent money on new brass so i could have a bunch of the same size.
It was a Ruger Blackhawk Bisley.
It made me sad to shoot it every time I took it out because it was nice but not accurate.
I did some tweaking and made it more accurate but still not up to par.
If you are chasing your tail on trying to make accurate ammo please measure the cases and sort them.
It will save you a lot of time and a lot of components.
If you are sending max loads down range the brass will not last as long as if you sent mild loads down the pipe.
I anneal every time with my rifle cases.
Not because I am afraid of a case neck split but because of accuracy.
When I did a couple brass fail tests for my .308 I shot the cases until they failed and all of them died of case head cracks not split necks.
My loads were mid range loads.
No annealing was done on my first test of .308 cases and R-P case lasted 54 firings and Full length sized each time.
Now I will say This I did not set the shoulders back more than .002" and the body of the case was not sized any more than .002"
anywhere except the neck.
If your die pinches(sizes) the case down .008" vs the fired size you can expect much less life.
I had a 45 Colt and something I hated about it was the brass.
Every manufacturer has their idea of how thick or how long it should be.
If you have different makes of brass for that do some measuring and I bet you find the same.
Sure makes it tough to come up with an accurate load when case sizes are all over the map.
If the gun was a better made one with all the cylinders the same size and shot accurate I would have gladly spent money on new brass so i could have a bunch of the same size.
It was a Ruger Blackhawk Bisley.
It made me sad to shoot it every time I took it out because it was nice but not accurate.
I did some tweaking and made it more accurate but still not up to par.
If you are chasing your tail on trying to make accurate ammo please measure the cases and sort them.
It will save you a lot of time and a lot of components.
I anneal my 45C and 44SPL brass after about 5 reloads...I've found that after six, they might start splitting...especially Remington brass.
Remember, with your split cases, you can trim them to 45 Special and use them...good for the real light loads. You need a combo of 45C and 45 ACP dies.
Remember, with your split cases, you can trim them to 45 Special and use them...good for the real light loads. You need a combo of 45C and 45 ACP dies.
Same with the 44 special and magnums here.
Had a run of cases that had about ten or so reloads on them, checked them over really good before recharging them. When I went to pack up for the range a few days later found out that two boxes of ammo had started to crack in different places on the cases. Some in the center, some at the mouth. Is my guess that after that many loadings the brass had started to become brittle from a combination of working and fireing, as the brass still didn't show signs of thinning.
Haven't had that problem since I started annealing the cases on the third reload.
Ah, reminded me that you can trim down jacked up 44Mag cases to 44SPL and 44SPL to 44 Russian. You could even trim 44 Special to a 44 Colt length if need be.
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