Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.
Offer valid until 9/23! If you have an annual subscription on Sniper's Hide, subscribe below and you'll be refunded the difference.
SubscribeAnnealing is an optional step from what I understand. Yes, it will help the brass last a bit longer, but I have yet to justify buying equipment to do this to get a couple of more loads out of a case. I have seen some "torture tests" with lapua brass and some people are getting 20+ reloads out of a piece of brass without annealing at all (do your own research of course).
Before too long, I may start annealing, but I would only do it every 3 loads or so.
Ahhh ok I see.I dont anneal for case life. Most on here dont.
What we are after is setting the case neck hardness the same each time so that we are able to get a consistent amount of neck tension on every single firing of the cases life. Extended life before splitting is just a bonus.
https://www.ampannealing.com/articles/
View attachment 6978390
Ahhh ok I see.
Would the optional bushings for some of the die sets not help with neck tension consistency?
Understood. Well, I guess in this case I need to start looking into some kind of annealing process then. Brass prep sucks hahahaha!Yeah, as the hardness increases (and springiness/malleability) you could try to swap bushings in an attempt to maintain an equal amount of bullet grip. http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com...n-bullet-why-bushing-size-is-only-one-factor/
View attachment 6978393
But how you would do it beyond constantly testing and guessing Im not sure. Do it enough I dont doubt you could develop a feel for it. Hyrdo arbor seating presses will help quantify how much force is holding the bullet, or rather actually how much force it takes for you to insert the bullet.
View attachment 6978392
Most use bushing dies to avoid overworking the necks, not to set the final neck tension. Different thicknesses of brass require different bushing diameters for minimal amounts of working the brass.
View attachment 6978396
Unless you have perfectly even turned necks youll probably want to use an final reexpansion to have a consistent internal diameter.
View attachment 6978395
http://www.6mmbr.com/casenecktools.html
I find it easier just to heat the case necks and keep everything the same every time.
View attachment 6978397
Annealing helps with keeping neck tension consistent (which affects SD and ES) and it also helps alleviate brass from getting split necks.
If you have a match chamber, there is a good chance you will not get split necks as your necks won't have to expand much during firing and then have to be significantly resized during reloading which work-hardens the brass and makes it brittle which leads to the necks splitting. If you have a factory chamber, your brass may easily get over-worked and lead to split necks after just a few firings.
I am running a Tuebor custom barreled action so I am going to assume it is a match chamber.
More than likely it is. You can measure the neck diameter of your loaded brass and then compare that to the neck diameter of your fired brass in order to find out how much your brass is getting worked.
Let's say hypothetically you start with .308 brass which is prepped for seating bullets and has an outside diameter of .336" with neck thickness of .015" per side for .030" total. When you insert your .308 projectile it will have .002" neck tension and expand your neck to .338". After firing your neck comes out of the chamber at .344" (.006 expansion) and then you have to resize it back to .336" again (.008") to reload it. .002" + .006" + .008" = .016" per firing cycle. This example is fairly representative of a match chamber but .016" adds up over 10-20 firings. A sloppy factory chamber may get you closer to .030" per cycle.
Brass usually dies from split necks, loose primer pockets, or casehead failure. Annealing is just a way to postpone split necks. If your rifle ends up killing brass by blowing out primer pockets or casehead failure, annealing isn't going to help that much.
Let's say hypothetically you start with .308 brass which is prepped for seating bullets and has an outside diameter of .336" with neck thickness of .015" per side for .030" total.
How do you get .030 from the two numbers .336 and .015?
Thank you for that. This is the type of clear answer to a question that makes these fora so useful. GBI dont anneal for case life. Most on here dont.
What we are after is setting the case neck hardness the same each time so that we are able to get a consistent amount of neck tension on every single firing of the cases life. Extended life before splitting is just a bonus.
https://www.ampannealing.com/articles/
When you read the part one make sure you check out all of the additional appendices within it.
View attachment 6978390
When one expects to keep up the fireI almost posted this in the stupid questions forum.
When does one need to anneal?