Economics of Annealing

[kyle]

I have 800+/- pieces of Lapua .308 brass that have just completd their 2nd firing. I'm running very warm loads so AT BEST I figure I only have 2 more firings before the necks will need to be annealed.

Ken Light machine runs about $400. Add in shipping, torches, heat sensitive paint, all of the other crap we always seem to buy, you're probably getting close to $500.

You can buy new Winchester brass for $310/1K plus shipping from Powder Valley. Lapua brass will run $532/1K plus shipping. If we figure 4 loadings, then the "cost" of the Winchester brass is about 8 cents a piece.

It will take about 6500 pieces of Winchester brass to recover the cost of annealing. And that assumes you do it perfectly. So I start to wonder if it's worth all the time and trouble.

You probably could have the same argument about reloading. However, I view "reloading" as really being "hand loading" and it's a discipline we follow to gain the very best accuracy we can. Also, in the case of match ammo like 6.5x47 Lapua, that runs about $2.50/round, there's a clear economic incentive to roll your own.

But I'm not sure that argument holds for annealing. What are your thoughts?

 

[Hunt]

Re: Economics of Annealing

You can anneal with the Hornady annealing kit for much cheaper...It comes down to time being money. How much is your time worth?

 

[bohem]

Re: Economics of Annealing

You can cobble together an annealing machine without much trouble for very little in stock costs through the local metal junk yard and some torches.

I'm fairly sure that I could build one with a drill press, saber saw and miscallaneous parts from a R/C kid's car (from radio shack or a thrift store) for under 150 bucks.

I know there's an argument for having something you can pull from the box, setup and go, but I like to equate the $350 savings to the number of rounds I could fire instead. That's 1k of Berger VLD's you saved.

Another method that I've used with great results is to get a cheap, donor baking pan about 3" deep. Fill it with 1.5" of water, grab your propane torch and an IR temp sensor (the temp sensor and torch I already had for other stuff so I guess that's 150 bucks if you don't have either of them.)

Torch the necks of the brass to where you can zap them with the IR sensor and get an idea of what color to get it to, knock the case over into the water so that the heat doesn't travel too far down the case.

Annealing is now done and you spent about 5 bucks on a cheap baking tin from the Grocery store.

 

[myerfire]

Re: Economics of Annealing

I use the Hornady annealing kit and use mostly all Lapua brass. Some of my 5.56 brass is coming up on 50 reloads. I typically anneal after 4 or 5 reloads. It is certainly easy to simply buy new brass, however, the sense of satisfaction one gets from doing things yourself, speaks volumns. Some day I hope to build something along the lines of a Brass-O-Matic, but intil then, my Hornady kit works just fine.
myerfire

 

[MitchAlsup]

Re: Economics of Annealing

I am at reload cycle 23 on Winchester brass with 47.8 gr of Varget pushing 155 scenars without annealing. Nobody can call this loading weak. The secret is bushing dies and neck only sizing (most of the time).

{Note: I have nothing against annealing, and once I actually get a split neck on on of the pieces of brass in this particular experiment, the whole lot will be annealed. I'm just trying to see what the relationship is.}

 

[kombayotch]

Re: Economics of Annealing

My answer to the Hornady kit... works just as well for under $3.

 

[Downzero]

Re: Economics of Annealing

I think it's a waste of time, personally. I buy once fired brass, and I've yet to load enough of it to where I had to throw any away.

When I do, I'll just buy some more once fired brass.

 

[bohem]

Re: Economics of Annealing

kombayotch-

can you tell us which pipe fitting sizes you used for that 308 brass (at least it looks to be 308 at first glance).

I assume it falls out of the nipple after you've hit final temp?

 

[kombayotch]

Re: Economics of Annealing

Works the same as the Hornady kit: tilting it downwards dumps the case out. I don't remember what the dimensions of the fittings were. I just brought a case with me to the hardware store and put it together there.

 

[Grump]

Re: Economics of Annealing

Doesn't anyone here use the dip it in molten lead until the middle of the case gets way warm approach?

An article in Handloader Magazine years ago recommended that and the temperature crayon approaches as the only reliable ways to avoid overdoing it and getting the necks too soft.

Specifically, the testing showed that even in a darkened room and knocking the cases over at the first hint of a super-dull glow, the necks were too close to dead-soft.

I might still have that one in the Huge Pile of Stuff...

 

[Jedi]

Re: Economics of Annealing

Kyle
speak to Mark, he has a machine he maybe willing to let ya use, might have to spring for pizza n beer etc

 

[bohem]

Re: Economics of Annealing

Yes, I'd done it that way too. I didn't suggest it because I didn't know if he had a molten lead pot to work with. Having molten lead sitting there like that is sometimes considered bad and you need to do it outside or in a very well ventialted area due to the lead fumes.

 

[Victor N TN]

Re: Economics of Annealing

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Downzero</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I think it's a waste of time, personally. I buy once fired brass, and I've yet to load enough of it to where I had to throw any away.

When I do, I'll just buy some more once fired brass. </div></div>

Anyone ever tell you that posts like that show either your youth or inexperience on the given subject?

 

[Wil]

Re: Economics of Annealing

definitely shows ignorance...