Rick Richard
Well-Known Member
Salt bath method. Cheap and very consistent.
Need brass annealing advice
- Thread starter tumbleweed7mmstw
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if you shoot a lot. A lot.... then I would suggest you pay once and get a good annealer. You can make a DIY annealer from examples like you- tube but there is a lot of learning curves on getting it right. I did that 10 years ago and it work really well. Like I said learning curves. Paint sticks to test brass temp is the key. Consistency is the key.
with that, if you shoot spariningly you could send your brass to places and they will anneal it for you.
either way annealing brass does help on consistent neck tension and brass life.
Mine is sorta like below. Think I have 60$ in mine.
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I'm curious how you quantify consistency from salt bath annealing? I don't know much about it but a quick search brought up the below research article from AMP. Now I know they are in the business of selling a product but I don't know of any other company or method that has the research and science behind what they say.
Salt Bath Annealing - Does It Work? | Learn More | AMP
View the latest articles from AMP Annealing. Get tips and tricks from our R&D. Here we upload articles to provide your the best possible information on innovations in the annealing process.
www.ampannealing.com
Last spring I fortunately saw the component squeeze coming. I purchased new Lapua and Nosler brass for every rifle I have. I will be annealing this brass every other loading and I have tripled my brass record keeping process. I have an annealing machine, but since your post asked how often annealing should be performed and not which machine or process to use the brand name isn't relevant. Good luck with your annealing, I'm confident you're capable of choosing which process you want.
The OP actually did ask for advice on machines and other supplies.
catamountsierra
Well-Known Member
How much your brass anneals is determined by the combination of temperature and time; a hotter temperature requires less time and a lower temperature requires more time. For cartridge cases, we also only want to anneal the neck and shoulder, so time becomes a potential control as longer time allows more heat to travel towards the case head. My salt bath runs at 500 degrees C, and stays within about 2 degrees throughout the process (thankyou PID, the Lee thermostat simply can't do that). I watch a second hand and count seconds to keep time consistent, and the case holder I made keeps the depth that the case is in the bath consistent. Automated might be nice, but I can do around 200 cases an hour and not be rushed, and I paid about $150 for the whole setup. Salt bath annealing is also the process used for annealing brass for scientific instruments, so I really don't worry about any lack of consistency that some have claimed. It works as long as I can pay attention and keep the time consistent.
catamountsierra, could you share the parts and build on the PID? I also use the salt bath method with the Lee Lead Pot. Much obliged!
catamountsierra
Well-Known Member
PID: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0195V53X8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Probe: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07MQTSPNV/ref=ppx_od_dt_b_asin_title_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1
Solid state relay: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B074FT4VXB/ref=ppx_od_dt_b_asin_title_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I may be able to send some pictures of how I set it up later.
Probe: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07MQTSPNV/ref=ppx_od_dt_b_asin_title_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1
Solid state relay: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B074FT4VXB/ref=ppx_od_dt_b_asin_title_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I may be able to send some pictures of how I set it up later.
That would be great! Thanks for the quick reply!
Rick Richard
Well-Known Member
I'm curious how you quantify consistency from salt bath annealing? I don't know much about it but a quick search brought up the below research article from AMP. Now I know they are in the business of selling a product but I don't know of any other company or method that has the research and science behind what they say.
Salt Bath Annealing - Does It Work? | Learn More | AMP
View the latest articles from AMP Annealing. Get tips and tricks from our R&D. Here we upload articles to provide your the best possible information on innovations in the annealing process.
i could not say it better
I'm not trying to sell one method or another. For those who use the salt bath, you say it's consistent or it works well, how do you know? Without doing destructive hardness measurements, you really can't know that you've returned the brass to it's virgin state. The only research I've seen with any science/metallurgy behind it is the AMP article I posted and those tests show the salt bath method didn't anneal the necks if done as prescribed and if they did get close to virgin brass hardness on the neck, it over annealed the body.
Many years ago when I started reloading, I went to the extreme in case prep. Primer pockets, flash hole, neck roaming, but when neck or full length resizing, I had to use both hands on the rock chucker ram to pull the case down over the button. They would squeal and screech as the button was sizing. I asked many knowledgeable gun people about this and most said use lube on inside of necks. Motor mica. Dry powder type lube. No avail. Didnt realize but these cases would stretch quickly because of the resistance. No one ever mentioned about work hardening. that factory brass would work harden with even one reloading. Then, after having a major accuracy gunsmith chamber a barreled action in 22-250 AI, I started fireforming with new Remington brass and 75% split in the shoulder. Sent rifle back and after inspection was told chamber was correct and problem was bad brass. Even some new brass is not sufficiently soft. Then I became aware of annealing. In my wayof annealing after much experimenting, the only way to get necks soft enough is to heat until red in a dark room and nock over in the pan of water and quench. I conversed with an engineer at a large brass manufacturer and was told to heat red and quench. In my case no need to buy expensive machine as I stand 10 cases 1/2 way up on case in cake pan and heat one at a time with propane torch and knock over in water. Have never seemingly damaged or overcooked brass in hundreds of cases. And button does not skreech.
Rick Richard
Well-Known Member
There is a lot of rebuttal to the AMP proposed results if you do some searching. The proof in the pudding for me are the results I see in increased shot accuracy and the longevity of the brass. So, in my mind being able to control temperatures within a few degrees during the annealing process is one less variable that is controlled and less subjective to question. In the end, it is what works for you. Good luck on your reloading and shooting.
