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Case annealing?

victorlvlbvictorlvlb Member Posts: 5,004
edited October 2006 in Perry Shooter Competition Shooting and Reloading Forum
How many times do you fire a case before it has to be annealed?I usually toss my used cases after they've been reloaded five times.
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Comments

  • JustCJustC Member Posts: 16,056 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    that would be a good time to anneal them.
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  • victorlvlbvictorlvlb Member Posts: 5,004
    edited November -1
    JustC
    I was told that seven times of reloading a case or brass was the limit. if the brass has been reloaded five times ,what do you gain by annealing a case if it only has two reloads to go?
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  • perry shooterperry shooter Member Posts: 17,105 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    It depends on how hot a load and how much you work the brass. Brass unlike steel will get harder as you work it . I have some 22-3000 cases made out of 25-20 single shot that have been reloaded over 40 times annealed twice . when the case necks star to crack you have waited too long . It would not hurt to anneal offten but remember just the neak area never the base.
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  • JustCJustC Member Posts: 16,056 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    there is no set formula for number of firings,....especially when neck sizing and not overworking the casehead area. As long as the casehead is intact, and the primer pockets are still tight,..keep loading.

    the IBS world record at 1000yds was set by Rich DeSimone with cases that were annealed EVERY firing. That keeps the necks soft, and neck tension MUCH more uniform. That may well have had a part in his 1.5xx" group[:0]
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  • jonkjonk Member Posts: 10,121
    edited November -1
    I once took a 30-06 Lee loader, powder, bullets, primers, and some LC 69 cases to the range. Also a lee trimmer. Test gun was a 1903 Springfield. Starting with once fired brass; I just kept shooting and reloading the same case, over and over again. Loads 1 grain over start of 4064. 150 gr M2 bullet.

    Granted, I was just neck sizing. No annealing. I found: 1. I had to fire about 50 rounds before the primer pocket started getting loose. 2. The case started to strech a tad after 20 and required a little, but not much, trimming; also at 45 or so. 3. It takes a long time to do this.

    Ever since I NEVER pitch brass unless it shows some obvious defect. This may be after 1 firing for some loose chambers, or after 100 for low pressure, neck sized, tight chambers. I have some .38 Spl. cases that are probably on reload 20 now, and could get that high, but other than those, most of my cases never get near that high.

    I rarely anneal brass. Even if it starts to crack. If it cracks, I pitch it. I MIGHT anneal more expensive, rare brass, but don't shoot it much (i.e. 11mm Mauser) so I've never gotten far enough along to have too.
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  • victorlvlbvictorlvlb Member Posts: 5,004
    edited November -1
    I thank everyone of you for your replys.[:)][:)][:)]
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