annealing brass

[jeffro]

I have been annealing my brass for about 12yrs now. I have been waiting until the brass has been fired 2-3 times before annealing. I just got some virgin/new Win 7mmRM brass, and Im wondering if any of you annealing it before you shoot it the first time.

 

[Niles Coyote]

If its unfired/new I can't see any benefit to annealing it as the factory would have done this after the last forming process. Now if you are working the brass and making a wild cat cartridge out of it it may be a good idea, but even then I believe most would wait till after fire forming.

 

[Kevin Thomas]

Jeff,

as Niles mentioned, virtually all factory brass is annealed, whether you can see the annealing discoloration or not. Most commercial manufacturers (Winchester, Remington and Federal, for example) polish this out, while military sources (Lake City, IMI, etc.) usually don't bother. Of the commercial makers, Lapua leaves the annealing marks in place, and clearly visible in new brass. But virtually all the makers anneal as one of the final steps in manufacture to get the hardness/maleablilty/ductility correct along various point of the case.

Bottom line; no reason to anneal a virgin case, since there's very little likelyhood of improving it, and a distinct possibilty of doing damage to an already proper anneal.

Kevin Thomas
Lapua USA

 

[jeffro]

Thanks for the info. I knew the factory annealed the brass at one point, but wasnt sure if it was one of the last procedures done to the brass. Thanks again

 

[Moman]

Jeffro, what are you using for annealing your brass? I have some Nosler 308 Win brass that is getting hardened after three loadings.