Where to insert the annealing stage

[chetraguse]

Just wondering on what stage in the reloading process do you anneal.

 

[dok7mm]

Prior to resizing.

 

[chetraguse]

Thanks, I was just reading that some people are doing it on dirty cases, that didn't seem right.

 

[MagnumManiac]

I clean/polish/tumble/clean in separate operations prior to annealing. The only way I get good results is if the cases are clean and very shiny.
I use an auto annealing machine, but the dwell time between cases often changes, I need to SEE when the honey brown starts to dull the shine off. This is where I know I am just a little too hot and back off a second.
I always anneal prior to sizing and on every other firing in my comp guns and every third sizing in my hunting rifles, this includes my varmint guns too.

Cheers.

 

[elf]

Just wondering on what stage in the reloading process do you anneal.

I do not tumble mine anymore. Before annealing, I simply twist the case neck in a wad of 0000 steel wool to remove any powder fouling.

 

[johnnyk]

I anneal last, after all the other prep work is done. I like that "honey brown" color as MagnumManiac referred to it.
On domestic (Rem/Win/FC/Horn) cases I anneal every 3rd firing but on Lapua and Norma cases every 5th or 6th firing and that's just a judgement call. Depends on how hard I push 'em.

 

[LongBomber]

I like to deprime, anneal, ss tumble, resize, and trim/neck turn if needed.

I prefer to run clean brass through my size dies, and its convient to anneal and just drop the hot brass straight into the tumbler with pins/water/soap already in it. I don't really worry about having the annealing marks on my brass.