Weird ring on brass

[HuntHarder]

Problem is you used 7-up as your beverage... Change that to Coors light and you can hold the case longer.

[AverageJoe]

OK, my apologies to forepaw first and foremost. A candle can definitely anneal brass. But.....I burned the crap out of my fingers while trying with a .223, .25-06, 7mmRM and .300RUM case.

 

It took about 30 seconds for the .223 to burn my fingers, with no annealing achieved. In a vice grip, I held it at the point of the flame for 1:00 with no color change visible. At 1:30, a very slight color change appeared on the neck (probably annealed at the neck only). At 2:00, neck and shoulder annealed.

 

For a 7mmRM case:

I could hold it for 55 seconds before it burned my fingers. No annealing visible. In a vice grip, @ 1:30, neck looks annealed. At 2:00, neck ad shoulder annealed like my torch does at 6 seconds.

 

I only had one .300RUM case that was not annealed, so I had to use the same case for all the tests. I could hold it for 1:15 before I burned my fingers. No visible color change or annealing. At 2:00, neck and shoulder annealed to my liking.

 

.25-06 burned my fingers at 50 seconds. No visible annealing. 1:30 showed signs of neck annealing. 2:00 shows neck/shoulders annealed like my others.

 

So a candle CAN anneal brass. I still stand by my response that I cannot hold case with my fingers and get proper annealing. And the efficiency is not there at all. I can do a case in an average of 6 seconds, vs.2 minutes with a candle.

 

Bottom to top: 0:30, 1:00, 1:30, 2:00, 2:30

 

Here are some 7RM cases. Top is 1:30 seconds over a candle. 3 on the bottom are 6 seconds in a MAPP gas torch.

Kudos to you for actually trying and proving it. Very good info and thank you

[ctracingraptor]

Lance i want to come to your house and have you show me your ways to anneal my 7RM brass. Ill bring whatever drinks you want and a bottle of MAP.... Pretty please..

[lancetkenyon]

Lance i want to come to your house and have you show me your ways to anneal my 7RM brass. Ill bring whatever drinks you want and a bottle of MAP.... Pretty please..

Sure. Super easy and fast. Maybe Saturday? I am shooting/hunting all day Sunday, weather permitting.

[WampusCat]

It took about 30 seconds for the .223 to burn my fingers, with no annealing achieved. In a vice grip, I held it at the point of the flame for 1:00 with no color change visible. At 1:30, a very slight color change appeared on the neck (probably annealed at the neck only). At 2:00, neck and shoulder annealed.

 

For a 7mmRM case:

I could hold it for 55 seconds before it burned my fingers. No annealing visible. In a vice grip, @ 1:30, neck looks annealed. At 2:00, neck ad shoulder annealed like my torch does at 6 seconds.

 

I only had one .300RUM case that was not annealed, so I had to use the same case for all the tests. I could hold it for 1:15 before I burned my fingers. No visible color change or annealing. At 2:00, neck and shoulder annealed to my liking.

 

.25-06 burned my fingers at 50 seconds. No visible annealing. 1:30 showed signs of neck annealing. 2:00 shows neck/shoulders annealed like my others.

 

So a candle CAN anneal brass. I still stand by my response that I cannot hold case with my fingers and get proper annealing. And the efficiency is not there at all. I can do a case in an average of 6 seconds, vs.2 minutes with a candle.

 

So it would only take me 200 minutes to do a normal batch of 100 cases.

 

Great example of "ya its possible" vs "practical use of time".

[lancetkenyon]

 

It took about 30 seconds for the .223 to burn my fingers, with no annealing achieved. In a vice grip, I held it at the point of the flame for 1:00 with no color change visible. At 1:30, a very slight color change appeared on the neck (probably annealed at the neck only). At 2:00, neck and shoulder annealed.

 

For a 7mmRM case:

I could hold it for 55 seconds before it burned my fingers. No annealing visible. In a vice grip, @ 1:30, neck looks annealed. At 2:00, neck ad shoulder annealed like my torch does at 6 seconds.

 

I only had one .300RUM case that was not annealed, so I had to use the same case for all the tests. I could hold it for 1:15 before I burned my fingers. No visible color change or annealing. At 2:00, neck and shoulder annealed to my liking.

 

.25-06 burned my fingers at 50 seconds. No visible annealing. 1:30 showed signs of neck annealing. 2:00 shows neck/shoulders annealed like my others.

 

So a candle CAN anneal brass. I still stand by my response that I cannot hold case with my fingers and get proper annealing. And the efficiency is not there at all. I can do a case in an average of 6 seconds, vs.2 minutes with a candle.

So it would only take me 200 minutes to do a normal batch of 100 cases.

 

Great example of "ya its possible" vs "practical use of time".

 

Exactly. It CAN be done, but is in no way efficient. 3 1/2 hours or 15 minutes. You decide. Plus, my results are better and more consistent as evidenced in the photo.

[forepaw]

OK, my apologies to forepaw first and foremost. A candle can definitely anneal brass. But.....I burned the crap out of my fingers while trying with a .223, .25-06, 7mmRM and .300RUM case.

 

It took about 30 seconds for the .223 to burn my fingers, with no annealing achieved. In a vice grip, I held it at the point of the flame for 1:00 with no color change visible. At 1:30, a very slight color change appeared on the neck (probably annealed at the neck only). At 2:00, neck and shoulder annealed.

 

For a 7mmRM case:

I could hold it for 55 seconds before it burned my fingers. No annealing visible. In a vice grip, @ 1:30, neck looks annealed. At 2:00, neck ad shoulder annealed like my torch does at 6 seconds.

 

I only had one .300RUM case that was not annealed, so I had to use the same case for all the tests. I could hold it for 1:15 before I burned my fingers. No visible color change or annealing. At 2:00, neck and shoulder annealed to my liking.

 

.25-06 burned my fingers at 50 seconds. No visible annealing. 1:30 showed signs of neck annealing. 2:00 shows neck/shoulders annealed like my others.

 

So a candle CAN anneal brass. I still stand by my response that I cannot hold case with my fingers and get proper annealing. And the efficiency is not there at all. I can do a case in an average of 6 seconds, vs.2 minutes with a candle.

 

Bottom to top: 0:30, 1:00, 1:30, 2:00, 2:30

 

Here are some 7RM cases. Top is 1:30 seconds over a candle. 3 on the bottom are 6 seconds in a MAPP gas torch.

Hey Lance, not a problem, appreciate the input. We all have gaps in our knowledge, and discussions and chit chat like this is how we learn new stuff. For the record, I am not an expert or advanced shooter or handloader, and certainly am not a metallurgist. I was just trying to help the OP with some basic info without overwhelming him with technical jargon. Hopefully he will stay involved and keep tapping into the knowledge base on these forums.

 

By the way, I didn't go into detail on the candle method, as I did not save the full write-up. (I know, I goofed.) Also the original source can offer a much better explanation if you would care to get in touch. This would be a guy named John Barsness. He IS an advanced shooter and handloader (and writer) and has provided some tips which have helped me a lot. He writes for Rifle and Handloader magazines, and I expect Wolfe Publishing Co. could provide contact info. Or you could just go to the forums on www.24hourcampfire.com and post a question on "Ask the Gunwriters". Hope that helps, and thanks for your useful photos and comments!

 

forepaw

[ctracingraptor]

Lance

 

You inbox is full

[joelpresmyk8]

So you let your annealed cases air cool lance?

[lancetkenyon]

So you let your annealed cases air cool lance?

I do. They cool very quickly.