My DIY annealing machine!

[raptor calls]

 

Gazza0208's turn today......

 

[Catch-22]

Ordered mine today, can't wait for it to arrive.

 

Superb comms by Lubo too - top bloke!

[DW58]

Our machine was in action again today with my son processing .223 casesfor my his rifle - Lubo's machine has already become an essential part of our hand-loading process with cases now being annealed before every loading.

[raptor calls]

Annealing before each reload is the way to go Rob.

 

That's how you get a consistent neck tension and prolong the life of your cases

[Grum87]

I suspect I'm going to end up doing the same, wet tumble, oven, anneal, trim, load.....

 

If nothing else, it makes ammunition that is so aesthetically pleasing. No one likes scabby looking ammo.

[Dorset Winmag]

I suspect I'm going to end up doing the same, wet tumble, oven, anneal, trim, load.....

 

If nothing else, it makes ammunition that is so aesthetically pleasing. No one likes scabby looking ammo.

 

Grum......Just saved a stage.......wet tumble.....shake/towel dry.....ANNEAL.....

 

Heat of the torch dries the case! Bingo!!

 

Just did 100 x 6.5 x 55 in no time at all!

 

Lubo...Brilliant machine!! (and somewhat therapeutic!)

 

DW

[Grum87]

Nah, doesn't cut it for me, I tried that and found as they drop out the machine drops of water go everywhere, and leave watermarks on the brass.......OCD much....

 

When it comes to brass, nothing looks better than wet tumbled, freshly annealed brass though....

[DW58]

You need to add a stage - case dying in my food dehydrator (otherwise used to make jerky) which does the job very well and leaves no watermarks.

[247sniper]

Nah, doesn't cut it for me, I tried that and found as they drop out the machine drops of water go everywhere, and leave watermarks on the brass.......OCD much....

 

When it comes to brass, nothing looks better than wet tumbled, freshly annealed brass though....

This sounds like a case (ha ha get it) of a much needed photo.

[Grum87]

You need to add a stage - case dying in my food dehydrator (otherwise used to make jerky) which does the job very well and leaves no watermarks.

 

 

I just bang them in an oven at 80-100 *c for half an hour, job's a good'n.

 

[Grum87]

And the proof is in the pudding right? I'd say with ES into the single digits, it works....

 

[Dac9976]

I've been wanting to anneal for some time now but I have no clue what I'm doing and I don't really want to cook my brass. I've read loads about it but I'm still none the wiser lol.

 

Cheers

 

Danny.

[gbal]

Grum,your oven bakes are indeed things of beauty,and an MV ES of 7.67 is something any home loader would be delighted with.

 

I'm not sue it can be 'proof' of the merits of annealing,per se.....

 

A major variable in MV has to be powder,and powder consistency in the reloading process....what would be nice would be data on MV ES with a different cleaning regime,but nothing else changed.

We don't often get that sort of data,because few/none of us do controlled tests-we 'just' shoot.

But you might have it,and even hoew the powder was weighed-which might inform another current thread about beam/electronic.

Your data meanwhile does not seem out of line with my 'beer mat' calculations about the minimal effects of .1 grain variations,and achieving the same....so that helps there too.

I certainly agree,an ES of 7.67 says a lot of positives about the loading,including perhaps very clean brass,but not exclusively that.

Obviously,stay with your regime.

 

gbal

[Grum87]

You're right, it's not absolutely definitive that the annealing is the secret to low ES - because it isn't. But it certainly helps from what I've seen so far.

 

I do plan to do a side by side test of identical loads, with the only difference being, annealing, and no annealing after some of the brass has seen 3-4 firings - enough to justify annealing.

 

While not shot on the same day, so not exactly conclusive, I do have data shooting the same loads with non annealed, dirty brass, and today, annealed, spotless brass.

 

Todays shooting was actually a test aimed at CCI BR2 Primers Vs Federal 210m, after a previous chrono session showing the 210's to be, quite frankly crap.

 

Loads were as follows;

139gr Scenar, 2xFired Lapua brass - wet tumbled/annealed/trimmed/weight sorted, 41.8gr H4350 measured on a redding beam scale. The variable being the primers. BR2's Vs 201m's.

 

BR2's achieved;

Average 2782

ES 7.67

SD 3.0

High 2786

Low 2778

 

Fed210m's achieved;

Average 2778

ES 22.30

SD 8.60

High 2787

Low 2765

 

The BR2 wins, I'd suggest.

 

This test was brought about by a chronograph session where I was testing various loads and recording the results to populate my ballistic app with. On the day, I had a number of loads using the old KVB7 primers, and a number using Fed210m's. Sadly it was all a little apples and oranges, different bullets and powder charges - but the aim wasn't to compare any given component or load, just to record the data. One trend that did become clear was that the KVB7 consistently halved the ES seen in the 210M's. Every time.

 

But one of the loads, was identical to the above 139gr Scenar/Lapua brass/41.8gr H4350/Fed210m as above - with the same regime, minus the wet tumbling and annealing. The results(don't laugh!);

Average 2699

ES 61.55(!!!!)

SD 25.25

High 2733

Low 2672

 

Shockingly bad - albeit at 100 yards, it'd shoot half inch groups with ease.

 

It needs to be taken with a pinch of salt though - as today, and the day of my previous chronograph testing were different in conditions. Today was bright, little wind, and no clouds. The previous session was a little duller, with clouds coming and going - light levels varying a little. It certainly wouldn't help a chronograph that is known to be sensitive to lighting conditions.

 

I will run the annealed/not annealed with ammo made side by side on the bench, and shot side by side at the same time in the near future. Aswell as adding into the mix small primer brass(necked down palma brass).

 

 

No definitive conclusions can be made, but at a glance, I'm happy to say it makes a difference. In my opinion.

[gbal]

Grum,

Many thanks for this data-I suspect savvy shooters often have lots that don't get reported,but might be informative to others.

 

The primer issue is clear enough.with the 210s prett poor (in terms of ES and SD,which are not per se holes onpaper-see below).

 

The answer is not of course to wet tumble and anneal the 210s !!

 

The second data set is indeed interesting-the same load that gave 2778 fps 22.3/8.6 variance,wet and annealed, seems far better than the same load minus the wet/anneal at 2699 fps,and 61.5/25.25.....a 79 fps drop,and 'erratic'.

 

But as you note,it might just be an erratic chrono....which needs wet tumbled and annealed....I'm losing the will to go on....!!

 

...or a magneto chrono (or two similar days....good luck with that,recently) :-)

 

AND YET ,this load still held 1/2" easily at 100y.....probably not at distance,where all the variations have time to show up clearly....but we don't know...

 

Great data ,though ..... "per ardua ad astra" :-)

 

g

 

.....

[Grum87]

I will return at somepoint with data of side by side testing done on the same day for a fairer comparison re annealing or not annealing.

 

Im not convinced that spotlessly clean brass really helps, i do think clean primer pockets are a must though. However, clean brass is very aesthetically pleasing and inspires confidence, and sometimes I think that's half the battle.

[raptor calls]

Two more went today....

 

[Swarovski1]

It looks a very good bit of kit.i would expect them to sell very well

[DW58]

It looks a very good bit of kit.i would expect them to sell very well

Aren't you rather missing the boat - it is a good quality "bit of kit" and is selling very well. I've had mine for around a month and I'm absolutely delighted with it.

[Charlts]

I've just put my order in for one, bring on the increased OCD levels!

[raptor calls]

Two more ready for UKV members...

 

[andybrock]

What torch are you guys using with Lubo's machine?

[DW58]

We're using this one as recommended by Binnzy - finding it fine.

 

Also available from B&Q.

[andybrock]

We're using this one as recommended by Binnzy - finding it fine.

Also available from B&Q.

Thanks Rob.

[Re-Pete]

Anyone know if there's a hose available that will allow the gun to be connected to the canister?

 

Would make it easier to set up accurately. The attached canister/gun makes the whole thing a bit unwieldy.

 

RePete