Case Annealing and Trimming

Discussions of powders, bullets and loading information.

Moderators: Kirk, Lucinda

Post Reply
IronCranse48
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun Nov 01, 2020 4:13 pm

Case Annealing and Trimming

Post by IronCranse48 »

New to paper patching and black powder cartridge reloading, here. Two questions, please : why do we need to anneal the brass? Also, recently purchased some .45-110 Norma brass, all of it over 2 7/8” length. What case trimmers are you folks using for such brass?
User avatar
Lumpy Grits
Posts: 7673
Joined: Tue Jan 28, 2003 7:58 pm
Location: Springfield, Missouri-U.S.A. Earth

Re: Case Annealing and Trimming

Post by Lumpy Grits »

You anneal for consistency in neck tension and chamber seal upon firing.
I anneal and shoot GG only.
Gary
"Hav'n you along, is like loose'n two good men"
bruce m
Posts: 3350
Joined: Tue Aug 04, 2009 5:25 am
Location: australia

Re: Case Annealing and Trimming

Post by bruce m »

for shortening cases a lot i have found file trim dies useful.
primary removal is done with a hacksaw cutting off what protrudes above the die.
some die adjustment is necessary to get cases not too short.
shims under the lock ring can help here.
from memory mine came from baco.
bruce.
ventum est amicus meus
opencountry
Posts: 3236
Joined: Thu Apr 14, 2005 8:26 pm
Location: WA State

Re: Case Annealing and Trimming

Post by opencountry »

IC48,
I use LE Wilson’s case trimmer with the 45-70 case holder. I like their precision products. I also have a 45-110. It has the standard chamber. I use Norma .45 brass. I shoot strictly paper patch, nothing else. I first FL-size the brass, lubricating the brass very sparingly with RCBS case lube-2. After that I trim each case to 2.885”. Then I chamfer the inside and outside of the case mouth, and steel-wool each so that they are very smooth. I then anneal just the last 1/2” of my cases with a propane torch, spinning the case on a 3/8” drill bit chucked into a battery drill gun. I count to (4), and call it good. It works very nicely when done the same. Then I load the cases with powder, add a wad, and compress, and stack the wadding. I leave a full 3/16” to seat the patched bullet. I use a meacham neck-sizer to reduce the necks to the desired tension (I like a tightly-seated patched bullet) I want on the patched bullet. This works nicely. I then fire-form them to the chamber. After firing I clean the cases in hot, soapy water, rinse, and dry cases in an over for an hour at 175 degrees. Then, after this I keep my cases trimmed to 2.875”. After trimming them to length (if they need it) I reload again. I cast a .444” money bullet, swage down to .443” in a Lee Sizer, and wrap in. 9# paper. It’s a routine, just like everyone else does. I like the results.
Hope you can glean something good from this. Nice choice in brass-Norma.
Robert
Beware of the man that owns one rifle.
semtav
Posts: 2874
Joined: Wed Feb 03, 2010 3:21 pm
Location: Montana

Re: Case Annealing and Trimming

Post by semtav »

opencountry wrote: Sat Nov 28, 2020 8:16 pm IC48,
I use LE Wilson’s case trimmer with the 45-70 case holder. I like their precision products. I also have a 45-110. It has the standard chamber. I use Norma .45 brass. I shoot strictly paper patch, nothing else. I first FL-size the brass, lubricating the brass very sparingly with RCBS case lube-2. After that I trim each case to 2.885”. Then I chamfer the inside and outside of the case mouth, and steel-wool each so that they are very smooth. I then anneal just the last 1/2” of my cases with a propane torch, spinning the case on a 3/8” drill bit chucked into a battery drill gun. I count to (4), and call it good. It works very nicely when done the same. Then I load the cases with powder, add a wad, and compress, and stack the wadding. I leave a full 3/16” to seat the patched bullet. I use a meacham neck-sizer to reduce the necks to the desired tension (I like a tightly-seated patched bullet) I want on the patched bullet. This works nicely. I then fire-form them to the chamber. After firing I clean the cases in hot, soapy water, rinse, and dry cases in an over for an hour at 175 degrees. Then, after this I keep my cases trimmed to 2.875”. After trimming them to length (if they need it) I reload again. I cast a .444” money bullet, swage down to .443” in a Lee Sizer, and wrap in. 9# paper. It’s a routine, just like everyone else does. I like the results.
Hope you can glean something good from this. Nice choice in brass-Norma.
Robert
Thats funny, I just worked up 25 cases and except for leaving mine fireformed for patched to groove dia, that's almost to a word how I do it.

I do have to run the 45 cyl brass thru a 45-120 die to get them to fit in the Wilson holder

I started out trimmed to 2.885 and and wound up with shells at 2.879 which I will leave until I see issues since my chamber is slightly larger than Shilohs.
User avatar
kenny sd
Posts: 382
Joined: Mon Jan 06, 2020 9:24 am
Location: florida

Re: Case Annealing and Trimming

Post by kenny sd »

I have my case trimmer set for the 40 70 SS 2 1/2 at 2.498.
I use an electric drill and the more expensive carbide cutter rather than the steel cutter to get a nice even cut. go slow here.
all cases then being exactly the same of course.
I then slightly hand trim inside and out of the neck, and anneal.
I use a loose fitting long type socket bought at the hardware store, with a bolt and a couple of nuts to allow it to fit the drill.
I turn slowly under the flame, then just dump in the water bucket. again...all done the same.
primer pockets were trimmed front and inside when the cases were new. once only.

I do this maybe every 50 shots of use in the shell....not counting...
washed after each firing, tumbled with soap water and a little vinegar put upside down on a home made wood and nail rack to dry.
never had a problem.
Post Reply