On Fri, 23 Aug 2013 12:12:18 -0500, "Paul K. Dickman"
wrote:

...

Let's clear up some terminology. Annealing of cartridge brass occurs in the
800-1400 deg range. This fully softens the brass and is only something you
should think about if you're wildcatting.

What you want is called stress relief. This occurs in the 500-650 range.
If you are using a turbo torch, stop. These heat too fast and are too
oxidizing a flame.

Use a pencil flame torch, you want a soft reducing flame and you may have to
cover an air hole to get it.
Heat slowly and dance the flame around. As they heat, the necks will darken.
Eventually, you will see the darkening disappear as you play the torch
across it and reappear as the flame leaves, This is the temp you want.

You don't need to quench, but it is not harmful. On something as long as a
30-30 you would have to screw up big time to get the head up to any critical
temperature.

The shoulder should be fine in the same temp range but will probably never
get there.

The inaccuracies of torch heating and exposed surface area will leave you
with the crimp area softer than the rest of the neck, which is exactly what
you want.

You should not have to do this too often. It depends on your load and crimp.


That explains a lot. I was trying to apply this technique to a
different piece of brass. Once I put it in the water bath I could not
get the color change on the exposed section: The water bath acted like
a heat sink big time. I was using a propylene-air torch.

Michael Koblic,
Campbell River, BC