Annealing 38-55 brass

[stubbicatt]

Guys, I'm in the process of making 32-40 brass from Starline 38-55 new brass.

Is there a tried and true method of annealing this brass? Where do you aim the flame? I'm thinking a deep socket of suitable diameter on a power drill to spin the brass.

Thanks.

I saw a copper tubing ring somewhere that has little holes punched in it that one attaches to the propane bottle, and one runs the cartridge up in this ring for a brief minute, but cannot find where I found it. Looks like a great solution. Apply flame around the case rather than turning the case around in a single flame. Anybody seen this?

 

[rcmodel]

Neck annealing doesn't need to get that complicated.

Take a cake pan with water in it.
Stand the cases up in the water.
Heat the neck dull red in dim light with a propane torch and knock it over in the water.
Do the next one, and the next.

Works perfectly.

Brass transfers heat so well there is no need to rotate the case to heat evenly on both sides.

If it's dull red on one side, it will be dull red on the other side.

rc

 

[Sunray]

Heat the neck dull red in any light is too hot. Heated enough to change the colour is enough. However, it still isn't complicated.
It's the case mouth that gets work hardened.
OWS is listing .32-40 ammo made out of .30-30 at $34.95 per 20.

 

[MEHavey]

Is there a tried and true method of annealing this brass? Where do you aim the flame?
I'm thinking a deep socket of suitable diameter on a power drill to spin the brass.

Socket Spin: +1
Flame: 1st ½" of neck (no more).
Temp Ctrl: Strongly recommend 750° Tempilaq painted just inside neck. (Color is literally in the eye of the beholder/lighting conditions/unreliable/not repeatable)
Cooling: No water needed. Just drop out of the socket onto a dishtowel.

 

[stubbicatt]

Thanks fellas.

 

[Catpop]

Sunray,
I bought a box of 20 OWS 32-40 reloads mainly to get the 32-40 brass. Brass as you say turned put to be 30-30 and as you also already know starts out at least .010 too short. Oh well live and learn.
Maybe it you reload it enough it will grow to 32-40 length!
Opps, .100 too short!