New to Reloading, Looking for Advice

[Brkenarrow]

Hey everybody,

This is my first post here and I'd like to say thanks for having me in the community. I helped my uncle do a bit of reloading for shotgun and rifle during a week or so I spent with him about ten years ago and haven't done any since then. So for all practical purposes I'm completely new!

I've got a few questions. I have a 12 ga. press which I think has everything needed to reload. I'll post some pictures when I get a chance to have you pros look it over and let me know if I need anything!

What I want to do:
As I mentioned above I've got a 12 ga. press. I'd like to load for some trap and sporting clays. I'd also like to get into turkey hunting and would like some advice on powders, primers, shot, and any other advice you could give me.

I'd also like to reload for .40, .30-06, and .223/5.56. I don't have a brass reloading press yet but I am doing some research. If you've got any tips or advice on a press, let me know.

For the .40 I just want to be able to load a round to practice with at the range. I primarily shoot Winchester 180gr FMJ and want to load something similar to it.

For the .30-06 (shooting from a bolt action) I would like to load a round to be used for hunting as well as a round to be used at the range. I usually hunt with the Federal Fusion 180gr and currently only hunt deer but would like to find a round to hunt black bear with as well. As far as range rounds, just something to punch holes.

For the .223/5.56 (firing out of a semi-auto), I'd like to be able to load a few types of rounds. First a range round to punch holes, second a varmint round. I'd also like to load a round that I could hunt deer with. My rifle is a 16" barrel and has a 1:7 twist rate.

Any advice on powder, primers, and bullets to use for the purposes I mentioned would be appreciated!

Now, I've got some more questions!
1)How long can brass be used before it has to be tossed?
2)Is annealing brass something that a rookie could do? What methods/technique would you recommend? What tools are required or recommended?
3)What does single-base and double-base powder mean? What are the pros and cons of each?
4)What does flake vs. ball vs. spherical vs. extruded powder mean? What are the pros and cons of each?
5)What changes when you're reloading for a semi-auto vs. for a bolt action?
6)How long can shotgun hulls be used?
7)What are the pros and cons of slow burn vs. fast burn powders? In what situations would each be used?
8)How does pressure and other variables affect accuracy, trajectory, velocity, etc.?
9)How do you slug the bore of your rifle? Is this something that should be done for most guns, or just for bench shooters?
10)When would you use a large vs. a small primer in handguns and rifles? Are either interchangeable in any situation?
11)In the ABCs of Reloading it mentions large and small calibers for handguns and rifles but does not specify a range for these? Is this important in reloading or is it just a general categorization?
12)How does brass produced by different manufacturers affect how you reload it?
13)How does the bullet weight affect accuracy?
14)What is the Greenhill formula? When and how would it be used?

A pretty long post, so if you made it this far I thank you! If there's anything I didn't ask but you think I should know, please tell me! Thank you all in advance for your help!

 

[gamestalker]

Welcome to THR.

My friend, the first thing you should concentrate on is picking up several very good instruction reloading books. I see you have the ABC's, which does provide some very good information, but to get into the this hobby the right way / safe way, one needs to seriously read cover to cover, research the areas that you may not understand, and then begin by buying your necessary tools of the trade. Speer reloading books, do a great job of making it easier for a beginner to understand the process. They do this by separating the various types of reloading in language that makes it easier for the beginner to comprehend. When I started 30+ yrs. ago, the internet was not yet available, so I was left to study my books until I had a good idea where to begin, which type of cartridge to begin with, the tools I needed, and the components needed for a particular load make up.

Right off the bat, you need to pick one cartridge and type of reloading to focus on. Taking on bottle neck, pistol, revolver, and shotgun loading is way too much to jump into. Chances are, you'll probably get discouraged rather quickly if you take them all on at the same time. Each is quite different from the other. There are to many variations to try and explain right here and now, and attempting to do so would be comparable to writing a book on reloading.

As for shotgun loading, each published recipe is very specific as to what components muct be used. This includes slug loads, buck shot, trap / skeet / buck / slugs / magnum loads, magnum loads. Other variables include hull construction design, length of hull, hull manufacturer, and so on. In other words, shotgun loads require specific recipes that determine the specific necessary components to assemble a single load make up. Recipe's are rarely, if ever interchangeable or able to use substitute components, even though the load may seem very similar in every other aspect, so the components will often vary greatly and must not be interchanged or substituted, unless acceptable substitutions are indicated in the particular recipe.

What we can help you with is deciding what press would be a good one to begin with for your type of shooting needs. If you are involved in a high ammo usage sport, then you would need tools and a press that would fill that need. Or if a low or average usage shooting sport, then other tools or press recommendations would apply, and so on.

At this point you appear to have a very broad perception of what's involved in this hobby, so begin by focusing on one type of cartridge. For example, if you would like to begin with loading rimless auto loading cartridges, .380, 9mm, .40 cal. 45 acp, and other same type cartridges, then we could offer some recommendations based on how much you plan to shoot per shooting session. Then we would need to know what type bullets you would like to start with, lead, plated, or jacketed. And then how much you think you will be using per week or month. What type of ammunition you'll need is also very important, hunting, target, competition, or other. This is very important as well, and will determine which type of press, components, and tools you'll need to get started with.

I hope I provided you with some helpful and basic information to consider. I'm sure others will come along shortly and have some additional advice and recommendations that will aid in your future endeavor into this great hobby.

GS

 

[Gadawg88]

Gamestalker has provided you with some good advice. Don't take this the wrong way, but you should be able to find the answers to many of your questions you listed by doing some Google searching and/or reading a good reloading manual. IMHO, you have found the best online resource for reloading there is. There is so much cumulative knowledge available here and lots of good friendly people, so welcome.

 

[UziLand]

As mentioned above, gamestalker gave you the correct procedures to follow. I would start with the 12ga trap loads as these are not to difficult. What type of shotshell reloader do you have ie. MEC 650? and do you have the manual? Once you've succesfully made some trap loads you can read up and research the different components for bird and game loads. Any questions on the shotshell setup can be answered here or at the manufacturer site. DON'T just start dumping powder, wads and shot into hulls and try to shoot them. MEC loaders for instance, come set up for trap. It would have the correct bushings for the shot (usually #7 1/2 0r #8) and the powder, of which there is a varity.
A powder scale would help you check the load. For the brass I would start with the forty. Much easier than rifle brass. For .223 varmint rounds, if you need frangible I would advise you become experienced and comfortible with plated, jacketed, etc. before trying them. I load frangibles and alot of extra precaution is involved. Imangine a fractured bullet trying to go down your barrel at over 3000 fps
Welcome to THR and the addiction of reloading . I've gotten some very good information on this site and been reloading for 20+ years.

 

[Potatohead]

Ive taken it upon myself to be the resident "get some manuals" guy, so like GS said get some manuals and read them until you know whats on the next page before you get there! I'll take a shot at a few of your numbered questions, Im newish also.

1)A good while, if you load light to medium loads especially. This can depend on the caliber too I'd venture.

2)It sounds easy but Ive never done it.

4) Flake powder has little flakes, and ball has little balls Ball usually meter betters and some say it might be a little harder to ignite in some scenarios

7) Like said above, you really need to grab a manual and read, read, read..Lyman49 has a good powder write up.

10)Your manual/data source will tell you which primer you need

11) Im confused on that one.

A manual is really going to help you out. I suggest Lyman 49. Just put the ABCs in the cat litter box. (Just kidding, its not that bad-It has some shotgunning stuff I do believe.)

I recommend a Lee Classic Turret for most new fellas like myself.

And welcome to THR

 

[spitballer]

Welcome to THR. I only reload for one rifle, a .223 bolt action, but it's challenging enough to keep me thoroughly occupied. Personally I was nervous when I first got into reloading, and I actually put off my first reload until I got a manual manual and did some reading. Everyone has their favorite manual, I still use my first and only, Lee's "modern reloading". With anecdotes, humor, and excellent tables it's a great first book and I've never tired of reading the thing. Would recommend same. Good luck on your reloading adventure!

 

[cfullgraf]

Now, I've got some more questions!
1)How long can brass be used before it has to be tossed?
Handgun brass last near forever unless you are loading magnum rounds like 44 magnum or 357 magnum rounds. Then they last almost forever. I lose semi-auto cases faster than they fail.

Rifle case life is variable depending on conditions, cartridge, and loading. In my AR-15s, I get 4 to 8 reloadings. M1 Garand is longer. Bolt rifles is even longer and some bench rest shooters get obscene rifle case life.

2)Is annealing brass something that a rookie could do? What methods/technique would you recommend? What tools are required or recommended?
Most folks, if any, do not anneal handgun cases. Technically, annealing is not difficult but getting the temperature right is. I have been reloading for 34 years and I do not anneal cases. If i did, I buy one of the machines. Others are comfortable with their results annealing "by hand".

3)What does single-base and double-base powder mean? What are the pros and cons of each?
It has to do with the manufacturing of the powder. I suppose it might make a difference, but I pick a powder that works for me and do not sweat the details.

4)What does flake vs. ball vs. spherical vs. extruded powder mean? What are the pros and cons of each?
As potatohead said, flake powder is flake shaped, ball powder is ball shaped. Extruded powder is little cylinders and spherical powder is also ball shaped. I believe when spherical powder first hit the market, the manufacturer copyrighted the term ball powder so other companies had to call their spherical powder something other than "ball powder". Flake and extruded powders are somewhat more difficult to meter from a powder measure than ball powder. I use lots of flake and extruded powder without any problems. It is a matter of learning the technique to use.

5)What changes when you're reloading for a semi-auto vs. for a bolt action?
The main difference is cases for semi-auto rounds must be full length sized while rounds for a bolt rifle may be neck sized if the shooter desires. On resizing, semi-auto rounds need the shoulder pushed back a little (0.001" or so) more than bolt rifles. Some folks feel semi-auto rounds must be crimped, I don't. I shoot the same load in my bolt action 204 Ruger and my 204 Ruger AR-15 but many rifles will have a preference for a particular bullet or powder. Semi-auto rounds generally are limited to magazine length. Although bolt rifles have similar restrictions, it is easier to shoot them single shot than a semi-auto.

6)How long can shotgun hulls be used?
Till they fail. When I was shooting skeet competitively, I would get between 6 to 10 reloads on top quality hulls. Less for the cheap stuff. Crimps looked pretty ragged by the time I tossed the hull.

7)What are the pros and cons of slow burn vs. fast burn powders? In what situations would each be used?
Handguns use faster burning powders while rifles use slower burning powders. In handguns, the faster handgun powders are generally used in light/medium or target loads. The slower handgun powders are used in full power loads. But, the slower handgun powder is faster than the fastest rifle powder. For rifle, the slower rifle powders generally get used in the larger sized cartridges. Some folks will make very light, plinking rifle loads that use handgun powders but I would not recommend a beginner to get involved with these for a while.In any case, reputable reloading data is your best friend in determining what powders to use for which cartridges.

8)How does pressure and other variables affect accuracy, trajectory, velocity, etc.?
The simple answer is changing pressure may affect accuracy but it is not predicable. Every rifle is different. How a rifle is assembled and tuned does have a major effect on accuracy.

9)How do you slug the bore of your rifle? Is this something that should be done for most guns, or just for bench shooters?
I'm going to pass on this one as I only slug a bore to verify the diameter of a new to me firearm that I have obtained.

10)When would you use a large vs. a small primer in handguns and rifles? Are either interchangeable in any situation?
The case determines the primer to be used. Most cartridges have used the same size primer for them since time began but some ammunition is made for wither small or large primers. 45 ACP is one. Historically, it was made only for large pistol primers but recently one or two manufacturers make a small primer version. This causes some shooters grief when the wrong size primer case gets mixed in with their supply. As i said, the case determines the size of the primer to be used. Your loading data will tell you whether to use standard or magnum primers. There are some high power handgun rounds that use rifle primers, I believe 357 Maximum is one and some small rifles use pistol primers. Speer data has data for pistol primers in the 22 Hornet. These are few and far between.

11)In the ABCs of Reloading it mentions large and small calibers for handguns and rifles but does not specify a range for these? Is this important in reloading or is it just a general categorization?
??

12)How does brass produced by different manufacturers affect how you reload it?
I believe most cases are made today using similar processes, basically a drawn process. Anyway, I do not vary my reloading methods and steps for different manufacturers. Some manufacturers have a better reputation for their cases and are more desirable to use.

Long long time ago, there were different manufacturing methods and some cases were stronger than others. Balloon head cases are an example, they have less material in the head than a current design case. These cases probably should not be fired these days and left for the cartridge collectors. I cannot say I have ever seen a balloon head case cartridge since I got into reloading but there are caches of stuff out there so a scrounger might run into some.

13)How does the bullet weight affect accuracy?
Lots of variables. For example, a light weight rifle bullet is affected by wind more at long ranges than long heavy bullets. But at short ranges, the lighter bullets cost less and any perceivable difference in accuracy cannot be noticed. Quality of bullet and construction does have an effect on accuracy. Open base FMJ bullets used for general purpose military ammunition is not as accurate as open tip match bullets made specifically for match shooting. Don't try to re-invent the wheel here. Use what the top shooters are using and be happy.

14)What is the Greenhill formula? When and how would it be used?
The Greenhill formula is one method for determining the minimum twist rate required to stabilize a bullet of a specific length. Weight is not part of the formula. The longer the bullet length, the faster the twist required. An even faster twist rate will work as well until you get to the point that the spin of the bullet is so fast that it blows apart. The formula is nice to know but has a lot of "warm fuzzies" in its results and for the most part the necessary information needed for the shooter is well determined and published.

Hope this helps.

 

[GLOOB]

Doesn't matter pistol or rifle. I use my brass until it

1. no longer gets neck tension. You can tell when expanding. If the expander goes thru the neck without any friction, the case is done. This can happen to pistol and rifle brass.

2. the neck/mouth splits

3. the primers pockets too loose.

If your headspace is too big, you can also lose rifle cases to casehead separation. If you get this, you may be able to adjust your sizing die to solve the issue.

You don't need any special equipment or skill to anneal cases. But if you overdo it, you can get case separations high up on the body near the neck. No big deal other than losing some brass in the learning process.

 

[oldpapps]

Welcome to the 'HighRoad'.

Good advise above.

I will try to hit some of the simpler questions that may be confused (I'm that way most of the time). I'll respond in RED.

1)How long can brass be used before it has to be tossed? Not being flippant but until it is not usable any more. This will depend upon what it is and it's use. I have several .45 ACP cases that the nickle has worn off and they are still being loaded. Bottle necked cases stretch and head separation comes into play. Hot/heavy loads expand primer pockets and the primers get lose. These are all things that you will pick up if you load round that have these quirks.
2)Is annealing brass something that a rookie could do? This is a little early for this round of questions but yes. What methods/technique would you recommend? What tools are required or recommended?
3)What does single-base and double-base powder mean? What are the pros and cons of each? The chemical make up of the propellant will have one or two additives to the gun cotton/filler. Don't worry about this at this time, just pick the best powder/s for the loading.
4)What does flake vs. ball vs. spherical vs. extruded powder mean? What are the pros and cons of each? The physical shapes of the processed propellant. Ball is spherical and is easy to meter. Flake slips into a powder measure and binds. Extruded gets cut in measures with a crushing feel and sound. They all have a place and do their jobs well, again pick the powder/s for the loading.
5)What changes when you're reloading for a semi-auto vs. for a bolt action? Several things. Power/pressure curve must provided suitable pressures to function an auto loader. And others.
6)How long can shotgun hulls be used? I buy the few shot gun shells I shoot, I'm no help.
7)What are the pros and cons of slow burn vs. fast burn powders? In what situations would each be used? Too many variables for a blanket statement. Pick powder/s for the load.
8)How does pressure and other variables affect accuracy, trajectory, velocity, etc.? Completely! Each weapon is a beast of it's own. Many loads will work, some better, some worse. The project is to find those components that meet your needs.
9)How do you slug the bore of your rifle? Is this something that should be done for most guns, or just for bench shooters? I've been loading for 51 years and have only 'slugged' 3 barrels, well and a revolver cylinder. These were for shooting lead slugs.
10)When would you use a large vs. a small primer in handguns and rifles? Are either interchangeable in any situation? Primers are (for the most part) in two sizes. But each size is charged [is that the correct way to reference this?] differently and with thicker or thinner cup metal. In most cases changing from 'standard' primers to or back from 'magnum' primers is acceptable but re-working the load is/may be required. Large rifle primers have longer skirts than large pistol. But don't interchange them. A rifle loading could very well come back into your face if you use a pistol thickness primer. Just use what the loading manual suggests and you will be safe.
11)In the ABCs of Reloading it mentions large and small calibers for handguns and rifles but does not specify a range for these? Is this important in reloading or is it just a general categorization? These are very subjective categories. In the late 1800s .30 caliber was 'small' bore. Don't worry about it for now, its only a broad name.
12)How does brass produced by different manufacturers affect how you reload it? All brass is the same.... well maybe not.... nope it is not. Some is brass, some is copper, some aluminum, steel and even plastic. It doesn't stop there. Some is thick (less space for powder), some thin. Separated your brass by head type and start at the 'starting' loading.
13)How does the bullet weight affect accuracy? Bullets are the big consumable. Your weapon and load with that bullet is the determining factor.
14)What is the Greenhill formula? When and how would it be used? Some one else can take this one.

I hope I have helped a little. It all takes time and study.

Load with care,

Got one upped by 'cfullgraf'. That OK, he's got good info.

 

[cfullgraf]

As oldpaps said, there are different materials for cases but generally, only brass is reloaded. Some folks reload the steel cases from military surplus and aluminum could be. I am not sure what primer is used in current manufactured aluminum cases but in the past, the ammunition maker used a special sized primer to discourage reloading of the aluminum cases.

Generally, ammunition is more accurate if only one head stamp is used because there is less variability within a manufacturer's cases than between cases from different manufacturers.

Boxer primed cases are the style most used by reloders in this country. The case has a center flash hole and the anvil is part of the primer.

There are Berdan primed cases out there. It is easy to see this as there are two flash holes in the base of the case. Also, the anvil is part of the case as opposed to being part of the primer. These are generally not reloaded by most people. Primers are more difficult to find. There is a greater range of primer diameters, It takes special tools to remove the primer.

Berdan primed cases will wreck the heck out of a decapping pin.

 

[Walkalong]

1)How long can brass be used before it has to be tossed?

My .223 brass lasts anywhere from 8 to 12+ firings. This is sizing it to pass a Wilson headspace gauge and no annealing. The primer pockets generally get loose before anything else happens such as a cracked neck etc. Annealing won't help with primer pockets getting loose. Pistol brass can last a very very long time. Most folks lose auto cases before they wear them out. Revolver brass will eventually split.

2)Is annealing brass something that a rookie could do? What methods/technique would you recommend? What tools are required or recommended?

It's pretty easy. It is good for keeping neck tension consistent over many firings as well as keeping the necks from getting work hardened and splitting. If you load at pressures that do not eventually loosen primer pockets, and do not push the shoulders back too far when sizing (See this about that),brass can last a long time.

3)What does single-base and double-base powder mean? What are the pros and cons of each?

Single base is nitrocellulose only. Double based powders are impregnated a certain percentage with Nitro Glycerin. This gives the powder more energy for the weight. Single base powders tend to burn cooler. Double base powders can give more velocity for the charge weight. Single base extruded powders rule long range shooting.

4)What does flake vs. ball vs. spherical vs. extruded powder mean? What are the pros and cons of each?

Flake is just that, like a corn flake. Tend to be fast to medium burn speed pistol powders. Ball powders are little balls (Spherical) of varying sizes, but all are fairly small. Some ball powder is "flattened ball" like W-231. It looks like flake powder if you do not look closely. Extruded powder looks like tiny little logs, or that Play Dough you made logs out of when you were a kid. You "extruded" the Play Dough through the various shapes.

5)What changes when you're reloading for a semi-auto vs. for a bolt action?

For semi auto I like to use a Wislon headspace gauge and size to pass the gauge. That sizes the case a bit more than I do for a bolt gun, but it is easier to chamber masking it more reliable feeding and chambering. Brass still lasts a good many times. For a bolt gun I like to use a full length sizer but only move the shoulder back .001 to .002. Another option is to neck size only. That's another story. I neck size using a bushing die for .22 Hornet.

6)How long can shotgun hulls be used?

I have no idea.

7)What are the pros and cons of slow burn vs. fast burn powders? In what situations would each be used?

Pistol? Slower powders can give more velocity, at the cost of more powder and recoil. Fast powders are often used for target rounds and for economy. Rifle? A little more complicated, but in general, the slower powders are used with heavy bullets and with big over bore calibers. The heavier for the caliber the bullet, the more the slower powders are suited to it. The faster the powder, the faster pressure builds up. A really large case can really take advantage of the slower powders to gain more velocity.

8)How does pressure and other variables affect accuracy, trajectory, velocity, etc.?

That's a three page answer.

9)How do you slug the bore of your rifle? Is this something that should be done for most guns, or just for bench shooters?

Slugging the bore (and revolver throats), is more often used for pistols when shooting lead. Some folks who shoot lead in rifles will slug the bore as well. Benchrest shooters use jacketed bullets and buy the best barrels available. no need to slug a bore. The Schuetzen guys may slug bores Dunno.

10)When would you use a large vs. a small primer in handguns and rifles? Are either interchangeable in any situation?

Small rifle primers are the same height and diameter as small pistol primers. There are a few applications where people use small rifle primers when loading pistol rounds. (Hot .38 Super is one) Large rifle primers are the same diameter as large pistol primers, but are higher. Many large pistol primer pockets will not allow large rifle primers to be seated below flush, which is important. In both sizes, the rifle primers tend to have thicker cups and some pistols do not have enough oomph to set them off.

11)In the ABCs of Reloading it mentions large and small calibers for handguns and rifles but does not specify a range for these? Is this important in reloading or is it just a general categorization?

Just a generalization as far as I know. .25 ACP is small, and .500 S&W is big. .22 Hornet is small, and .458 Winchester Magnum is big.

12)How does brass produced by different manufacturers affect how you reload it?

The weight needs to be taken into consideration in some instances. For instance, .308 brass weights can vary quite a bit. It all reloads the same though. Some is more precise than others, such as Lapua, and is preferred for match rounds.

13)How does the bullet weight affect accuracy?

As long as the bullet weight is not too light or too heavy for the barrel twist, it has a chance to be very accurate. Match bullets tend to shoot well, while cheaper bulk bullets not so much. Also, your gun will have preferences. You just have to try some things. Good quality bullets tend to shoot well, but your gun/barrel may prefer one over others.

14)What is the Greenhill formula? When and how would it be used?

I don't worry about such things. The barrel makers take care to use the proper twists. Light bullets need less twist, while heavier bullets need more twist. And really, it is the length of the bullet that matters, but for lead core jacketed bullets people usually just talk about weights.

 

[Potatohead]

The above remonds me, Be careful of, how does that saying go? Cant think of it now but it rhymes analyzed with paralyzed. One can really get bogged down in all the variables with this. Its happened/happens to me. Its frustrating when you dont know EXACTLY why something reacts how it does but some things just kind of clear up the longer you mess around with it. And im a newb, not saying everything is clear for me now.

But uou dont really need to worry about formulas, double/single based powders, etc right now probably. Might get your wheels spinning.



Just thought of the term...ANALYSIS PARALYSIS is what I was trying to say.

Hell, a few here would probably tell you my THR name should've been "Analysis Paralysis"

 

[osprey176]

Most handloaders do not suffer from OCD-we embrace it! My advice is to keep things as simple as possible starting out. Learn one caliber first,I would suggest your .40 is a good starting point. Teach yourself to load ammo that reliably functions in your pistol.Avoid maximum loads,use a ball powder,and a single weight bullet.After you feel comfortable with your skill level,you can branch out to different components,and then other calibers. It is very easy to allow yourself to be overwhelmed by all the information available,it seems like you may already be starting down that road.Start small and keep it simple as you learn.

 

[witchhunter]

Welcome to THR. Gamer, Chuck and Walkalong pretty much covered it. I would start with one, either shotshells or brass cartridges. Use only one brand of cases for shotshells and rifle. Be as anal as possible with every aspect of it. Read as much as you can digest. There are stickies here that are fairly good. Most manufacturers have online data. Always use published data, never any internet guy's stuff unless you research and find it safe. Good luck, and to make it easier to help you, ask one question at a time. That way you will get several people's opinions on it.

 

[spitballer]

Okay, my two cents on:

Annealing - lot of smoke and mirrors here. I believe proper annealing involves a lot of time, with a hardening of the case head afterward. In my experience, one can twirl the case neck in a flame until it turns a light blue and drop it in water to anneal, but it only works once. Subsequent attempts will be frustrating. Consider fitting the projectiles without having to make the necks soft - i.e. turn the necks or size them appropriately.

Double based powder: at least one brand of powder has the double-based, I think it's Accur, but I'm not sure. Two kinds of propellant, nitrocellulose and something else, maybe nitroglycerin. Has higher energy for it's weight, but may not burn as clean, and I think it tends to spoil faster, too. I've never used it.

I do not consider myself an expert, and I'm sure others may have different opinions on this stuff but in the end you must separate the wheat from the chaff anyway so a variety of opinions may not be such a bad thing. Again, welcome and good luck with your reloading.

 

[Walkalong]

I believe proper annealing involves a lot of time, with a hardening of the case head afterward.

If you soften (Anneal) the case head the case is ruined. You must protect the lower half of the case from getting annealed by either time and temp or using coolant. That is why one way is to sit them in water. All the automated machines do it by time and temp, as in not enough time in the flame and not enough temp to heat the lower half.

 

[spitballer]

I can remember firing a lot of ammo with annealed cases in the army, and they were probably done exactly as you suggest.

 

[Walkalong]

All cases are annealed after forming. The military cases just haven't had the color change from the heat polished off.