Split Necks

[DougW]

I have some 5.56 (Lake City) brass that has been reloaded 2 or 3 times, and the case necks have cracked. Is there any other caliber that would use cut down 5.56 brass, or does this go to the scrap yard? Seams a shame to dump brass that might be usable, but I can't find a caliber that would make keeping the split brass a good idea.

On another note, can annealing the necks before reloading extend the life of the brass enough to go through the trouble?

I appreciate the help, as I have only been reloading for about 4 years now.

 

[trueblue1776]

Maybe one of the hotrod 9mm rounds.

 

[taliv]

yes, annealing will help if done correctly. see the 6mmbr site for instructions.
if they're splitting on the 2 or 3rd reload, maybe you're resizing it too much or something?

 

[DougW]

I am using the ammo in an AR, so I full length resize for the semi auto. Would neck sizing be suitable for an AR? I neck size my .303, so doing it is not a problem. Thanks for the help.

 

[trueblue1776]

Neck sizing in an AR would increase FTF's exponentially. Neck sizing is only acceptable when using ammo in a single higher quality bolt action.

Annealing is an easy fix:
1. Get a pie pan and a cheap propane blow torch.
2. Fill pan with 1" of water (distilled water is preferable but not absolutely needed)
3. stand cases upright and heat with blow torch.
4. As necks turn dull red (top ~3/4" or so) tip over into water.

It takes a while at first, as you get more steady you can graduate to larger batches in larger pans. I recommend annealing AFTER sizing.

Expanding is also very hard on rifle necks, using boat tail bullets eliminates the need to expand.

good luck!

 

[DougW]

Thanks trueblue1776!

 

[BigG]

work hardening

Something little like a .223 uses commensurately thinner brass than something mid sized or larger. The brass can only be worked back and forth so many times before it cracks. I would say 2 or 3 reloads, meaning 4 firings might be the limit. YMMV

 

[Javelin2235]

On the subject of annealing case necks, I present...

http://www.varmintal.com/arelo.htm#Anneal

Varmint Al on case neck annealing

his method is slower, but seems to me to have better quality control...

would take forever for a few thousand cases though

-Jack

 

[taliv]

read the article on 6mmbr before you try trueblue's method. it offers a fairly compelling counterpoint. (granted, they're also selling a pretty useful tool, but the science seems sound enough)

 

[trueblue1776]

My method makes it impossible to heat the case head, it's also faster with no chance of getting burnt. For large volumes of my .223, Varmint Al's method isn't even a consideration.

 

[rino451]

I've been looking into annealing and read that dull red was too hot, that you should look for the brass to turn a silvery color (just before it starts to turn red).

 

[highlander 5]

223 brass is so cheap why worry about the necks splitting? I hate loosing brass as badly as anyone else but once fired brass can't be that expensive

 

[taliv]

trueblue, what is the point of tipping the case over in the water when you're done?

what does distilled water have to do with it? (why is that preferable?)

how do you ensure one side of the case neck is heated to the same temperature as the other side?

the method they used (with the machine) allows hundreds of cases per hour to be annealed.

they also claim you should anneal before resizing

 

[trueblue1776]

-what is the point of tipping the case over in the water when you're done?

Annealing is the process of expanding the case and relieving stress. Water cooling (as I understand) forces the brass hold it's relieved/malleable properties better than if allowed to cool smoothly. It will also retain more expansion if water cooled.

-what does distilled water have to do with it? (why is that preferable?)

This is not a necessity, I just figure the hot brass meeting with chlorinated water is not ideal.

-how do you ensure one side of the case neck is heated to the same temperature as the other side?

Well, I usually move the torch around the case.

-they also claim you should anneal before resizing

I can understand why someone would advocate this. It makes sense to relieve the material before you work it. For me though, I find the brass can stick in dies more readily when freshly annealed, also harder brass is easier for me to twist out of a die when stuck. From what I can tell commercial brass is annealed when the case prep is done.

The little I know about annealing is from my family (Pop and Pops) and brief experience rebuilding slow-speed diesels, I make no claims as to expertise. I do own a few metallurgy textbooks, but all that goes out the window when you use cheap improvised tools in an uncontrolled environment. I encourage you to experiment with different methods if you feel like it, and by all means, share your results with us!

 

[FieroCDSP]

"-what does distilled water have to do with it? (why is that preferable?)"

If I'm understanding Distiled water's properties right, it doesn't boil or steam as easily as water that has contaminates (saw that on Mythbusters). Also the lack of contaminates is better for the brass.

 

[dcloco]

Have been getting 10+ reloads out of several flavors of 223 brass (LC, Win, RP, WCC). Have not annealled yet, but will be this winter.

You are probably sizing the brass too much, not enough inside neck lube, or you have a chamber that is at the outer limits of specifications.

 

[trueblue1776]

dcloco- If you run a semi-automatic you must full length size every time, if you want 100% reliability.

Interesting point about lube inside the neck. My cases usually show it when the necks have been sized dry, via dimples in the shoulders.

 

[taliv]

http://www.6mmbr.com/annealing.html
this is the article i've referenced twice now

it claims no measurable affect from quenching brass quickly to cool it:

In order to make steel harder, it is heated to some temperature, and then cooled fairly rapidly, although this is not always the case. Brass, on the other hand, cannot be made harder by heating it--ever. Brass is always made softer by heating.

The only way brass can be made harder is to "work" it. That is, the brass must be bent, hammered, shaped or otherwise formed. Once it has been made hard, it can be returned to its "soft" state by annealing. The hardness of brass can be controlled by annealing for a specified time and temperature.

Unlike steel, which will be made harder when it is cooled rapidly, brass is virtually unaffected when it is rapidly cooled. Annealing brass and suddenly quenching it in water will have no measurable effect on the brass.

it also seems from their explanation that time in the flame is proportionally critical to your concern for accuracy. i.e. if you're just annealing blasting ammo to get another couple reloads out of it, then uneven annealing around the neck may not be much of an issue.