Annealing 244 AI cases, help please...

O

Open Country

Guest
Hello gentlemen,

I'm prepping new Winchester brand 6MM Rem brass to be shot in a 244 AI chambering. I've heard for years that Winchester brass is harder than most other brands of brass. My question is, should I anneal the new brass before fireforming? Opinions are appreciated.

Thanks,
Robert
 
You don't have to anneal. New brass is annealed but you don't see it, the discolor has been removed from domestic stuff.
 
Thank you for commenting. Much appreciated.

Robert
 
Robert,

I do not have a 244AI, but I do form brass for a 260 AI and a 30 BR. I believe in annealing before fireforming. Reason being - you only have 1 chance to make good brass - so I want to control as much as I can control. I also lightly oil my loaded cases (take some Rem-oil, WD-40, etc and spray some on a towell then roll your case in it - it does not take very much at all) so that there is no "stickage" when firing.
It sounds like the others get good results without annealing - but you can make up your own mind by simply trying both ways and then measuring them against each other. If all your measurements come out to your likeing - then no need to anneal - if you notice something else - then you can decide which way you prefer.

Stanley
 
Thanks Stanley,

I know eventually I will need to anneal. I've been doing some experimental trial runs with 6MM Rem brass for a 6MM Rem chambering. I've had good success so far. Thank you for your opinion, Stanley.

Robert
 
I make my 6mmAI brass in two different ways. The hunting stuff I just blow out RP or Win brass with the cream of wheat method without annealing. Shooting factory 6mm Rem 100 gr SP shoot amazing well in my rifle as well. Little drop in performance over a plain 6mm Rem.

For a better quality brass for matches, I am making it from RWS 7x57 brass. This is the hardest stuff I have ever touched. I got a bunch went they had a close out a few years back with Natchez. I turn the necks down on the first past with the neck turner to about 0.012", then I size the neck down to a 6mm bushing die, then fireform with the COW method, then I take off the final pass on the neck to get the 0.010" neck I want, ......... then I anneal. May not be the same way as others, but I have good luck with it. I never loss a primer pocket with +20 firings of this RWS based brass. I hammering the 95 VLDs in my gun almost 3500 fps. The RP is only for 3-4 firings at max with these pressures.

Luck with your 244AI, tim
 
Annealing is easy........

I have heard so many WRONG ways to anneal brass it became down right confusing. The worse thing you can do is get the brass to hot.

Go here and order their annealing gizmo

http://www.woodchuckden.com/

Talk to them and follow their instructions.

You can do this in full daylight in the kitchen.

So fast and easy even I can do it!

I do clean the cases before annealing. After annealing I body bumped them and then neck size and trim..

Best wishes
 
Thank you, both, for your replies.

Yes, and I've heard making 244AI from Lapua 7X57 brass extends primer pockets as well. I use their brass in my 6-284, formed from 6.5-284. Very good quality brass. I chose Winchester brass over Remington in my 244AI because close to 5% of my virgin Remington brand brass for my 6MM Rem 40-X had very loose primer pockets to begin with.

Robert
 
Very interesting, very uniform annealing. Do the heated cases drop into a water bath below?

Robert
 
Automated annealing

I think there are 3 or 4 companies making the turntable type annealing machines. I would like to see one that uses an induction coil for the heat source. nhk
 
Open Country said:
Very interesting, very uniform annealing. Do the heated cases drop into a water bath below?

Robert
Click to expand...

Not sure. I think you can slide a pan under the unit. I like the fact that you can set the time the brass actualy sits in the flame, and the fact that the brass is spun while in the flame.
 
Nhkuehl

Their is a thread on the 6BR site where a guy is making a induction coil annealer . Great video and steps he's done on it so far. I believe he may produce it, even so the links/details are in the threads to make your own. VERY QUICK 2 maybe 3 seconds per case.
 
Forget annealing new Winchester brass

I never lost a case in fireforming. My chambers are set up with a crush fit, I bump back the shoulder a tiny bit before fireforming.
 
Keith,

My cases are a (1) pound crush fit in the chamber. This is the method the gunsmith uses to insure the centering of the case in the chamber, and pushing it back against the face of the bolt to achieve proper case forming.
 
Gentlemen;

I never go onto this particular site, as I am a group shooter with 6 ppc, but as I scrolled down today, saw some things that caught my attention.
The first being....type of brass. In years past, first thing I noticed was how soft Remington brass is, and how much it grows compared to Win.
They all grow to an extent, even the Lapua we use, which is as good as there is. We can load these cases in this cal. as many as 30-50 times running hot loads. Understand however...we are very carefull about things.
Example...Knowing precisely what your chamber length is in relation to the end of your case neck.

Annealing:
Most of us have seen what is available today in that regard, and while I would be proud to have one of those devices, there are other ways to get the job done and won't cost you anything.
Here is what I came up with for my use ( if and when I think I need to anneal)

(1) insert a shell holder ( one which tightens on your case with a turn or two)
into a drill press. (Sinclair has them)
(2) lock a case into it.

(3) have a quart of water directly under your case and a simple , portable
propane torch next to it on the surface of your work area. (The nozzle
needs to be at the same heigth as the cartridge neck).

(4) turn machine on, and while case is spinning, simply turn the torch toward
the cartridge and watch it. When you think the color is correct, simply
turn the torch away, lower the spinning case into the water, turn off
the machine, remove case, lock in another one, and do it again.

Yes, it will take much longer than a unit that will set you back hundreds of $$
but it will do the same thing. It will also bring a smile to your face because you have nothing invested except the lock down shell holder, and is most effective.

There is always another way to do things in life...
 
Open Country said:
Keith,

My cases are a (1) pound crush fit in the chamber. This is the method the gunsmith uses to insure the centering of the case in the chamber, and pushing it back against the face of the bolt to achieve proper case forming.
Click to expand...

Keith;

If you seat your bullets as we do, (into the lands) when fireforming, the rest takes care of itself. Our .220 Russian cases aren't anywhere near what you refer to as a "crush" fit. This proceedure insures the case head to be against the bolt face.
 
Thank you Joe,

This is exactly how I've annealed my 6MM Rem cases when they started showing neck splits. I use the Sinclair case holder, hold the rotating case over the soft propane frame in a dark room, and quinch it after I see it turn to a dark blue/gray color. It anneals the neck, shoulder and just about a 1/4" down past the shoulder. I've learned I get much more uniform neck tension by doing this = better groups. I can knock out a hundred cases in very little time, and feel satisfied that I didn't spend much in doing it.

Regards,
Robert
 
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