Annealed Cases - do I need to quench them?

[Watcher]

A question if I may; do I have to drop them in water once they’ve been heated. The reason I ask is that I only have a mains powered drill (in which to mount my shell holder) and I’m naturally reluctant to have it in the vicinity of a bucket of water; especially knowing how cack-handed I am.

[John MH]

No, quenching does nothing.

[Dellboy]

No because quenching would have a negative effect

[John MH]

Has no effect at all actually.

[John25]

The only reason to quench is to save burning your fingers or a container.



JMH is correct


Quenching does not effect the state of the brass as it does with ferrous metals.

With a commercial, turntable type annealing machine the instructions will tell you to put a bucket of water underneathe the chute.

[dromia]

As has been said quenching does nothing, although some people like to drop them into water to stop the heat moving down the case and annealing to far.

[1066]

The only reason to quench is to save burning your fingers or a container.

.

+1

[John MH]

With a commercial, turntable type annealing machine the instructions will tell you to put a bucket of water underneathe the chute.

Not with the two that I've had. If you think that dropping them in water is going to halt the heat transfer to prevent softening the brass too far down the case you've already heated it too much and for too long.

[John25]

With a commercial, turntable type annealing machine the instructions will tell you to put a bucket of water underneathe the chute.

Not with the two that I've had. If you think that dropping them in water is going to halt the heat transfer to prevent softening the brass too far down the case you've already heated it too much and for too long.

Oh! Mine did, it didn't actually say bucket, it said - container.

And no, I didn't think that.

Anywey, 'twixt us I think we answered his question?

[Scotsgun]

Quenching will have the negative effect.

Stand cases in about an 2 inch of water. I remove spent primer first so that water enters and maintains an even heat throughout. Heat neck up to a purple/blue colour...definately not up to red colour and then move on to next on. Leave cases standing to cool. The water acts as a heat sink and stops the heat from damaging the crystaline structure of the base.

I'll usually then bung them into the oven and leave for an hour or so at 120-150oC. This helps to relieve any stresses at the transitional points along the case (where the surface of the water reaches). I have a set of lapua 308 brass which is now on its 12th reload but i do keep the loads mellow (stalking load).