Annealing for the first-timer

[Wheres-Waldo]

Im looking to anneal my old brass to extend the case life, without buying a fancy rotary annealer.

My set-up is a drill chucked with socket to hold the shells in place, and guard the lower reigon of the case from heat. Heating source is a small pencil tip butane torch.

Im still playing with temp. and time exposure, as all these test cases will be exposed of, but as far as coloration goes, Ive read a few things. 6mmbr.com's annealing article shows properly annealed cases with a maroon tinted neck and shoulder, but Ive seen countless scores of Lapua brass with a greyish neck/shoulder and a maroon/purple band just below the shoulder.

http://www.vihtavuori-lapua.com/lapua-magnum-pi-116.html?osCsid=374c61dd8e4dc9ab5b97fcc7355861b9

^ Lapua brass with color band below shoulder.

Here is some .308 and .223 brass I did, the .223 didnt show up to well on camera, but some of the .308 is viable. can you tell from the pictures if Im on the right track or not?

 

[David Halblom]

if these are

all used cases that you have annealed, I would say that you are on the right track. One caution,be sure you are only annealing the neck/shoulder area of the case. I do mine w/ the base sitting in water to avoid over annealing the lower portion of the case. I use the porpane torch "fire-ring" that was described in PS back in the late '90's. You will probably have to make one yourself. Don't think anyone is making the "ring" commercially. Good Sunday winter project