Annealing PPC brass

308sako

308sako

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I am using some old Sako .220 Russian brass which hasn't yet been fireformed.

Should it be annealed somewhere during the lifespan, or is this really a waste of my energy.

Previous cases lasted a very long time and I had had no issues.

Do most competitive shooters anneal their cases now?

Thanks
 
To the best of my knowledge short range benchrest shooters do not anneal, and while you are at it, I am told that the old SAKO cases won't take the pressure that the Lapua will.
 
Boyd, back when I was shooting 2015-BR (Israeli) at lower pressures, I annealled about ever 5-6 reloads. Cases lasted forever. Norma brass worked fine, too.

I stopped annealing when that powder ran out, and I had to go to N-133. Rifle shot best at higher pressures -- the 29-grain window. Stopped annealing for no good reason -- it was just what everybody said. Probably should give it a try, now that the cost of .220 Russian brass is back up there. Shooting so little point-blank group these days it's way down on my list.

As to the Sako balloon-head brass, well, again, who knows? It will certainly take the 27-grain window with 133, and probably the 28-grain region too. Way to test is to start mild & mike the case just above the extractor groove. When that grows, either too much on a single firing, or keeps on growing, back the charge down.
 
I have been told and in my own shooting learned, that 133 likes quite a bit of neck tension. It would seem to me that annealing, particularly when done to thin necks would reduce the maximum attainable bullet pull, this being different that the difference between sized and loaded neck OD, and most commonly estimated by how much force is required to seat bullets.
 
Put those cases in a pile and if they cast a slight greenish tint don't do anything but make 'em fit and shoot. If they don't have the tint it doesn't matter what you do as long as it's buy some Lapua cases.
 
Lapua 220 Russian (the PPC Case) comes annealed. From the equipment lists of major group score events, 90%+ of top 50 shooters use Lapua brass in 6PPC and V133 powder. Most also responded they use light to moderate neck tension in neck turned brass. Sako, Norma and SSA PPC brass do not come annealed.
 
zimmden said:
Lapua 220 Russian (the PPC Case) comes annealed. From the equipment lists of major group score events, 90%+ of top 50 shooters use Lapua brass in 6PPC and V133 powder. Most also responded they use light to moderate neck tension in neck turned brass. Sako, Norma and SSA PPC brass do not come annealed.
Click to expand...

All brass is annealed several times during the case forming operation. After a certain point, the base is not annealed. Whether or not the case shows evidence of this as a color is, as P. Ericson said, dependent on whether or not it was polished or cleaned afterwards -- for example, Iosso case cleaner also removes the color typical of annealing.

As to your other statement, he equipment list for the top 20 at the Cactus shows a lot of Thunderbird and 8208 used by these top shooters -- I doubt 90+% of the *top* shooters use 133.
 
Powder ain't the reason why the vast majority of BR shooters don't anneal. Brass is. Lapua is initially annealed and also "tougher" than any other brass. Therefore, you can shoot it many, many times before it is officially worn out. I've had Lapua brass last 80+ firings and still win local matches. It finally got to the point where it started clicking, and no die I had would fix it. But, the necks still had good and consistent neck tension!
Also, we're not using sloppy, oversized chambers. And our dies aren't squeezing the stuffing out of the brass. So we have much less movement of brass from firing to sizing than the average gun. Less movement=longer brass life.
 
Btw, 308sako, what the **** is that image in your avatar???? Been staring at it for 5 minutes and I have no clue...........
 
The original before cropping


home_004.jpg
 
Back to the thread now...

So as nearly as I can measure I'm sizing my necks less than .002" and only 1/2 way down the neck at that. The portion of the case body directly behind the shoulder is also seeing abut .002" reduction, while the case head above the web about .001" What I am thinking is that the motion is so little as there would be very little gained for this individual setup.

Thanks for the input. Now off to the bench.

27.0, 27.2, 27.4 & 27.6 grains of V V 133 with 68 Berger bullets in contact with the lands for a soft seated attempt. Once fired Russian cases with Federal 205 match primers. Results to follow.
 
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308sako said:
So as nearly as I can measure I'm sizing my necks less than .002" and only 1/2 way down the neck at that. The portion of the case body directly behind the shoulder is also seeing abut .002" reduction, while the case head above the web about .001" What I am thinking is that the motion is so little as there would be very little gained for this individual setup.

Thanks for the input. Now off to the bench.

27.0, 27.2, 27.4 & 27.6 grains of V V 133 with 68 Berger bullets in contact with the lands for a soft seated attempt. Once fired Russian cases with Federal 205 match primers. Results to follow.
Click to expand...

VaniB wasn't too far off! It was something sitting on a rafter of sorts. Very good.

As to your comment 308, it sounds like you've got it about right. Ideally, I like .002" squeeze in the web and .001" in the shoulder area, but your's will work fine for quite awhile. There will be no need to anneal with your setup if you start with Lapua brass.:)

Btw, what type of primate is that?
 
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