Go Back   Alberta Outdoorsmen Forum > Main Category > Guns & Ammo Discussion

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 02-11-2020, 09:20 AM
CBintheNorth's Avatar
CBintheNorth CBintheNorth is offline
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Communist Capital of Alberta
Posts: 3,707
Default Annealing Ni plated brass

So I built an annealer a little while ago to help with making the ridiculously expensive Weatherby brass last longer and perform better.
My nephew shoots a 308 win and asked about annealing his plated brass just for the bonus of consistent next tension.

All the research that I've done gives me mixed reviews.
To my knowledge, 750-800° isn't enough to temper the nickel so I'm not too worried about hardening, but some have said that it flakes off of the brass after heat treating.
Any first hand experience with this?
__________________
Social acceptance is NOT effective therapy.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 02-11-2020, 11:06 AM
Kurt505 Kurt505 is offline
Banned
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Communist state
Posts: 13,245
Default

I have never annealed brass nickel plated or otherwise but it would make sense that the nickel would flake if it expands at a different temperature than brass.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 02-11-2020, 11:14 AM
Dean2's Avatar
Dean2 Dean2 is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Near Edmonton
Posts: 14,972
Default

Do not anneal nickle plated brass. You will not get the results you do with plain brass anyhow and it is very likely you will damage the nickle coating. This brass was actually designed for single use, not for reloading. Lots of people reload it but think of it as a three or four load max use and then toss proposition.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 02-11-2020, 01:16 PM
260 Rem 260 Rem is offline
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: East Central Alberta
Posts: 8,315
Default

Have not ever attempted to anneal nickel plated brass but at one time reloaded lots of it for 308 Win so my experience may be of some benefit for your nephew. Years ago I “tested” both nickel plate (Federal Tactical) and yellow brass (Federal Gold Medal) by repeat firings of “moderate” charge loads ... FL sizing. If my recall serves me right, I never had a split neck with the nickel plate prior to 13 reloads or with the yellow brass prior to 15 reloads. I settled on discarding the nickel plate after 11 reloads and the yellow after 13 reloads, and never had a split neck. Accuracy seemed to hold with both lots of brass. And, contrary to the reported experience of some others, I never damaged a sizer die with any nickel flaking although it makes sense that could happen.
Frankly, I doubt that most of us would notice the “accuracy” difference between un-annealed reloads as long as the lot is kept together to insure the same number of times the brass is cycled to insure consistency. (Competition level accuracy may be a different story, but I understand that many SBR shooters do not anneal brass, and just discard after a certain number of firings? And I think a friend that competes in F-class told me he anneals about every 5 reloads, primarily to extend the life of the brass as it is loaded pretty hot.).
I do believe that annealing extends the service life of brass and occasionally anneal my brass. The thing about annealing is that unless it is done correctly ...presumably by bringing brass to the proper heat level...it is waste of time.
__________________
Old Guys Rule

Last edited by 260 Rem; 02-11-2020 at 01:30 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 02-11-2020, 07:31 PM
CBintheNorth's Avatar
CBintheNorth CBintheNorth is offline
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Communist Capital of Alberta
Posts: 3,707
Default

Thanks for the replies guys.
Kind of varying reports, just like everything else I can find.
I think I'll tell him to skip the annealing and just watch the necks.
My brother reloaded nickel for his '06 for a few years and no signs of cracking or flaking yet, but that rifle's become a "safe sentry" so doubt the brass will see a fourth reload.

This is the annealer I copied:
https://youtu.be/k0xE-6bSwME
Running the 750° and 450° Tempilaq on the neck and body every 20th round or so, so should be good temp wise.
So far really happy with it.
__________________
Social acceptance is NOT effective therapy.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 02-28-2020, 02:35 PM
Captainkip Captainkip is offline
 
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: With my dog Trapper
Posts: 87
Default

I anneal the nickle plated for my .243. Never had issues with it flaking off.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 02-28-2020, 03:07 PM
Dean2's Avatar
Dean2 Dean2 is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Near Edmonton
Posts: 14,972
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Captainkip View Post
I anneal the nickle plated for my .243. Never had issues with it flaking off.
The nickle is much harder than brass. It doesn't anneal. Even if the brass softens the nickle's rigidity is the limiting factor. Annealing nickel plated brass serves no purpose.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 04:46 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.5
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.