Annealing

[airedale]

This little piece goes along with the 256 win Marlin Levermatic thread in so far as producing your own ammo from 357 mag cases. It is not so simple as to just run the 357 cases through a die. The brass is somewhat hard and has to be softened a bit in the neck area (annealing) or it will many times wrinkle or split. Rifle cases are usually set in a shallow pan of water, the neck heated with a torch then tipped over into the water and quenched. The 357 mag cases are much easier I just do them over a kerosene lamp flame holding the case with a pair of pliers for a minute or so and that is enough to take the hardness out.

Below is a case run through the die not annealed and it can be seen to have a split and crumpled, the case on the right was heated and came out good.

Al

Edited November 6, 2022 by airedale

[airedale]

Got the ball rolling today, put up a batch of 100 cases and all went pretty well, just two rejects. used the Hornady Unique lube for the case forming, the Corland NY Redding dies performed like a dream and my 50 something year old Bair Kodiak press made the process effortless.

I had a bunch of once fired 357 nickle plated cases and some folks mentioned that the nickle may peel when the case is formed but that did not happen. But on the safe side I got a bunch of new brass cases and used those for the most part.

I have usable powders but I am going to wait and go with what most recommend (4227) and that will not arrive for a day or two.

Al

Edited November 14, 2022 by airedale

[Pygmy]

You don't even have to quench the cases after heating ?

[airedale]

10 hours ago, Pygmy said:

You don't even have to quench the cases after heating ?

I got online and researched how to go about forming 256 cases from 357 mag, the folks that have experience with the operation said not to use high heat when annealing the cases as it was not required to get good results. That is why I used a lamp flame instead of a propane torch. I found that it only takes a minute at most to get the 357 case malleable for an easy case form with no splitting. I just set the annealed case in a metal pan to air cool, no quenching. Everything came out just like the experienced guys said.

Back when I used to make 25-06 cases from 270 and 30-06 I would set the cases in a shallow pan of water and heat the neck red hot with a torch and then tip them over into the water for a quench.

I am guessing because of the small size and thin metal 357 cases do not require the typical annealing procedure which is OK by me.

Al

Edited November 15, 2022 by airedale

[airedale]

Here is my first batch of 256 Winchester mags, two loads to start out with, the first is almost a duplication of the old 25-20 Missouri Bullet Company hard cast 85 gr, these have a special coating on them to prevent leading, these should move out at about 1700 fps. I got the load out of my old Lyman manual and it was their accuracy load which by all past experience has been good for me. I hope these shoot good because I bought a bunch of them

The second test load of 10 is the Sierra dual purpose 90 gr hp boat tail, it is one of my favorite bullets for both varmints and Deer. They have a bit more octane and should be sailing along at a little over 2000 fps. The twist rate in the 256 barrel may be a problem so I have my fingers crossed on these. Now if the weather cooperates I will hit the range and burn some powder.

I really have enjoyed messing with this 256

Al

Edited November 16, 2022 by airedale

[airedale]

A little work to produce each cartridge for well under a $1, sure beats what they are going for online for old new stock and mine are better.

[dbHunterNY]

nice! so I'm not fire forming or creating a cartridge from another. I have been contemplating getting a benchsource for more consistent annealing. i would be doing so just for longer life brass and better accuracy from more consistent reloads. the water bath is to make sure youre not annealing too far down past the neck i thought. brass being brass quenching i wouldn't think is necessary. you're not hardening the case back up. maybe could see it if you stop the heating and associated change in the metal. brass heats and cools pretty quick.