45LC Annealed vs non-Annealed cases

[Steel Striker]

I've experimented with annealing 45LC cases and various loadings w/200 grain pills.  

The annealed cases on the left used 5 grains Trailboss; those on the right were loaded with 5.8 grains Trailboss.  

SAA's & rifle running much cleaner during the CAS season.  Works for me.  I'm continuing work on an automated annealer [electric] working in conjunction with my Dillon Case Feeder & related logic.  Guys' gotta have a hobby, eh.

P.S.  Now that I see this picture from 'your' point of view, and they are not 'bright new condition', pls. note that I chemically clean brass in Citric acid, rinse in distilled water [reused], dry & tumble in walnut coated with Dillon Case Lube.  The resizing step is quite smooth, also considering the low power CAS loads of course.

[w44wcf]

Walstr,
Looking good!  I have done the same thing with the 45 Colt and it works great as your pics show.

Nice work!

w44wcf

[Steel Striker]

Thanks w44:

I spent 8 weeks "inventing" an automated induction annealer, that would use the Dillon case feeder.  Ran out of time & had to move on.  It was great fun & provided a good excuse to buy a 4 channel digital scope,eh.

I don't know how many firings I'll get before annealing is called for again.  I'm gaining some interest from fellow CAS shooters using the 1873 Uberti clones, as their lower power 45 Colt loads yield mega blowback & calls for time consuming receiver cleaning. 

I'll continue with this side project, looking forward to sittin' back and watching it run 3K cases!  Guys' gotta have a hobby, eh.

[Molasses Mike]

Interesting....I think I'll give it a try.
                Molasses Mike

[Coffinmaker]

I'm admittedly just to lazy to anneal cases.  Loading for Uberti Rifles in 45 Colt can be a real groan because of generous chambers and
cases that won't obturate (expand) to fill the chamber.  When I actually loaded 45 Colt (now, C45S) I just switched to 44-40 cases and
loaded em with 45 bullets.  Seal the chamber just fine.

Coffinmaker

[Molasses Mike]

I'm admittedly just to lazy to anneal cases.  Loading for Uberti Rifles in 45 Colt can be a real groan because of generous chambers and
cases that won't obturate (expand) to fill the chamber.  When I actually loaded 45 Colt (now, C45S) I just switched to 44-40 cases and
loaded em with 45 bullets.  Seal the chamber just fine.

Coffinmaker

Coffinmaker,
    You are speaking of my situation. Uberti Winchester 73. Blow back issue in 45lc.  Sounds like a plan. I have some 44-40 cases that got mixed in with my 45lc's at shoots that I can look at.
                          Molasses Mike

[w44wcf]

Regarding the .44-40 cases in a .45 Colt chamber.....

Your .45 Colt sizing die may not size the thinner .44-40 brass down enough to hold a .45 Colt bullet adequately once the case has been fired in a .45 Colt chamber.

If that is the case, then switching to a .45 ACP die and using .454"+ bullets will help.

w44wcf 
 

[Coffinmaker]

SASAFRASSIT FRIPAFRASSIT THIGAMIG.  they say the memory is the first thing to go.  "They" LIE!!  But ............

Thank you w44wcf.  I forgot that little detail.  Yep, the down side is the chamber sealing thin case mouth.  May well be necessary to resize with an ACP die. 

It.   Is.    A.   Whole.     Lot easier.   Than Annealing.  (I'm retired now, Remember??  Easy is Better).

Coffinmaker

[Steel Horse Bailey]

I've been loading 45 Colt (& 44 Colt) the same way for a couple decades.  The secret to the least blowback is to load full-power loads.  95% of my loads are BP but the same is true for smokey-less loads, IMHO.

I haven't annealed a pistol-caliber case since I started reloading in the 70s.  Rifle, yep but not pistol.  I've found that my cases wear out/crack long before the benefits of annealing would make me do it.

Annealing certainly has advantages, 'tho.

[pony express]

SASAFRASSIT FRIPAFRASSIT THIGAMIG.  they say the memory is the first thing to go.  "They" LIE!!  But ............

Actually, the memory is the second thing to go.


What is the first thing, you may ask?


ummmm



uhhhh....






I forgot.

[wildman1]

I'm thinkin the 45's of the old days probably were a lot cleaner to shoot action wise than todays are. Why? Certainly not the powder. Could have been the softer cases. wM1

[Steel Striker]

Steel Horse Bailey responds; "I've found that my cases wear out/crack long before the benefits of annealing would make me do it."

Not computing the meaning of this.  Pls. restate this in other terms Steel Horse.  Thanks for your input.

[Coffinmaker]

wM1,

Remember, In those halcyon days of Yesteryear, there were no 45 Colt lever rifles.  Only pistols.  Those old Colt chambers weren't nearly as
sloppy as Uberti rifle chambers.  Soft copper cases expanded to seal the chamber.

44 Henry Flat cases had a very substantial rim.  The original 45 Colt had hardly any rim at all.  No extractoChimosabbie.

Coffinmaker

[Molasses Mike]

Steel Horse Bailey responds; "I've found that my cases wear out/crack long before the benefits of annealing would make me do it."

Not computing the meaning of this.  Pls. restate this in other terms Steel Horse.  Thanks for your input.

+???

M.M.

[Four Eyes Henry]

The brass for the rifle is important too, with starline I get blowback and with CBC hardly any.
I had a sizer die reamed out and now my cartridges are straight walled instead of hour glass shaped.

The rifle is a Rossi '92 in 45 Colt and I'm shooting the J/P 200 grains Big Lube with a 18 grains Black Powder load (filler is cous cous).

[wildman1]

wM1,

Remember, In those halcyon days of Yesteryear, there were no 45 Colt lever rifles.  Only pistols.  Those old Colt chambers weren't nearly as
sloppy as Uberti rifle chambers.  Soft copper cases expanded to seal the chamber.

44 Henry Flat cases had a very substantial rim.  The original 45 Colt had hardly any rim at all.  No extractoChimosabbie.

Coffinmaker

I realize that and was commenting on the fouling aspect of then vs now. My 45 Colt revolvers get quite a bit of fouling on the rear portion of the frame. My 44/40's do not. Same load used.  wM1

[Steel Striker]

Wildman1;

Could it be due to the fact that the 44-40 neck dimension provides slightly higher "PSI" which may expand the neck slightly more?

E.g. with a given chamber pressure of, say, 20K PSI, it's applied to fewer 'square inches' of internal surface area, thus applying slightly more expansion 'force'?  Thanks for your input & time.

[wildman1]

Tis the thickness of the brass laddie. wM1

[Steel Striker]

I've been loading 45 Colt (& 44 Colt) the same way for a couple decades.  The secret to the least blowback is to load full-power loads.  95% of my loads are BP but the same is true for smokey-less loads, IMHO.

I haven't annealed a pistol-caliber case since I started reloading in the 70s.  Rifle, yep but not pistol.  I've found that my cases wear out/crack long before the benefits of annealing would make me do it.

Annealing certainly has advantages, 'tho.

Suppose annealing would help prevent 'cracking', that's my point.  Pls. clarify your statement so I don't loose any important info.  Thanks.

[Yakima Red]

I use Ken lights automatic machine. Expensive I know, you can pay for one fast annealing everyone's cases. I got mine for the Buffalo Rifle game. It comes in handy for other calibers.