strengthing cases

[kevin.303]

a buddy of mine that shoots high powered hand loads told me this trick to get the most out of his cases after about 9-10 loadings they start to get thin and weak. line them up on the edge of a pan of cold water. heat the neck with a propane torch until it is glowing. then quickly knock them into the water to temper them. they should be good for another 7-8 loads. ui have never done this so i can't vouch for it but my friend is a competent gunsmith with years of experiance.NOTE; you can only do this with the same cases once

[savageT]

a buddy of mine that shoots high powered hand loads told me this trick to get the most out of his cases after about 9-10 loadings they start to get thin and weak. line them up on the edge of a pan of cold water. heat the neck with a propane torch until it is glowing. then quickly knock them into the water to temper them. they should be good for another 7-8 loads. ui have never done this so i can't vouch for it but my friend is a competent gunsmith with years of experiance.NOTE; you can only do this with the same cases once

Kevin,
What you are describing is known as annealing.  Brass will "work-harden" from expanding, stretching and resizing.  By heating the necks and quickly quenching them in cold water you are softening the brass back to where it was originally.

The classical example of "work hardening" is to take a paper clip and straighten it out.  Now start bending it back and forth, till it breaks.  Where it fractures is an example of what will happen to brass cartridges at the necks and just above the webb/base where work hardening occurs the greatest.

[clodbuster]

Kevin  I shoot a 256 wing mag. these cases are no longer made but I can form them from new 357 mag cases in one step (.357 down to .257) if the cases are annealed.  The reason the cases are standing in shallow water is to prevent annealing the case head.  This would allow stretching from the pressure during firing and a disaster could ensue.  It is not neccessary to knock over the cases after heating.  It does not add to the effect as in steel quenching.  The brass must be made "red hot " to receive the softening effect.

[rockbilly]

I've been doing this for many years and have annealed some cases as many as three times.  Be sure there is enough room to allow each case to be knocked over as soom as the neck becomes cherry red, there should be enough water to completely cover the case once it is knocked over.  I use an old cake pan my wife gave me.

[1lnbrdg]

 I use hot lead to anneal my .284 Win when going to 6.5 X .284.  

Heat lead up as hot as you can (700-900 deg.)
Be sure to have brass COMPLETLY DRY.
De-prime.
Submerse only the neck.
Hold on to base of cartridge with fingers.
When temp. gets un-comfortable, drop in water to keep heat from getting to case head.

Have heard some say that this will not work but it always has for me.

[Loader 3009]

If you don't anneal after necking down, the case is likely to separate at the neck on the first firing.  I learned this the hard way on necking .270's down to 25.06 and making .357/.44 B&D's.

BTW, if a brass brush won't remove a separated case, try a tap of the correct size.......very carefully, of course.