Bought an Annealeze and kinda sorry I did

[Bill K]

Originally Posted by TinMan

Done manually with a propane torch I can usually anneal 22 Hornet and 223 Remington class cartridges around 250-300 per hour without breaking into a sweat and without burning my fingers. The trick is to put an old 5/8" socket onto a 6" extension, insert the case into the socket and rotate the cartridge in the torch flame.

A man after my own heart. Exactly how I hold each case and turn it in the flame. Super easy and like I said, I am cheap but improvise.

[Wiserfool]

For what it's worth, I am also a torch and socket disciple. I've spent a ton of coin on powder, bullets and primers over the years. As well as custom barrels twisted and chambered to my liking. But, I'm still using the same basic reloading kit I bought in 1978. Now that I am older, gophers and steel are the main quarry. Surprisingly, (not really) this contributed to an increase in annual round count.

[JDHasty]

Originally Posted by Bayou City Boy

Now don't be too Hasty, Bill. We must be missing something.

I just did a mental count that I verified by looking at my Excell rifle inventory and came up with nine 17 caliber CF rifles which includes four 17 Rem's, five 20 caliber CF rifles (two 20 Tac rifles), and various rifles in the .224" realm that include everything from 22 Hornet (3) up through 223 Rem (a bunch), 223 Rem Mag (2), 22-250 Rem (5), 220 Swift (2) and 22-6MM. Anything above .224" is "big bore" for purposes here and not counted, even though they alone occupy several large gun safes....

Not all of the "small bore" rifles routinely go pd'ing, even though several of the "big bores" go along frequently, but I am able to keep all of them well fed with good brass each year for what I plan to use them for........
somehow...

But, "to each their own". Unless someone tries to tell me that I'm doing things incorrectly.

-BCB

What you just might be missing is: I’m 62 years old, work eight hours per day and commute three, have 6, 8 & 12 year old kids and simply have to look for efficiency where I can find it if I am going to spend most weekends for two and a half months out of the year varmint shooting with my kids.

The machine wasn’t a need, but it certainly is a great luxury our family is blessed to have.

We have a new 17 Hornet MGM Contender carbine barrel that I need to break in, and a new to us 243 Encore barrel and need to develop loads for both and load ammo for both in the next two months.

On top of that we are waiting on a freshly rebarreled bolt action in 20P to come back that needs to be bedded into a Boyd’s AT-One for the younger kids then that barrel needs to be broken in and loads developed before ammo can be loaded for it. I just finished making up up a thousand rounds of brass for that rifle last night.

We will start chuck shooting around April Fools day and will be pursuing that through mid June before heading over to shoot prairie dogs.

We also didn’t need a progressive loading machine, but keeping up with the kids AR 15s without it was too much.

Someone also has to do chores like mowing the yard, tending the gardens and cleaning the bathroom. That someone is me and I can only be in one place at a time. Trust me on this, I fully appreciate that other folks have less on their plate than I do and looking for efficiency is of little importance to them. I’ve been there myself.

People who are in my current situation simply must look for efficiencies in order to manage to attend to their parental responsibilities, do their chores and still fit in time to pursue their hobby. If they are as blessed as I am their kids share their interests. I am able to enjoy doing what I like to do throughout the year with the people I like to do it with. My kids. My kids also like following rodeo and watching sprint car racing on weekends July through September and we look forward to big game hunting beginning in October.

Basically the time between mid December and April is what I have every year to get our gear ready for the coming season and that is also the only down time we have when I can attend to repairs to our RV. Vegetable garden beds don’t prepare themselves either.

This year, what with getting the younger kids outfits going with their center fire Contender carbine and Howa mini and getting my older one’s new 243 Encore barrel set up and going for her having that machine is a blessing.

[Bayou City Boy]

Originally Posted by TinMan

Done manually with a propane torch I can usually anneal 22 Hornet and 223 Remington class cartridges around 250-300 per hour without breaking into a sweat and without burning my fingers. The trick is to put an old 5/8" socket onto a 6" extension, insert the case into the socket and rotate the cartridge in the torch flame.

I splurged years ago and bought a cordless variable speed nut driver to chuck my extension into for annealing. You and Bill must have too much time on your hands to actually rotate the cartridges by hand.... I was thinking about the same number per hour as you stated, but I've never really timed it.

Bill, don't get me started on complete lists. I'd likely scare myself if I listed in print online everything from 17 to 458 bore diameter....... It's not as scary in a computer program. Maybe if I didn't buy so dang many rifles I could afford the latest and greatest smoke machine for speeding up my reloading. And give me more time for bullet swaging too. And for shooting hand guns and....

Oh well. I'm sure I'm missing something very obvious in how I do things. I'm just glad that I'm retired so I have time to play with fun cars too.

-BCB

[Bill K]

[QUOTE=Bayou City Boy;3. You and Bill must have too much time on your hands to actually rotate the cartridges by hand.... Iut the same number per hour as you stated, but I've never really timed it.

Bill, don't get me started on complete lists. I'd likely scare myself if I listed in print online everything from 17 to 458 bore diameter....... I

No problem with me turning the case by hand, even at my age. But I admit I do have the time to do it.

Oh I would never get a list started for either of us. Mine is just a partial on, and I know yours would be also. That is what is fun with our hobby/sport and over all these years, I know we both, as so many others have had, a long list of firearms, long and handguns, even bows, hawks, boomarangs and who knows what else we play with. It is all a great way to live. To bad the anti's don't enjoy life more, as we do, each and every day.

[SEM]

Originally Posted by JDHasty

In the last two weeks I have sent multiple messages using their email portal and still haven’t gotten a response. First off: Do I need to purchase an optional set of wheels to anneal 17 and 22 Hornet cases? Second, I burned the face of the electrical control panel and would be interested in purchasing a replacement part. Works fine, but I like to keep my tools looking like someone cares enough to keep them in good shape. It has been my experience that people who take good care of their tools also pay attention to detail and that is what separates them from the rest of the herd.

I had options when I purchased the machine and considered many. This lack of support impresses me that I made the wrong decision and would have been better off going with a competitor’s product. The machine works, and works very well that is not the issue. I’m sure the competition likewise, or at least some if not most of them. What I object to is being ignored when I have a post purchase question, particularly one that could be answered in a six or seven word sentence. That kind of customer service, or better yet lack of customer service leads me to question if this is an outfit I want to trade with or recommend to others.

In response to my first question I went ahead and ordered a set of the small wheels and if they duplicate what came on the machine the worst that can happen is I have a spare set of wheels. No real harm done other than that I have $25 tied up in spare parts if that is the case. On the second question I suppose I can scour the internet or look for a part number on the panel and source it on my own.

I bought an induction annealer (home made) from Flyrod here several years ago safely 20000 PLUS cases later still up and running, No wheels no propane no timing adjustments no more F___ hot sockets to sizzle me yes that is what I said each time, Granted you do one at a time still but rarely do I do more than 200 a month any more always a mix of this or that. pistol and rifle brass at the same time. Slight learning curve a jig or two. BEST MONEY ever spent, Small cases wear a pure cotton glove and DONT admire for to long your annealing prowess, Knowledge from repeated experience

[TinMan]

BCB, I use an electronic metronome from when my son was taking guitar and piano lessons. Set it for 1 second intervals and count the seconds until the brass looks the correct color of red.