MO-- actually I rarely fire over 8k a year. I just get stuck with loading for juniors and the wife. And sometimes for an 8 man shooting team......

Bigcountry

I anneal so much that all I do is sit on the floor watching tv. 5 gal bucket of water about 3/4 full. I spin the cases in my fingers and drop the cases in the water when I can't hold em anymore. Guaranteed not to mess with the metallurgy of the head. And even allows red necks almost in 223. I normally have the lights down and once I see the necks even starting towards straw to red color they are gone. Not scientific. Accused that it cannot be even. But in the feel of seating they are much more even than non annealed ones.

Its strange that you still crack necks even with annealing-- I may have to research some more. It may just be the beast. Curious though-- is your neck dimension in the chamber a factory chamber and possibly you are sizing the neck too much. Wrong neck bushing etc..?? Of course with loose pockets the necks are a non issue anyway.

Jeff