ipscgraz
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Yup... a tumbler will take the nickel off in about a day.
nickel brass ... ???
- Thread starter Otokiak
- Start date
Yup... a tumbler will take the nickel off in about a day.
I only use Nickel-plated when I need to distinguish my brass from others (like at a competition) or when I have two load levels (like mild and hot).
I have 50 Rem Nickel in 30-06 that I have shot five times (neck-sized each time) - still going strong, although one, before I used it the first time had some nickel flake off the neck.
IMO no advantages other than colour and a big disadvantage, i.e. harder to work.
I have 50 Rem Nickel in 30-06 that I have shot five times (neck-sized each time) - still going strong, although one, before I used it the first time had some nickel flake off the neck.
IMO no advantages other than colour and a big disadvantage, i.e. harder to work.
HOLY F'N CRAZINESS ... wholesale sports in Calgary had some nickel brass for $29/50 pieces ... I ordered 2 bags = 100 pieces ... they wanted $22 for regular mail ... I DON'T THINK SO ... Anyone have approx 100 of NEW nickel brass they want to part with for a decent price shipped?
Otokiak
Rankin Inlet, NU
CANADA
Otokiak
Rankin Inlet, NU
CANADA
thats a wifes tale ................ how many dies have YOU actually scrached ? Not what someone told you or heard at the range from someone . I have reloaded 1000's with no ill effect to any dies .
I think the worst one I heard is that " Nickle brass will ruin your chamber when shot ,as it will over expand your chamber after about 20 rounds and your gun will be ruined"
ya ok
I've got a bunch of 40 S&W nickle cases from speer gold dot rounds.
I really like them beacuse the silver color stands out against the rest of the brass at the range when I'm cleaning up my empties.
So far I've got 5 loads out of them with no issues. I definately haven't scratched my dies after a total of 500 loads.
They also look bad ass loaded with brass colored winchester 180gr. fmj bullets and winchester primers.
I really like them beacuse the silver color stands out against the rest of the brass at the range when I'm cleaning up my empties.
So far I've got 5 loads out of them with no issues. I definately haven't scratched my dies after a total of 500 loads.
They also look bad ass loaded with brass colored winchester 180gr. fmj bullets and winchester primers.
Interesting point. I've only reloaded a few hundred bottleneck rounds in a steel die (and they were well lubed), and a couple of hundred straight wall pistol in a carbide die. No signs of scratching or wear. There might be someone reliable out there who has first-hand experience of die scratching, but I haven't heard from them yet.
They are definetly harder and you can feel that when doing neck and primer pocket work, but when properly lubed they should wear no more than a hard piston ring wears a softer cylinder bore - practically not at all after billions of cycles.
They are definetly harder and you can feel that when doing neck and primer pocket work, but when properly lubed they should wear no more than a hard piston ring wears a softer cylinder bore - practically not at all after billions of cycles.
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and remember it is nickle "PLATED" , Plated on a brass case if there was a flake of "nickle " on the outside of the case that was going to any kind damage inside the STEEL die, would one not think that the brass would gouge,dent,scratch etc... the case befor the die as the brass is way softer than the hardened die steel? Kind of like least path of resistance ...............
I hope this sounds right ............
I hope this sounds right ............
We handgunners have nickle plated brass in 38 Spl along with 45ACP. Mind you such h/gun ammo is straight walled & not necked like rifle loads. Reloading life is just as long, in use, as brass-brass. Like I have been reloading both since '74 & splitting is pretty darn rare on any of the above. Note the carbide reloading die will not suffer from either of the above.
The nickled brass does fine for us. Now some of the 45ACP is for Small Pistol Primers rather then Large Pistol Primers as being normal. Reason being so many h/gun shooting places are INDOORS only, so small primer is not hard on the breathing or health ESPECIALLY during indoor h/gun shooting.
The nickled brass does fine for us. Now some of the 45ACP is for Small Pistol Primers rather then Large Pistol Primers as being normal. Reason being so many h/gun shooting places are INDOORS only, so small primer is not hard on the breathing or health ESPECIALLY during indoor h/gun shooting.
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I'm not sure what characteristics you would consider reliable but I did ruin a RCBS sizing die In 17 Rem. with nickel brass that flaked off. I sent the die back to RCBS and they replaced it free of charge with a new set so now I have an extra seating die. I don't care for nickel in bottleneck cases but I've loaded thousands of rounds of both nickel and regular brass for my handguns with no problems what so ever.
The walls of the seating die were badly scored in several spots and left large deep scratches in the brass after that. The brass still chambered fine but being a bit anal I sent the die to RCBS for polishing not wanting to risk scratching the chamber of my firearm. RCBS sent me a new set of dies so I was happy. As far as why the brass didn't give before the steel I don't really know but suspect that when the flake came loose it was wedged between the die wall and the nickle case scratching the die wall as the brass moved up the body of the seating die. At least that's my best guess all I really know is a nickel plated case went in and when it came out the die was pooched. Now you just need to decide if I'm reliable or not.
I have heard that the reason they use nickel plated is because of the small amount of friction it creates, less than just brass. Supposed to be just as easy to reload, except that the nickel will dull your trimmer quicker if you have to trim it.
Funny this thread came up as I just came into possession of some nickel plated 9mm and was wondering about it.
Funny this thread came up as I just came into possession of some nickel plated 9mm and was wondering about it.
ipscgraz
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
The walls of the seating die were badly scored in several spots and left large deep scratches in the brass after that. The brass still chambered fine but being a bit anal I sent the die to RCBS for polishing not wanting to risk scratching the chamber of my firearm. RCBS sent me a new set of dies so I was happy. As far as why the brass didn't give before the steel I don't really know but suspect that when the flake came loose it was wedged between the die wall and the nickle case scratching the die wall as the brass moved up the body of the seating die. At least that's my best guess all I really know is a nickel plated case went in and when it came out the die was pooched. Now you just need to decide if I'm reliable or not.
Was the brass clean before you sized it???
I can see the dies being scratched by range dirt or sand on the outside of the case more than by the nickel.
I tumble all brass Before sizing it for exactly that reason.
I have reloaded at least two thousand rounds of .308 nickel plated brass. All the stuff I have has been "picked up" after being fired by police tactial squads at a local range so I know it is only once fired. It is made by Federal. I shoot a lot of .308 and can tell you that the Federal nickel plated is good stuff. I have "experimented" with Federal match (yellow brass) and tactical brass. No yellow brass has ever produced a split neck prior to 15 reloads ...NECK SIZED ONLY....I only lube the inside of the neck.....I do not tumble brass, just clean it with powder solvent on the neck. No nickel plated Federal brass has ever produced a split neck prior to 13 reloads. My practice is to reload yellow brass 12 times and nickel plated brass 10 times before discarding. I do not anneal. Both types are equally accurate. Niether has ever scratched a die (Hornady or Redding).
joe-nwt .... your bottom "trailer" gives a pretty good self assessment ... perhaps you should just try being objective....most of us are just trying to give the best information we can to fellow enthusiasts and have little patience for comments like the one you just posted...
My point was that you have hands on experience with a large quantity of a typical brass that anyone could aquire. You experimented, extensively by the number of times you have reloaded it, and found no problems. How boring when compared to the horror stories that others have "heard" can happen.My "bottom trailer", or sigline as others sometimes call it, is there for everyone's entertainment. If you think it fits me, well, what can I say......
