Nickel plated brass
- Thread starter bluetick
- Start date
happiness is a warm gun
Regular
It's more designed for single use. You can reload it, but I usually don't.
The nickel plate stays clean and doesn't oxodize as fast as plain brass, the main reason that Law Enforcement like to use it. It will feed better that regular brass after many years of non-use and exposure to air because it could be years before a cop actually fires his/her gun.
The nickel plate stays clean and doesn't oxodize as fast as plain brass, the main reason that Law Enforcement like to use it. It will feed better that regular brass after many years of non-use and exposure to air because it could be years before a cop actually fires his/her gun.
Cocked&Locked
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- S. Ontario
As said above. Nickel provides a corrosion resistant and more importantly, slippery surface on the case. Nickel plateing improves feed reliability. It is also harder than cartridge brass so there is more wear on your dies if the nickel chips or flakes. In theory, before it flakes it should be better. Some load it some don't. I won't buy it, but will load it if it turns up in my range pickups.
bluetick said:
Not sure you are talking about pistol round or rifle round. I use them in most of my 9mm and 38/357 and is perfect. Big rifle nickle case is not that easy to resize at least my Lee Press is not strong enough.
Trigun
300 wsm
I've resized some in 300 wsm 4 times now. No issues at alleven when trimming. I like it as the cases are very uniform before and after sizing. As for difficulty I use a sturdy lyman single stage and it seems no more difficult than the .308 brass.
I've resized some in 300 wsm 4 times now. No issues at alleven when trimming. I like it as the cases are very uniform before and after sizing. As for difficulty I use a sturdy lyman single stage and it seems no more difficult than the .308 brass.
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
I prefer not to use nickel cases for the reasons listed above. Some pals of mine claim they have difficulty getting good crimps on thier big bore rifle handloads with nickeled brass - but I can't comment on that as I won't use it in rifle cartridges. I have had no issues crimping nicked pistol brass, but I've heard some large volume pistol ammo reloaders complain that nickel brass is more difficult to run through a progessive press.
joe-nwt said:
X2
Nickle is softer than hardened steel so if it scratches your dies the quality of your dies comes into question.
Bits of nickel from trimming can stick inside dies and cause scratches to cases being re-sized but then so can bits of brass trimmings. In short make sure your cases are free of all grit before sizing.
The only downside to nickle plated cases I have run into is that it is impossible to anneal the necks.
gushulak
CGN frequent flyer
I avoid nickle plated brass for the reasons other members have mentioned. I have no problems with brass. Nothing wrong with factory nickle ammo, that is primo stuff. I like brass for reloading.
