Nickel plated brass

CALIFORNIA

CALIFORNIA

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Did I read somewhere that nickel plated brass wasn't good for reloading. I ran a cartridge through my 650, didn't seem to be a problem. Am I missing something
 
I like nickel because you don't need to tumble it as long, to get them shiney, but I have noticed with .38 special, they seem to devolope cracks much sooner than the plain brass.
But then again I've probably reloaded them 10 times.
 
Casper said:
I like nickel because you don't need to tumble it as long, to get them shiney, but I have noticed with .38 special, they seem to devolope cracks much sooner than the plain brass.
But then again I've probably reloaded them 10 times.
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I've observed the same phenomenon in my 38 spl. Unplated brass still cracks but after many more reloads...I have lost count of the number.

However, many plated casings have their plating almost worn or polished out by multitude tumblings, showing the brass underneath but they are still good.
 
"...may wear dies faster..." Nope. Nickel isn't as hard as steel. You may, I say again, may see some plating flaking off, but it's nothing to worry about.
Nickeled brass is reloaded the same way unplated brass is reloaded.
 
HKMark23 said:
According to this site;

http://38super.net/index.html

plated brass, being harder, may wear dies faster but like a lot of ideas, this seems to be more prominent as a theory than as an experience.

To answer your question, Starline et al sell new plated brass for reloading.
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Indeed, HKMark, just like the myth that you can't tumble live rounds because either they go off spontaneously, or it alters the shape of the powder flakes, changing their pressure characteristics.

I have tumbled thousands of live rounds in every handgun caliber with never a problem in the tumbler or in the chamber
 
dan - I think the same is true of bottleneck rifle cases. I've shot lots of 308 Win with both yellow and nickel plated (Federal) brass. At normal pressures, some of the nickel stuff would show cracked necks after 13 reloads. Never got a crack in yellow brass before 15 reloads (Fed GMM). Also, never had a problem with the nickel scratching a die.
 
I've loaded lots .38 Special into nickel plated cases with no problems. I think it would take a lot of use to wear out a carbide sizing die, assuming it can be done.
 
I've been loading the same bunch of .38 Special and .357 Magnum plated cases for literally years, including some full-power loads. Haven't even bothered counting how many times. I think I've had to toss about three.

As noted, the problem may be more theoretical than real.
 
Yup... As the others mentioned, Nickle Plated brass doesn't last as long as plain brass, in any caliber. The plating seems to add some hardness to them. I can get lots of NP 9mm if I want but I don't bother. When scrounging once fired, I just leave the NP ones for anyone else who wants them. I don't even collect my own if I get some factory fresh ammo that has been plated.

As for your reloading them, they are fine until the neck starts to split.
 
when i first got my stw , i was using 300 weatherby brass that was nickle plated .

i ran into problems with the neck starting to split after a few reloads , UNTIL i started to aneal just the case necks , never had a problem with the remaining cases after that .
 
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