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Thread: Purpose of Nickle plated brass?

  1. #61
    Boolit Master


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    Quote Originally Posted by EDG View Post
    Most nickeled rifle brass is nothing but a marketing tool.
    If you do not reload BPCR or hunt in a rain forest the nickel does not have any function.
    I'm quite happy to have nickel brass on my safari brass.

  2. #62
    Boolit Master
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    I have no idea why.
    I have about 200 rounds of 6mm Rem nickeled brass and would not recommend it to anyone for any reason.

    Quote Originally Posted by Soundguy View Post
    I'm quite happy to have nickel brass on my safari brass.
    EDG

  3. #63
    Boolit Master


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    Prevents corrosion..

  4. #64
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    I probably have 400 lbs of non nickel brass.
    None of it corrodes in my use and storage conditions.
    When you get around to reloading that nickel junk you will find the interior surface of the necks very rough and those cases will peel metal off of the bullet shanks unless you take special care.
    Ideally you need a carbide expander to iron out the roughness.

    I have about 75 or so .375 H&H nickel cases that I use for plinking loads. They produce about 50% more drag when sized. They are not what I want in my FL die on a permanent basis. All the nickel 6MM brass will be neck sized in a Wilson bushing die and the necks will be expanded with a carbide expander button to keep from abusing my FL die.

    Quote Originally Posted by Soundguy View Post
    Prevents corrosion..
    Last edited by EDG; 04-21-2018 at 12:14 AM.
    EDG

  5. #65
    Boolit Grand Master Bazoo's Avatar
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    I've loaded a fair amount of nickel cases in 38/357 magnum. It might not last forever like brass does, but I dont see that it loads any differently or gives any trouble. I dont prefer it, but I dont avoid it either.

    As many have said, the reason for nickel plated casings is corrosion resistance. It doesnt offer any advantage to plinking ammo, or hunting ammo that wont see extended carry afield. But It makes a lot of sense for carry ammo. I carry constantly, and sweat and oils and stuff corrodes the ammo in my spare mags pretty quickly. I always carry ball ammo for reloads and I shoot it when it starts to corrode. The ammo in the gun doesnt corrode as quickly as ammo that was exposed.

  6. #66
    Boolit Buddy TMenezes's Avatar
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    I love nickle for 2 very different reasons.

    1 I am a Law Enforcement Officer in a salty coastal area. Due to budget reasons we are issued nickol plated duty rounds that we do not use for practice or qualification purposes. We have to unload our duty ammo to qual with the cheaper practice ball ammo. The nickle ammo resists the salt air much better as it can sit in our mags for 6 months or more before it is replaced. For most people this may be a non issue but for us it makes a big difference.

    2 As a reloader I noticed it cleans up allot easier as junk doesn't stick to it as well as it can stick to brass, especially in our environment. I did find that it's a bad idea to use stainless steel media tumblers as it can take the nickle off if you leave it too long. Keep in mind that while nickle may or may not be better for you. It may be a God send to others that are in a different environment or a different set of circumstances than you are.

    Just my 2 cents.

  7. #67
    Boolit Grand Master Bazoo's Avatar
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    TMenezes, Thanks for your service to the community of which you serve!

    I can imagine, if a person was in a remote alaskan hunting camp, where you might be out 2 weeks, that nickelled brass would be a lot better than standard brass.

  8. #68
    Boolit Master
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    Just a reminder this is a case forming forum so most case forming topics are going to be about rifle brass.

    Nickel pistol brass is way different than nickel rifle brass when you load it. Rifle dies are NOT carbide and the nickel creates a lot more friction and force when you resize it in a long tapered steel die.
    Resizing pistol brass by comparison is nothing.

    I have never known anyone that carried rifle ammo around in a duty belt to the point of causing corrosion. Not even the USMC does that. If you are in that environment you better have a stainless gun or take good care to prevent it from rusting.
    Last edited by EDG; 04-21-2018 at 04:02 AM.
    EDG

  9. #69
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    I tried fireforming nickel plated brass to an A.I. caliber. Maybe threw away a fourth of them, I don't quite remember. The ones that did form looked really good, the others had little flaws that while maybe were ok, I discarded due to caution.

    Regular brass formed maybe 99% of the time.

    I did like the nickle brass that I loaded when I had my 7mm Mag. I sized them all with the Larry Willis collet die that my son had. I sure was glad he bought that die....
    Tom
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    Did I ever mention that I hate to trim brass?

  10. #70
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    Quote Originally Posted by EDG View Post
    I probably have 400 lbs of non nickel brass.
    None of it corrodes in my use and storage conditions.
    When you get around to reloading that nickel junk you will find the interior surface of the necks very rough and those cases will peel metal off of the bullet shanks unless you take special care.
    Ideally you need a carbide expander to iron out the roughness.

    I have about 75 or so .375 H&H nickel cases that I use for plinking loads. They produce about 50% more drag when sized. They are not what I want in my FL die on a permanent basis. All the nickel 6MM brass will be neck sized in a Wilson bushing die and the necks will be expanded with a carbide expander button to keep from abusing my FL die.
    I love how your message assumes that I have never reloaded nickel brass. I have 38/357 and 45 nickeled brass that is pretty much JUST brass now it has been reloaded so many times.

    I use carbide or TiN pistol dies AND I use lube when I resize all pistol, even though you don't have to for carbide. IMHO.. less wear is less wear, and thats always good. Probably why I'm not getting neck splits and the sky isn't falling like some people report.

    My belted magnum nick brass reloads about the same as regular brass. eventually you have to toss it if it starts to get a head separation.

    I wasn't talking about corrosion setting in a pristine reloading box or indoors. I'm talking about setting in a leather cartridge belt or holder out in tropical moist weather. Or when i find it at the range after it's been rained on a bit. the nickle doesn't tarnish up like the brass does for range pickup.

  11. #71
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bazoo View Post
    I've loaded a fair amount of nickel cases in 38/357 magnum. It might not last forever like brass does, but I dont see that it loads any differently or gives any trouble. I dont prefer it, but I dont avoid it either.

    As many have said, the reason for nickel plated casings is corrosion resistance. It doesnt offer any advantage to plinking ammo, or hunting ammo that wont see extended carry afield. But It makes a lot of sense for carry ammo. I carry constantly, and sweat and oils and stuff corrodes the ammo in my spare mags pretty quickly. I always carry ball ammo for reloads and I shoot it when it starts to corrode. The ammo in the gun doesnt corrode as quickly as ammo that was exposed.
    Some people see nickel and as inexperienced reloaders are frightened by it. internet horror story and myth keeps them up at night, nor have they ever had to truly use the nickel for what it was intended for, corrosion resistance in poor conditions for longer than normal time frames.

  12. #72
    Boolit Master


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    Quote Originally Posted by EDG View Post

    I have never known anyone that carried rifle ammo around in a duty belt to the point of causing corrosion. .
    I carry my safari ammo in 5 round leather holders. some with flaps, some not. If I'm carrying a double, no flaps, I want to grab 2 and go jamb them in.

  13. #73
    Boolit Grand Master In Remembrance
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    Case-Gard makes "Rifle Ammo Wallets" (cast plastic) that hold a number of rounds, 9+ usually, no verdegris from leather's chemicals in those - But not as quiet as a Leather pouch, admittedly.

  14. #74
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    Nor as nice looking, nor as small as a 4-5 shot Bando.

    One thing I can say about postings for corrosion resistance. I have a box of 45-70, mixed, various types and sources, but all late to very late 1800's. I've broke a few down, so far all is black powder loaded, variety of projectiles from plain base to skirted, even some round ball. All have been balloon primer pocket type. Many of the cases have thinned and patina'd so much from interior and exterior corrosion that the brass is thin as paper with wrinkles. Some of the cases are perhaps for naval use and were tinned? (silvor color plating). Those cases are all perfect. Dull finish, but polish right up with a cloth. Same date range headstamps.

    The plated cartridges plain held up better in storage... Some are nearing 129 ys old.

    Ps, so far, all the ones I took down had powder that burned well, and primers all poped. I have some cordite loaded early war 303 that's already getting maypop primers.
    Last edited by Soundguy; 04-24-2018 at 04:57 PM.

  15. #75
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    One thing I noticed, maybe there is some miscommunication here on the nickel plated brass.

    While I have no qualms about reloading/ resizing NB for the caliber/cartridge it was made in, I wouldn't want to reform that NB for something else. Like no 270 to 30-06 or no 30 rem/6.8spc to 8mm nambu.

    I think with any reforms that stretch or shrink the neck, rebate rims, cut extractor grooves, neck turning, etc, you could run into thinning, and loss of the primary reason it was NB in the first place.

    I wouldn't want to drop mouth size either.. 30-06 -270, and be left with thick nickel exterior, and thin brass interior from ID reaming. I think you'd get too brittle at the mouth on that kind of resize. Lotsa work for maybe only 1 bang.
    Last edited by Soundguy; 04-25-2018 at 09:05 AM.

  16. #76
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    I did it, and learned a lot. Never had anything actually split, and how does one take a 30-06 and turn it into an A.I. without fireforming it?
    As for taking other brass and tweaking and playing with it to make the A.I., I always went up, never down. I tried down with a 300 Win Mag to 7mm Rem Mag and got the donut on the neck. Just tried the one.
    The others took a lot of sizing and trimming, measurements and examination, but it was fun and easy enough. And I only have two centerfire rifles , so no chance of them being put in the wrong rifle.
    Either way, I did it and enjoyed it.
    Tom
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  17. #77
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    I love it how you assume loading pistol brass compares to rifle brass. If you loaded much you would never try to make such a comparison.
    Of course I have loaded a ton of nickel pistol brass. So what everyone but you knows it does not compare to loading nickel rifle brass.
    I am not convinced you have ever loaded a single round of nickeled rifle brass. If you have you do not pay attention to details like the horribly rough neck interior that peels metal off of bullet jackets.
    Please let me know what brand of rifle carbide dies you own.
    I also love how you live in a tropical rain forest and your brass tarnishes horribly at the slightest contact with rain water. I guess my non nickel brass is superior in quality since it can go through the washing machine without spotting ...

    I have never had a single case lost to corrosion in 50 years of reloading. The only cases I have lost were worn out...
    I never heard of anyone complaining about losing cases to corrosion except for cases picked up out of the mud and dirt at the range after laying in the weather a year or two.

    Quote Originally Posted by Soundguy View Post
    I love how your message assumes that I have never reloaded nickel brass. I have 38/357 and 45 nickeled brass that is pretty much JUST brass now it has been reloaded so many times.

    I use carbide or TiN pistol dies AND I use lube when I resize all pistol, even though you don't have to for carbide. IMHO.. less wear is less wear, and thats always good. Probably why I'm not getting neck splits and the sky isn't falling like some people report.

    My belted magnum nick brass reloads about the same as regular brass. eventually you have to toss it if it starts to get a head separation.

    I wasn't talking about corrosion setting in a pristine reloading box or indoors. I'm talking about setting in a leather cartridge belt or holder out in tropical moist weather. Or when i find it at the range after it's been rained on a bit. the nickle doesn't tarnish up like the brass does for range pickup.
    Last edited by EDG; 04-25-2018 at 05:10 AM.
    EDG

  18. #78
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    since the dawn of man hes liked shinny things!

  19. #79
    Boolit Master
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    So do raccoons.

    Quote Originally Posted by Lloyd Smale View Post
    since the dawn of man hes liked shinny things!
    EDG

  20. #80
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    Quote Originally Posted by EDG View Post
    I love it how you assume loading pistol brass compares to rifle brass. If you loaded much you would never try to make such a comparison.
    Of course I have loaded a ton of nickel pistol brass. So what everyone but you knows it does not compare to loading nickel rifle brass.
    I am not convinced you have ever loaded a single round of nickeled rifle brass. If you have you do not pay attention to details like the horribly rough neck interior that peels metal off of bullet jackets.
    Please let me know what brand of rifle carbide dies you own.
    I also love how you live in a tropical rain forest and your brass tarnishes horribly at the slightest contact with rain water. I guess my non nickel brass is superior in quality since it can go through the washing machine without spotting ...

    I have never had a single case lost to corrosion in 50 years of reloading. The only cases I have lost were worn out...
    I never heard of anyone complaining about losing cases to corrosion except for cases picked up out of the mud and dirt at the range after laying in the weather a year or two.
    .

    I never said I had carbide rifle dies. i said I had carbide ( or TiN ) pistol dies.

    I reload both nickel pistol and rifle brass. As I have mentioned many times now ( perhaps you can't read more than a few lines? ) that I have a good amount of larger magnum rifle brass that is nickel plated. I care not whether you believe that I have reloaded plated rifle brass. I reloaded rifle before I ever started with pistol. I've not experienced any horrible rough inside diameter neck issues. Perhaps you need to polish your expander ball/expander rod, or use some mica. Heck.. IDN polishing if you managed to buy some really bad plated brass.

    I live in florida and our climate tends to the hot / humid side 11.999 months out of the year. And, when you are out in the woods for a week at a time I like to use something that I know has little chance to corrode.

    I never said I used nickel plated cases to prevent 'loss via corrosion'. I do it to prevent corrosion. And yes.. I like a shiny clean looking case, not one with tarnish spots. Even patina is ok.. but when it gets dark spots, it makes inspecting the cases for structural integrity more difficult. My rifles and face and hands are worth more than a piece of dark spotted brass that I can't tell is 100% sound. IMHO, a bright case is much easier to visually inspect, both inside and out.

    I have and do sometimes recover brass from shooting ranges, and yes.. that means some of them are in the dirt and mud ( Florida - rainshine daily , 87 degrees in the winter, 97 in the summer, and almost always 100% humidity, even at 7am ).

    Obviously from reading your posts you are only concerned with believing something you have personally experienced, and nothing anyone else has seen or experienced matters to you. So while I or others like to use nickel plated brass, and you don't, you then feel the need to tell us we are wrong. What a wonderful outlook on life you have. Good day.
    Last edited by Soundguy; 04-25-2018 at 05:51 PM.

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