Lead Boolit in Nickle Case

[lts70]

I was just thinking last night that I should pickup some nickle cases to reload with some of my cast boolits. I think it would look pretty sweet. I know you guys have done it...anyone have any pictures?

I am having some slide on ammo strips made to match my belt and holster it would be cool to have some of these to put in there. I wonder if I could clear coat the boolit to have it keep its shiny silver apperance.

I posted pictures in "The Kit Room" of my new belt and holster. Link Below

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=124961

[BABore]

I don't use them myself. Nickle cases can raise pressure in max loads due to their higher hardness. They also tend to chip, flake, and generally wear out much quicker for me. Harder to trim and wear dies more. If you like the Bling factor, go for it. I'll stick to boring old brass.

[MT Gianni]

IIRC, nickle cases were made because some LEO's were known to leave brass ones in the dump pouches that preceeded speed loaders. The leather would turn the brass green and the cartridges would stick in the pouch. I don't use a dump pouch, got rid of the two I had years ago, and see no need for nickle cases in my life.

[Jim_Fleming]

Go for the bling! It's your ammo and your brass, make it the way you like. Don't forget to lightly polish up the noses of the rounds. Make 'em shiny and pretty!

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[76 WARLOCK]

I use nickle so I can carry them in leather belt loops with out turning green.

[lts70]

I know brass is better and that is what I plan on using and have used. I just thought it would be cool to see a all silver boolit cartrige. Not trying to start a "VS." thread, just was couroius of what it would look like.

[blaster]

I use brass and nickle both though I have more brass.

The wife prefers the brass/boolit combo says "you can shoot them with gold or silver jewelry that way."

[357 Voodoo]

I have a large amount of 38 special that i use because it was free nobody else wanted it so i'll use it. everything else i shoot is all brass.

[nes4ever69]

i just loaded some once fireed nickle cases, having a high split rate compared to brass. that is my first time using plated brass, not to impressed.

[Cherokee]

I use brass or nickel in most cartridges, even some hot loaded 44 Mag. For SASS, I did load a belt full of 45 Colt with nickel cases for show and because I leave them in the belt all the time.

[tomme boy]

I have a few 45acps that have over 15 loadings and have never had any split or flake. The nickle is getting thin on the head but is not flaking.

[XWrench3]

well, i read a lot of bad press on nickle plated brass. maybe it has changed over the years, maybe i have just had exceptional luck. maybe it is just that the "bad press nickle plated brass" was of lower quality. but 4 years ago, i bought 100 nickle starline cases. i have loaded, and reloaded them many, many times. i have had one chip while i was trimming it, but i am still using it. i also have roughly 400 38 nickle brass that is working just fine as well. as for using lead bullets in nickle cases, make up some linotype boolits, they are already pretty, and stay that way.

[HeavyMetal]

Nickel case's can also scratch steel sizing dies!

Ask me how I know this! Heck I got a deal on 22-250 nickel case's and, without a thought, ran them into my Lee collet neck sizing die.

The de capping / neck sizing pin is now serrated like a Ginzu knife because of plated burrs on the case mouth!

A new pin and a VLD chamfer tool cleared up this problem but this is one more reason I am not a fan of nickled case's!

[ColColt]

I mostly use brass but for a time I couldn't find any in 44 Mag so, I bought 100 in nickle. I've had no problems with them and have loaded them with 2400 and HS-6 with great results...no better or worse than brass. They were Starline's. Here's a pic but it's a bit canted. You can see some verticle scratches...they don't like being dirty passed through the size die so, be sure and clean them well in a tumbler like I forgot to do with these.

http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x220/ColColt/Misc%20Stuff/_DEF3962.jpg

[Pirate69]

Well, I will offer this observation. I have a 300 Winchester Mag with a full bore barrel that I usually shoot about 6 am in the morning when there is no wind and no mirage. My cheap 40X scope does not handle heat very well. Anyway, from the bench, I usually don't have a problem with a 3.5" group at my 500 range when the conditions are right. The ladder technique was very kind to me. I have used both brass and nickel cases and I always seem to get the best groups from the brass cases. Don't know why. All cases are neck sized the same, trimmed the same and loaded the same. There may be something with the hardnest. I actually pulled some brass and nickel cased loads to look at the bullets. It appeared that the nickel cased bullets were scored more than then brass cased bullets. Does that maked a different considering that happens to them going down a barrel? I don't know. I still attempt to make the nickel cases shoot as well as the brass. Not sure if I will figure it out before I get enough rounds though the barrel that everything has the same accuracy.

Edit: I am sure that everyone understands that this is not with cast boolits. Guess I am admitting to my dark side..

[lwknight]

Edit: I am sure that everyone understands that this is not with cast boolits. Guess I am admitting to my dark side..

I too have a dark side. I think that one driving force in pushing cast boolits to the max performance was simply the threat of ammo shortages and internet legend about fingerprinted bullets. Most of us are in the " don't tell me can't "group".

Once upon a time jacketing the bullets was the cool new technology instead of the scourge of nastalgia. Bottom line is : You just need the right tool for the job even if sometimes it means the ( gulp: ) the jacket.

[MtGun44]

I load the nickeled cases in 9mm, .38 Spl and .357 Mag right along with the brass, no
diff IME. I use some in a few rifle calibers to distinguish particular loads for hunting.

I guess they would look good in a belt, but (as previously stated) I think the main reason
for them was to avoid the green crud corrosion when in cartridge belts for long periods
when used by cops many moons ago.

Bill

[BOOM BOOM]

HI,
I use nickle cases in my 44mag.,7MM/06, & 7mm mag. to easily segregate different hunting loads, for different game animals. I have only a few of these.
In 38 & 357 I have 1,000's, so I do not use this method.
I have had 1 batch of bad flaky nickle cases back in the early 1970's.
I have never had another problem.
:Fire::Fire:

[casterofboolits]

I have some nickled 38 Spec. brass that have been loaded so many times they are mostly brass.

[DukeInFlorida]

I agree. I also have lot of nickel plated brass that I load.

For all of the pistol rounds I make, I see no discernible difference in performance or assembly. Some of my rimmed calibers have been reloaded so many times that virtually all of the nickel has worn off. It's just a thin layer when they plate it.

BTW, nickle is SOFTER than steel dies, not harder. What scratches dies is sand.

And, while nickel plated brass looks like it doesn't need to get polished, it still does need to get CLEANED, which the polishing cycle also does. So, please be sure to always polish even the nickle plated stuff.

So, go ahead and use your nickel plated brass confidently.




I have some nickled 38 Spec. brass that have been loaded so many times they are mostly brass.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I load both Nickel and brass cases.
I've never seen the flaking problem.
BUT, the one issue I see is that it seems
that Nickel plated cases will crack at the neck sooner
then brass cases
Jon

[Jal5]

I have used them in 38 sp and they shoot the same as the brass. Had a picture somewhere but cannot find it on the computer.

Joe

[Jim_Fleming]

This has been my experience too. Nickel plated seems less malleable somehow.




I load both Nickel and brass cases.
I've never seen the flaking problem.
BUT, the one issue I see is that it seems
that Nickel plated cases will crack at the neck sooner
then brass cases
Jon



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[Echo]

I use nickle so I can carry them in leather belt loops with out turning green.

A big Plus 1!

[Ziptar]

I ljust reloaded some of my first 45 Colt rounds using nickel cases.

I wasn't out for them specifically just fell into a deal for 100 once fired for cheap.

I had 3 split when I was full length sizing them.

That might not be a nickel problem so much as a R-P head stamped nickel problem. There's a thread somewhere at cast boolits where several people have posted similar problems even with new R-P nickel 45 Colt cases.

I've only fired 20 so far and they seem fine and no different than plain brass in that respect.

Using a hand press I can say they feel "crunchier" for sure.

I'd prefer plain brass from here on out. I've decided I'll cast up a dozen or so 100% tin bullets and use some of the nickel cases to make some homemade snap caps.

The rest will go in the cabinet, maybe get used again someday.

[243winxb]

Nickel for carry guns. The cartridges stay cleaner & will not discolor like brass. http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRSNtEI3QiiF1wb__Hcb128hbaS0rIHg HkpQW3CpSf6leJpm--7&t=1