Nickel 9mm cases/brass. Do you use them?

[monmouth]

I have a bunch of 9mm to load up and thinking About switching to nickel cases. They seem easier to clean and I like the look of the ammo with a cast boolit. Also, I sell lots of brass and figured since most don't want the nickel cases, may as well put them to good use :bigsmyl2:

Do you use them? Anything I need to know?

[jmorris]

Sure, I use them all the time but they always seem to fail before unplated cases do (number of times reloaded).

[HeavyMetal]

I have about 3000 Nickel federal 9mm a great round and yes they look nice when loaded BUT, they can be very hard on some dies.

Steel dies are what I mean! Nickel cases need to be seriously deburred before sizing and should not be run into a steel die if you don't want a scratch that transfers to every case you have, Nickel or brass!

I've also found Nickel cases don't live as long as brass ones, but some will disagree with me on that.

I'd use them and have no fear but do take some precautions with your dies if you do.

[tomme boy]

They seems to stick in the powder die for me. I have some 45acp that I have loaded so many times they are brass again. I have lost more brass cases than nickle ones in my 45 and 9mm. Never have lost any in my 223 and 308 that were nickle either.

[retread]

Sure, I use them all the time but they always seem to fail before unplated cases do (number of times reloaded).

Precisely my experience. I use them anyway and discard as they fail. Got them for nothing so that's what I am out. You are right though, they do clean up easily.

[leadhead]

I convert all my nickel brass to 9x18 Makarov. Easy to keep separated that way.
Denny

[bbqncigars]

When I'm resizing, I can tell without looking if a case is brass or not. The plated are always harder to resize. This holds true for both pistol and rifle. I have yet to see any longevity differences between the two.

[retread]

One other thing I failed to mention is that the nickel case have a tendency to stick in the chamber of my SR9. Never a brass case, always nickel. I do size boolits to .358 and case throat to .357 so I don't leave a lot of room for expansion but find it interesting that the nickel cases are the only ones to stick.

[jugulater]

Brass cases expand when fired, then contract slighty after firing correct? What if the nickle plateing prevents it from contracting. That would make sizing and extracting harder. Thats just my thought, i am not a metallurgist so i could be wrong here.

[LUBEDUDE]

I find that I can definitely tell that Nickle cases split at the mouth sooner on my revolvers because I retrieve 100% of them.

On the other hand, with auto brass it does not matter to me because the odds are against me that they won't make it to 6-8, or 10 loadings anyway because chances are they will eventually be lost along the way at the outdoor ranges I shoot at.

[coleman]

Lube the nickel brass and save your shoulder. The nickel brass is harder to resize, Try lubing a few then try some without lube and see what the difference is.

[Blanco]

Just send those pesky nickel cases to me. I shall dispose of them in manner befitting a shiny case.

[bobthenailer]

I have over 1000 federal nickled 9mm cases i use them for use with GC boolets or in the rare occasion when i load jacketed bullets , and use brass casings for my three other 9mm/38 super boolets.

[dudel]

"Most don't want the nickel cases"

There's are reasons for that:
1) doesn't last as long as brass
2) more effort to size than brass
3) seems harder on dies than brass

With so much brass available; why bother. If it's all you have, then load away. If I had a choice between brass and nickel, I'll take the brass everytime.

If I buy SD ammo, I want the nickel cases. Easier to see in the dark.

[jmorris]

Try lubing a few then try some without lube and see what the difference is.Most people I know that give lubed pistol ammo a try keep doing it. Not that you have to do it but it sure does make everything smoother.

[Love Life]

I lube my pistol brass and then do slight tumble of the loaded rds afterwards. Runs like greased lightning through the progressive. Hornady 1shot is sufficient for lubing most pistol brass.

[claudesapp]

My only use for nickel is to load +P type ammunition, easy to visually identify them as hotter loads, I know they are never my plinkers.

[dtknowles]

My only use for nickel is to load +P type ammunition, easy to visually identify them as hotter loads, I know they are never my plinkers.

This is what I do.

Tim

[LUBEDUDE]

Lube the nickel brass and save your shoulder. The nickel brass is harder to resize, Try lubing a few then try some without lube and see what the difference is.

I've never seen or felt (in the shoulder) the need for lubing pistol brass.

That's why I bought the carbide dies, so I wouldn't have to jack with the stuff.

While I can see how lube will smooth things out, it's just not an issue for me.

[waltherboy4040]

I try to separate them in case I ever get a bbq gun set up. Otherwise they seem to crack sooner.

[jmorris]

I've never seen or felt (in the shoulder) the need for lubing pistol brass.That's why I bought the carbide dies, so I wouldn't have to jack with the stuff.While I can see how lube will smooth things out, it's just not an issue for me.I loaded pistol rounds for more than 20 years before I tried it myself. Now everything gets lubed.

[tazman]

I've never seen or felt (in the shoulder) the need for lubing pistol brass.

That's why I bought the carbide dies, so I wouldn't have to jack with the stuff.

While I can see how lube will smooth things out, it's just not an issue for me.

I agree completely. I use carbide dies with my pistol cases and never had an issue in 40 years.
I use all the nickle cases i find as well as the brass. I can't see any difference in performance, just in the looks.
I could certainly see a use for them as a load indicator, but I don't really do special loads.

[troyboy]

I use the nickel for jacketed hollow points