Why will you not use NICKEL plated cases?

[starreloader]

I have read on here so many times that "I won't/don't use NICKEL plated brass".. My question is, "Why will you not use NICKEL plated brass?"..

[375supermag]

No idea...
I use them all the time and have never had a problem with them.

[country gent]

I use them but prefer brass. I inspect the nickel cases mouths closer as Ive had the nickel flake / chip leaving a sharp edge. I'm afraid of this edge possibly scratching dies or a chamber. I normally don't get as many loads out of the nickel cases as the brass. Also on a gravel firing line finding the nickel can be harder.

[Finster101]

I like them. Makes getting mine back easier.

[fiberoptik]

I never knew why they even made them.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[nagantguy]

Love them,think they look real sharp with powder coated boolits!

[Hick]

I don't go out of my way to buy them-- but use them when I get them. Never had a problem with them

[MT Gianni]

I have had nickle flake off and get in a die. I also believe Nickle splits easier. I still use some if the price is right. I bought 500 primed 32 long nickle cases for $20 a few years back.

[runfiverun]

I have had a number of them split on the first or second firing.
it seems like if they make it past that point I can use them until the nickel is gone and they turn yellow again.

[Catshooter]

I prefer them for fighting ammo. Better lubricity to aid extraction, no brass corrosion. I load practice in brass, fighting in nickel so a glance tells me which is which.

Nickel is softer (way) than even un-hardened steel so there is no chance of it scratching a chamber or a die.


Cat

[lefty o]

dont have any problem using them.

[Hamish]

They split faster than regular brass and I have encountered nickel brass sticking before yellow does when load testing.

[Three44s]

Splitting issues

Three44s

[Bullwolf]

I've had nickel plating come off a case, and get embedded in a sizing die.

Sucks when it happens. Scratches all the rest of the cases that you size afterwards using those dies (both brass and nickel) until you get the embedded nickel out of the sizing die.

Even had it happen to a carbide RCBS 38/357 sizing die, and Carbide is MUCH harder than steel. Managed to polish the embedded nickel out of the carbine sizing ring with a split dowel and some JB bore cleaning compound, and some Flitz metal polish. The size die worked fine again, after polishing.



Like everyone else I've found that some nickel plated cases seem to split right away, (first firing) and others won't split for many firing and sizing cycles.

Few weeks ago I found 15 pieces of W.W. 38 Special, nickel plated, double cannelure, full wad cutter brass. 4 of those 15 cases split during sizing & flaring.

Alternatively I have some 38 Special +P Federal nickel plated cases that I've sized and fired so many times that the nickel plating is almost entirely worn off the cases, and they mostly look like yellow brass again.

Not sure why sometimes they last, and other times they go to heck so fast.

I'll happily use nickel plated cases for the added corrosion resistance, especially with leather cartridge loops.



- Bullwolf

[alamogunr]

I've had nickel plating come off a case, and get embedded in a sizing die.

Sucks when it happens. Scratches all the rest of the cases that you size afterwards using those dies (both brass and nickel) until you get the embedded nickel out of the sizing die.

Even had it happen to a carbide RCBS 38/357 sizing die, and Carbide is MUCH harder than steel. Managed to polish the embedded nickel out of the carbine sizing ring with a split dowel and some JB bore cleaning compound, and some Flitz metal polish. The size die worked fine again, after polishing.



Like everyone else I've found that some nickel plated cases seem to split right away, (first firing) and others won't split for many firing and sizing cycles.

Few weeks ago I found 15 pieces of W.W. 38 Special, nickel plated, double cannelure, full wad cutter brass. 4 of those 15 cases split during sizing & flaring.

Alternatively I have some 38 Special +P Federal nickel plated cases that I've sized and fired so many times that the nickel plating is almost entirely worn off the cases, and they mostly look like yellow brass again.

Not sure why sometimes they last, and other times they go to heck so fast.

I'll happily use nickel plated cases for the added corrosion resistance, especially with leather cartridge loops.



- Bullwolf

I know that hydrogen embrittlement can be a problem with threaded fasteners that are plated. The same may hold true for plated brass. There are processes that prevent embrittlement but they may not always be followed.

[Artful]

I prefer them for fighting ammo. Better lubricity to aid extraction, no brass corrosion. I load practice in brass, fighting in nickel so a glance tells me which is which.

Nickel is softer (way) than even un-hardened steel so there is no chance of it scratching a chamber or a die.


Cat

Note: it is captured by the die and scratches the brass you put in. That's why I quit using them.

[bangerjim]

Some say they split/crack faster. I have never seen that. They are great for storage in leather bandolier cart belts! Not any gunk or corrosion of brass.

I like Ni cases! And have tons of them. Found several hundred pounds of them at a local scrap yard last year. $2 a pound for 223 thru 45 cal cases! 30-06 loads look really COOL with Ni cases.
Banger

Banger

[claude]

My question is, "Why will you not use NICKEL plated brass?"..


MORE ABOUT NICKEL PLATING.... This is interesting about the mechanical properties of the nickel plating:
Electrolysis nickel plating is a process for chemically applying nickel-alloy deposits onto metallic substrates using an auto catalytic immersion process without the use of electrical current. ...snip....
Hardness and Wear Resistance
One of the most important properties for many applications is hardness. As deposited, the micro-hardness of electrolysis nickel coatings is about 500 to 700 HK100. That is approximately equal to 45 to 58 HRC and equivalent to many hardened alloy steels. Heat treatment causes these alloys to precipitation harden and can produce hardness values as high as 1100 HK100, equal to most commercial hard chromium coatings. ...snip...

Note that if you anneal your nickel plated necks, you are hardening the nickel plating. It can be harder than many alloyed steels before you anneal and can increase is hardness as much as 2 fold by precipitation hardening. I sure wouldn't want those tiny little hard pieces inside the neck getting embedded in the bullet's copper surface and then fire lapping my nice shiny barrel.

http://www.varmintal.com/arelo.htm#Nickel_Brass

That is why I no longer mess with Nickel plated brass, with the very few cases I use in leather hoops which are removed when I take the belt off.

YMMV

[lylejb]

I load 357 in nickel and 38 in brass. At a glance sorting and no doubt which loads I'm grabbing. I've never had any unusual problem with splits and only a couple have flaked. I load with rcbs carbide dies and haven't had a problem yet. Maybe I'm just lucky.

[WILCO]

I always thought nickel plated cases were for street bangers............

[GhostHawk]

I do not go out of my way to aquire them, but I have yet to have a problem using the ones I have.

I have some 60 .444Marlin cases in Nickle, those are full power loads. Brass are light loads for paper punching. Makes it easy to remember which is which.

[lightman]

I've loaded a lot of them but I prefer brass. It seems like I loose Nickel cases to splits sooner than brass. I've also had the Nickel peel off and once or twice stick to the inside of my sizing die. I had to polish this out as it scratched all of the following cases.

I'll still pick up Nickel cases but they are the first ones that I will sell or trade and the last ones that I will load. Nickel cases do offer more protection from corrosion if you carry them in a leather belt. I have also had the Nickel come off or get thinner when tumbled in stainless media.

[Edward429451]

I have a crapload of Virgin nickle 44 Special brass. I *think* I got them in trade to Lloyd for some obscure brass that someone gave me and it was all he had to trade of a caliber that I use.

I don't have any particular problems with Nickle brass that I can ever remember. I saved them because it's virgin and I wanna use up the yellow brass stuff first. That could take awhile, lol.

And some 38 brass that's nickle. but not a lot and so it's just sorta mixed in with the other brass.

[JBinMN]

I never knew why they even made them.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I think it was mentioned already, but it is my understanding that they were coated to prevent "verdigris"(discoloration)when put into leather belts, since brass usually will discolor if left in the leather loops. I do not have experience in this, or know that it is true, since I do not use leather belt loops for my cartridges, but that is my understanding of why they nickle plated them.

Could also be some sort of a "selling point" for folks who admire shiny bright objects of that particular color.
;)

-------

As far as nickle plated go for me. I do not seek them out for any reason. The ones I have are 99.9 % from "just happened to be that box" when I bought some new cartridges. I do have a few from buying once fired cases , but out of thousands of those cases, maybe 10 -20 were nickle plated. Thus that .1%.

The ones I do have that I reload are inspected a bit closer than the brass, simply to make sure they are not defective. I am not sure, but I thought nickle was a bit more brittle than brass & may even hide or camoflage wear/issues on the inside of the case. I could be wrong, but I would rather err on the side of safety.

I can vouch for one thing I know for a fact. If you anneal like I do sometimes using the melted lead in your pot to dip the mouths into the lead for a few seconds & then cold water quench, the lead doesn't stick to the brass , but it certainly does to the nickel, or at least it did on the few case I noticed after trying them a while back since it was time for those cases to be annealed. I got the lead off some by taking them to a wire-wheel, very carefully to not remove the nickle, but in the end I just decided to throw them into the scrap container as I did not want to waste the time on just a few cases that are not that expensive & I have many other brass ones. I did learn a lesson though & now I have shared it here....
Use a different method. LOL
;)

[rond]

I have never had a problem with nickle cases that I haven't had with brass cases.

[quail4jake]

.38 and .357 nickel plated brass seems to split faster than brass.

[Kraschenbirn]

Over the years, I've had mixed performance from nickel cases. I've got some old (late-80s) .308 Remington Match that's been loaded with factory-level JB loads a half-dozen times or more without losing a single case and had much the same from BP-loaded nickle Starline 45-70s. One the other side, I've got a whole bunch of nickel Winchester .45 ACP leftover from my paper punching days that, from day one, has split a few cases every time it's been reloaded. For the most part, though, it's not something that really worries me...perhaps, when I get down to my last 2 or 3 thousand .45s or .38s, I might become concerned but at my current rate of loss, that'll be a few years down the road.

Bill

[bedbugbilly]

All of my 38 special brass is "used". I've purchased different lots of it over time and of course some of hit has had nicke in it. I sort 'em out and keep them separate but use them and they work just fine. The one thing I have noticed on mine however, is that the nickel casings seem to split at the throat sooner than the brass. Is it because they are nickel plated? Who knows? It may be that they weren't 1 X fired when I bought them and had thus won't last as long. For the number of reloads I get out of a 38 special, I certainly can't complain as they seem to last through many many reloads. When I first started to reload 38 special, I bought 500 new StarLine 38 Special casings - while waiting for them to arrive, I bought a batch of 1 X fired - never have opened up the StarLine casings but they set on the shelf "just in case". LOL

Nickel or Brass - I'm "open minded" and will use either until they split and need to be tossed.

[308Jeff]

I've reloaded some 38 and 357 Nickel brass so many times that the nickel has worn off.

As a previous poster noted, they look really pretty with PC bullets.

[scattershot]

I use them, but I also expect a shorter case life when reloading. Something in the plating process makes the brass brittle. It’s not uniform across the spectrum, since I have cases that the brass is showing through the plating, they have been reloaded so much.

[HABCAN]

FWIW, many years ago I DID experience case-mouths splitting with Winchester nickle .357s, but have not had ANY troubles recently with Starline .44-40s. Maybe those early Winchesters started the 'splitting legend'??

[Tom W.]

I used a bunch I had to fireform some 30-06 a.i. cases. I had quite a
few end up with split necks. Those that didn't split went on to a long and happy life.
I still have several hundred plated 7 mm Remmag cases that I used in my #1. These showed no sign of anything bad.
As for .38/.357 or any other straight walled pistol or revolver cartridge, I haven't had a problem with any of them since the late 1980's....I actually prefer them.

[bob208]

back many years ago like 73. I got my first 1911. a friend worked at a place where they tested firearms. they dumped a barrel of nickel .45 auto in the trash he fished them out and we loaded and shot them for years, in fact I still have some n the mix. all my .38spl. is second hand so some is brass some is nickel.

at one time I loaded for some town police dept. that was all nickel.

I use my nickel .38 brass for my skeeter loads used in .357 guns. the brass is used in the standard .38 loads.

[alamogunr]

Many years ago when I was trying to get started casting & loading for .45ACP, I bought 1000 pcs of plated brass that was represented as government issue match brass W/inert primers. About the only thing true was the "enert" part. The primers were a smaller(not small) size so standard large primers would not seat without extra pressure. When sizing a large number split. Those that didn't split on sizing, split when fired. I did not the try whole thousand. They all went into the scrap bucket.

Based on what I read in this thread, brittle nickel plated brass is not a tremendous problem but it does occur.

[gnostic]

I prefer them for fighting ammo. Better lubricity to aid extraction, no brass corrosion. I load practice in brass, fighting in nickel so a glance tells me which is which.

Nickel is softer (way) than even un-hardened steel so there is no chance of it scratching a chamber or a die.


Cat

You're spot on, nickel plating is normally found on high pressure ammo for the reasons you mentioned. It's about the way the case, grips the chamber wall and ejects. They probably don't last too long because, I load nickle cases on the warm side...

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I prefer them for fighting ammo. Better lubricity to aid extraction, no brass corrosion. I load practice in brass, fighting in nickel so a glance tells me which is which.

Nickel is softer (way) than even un-hardened steel so there is no chance of it scratching a chamber or a die.


Cat


I've had nickel plating come off a case, and get embedded in a sizing die.

Sucks when it happens. Scratches all the rest of the cases that you size afterwards using those dies (both brass and nickel) until you get the embedded nickel out of the sizing die.

Even had it happen to a carbide RCBS 38/357 sizing die, and Carbide is MUCH harder than steel. Managed to polish the embedded nickel out of the carbine sizing ring with a split dowel and some JB bore cleaning compound, and some Flitz metal polish. The size die worked fine again, after polishing.



Like everyone else I've found that some nickel plated cases seem to split right away, (first firing) and others won't split for many firing and sizing cycles.

Few weeks ago I found 15 pieces of W.W. 38 Special, nickel plated, double cannelure, full wad cutter brass. 4 of those 15 cases split during sizing & flaring.

Alternatively I have some 38 Special +P Federal nickel plated cases that I've sized and fired so many times that the nickel plating is almost entirely worn off the cases, and they mostly look like yellow brass again.

Not sure why sometimes they last, and other times they go to heck so fast.

I'll happily use nickel plated cases for the added corrosion resistance, especially with leather cartridge loops.
- Bullwolf

I've used nickel 38spl as well as 44 mag, no problems, and Bonus!!! the cases are easier to clean.

BUT, I also swapped for a large box of 1x speer nickel 223rem (500 of them), when I setup to load them, apparently one of the first cases flaked while FL sizing...I noticed after about 25...almost all the 25 cases were severely scratched. I tried to clean the Lee FL sizer die body, but the die looked like it was scratched up? But, maybe the flakes where just embedded? anyway, they didn't come out. I didn't try to polish or hone it? I just replaced the die body...they are cheap. I swapped those cases to a mall ninja on FB. So now I avoid using nickel plated rifle cases, But I think I have some 30-06 WIN cases that are nickel, in my stash somewhere?

[Kawriverrat]

I like nickel brass for carry loads. Less corrosion problems form my sweat for my every day carry loads.... Jeff

[Edward429451]

I've reloaded some 38 and 357 Nickel brass so many times that the nickel has worn off.

As a previous poster noted, they look really pretty with PC bullets.


What's a PC bullet? A politically correct bullet? (FMJ, Lol)...or something else?

[flint45]

Nickel plated are great never had any issues with them, only thing I have ever seen was some of my .38 spl. cases the brass started to show through. loused count how many times they were loaded.

[nitroviking]

This is from Capitol Cartridge Company's website:

"Brass casings have been around for more than 200 years and are very popular because of their reliability and durability. Brass offers the ideal flexibility and balance of strength, which allows it to expand under pressure in the chamber without losing its power, accuracy, or integrity. Today brass cartridges have earned their reputation as one of the top casing materials in the firearm industry.

However, it is important to understand that like other cartridges, brass casings also have their pros and cons.

Pros of Brass Casings

1. Reusable: The one key reason why brass is preferred is because it can be reused many times.

2. Reliable: Even though brass is flexible it is very reliable. This means it is less likely to get stuck or impinged in the firearm as compared to aluminum or steel cased cartridges. With the newer generation of brass, deformation is quite rare.

3. Malleable: Brass is an exceptionally soft material which when fired, rapidly expands, and then quickly shrinks. When the cartridge is fired, the neck expands and seals the chamber preventing the noxious gasses from flowing backward.

4. Unlikely to damage your firearm: Brass cartridges rarely scratch gun parts and this preserves the aesthetic features of your firearm. In addition, brass will not induce a spark when rubbed with other metals.

Cons of Brass Casings

The one disadvantage of brass is that after repeated handling and/or storage in leather holsters, they do tarnish. Due to the ease of reuse and reloading, brass casings must be inspected carefully during reloading for any signs of material failure.

Nickel Casings for Ammunition

Nickel casings are actually regular brass that have been coated with a thin layer of nickel using electroplating. Nickel is a soft and flexible metal that is malleable so that it is easy to work with. Today many high-end ammunition manufacturers use nickel casings instead of just brass casings.

What are the advantages of using nickel brass casings?

Pros of Nickel

1. Nickel casings are very resistant to corrosion.

2. Because of the low coefficient of friction, these casings are easier to feed and slide in semi-automatics.

3. Nickel casings are much easier to load and unload in many firearms, especially revolvers.

4. Nickel casings also have a distinct external appearance which makes them easy to identify at a gun range or when loading.

Cons of Nickel Plated Brass Casing

The majority of disadvantages of nickel casings are present during the reloading process and they include the following:

1. Nickel casings are considerably more expensive than brass alone.

2. All nickel casings have to be thoroughly checked each time to ensure that there is no damage or scratches to the die. In addition, the dies have to be cleaned each time to ensure that no residual nickel plating has been left behind.Plus, if one does not use adequate gun lubricant, they are more likely to get stuck in the resizing die.

3. Nickel casings also tend to be more fragile or brittle. This often leads to the development of cracks even after firing just a few rounds. To avoid this problem, gun owners often do not attempt more than 3-5 reloads with each casing.

4. Nickel casings need more attention when reloading. One has to check the metal property and adjust the die for length and crimping each time.

5. During reloading the nickel plating may come off or flake and enter into the die.

6. Any nickel residue left in the barrel or chamber of the firearm is also hard to remove and may require thorough cleaning with a brush. Brass, on the other hand, can be relatively easily removed with a solvent.

Brass vs. Nickel Casing Summary

While nickel is more resistant to corrosion and easier to feed, the casings are slightly more expensive. Brass, on the other hand, has withstood the test of time and is durable, easy to reload and less expensive than nickel. Overall nickel casings have a shorter life span the normal brass casings.

No matter which casing you select, it is vital that you regularly test the rounds so that you know they are meeting your requirements and are safe.

For those who want accuracy from a handgun, the only way to know which casing will work for you is to test fire at a range. In many cases of failure to feed, it is not the casing that is the problem. It may be that the shooter needs more experience or the gun may need proper maintenance and cleaning.

There are some new technologies that use a two-piece case consisting of a solid nickel-plated aircraft aluminum head and an enhanced nickel alloy stainless cylinder. In 9mm, it is 50% lighter and costs significantly less than conventional brass cases. Something to consider for a balance of both cost and performance.

For reloading, select a supplier of brass and nickel cases with a consistent supply of range brass in the calibers you most often shoot. Also look for specialty sizes or uncommon sizes you will use to order in bulk and save on shipping. See the complete inventory at Capital Cartridge for all your cartridge cases."

[jonp]

I like brass for the same reason I like black revolvers. I'm just old timey I guess.

[JBinMN]

What's a PC bullet? A politically correct bullet? (FMJ, Lol)...or something else?

Just in case you were not joking around, or if others wanted to know...

"PC" = " Powder Coated", in our casting & reloading world.
:)

[At least that is what "I" automatically think , instead of the silly term "Politically Correct", which is for libtards usage, IMO, since they are the ones who complain when something "they" consider is "Not Politically Correct".... IMO, they are crybabies seeking androgyny between everything, which is ridiculous to me, since there are likely good reason for why we are all different ... and that is as far as I will take the definitions/explanations in this part of the forum.]
;)

[Preacher Jim]

You who do not load nickle cases please send them to me I have shot same ones 30 years no problems.

[Lloyd Smale]

i use them both. If I'm buying I prefer brass over nickle because they just last longer. Even at pop gun 38 special level loads just working the brass in the sizing die causes splits in a couple firings. With brass cases ive probably averaged 3 times the life.

[FISH4BUGS]

I have read on here so many times that "I won't/don't use NICKEL plated brass".. My question is, "Why will you not use NICKEL plated brass?"..

I just loaded some 1000 357 mags on Thanksgiving day - (mixed brass - H&G #51gc over 14.4 gr WW296) and had 5 or so split cases - all nickeled.
Brass cases? Not a one.
THAT'S why.

[Outpost75]

Original purpose of nickle plated cartridge cases was to prevent verdigris on rounds stored in leather cartridge loops. Also to visually identify high speed or high pressure rounds, such as .38-44, .38 Super .357 Magnum. In the .38 Super nickle plating improved function of the Colt .38 Super Automatic due to reduced extraction force, lower friction, which was necessary at the time to get the gun to work prior to the days of spiral flute finish reamers and roller burnishing.

If brass is properly stress relieved nickle plated brass will give acceptable reloading life, but much of it today is not and will split. If you use steel dies if the plating flakes off the particles will imbed and scratch brass, no problem as long as you use carbide dies.

I use nickel plated cases for "hot" loads I don't want to put into older guns, and for ammo where I will probably shoot the brass once and it fly and forget.

I prefer and buy plain brass cases, but if I can pick up nickle plated once-fired I take them home and keep separate for special uses.

[Echo]

No idea...
I use them all the time and have never had a problem with them.

Ditto - I've heard they tend to crack/split more than in-plated, but can't prove it by me - hundreds of W-W .45 cases w/MANY reload on...

[RED BEAR]

Have always used whatever I can get. But as it would happen just got a new set of dies tonight and actually read the booklet in with them rcbs warns that nickel coated casings can scratch dies and to use carbide dies for loading these if die is scratched use 320 grit sand paper in lathe to polish the die. In 40+ years I think this is the first time I actually read one of these booklets.

[TXGunNut]

I like nickel plated cases for carry ammo. They also work fine for practice ammo, a bit easier to find when shooting weapons that have the poor manners to toss cases when they're done with them. I generally lose them or they lose the plating after several loadings but I noticed in .38 spl ammo they seemed to split a bit sooner than unplated cases.

[toallmy]

I'll load nickel strait wall brass happily , but not bottle necked rifle brass . I tried 100 New nickel 243 win brass and tossed them do to sizing being very difficult .

[Mr_Sheesh]

Edward429451 - PC = Powder Coated, it's a new technology. Pretty interesting.

I'll use Nickel Plated, but don't really seek them out any more; Most all of mine were stolen by a family member so I am almost all straight brass now.

[Rick Hodges]

I use them in pistols/revolvers. I just check them carefully before reloading.

[toallmy]

Something I have noticed lately with a bunch of 38 nickel brass that has been washed with citrus acid and then left sitting a while back , is the primer bottom getting knocked out but the primer wall sticking in the primer hole ( 1-2 per 100 ) this creates a mess . But after the first loading it hasn't happened again .

[CIC]

I don’t discriminate between nickel or brass. I pick them both up at the range and reload them. If I get 10 loading from free brass and only 5 from free nickel, the price is the same. IMHO YMMV.....

[ascast]

rifle brass will most likely need to be trimmed-if nickel lasts that long, it will surely flake off on the neck after trimming. it seems to work harden quicker than just brass
that's my experience

[osteodoc08]

i use them both. If I'm buying I prefer brass over nickle because they just last longer. Even at pop gun 38 special level loads just working the brass in the sizing die causes splits in a couple firings. With brass cases ive probably averaged 3 times the life.

This has been my experience as well but nickel cases are sooooooo purty. I picked up some nickle 44 brass off the swap and sell the other day and can't wait to get some fresh boolits cast up.

[6bg6ga]

This has been my experience as well but nickel cases are sooooooo purty. I picked up some nickle 44 brass off the swap and sell the other day and can't wait to get some fresh boolits cast up.

Can't say I would use them for maximum loads. I'll second the they sure are pretty.

[David2011]

I’ll use nickel plated cases but generally reserve them for cases I don’t expect to get back. I prefer unplated brass.

[Bazoo]

Had a mess of 38's or 357's I made a few years back. In 200 rounds or so mixed brass, I had about 12 or so nickle cases mixed in. The wife is a little OCD and it drove her nuts when she grabbed a handful of bullets out of the tub.

[HP9MM]

Recently, I picked up some once fired .270 Winchester nickel plated cases at the range. Tried to trim their length and they are too hard to trim easily like brass. I trashed them.