Nickel Plated Military Case

[Three44s]

To the mods, I looked all over and could not find a good place for this, so feel free to move it to a better one I overlooked.


I have been passing time (avoid going nuts from the “news”) by working through a fair bit of .223/5.56 brass and ran into something I had not seen before: A nickel plated 5.56 case (an LC 04)

Have I been living under a rock or is this not unusual?

Three44s

[SSGOldfart]

Are you sure it's even a case. I found what looked like a Nickel plated military case in so Ranger pick up brass a few years ago,turned out to be part of a key chain,not even a true rifle case but it did look like it. ? :evil:
That is why we inspect every case before trying to load it.

[matrixcs]

I have quite a few nickel plated LC 556 brass... so I guess you have just been unlucky to just find them now....

[Three44s]

I have quite a few nickel plated LC 556 brass... so I guess you have just been unlucky to just find them now....

Thanks, I guess I just live out far enough in the sticks and had not seen it before! It is just as well because I am no fan of handloading nickel plated brass anyway.

Three44s

[high standard 40]

I have a few hundred of those LC nickle cases.

[rockrat]

I have some too. I like nickle plated cases. I think there are '06, 5.56, 7.62, 300 wm, and 50bmg nickle military cases

[Alstep]

What's the advantage/disadvantage of nickel plated cases??? Always wondered about that. Somebody clue me in.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

What's the advantage/disadvantage of nickel plated cases??? Always wondered about that. Somebody clue me in.

I'm pretty sure that nickel plated cases were produced early on in .38 Special for police officers who found their brass cases corroding in leather ammo loops. They became popular in cartridges meant for semi-autos also, where corrosion is detrimental to functioning, and some believe that they feed more reliably. Then, there is the decorative aspect in that commemorative ammo sold with or for commemorative firearms is more flashy. Eventually some sportsmen and reloaders decided that nickel plated brass could be more easily found in the grass, and didn't pick up as much dirt in the pocket. Their utility for reloading depends on the cartridge and manufacturer, as some will begin to flake off their nickel coating after just a couple of loadings, whereas others are good for many reloads.

DG

[John Guedry]

I think it splits sooner than regular "brass" brass.

[Winger Ed.]

I think it splits sooner than regular "brass" brass.

That's been my luck with straight wall cases too.

It might be my imagination, but I'd swear it was nickel cases that scratched up the inside of a .270 sizer die.

[zarrinvz24]

Nickel is a soft metal that abrasives easily cling to. Likely some type of grit was embedded into the nickel case and that is actually what scratched it. Overall Nickel is naturally slippery, and feels much nicer feeding into revolvers or chambers. My experience with it is that it’s useful for situations were it just has to work.

[MUSTANG]

I think it splits sooner than regular "brass" brass.

I have the same observation. I also find that it will stick in reloading dies far more often, so I will often leave it at the bottom of the "Stash" and only reload it when all the Brass cases are loaded and on the shelf. Just last week reloading .308 and 30-06 cases that were plated I had one of each stick in the sizing die and had to break out the RCBS Stuck Case die set twice.

[Evoken]

I have observed that they spilt easier as well. They also hide more imperfections than brass does, at least to my eyes.
I usually am able to see a split after sizing with brass, sometimes don't catch nickel until it's primed and flared.

[Three44s]

I have some Eldorado brass in 44 Mag that is nickel and I was plagued with body splits. I also do not like it flaking off during loading operations.

I acknowledge that it has its place but overall, I am not fond of it.

Three44s

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I came across a batch of "SPEER" 223 cases that were Nickel plated and had crimped primer.
Do you suppose they were made for Military?
Parade or Funeral duty?

that's my 2¢

[GONRA]

GONRA thought Ni plated cases were for sea faring ammo?
Mustang - if you ever hava chance, repeat the Ni case sizing
using STP Oil Treatment for a case lube.
See if any stick.... Great data to know.

[Mk42gunner]

I retired from the Navy in 2004, was primarily a small arms gunner's mate for about the last six years I was in. I never saw any nickel plated brass, not saying there wasn't any, but I never saw it.

To my mind, anything shiny doesn't make sense for field usage. We even did away with metal insignia and went to black embroidered ones for better camouflage.

Robert

[Three44s]

That’s what I thought that it was not regular military brass.

My thinking was it was either for “show” or more likely for a special contract for either Mil or Civilian LEO such as SWAT or something similar.

Thanks

[yovinny]

I came across a batch of "SPEER" 223 cases that were Nickel plated and had crimped primer.
Do you suppose they were made for Military?
Parade or Funeral duty?

that's my 2¢

That nickle Speer 223 crimped primer stuff is made for law enforcement sales.
I picked up 1k cheap sometime back for a project, said to be off a police range.
If the crimped primers werent enough, it was also all like .015-.025" under trim length.
Even cheap, I wouldent bother messing with more..

[No_1]

I have a couple 5 gallon buckets of nickel plated 45acp brass which has crimped primer pockets and is stamped FA42. My dad came across someone selling it maybe 25 years ago through shotgun news. The seller indicated they were “test rounds” and that he only had a couple 55 gallon drums of it remaining. I got in on the deal purchasing 10K of the stuff. It arrived in flat rate boxes, dirty with primers still intact. I do have one unfired round I found while depriming & cleaning the brass. It’s good brass and some of it has been tumbled then reloaded so many times the nickel is wearing off.

[jim147]

That's been my luck with straight wall cases too.

It might be my imagination, but I'd swear it was nickel cases that scratched up the inside of a .270 sizer die.

I have stuck only one case,messed up plenty other ways, it was a RP nickel .270.