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Thread: Nickle cases

  1. #1
    Boolit Grand Master
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    Nickle cases

    Is there a reason people don't like nickle cases??????
    I've reloaded a few and never had any problems.

  2. #2
    Boolit Buddy
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    Greetings,

    I load nickel cases.

    Shoot them until they crack/fail.

    Cheers,

    Dave

  3. #3
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    Winger Ed.'s Avatar
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    It might be my imagination, but I think they crack sooner the common brass colored ones.
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  4. #4
    Boolit Master

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    Okay for handgun calibers but don't care for 'em for bottleneck (rifle) rounds...difficult to judge temp when annealing and nickel plating doesn't hold up well to application of a propane torch. Just my experience.

    Bill
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  5. #5
    Boolit Master

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    I load pistol and rifle nickel plated rounds! In rifle, I use them if the rounds will be subjected to a chance of extreme weather. 308 Match ammo I will load them because they were Federal Gold Medal Match cases to begin with. Really consistent as far as weight goes also. Other than that, I guess they aren’t any different than regular unplayed brass! Guided hunts? I’ll use them every time no matter the weather !! Slick, and they look great also !
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  6. #6
    Boolit Buddy memtb's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Budzilla 19 View Post
    I load pistol and rifle nickel plated rounds! In rifle, I use them if the rounds will be subjected to a chance of extreme weather. 308 Match ammo I will load them because they were Federal Gold Medal Match cases to begin with. Really consistent as far as weight goes also. Other than that, I guess they aren’t any different than regular unplayed brass! Guided hunts? I’ll use them every time no matter the weather !! Slick, and they look great also !
    And.....easier to find once ejected! My wife thinks the blue tipped Barnes’ in her nickel plated .338 WM cases look sexy! memtb
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  7. #7
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    Some believe the nickel coating can chip and flake and scratch sizing dies, others think the plating process makes the brass more brittle.

    I’m of the load to failure camp for pistol brass nickel or yellow (I keep 50 rd boxes grouped) once the enough fail I toss the lot. I don’t have any nickel rifle brass experiences to offer an opinion.

    I like the look of a nice .38 round nose in a nickel case….

  8. #8
    Boolit Buddy DeanoBeanCounter's Avatar
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    I've never had one chip. But I do have some that the nickle is almost worn off. I keep nickle plated ones aside for special loads like +P for my 38 and kids rounds for my 300 Win Mag. Other than that I use until failure.

  9. #9
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    Texas by God's Avatar
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    I never have had problems with them in handgun cartridges. I have used them in rifle cartridges for hunting ammo like above to make pretty, non tarnishing ammo. As they fail from split necks, I don't replace them.

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  10. #10
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    I have seen nickle plated flake , it does seem to chip and flake off over repeated loadings , I prefer brass but nickle plated in a leather shell belt will not turn green as brass will .

    To each their own preference , I use it as I use all brass till it is worn out .

  11. #11
    Boolit Master
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    Nickle with silver bullets for the Nephilim...
    “Coincidence is God’s way of remaining anonymous.”

  12. #12
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    I have found that nickel plated rifle brass fails after 3 to 5 loads - mouth splits. For pistol (38/357/9mm/40S&W/45acp/45colt); I think they hold up much better. Possibly neck split earlier than standard brass, but much longer life than in rifle calibers.

    Hate having to sort out nickel plated 22LR from brass 22LR before swaging into .223 bullets. Not going to run a nickel plated 22LR case through expensive .223 bullet swage dies.
    Mustang

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  13. #13
    Boolit Master Murphy's Avatar
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    The only nickel cases I have are 38/357's. In my early days of reloading a case was a case. I didn't sort by head stamp. I'd load up several 100 rounds of blasting ammo and it all worked for my intended purposes. I separate the nickel from the brass now. As for the nickel flaking and sticking to regular steel dies, I can't say with 100% certainty that is true. I have some nickel case 38's that most of the nickel is mostly worn off now. They do seem to split sooner than others in my opinion.

    The biggest plus I found for my needs using nickel brass, was when I served as a police officer for a year back in 1984-1985. Back in those days, revolvers were the standard carry gun. One thing new officers discovered quickly from the older guys, was to carry nickel plated rounds in your slide loop. I have no idea what the cause is, but try putting some standard non plated brass rounds in one and leave it a lengthy amount of time. Verdigris will form and the brass and leather become almost as one. I've seen some examples one would have taken the bullets weren't meant to be removed. For some reason, nickel and leather do not form that same bond. I mostly keep the nickel around if I may go do some shooting and a high brass loss rate can be assured.


    Murphy
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  14. #14
    Boolit Master
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    they work well for straight wall not for bottle neck

  15. #15
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    I have no problem with nickel plated cases, I have loaded and fired many pistol cases. I have some nickel bottleneck but haven't loaded them. I wouldn't have any problem loading and shooting them. I don't have any Templaq now but if I decided to use nickel bottlenecks I get some and use it.

  16. #16
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    I've loaded them for years. Never had a problem. As others have said they are far better for use in a leather cartridge use.
    I do like them for Black Powder loads.
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  17. #17
    Boolit Master
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    I use them without issue for handgun but don't have enough nickle rifle cases to mess with.

  18. #18
    Boolit Master Sasquatch-1's Avatar
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    I have some .38 spl. I have been reloading since 1974 & 75. Some have almost NO plating left. I have seen the plating flake of and I do have a steel die that has been scratch. I never even considered that it could have been from the nickel plating. Something to think about. That being said, I will continue to load them till they split.
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  19. #19
    Boolit Grand Master bedbugbilly's Avatar
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    I have no problems in reloading and using nickel - most that I have are in 38 spl and 357 - but my experience has been that they don't last for as many reloading as brass. Still, they work just fine and when the split I just toss 'em. And yet, you have posts likeSasquatch who has some that have lasted for many years/reloads - so perhaps the perceived case life is more dependent on the particular batch of casings rather than whether it is plated or not?

    At any rate - if I need brass - and I normally use "range brass" - i.e. at least 1 X fired and usually mixed headstamps - whether the casings are brass or nickel plated really is not a biggie for me - it's all good.

  20. #20
    Boolit Buddy Brassmonkey's Avatar
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    I think rifle cases resize with a bit more difficulty, reload till they fail.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check