[Arch]

What is the advantage (or disadvantage) with using stainless steel casings, as opposed to brass? Wouldn't stainless be more brittle than brass?

[brickeyee]

Were do you think you saw a stainless cartridge? Most steel cases are plain old carbon steel with a coating to try and prevent rusting. Stainless is rather expensive to use for a case that cannot be reloaded.

[mpthole]

Arch - do you mean nickel cases?

[45crittergitter]

I've seen steel, but never stainless steel. Plenty of alumium and nickel plated brass out there, though.

[Reed1911]

I'm sure he is refering to nickel. It's only real advantage is that it is pretty and cleans a bit eaiser. Some claim it's slicker and aids in function. To that I say "if your darn pistol needs nickel brass to feed correctly, clean it and/or fix it as there is something REALLY wrong" Some reloaders also use it to identify the brass for some reason (i.e. tell the difference between calibers of very close size '.243 vs. .308', ident. their brass on a busy range, match loads from regular, etc...)

[Oldnamvet]

Stainless steel will not be attracted to a magnet, nickel will. An easy way to check.

[Vern Humphrey]

If it's stainless steel CASINGS, it must be one heck of a tough sausage! :p

Nickle plated cartridge CASES date back to the days when cops carried their spare ammo in belt loops. The acids in the leather would interact with the brass and produce verdigris. Nickle plating solved that problem.

And nickle plated cases became the "signature" of the .38 Special -- overwhelmingly the most popular cop cartridge in those days. So naturally the .357 (which was developed as a cop cartridge) had to be nickle plated.

And then people got the idea that nickle plating is somehow "quality" so a lot of premium ammo, rifle and pistol is nickle plated these days.

In the tropics, nickle plating might be an advantage -- if you're out on safari for months, and the heat and humidity creates verdegris. But for a reloader, it's likely to scratch dies.

[ktd]

actually, most stainless steels strong enough to be used in firearms or knives are attracted to a magnet, though most marine stainless steels (300 series or austenitic) are not. Even those can get magnetic if you work them enough.

[trickyasafox]

i think the nickel just look better, so i load it for my flashy ammo


edited for poor spelling

[saands]

If we're gonna get picky, then Verns nickle plated cases must stink after a while, because "nickle" is a European woodpecker ... "nickel" on the other hand, is a corrosion resistant metal :p

On a more serious note, I had never heard about the origin of nickel plated cases being on the belts of cops walking the beat ... that's interesting!

Saands

[Souris]

Assuming that we are discussing Nickel cases Vs Brass cases.

I find that the nickel cases have a shorter life than the brass.

I reload both .38 spl and .357 mag for cowboy shooting. I use nickel .357 and brass .38 I find a higher % of nickel cases split at the mouth from the sizing and belling operation than the brass. I think that the nickel cases are more brittle than the brass cases and will take less crimp/ resize operations.

My 2 cents

[The Bushmaster]

Reed1911...There you go again...Bad mouthin' nickle plated brass. :D And I suspect that you use something other then Leather to contain or carry your cartridges when you go hunting? Granted. It has a shorter life then plain brass, but if you are on an extended hunt or are going into the mountains on horse back for a couple of weeks (as I am next week) and use only leather accesories (I'm fasion concious :D ) nickle plated brass is the only why to go.

As far as Stainless cases...I, also bet he was looking at nickle plated cases.

[Vern Humphrey]

If we're gonna get picky, then Verns nickle plated cases must stink after a while, because "nickle" is a European woodpecker ... "nickel" on the other hand, is a corrosion resistant metal

You're lucky you didn't run into my grandmother when you were a kid. She liked to cook bratwurst. :p

[Arch]

Yeah. Sorry guys, the cases in question would be nickel.

So other than looking pretty, and fairing better when pressed against a cop's sweaty, disgusting, flabby skin, they are no better than good ol brass?

Thanks for all the replys.

[brickeyee]

Under the nickel is plain old brass. The nickel is only a plating layer a few millionths thick.

[Kamicosmos]

If it's stainless steel CASINGS, it must be one heck of a tough sausage!

Dr Pepper, nose. Good one!