New Loader Brass Question

[harbinger_j]

I am just starting to reload and I am wondering about the difference between nickel plated brass, is it better or worse than regular brass?
What is the difference?

 

[Steve H]

I may be wrong but I don't think nickel last as long, may be more brittle.

 

[Chief 101]

I will load both and don't notice much diference at all if any, but if I am going to purchase new brass I would prefer the brass colored. I can't tell you why tho. Chief

 

[scrat]

for sure brass is better. the nickel you need to keep an eye on. i have some cases that are probably on thier 8th time being reloaded. As long as case pressure is ok. they will still be ok. just need to inspect after every sesion. however the nickel seems to have been just a memory now. i think the most i saw was 4 times out of them. then they were toast. so i will stick to brass.

 

[The Bushmaster]

They say that nickel plated brass has a shorter life then plain brass. This may be true, but nickel plated brass has a place in my inventory as I use leather (you know the stuff that's called animal skins that are tanned and worn by humans for protection from the elements and for pretty) for my gun belts and have cartridge loops. Nickel protects the cases and the leather from corrosion...That yucky green slime that forms when tanned leather and brass get together...

 

[scrat]

hey bushmaster i think we need some pics

hahahhahaah

 

[Doug b]

Bushmaster you might try Bick 4 or lexol leather conditioner, won't eliminate the green gunge but it will cut it down to managable.
Harbinger I read awhile back were the old niclad stuff was electro plated leading to it's brittle characteristics, the current stuff is chemically plated and not as brittle.
on edit: nickel clad is a bear to find in the grass.

 

[The Bushmaster]

Scrat...Pictures of what? The green slime?

doug b...I solved the problem...I have a large colection of nickel plated brass that I use exclusive with my gun belts...I like nickeled brass so if you don't...Send it to me...

Hey...I'm not the one with the problem here...harbinger is.

 

[harbinger_j]

Thanks

Thanks for the information, so far I think I don't need to worry about corrosion from leather so I'd prefer the regular brass.

 

[Deavis]

I say don't be too picky. On handgun cartridges, just load whatever you have until it splits. You'll be able to hear when the case splits really quickly if you are wearing electronic muffs, they don't sound right when they hit the ground. More of a clank than the tink-tink you expect. You can hear it when you drop the brass on anything hard or just run you hand through your bucket. I catch them when they drop in my casefeeder, you can't miss it when it hits the other brass or it hits the ramp for the shell plate (where I usually pull them).

 

[RustyFN]

Doug b, nickel clad is a bear to find in the grass.

The Bushmaster, doug b...I solved the problem

I thought you were going to say that you attach a string to each case to make them easier to find.
Rusty

 

[t0066jh]

Nickel was a mistake

I bought some once fired Nickel.........cause it looked pretty vs dull brass. I'm relatively new at loading and just finished 900 rounds over a period of several days.
I bought nickel "once fired" and reloaded about 500 rounds. The 400 were my own brass "once fired". The 500 nickel was a slow process reloading on my Dillon SDB. One out of every ten or more had a split and was No good. You really get out of the rhythm of reloading when you're constantly checking and pulling bad cases. The cases looked ok to start with. I was about to call Dillon for advice for press adjustments but decided to try out the brass..........smooth as silk.

It's a good thing I'm usually only able to retrieve 50% of the brass I shoot. I'd be stuck with nickel for a long time.

Joe