Nickel plated vs Brass cases any advantage?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Nickel is obviously cleaner appearance-wise, but in rifle cartridges I read recently in Handloader Magazine nickel can cause premature barrel wear due to some nickel making it to the inside of the case neck, embedding in the bullet, and getting dragged down the barrel when fired. It is a legitimate concern with high end bench/varmint rifles, though doubtful it will make a difference in the average deer rifle.

There is no obvious reason nickel is better, unless you are a shiny case whore reloader. I use brass because it's cheaper.
 
Nickel is easier to clean, but in my experience it reaches the end of its life (cracks) before plain brass.
 
Supposedly, nickel has better lubricity and loading characteristics, but I've had more trouble with nickel plated brass than with regular brass. I think the only reason there is nickel plated brass (other than appearance) is for the corrosion protection. I've seen the ammo in bins designated for "special duty", it was nickel plated. (There's nothing quite like looking at a 3' square bin filled with freshly minted ammo - it makes want to back up the truck and load up)
 
The only real advantage between brass and nickel plated brass is that nickel plated brass will not corrode when carried for long periods of time in leather belt loops. Other then that...Their just prettier:D...
 
don't forget that nickel is easier to spot in the fall grass if you shoot outside :) i load nickel only lately for my handguns but thats just because my wife loads brass. that way she can't steal my cases:evil:
 
They are pretty, they stay cleaner, they clean up easier and they expire more quickly.

I have a box or two of nickle cased rounds for several calibers that are loaded with max loads and good bullets. If the going gets rough, I just have to grab some nickle rounds from the safe and I'm good to go. I know they are defensive type rounds without reading the fine print. ( which I can't read without glasses anyway ). :)
 
Darn Walkalong...If for self defence...Put yer glasses on. I don't want you shootin' me by accident. Contrary to popular opinion I'm one of the good guys...

One of the other reasons for nickel plated cases was for law enforcement when they were carrying revolvers and kept the rounds in belt loops. Plain brass corrodes (green slim) and nickel doesn't.
 
One of the other reasons for nickel plated cases was for law enforcement when they were carrying revolvers and kept the rounds in belt loops. Plain brass corrodes (green slim) and nickel doesn't.
Click to expand...
I know Bushmaster, but I like things neatly arranged and sorted and that helps me.

Darn Walkalong...If for self defence...Put yer glasses on. I don't want you shootin' me by accident
Click to expand...
If it makes you feel better, my eye doctor says I still have 20/20 vision from around 10 feet and beyond. :neener:
 
I guess none of you "non-shiny brass whores" have ever hunted under adverse conditions where the even well oiled and maintained brass gets "sticky" within a very short time of leaving camp. This sticky brass is now hard to feed and hard to chamber in what used to be an otherwise smooth working action.

If you are hunting dangerous game, where getting a quick follow up shot is essential to your life, you want "brass" that feeds smoothly and without a stutter. Nickel brass serves this purpose.

Except for hunting on the dry open prairie, all my hunting brass is nickel brass.
 
They are pretty, they stay cleaner, they clean up easier and they expire more quickly.
Click to expand...

I agree and will add that I like them in my defense handguns because the nickel does not oxidize and stain because I touched them with my bare fingers (like brass does).

Yeah its kind of a peeve with me to want good looking cartidges that are not smooth to the touch and nickel gives me that... but I guess we all have those things that bug us! hehe :D
 
Last edited:
I loaded a batch of .30-30 for a cousin who had carried the same box of Western Cartridge Co cartridges for about twenty years. The old stuff was green and difficult to cycle through his LEVER gun! I used nickel brass for the new rounds and told him that they were a "magic" load that he'd have to sight-in before gun season.

He practiced. My trick worked. Now that he actually knew where his rounds were flying, he bagged his first buck in over fifteen years.

Nickel is good for corrosion protection and head games! :D
 
adverse conditions where the even well oiled and maintained brass gets "sticky" within a very short time of leaving camp.
Click to expand...

I have only hunted in wet 100% humidity and in 95 deg thunderstorms, never in adverse conditions like cotton candy storms that make metal sticky, even when I worked for Uncle Sam around the equator.

I have never heard this, I hope that silver stuff serves you well.
 
Nickel cases go through my Lee dies much smoother than brass. Feel like they're lubed. I personally don't buy them, but any I see lying around the range I grab.
 
trueblue1776, book a grizzly hunt in British Columbia, take your regular steel rifle, stardard brass cases, and lots of gun oil and cleaning supplies. Let me know how you do. And OHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! Yes bring several changes of diapers, your constipation problems will be temporarily solved.
 
I’ve never seen a nickel case for a .460 Weatherby or for that matter any of the Nitro Express rounds. It must not get that sticky in Africa. I do understand the mental aspect though, so if it helps…

edit: I have seen surface rust on the steel base of shotgun shells after (a few weeks) hunting in the rain.
 
I have tried a few black powder/Pyrodex/TripleSeven loads in nickel cases
with fewer clean up problems than brass casings (cleaning brass fired
with BP is a chore). As far as long term consequences, only time will tell.
 
My personnal expereince indicates that nickel plated cases are easier to clean than brass ones but develop cracks sooner than brass cases after repeated reloadings.
 
Nickle cracks at the case lips in about 1/2 the time brass does unless you take the time and anneal the case mouth. I've never done that. What I did was load up some .44 hunting rounds in the nickle and set them aside, that way I rarely shoot them and they are easily identified. I load up the same mix in a brass case to practice.
 
trueblue1776, book a grizzly hunt in British Columbia, take your regular steel rifle, stardard brass cases, and lots of gun oil and cleaning supplies. Let me know how you do. And OHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! Yes bring several changes of diapers, your constipation problems will be temporarily solved.
Click to expand...

Why? do bears hate nickel cases too?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

T
  • Locked
Nickel-plated cases?
Replies
2
Views
655
stans
S
O
  • Locked
brass question
Replies
8
Views
487
wrangler5
W
mikemyers
  • Locked
Any reason to reload nickel plated brass cases - or just dispose of them.
2
Replies
36
Views
21K
hdwhit
H
C
Nickel plated brass question
2
Replies
40
Views
945
RetiredUSNChief
RetiredUSNChief
PCCUSNRET
  • Locked
Nickel Plated Brass Flaking
Replies
9
Views
1K
R.Clem
R
Back
Top