Reloading Brass vs nickel plated brass

[shoots45s]

I prefer brass for reloading but wondering if there's any difference in reloading nickel plated brass. Does plating hide any potential flaws like incipient head separation or splitting? Or does it just not do well for reloaders?

Thanks

 

[THe Dove]

I load them both and inspect them each the same way.

The Dove

 

[Constrictor]

nickle splits much quicker

 

[Walkalong]

Load them just like any other case. Nickle plated brass does have the rep to split a bit sooner than plain brass. Not a big issue though.

Does plating hide any potential flaws like incipient head separation or splitting?

It may on the outside. Dunno, as I have never loaded nickle rifle brass, just pistol, but the rut on the inside will form just the same.

 

[ReloaderFred]

Load, shoot, inspect and load again, the same as you would unplated brass. In handgun brass, nickel tends to split earlier than unplated brass, but inspection will take care of those issues.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[45lcshooter]

I prefer all my ammo one color. I don't get much nickel brass in range brass. But when I do I pull it out and throw in different bucket. Yes like people have said, it splits quicker than brass. That's another reason why I don't use it.

 

[Searcher4851]

The only nickel plated brass I have reloaded is for handgun (.38 super and .38 spl). I haven't noticed much difference between the nickel and plain brass. After several loadings, the nickel will wear. The advantage would be that the nickel doesn't tarnish like brass, and doesn't turn green in leather cartridge loops.

 

[shoots45s]

As I load mainly for 45 acp and that's relatively plentiful on the range, I have been tossing the nickel plates ones aside in favor of the brass ones.

But I'll soon start reloading for 44 Magnum and if they split sooner, I'll avoid them here too.

Thanks

 

[springer99]

I use both in a couple of different pistol calibers, and don't see any difference. Internet rumor says they split quicker but I haven't seen it in my case. They do clean up very easily and stand out when you''re trying to source mixed brass.

 

[gamestalker]

I've heard for years that nickel will fail sooner than yellow brass. But after many years of loading with both, I haven't found there to be any significant evidence of such.

I have found that case capacity is less with nickel, but other than that it loads much the same as any other brass.

I actually prefer it for SD carry, and for hunting, because it doesn't tarnish.

GS

 

[Ken70]

Lube them up, they squeak and groan while I'm sizing them. Takes more effort on the lever. Especially the pistol ammo, 9mm is the worst.

 

[Springfield0612]

They should not be used for reloading, so send me all your .45 ACP, 9mm, .32 ACP, .45 LC, and .380 ACP Nickel and I'll pay $.01/case plus shipping and you'll never have to worry about if and when they split! Problem solved!

 

[brickeyee]

I have found that case capacity is less with nickel

It is not from the nickel.

It is not that thick.

 

[BigN]

I prefer nickel because it looks better when cleaned up. Not much nickel to be picked up though so I pretty much have to buy it if I want some. I think the nickel does feel more brittle though, and does split or destroy itself faster than brass.

 

[shoots45s]

I'm not sure of these are electro- or chemi-plated but from what I can find the plating thickness is only 30-80 microinches - not very thick.

I wonder if the cracking is due to differential stress from case expansion during firing and is only cracking the plating (when the case expands the outside circumference will grow more than the inside of the case). Minor cracks in the plating would be obvious against the darker brass beneath.

 

[kingmt]

I notice that they split sooner. It is first hand to me not roomer.

 

[Matt Dillon]

I like nickel plated brass;it looks especially pretty carrying Remington Golden Sabers.

 

[GaryL]

Lube them up, they squeak and groan while I'm sizing them. Takes more effort on the lever. Especially the pistol ammo, 9mm is the worst.

I haven't noticed much of that for most pistol calibers, but I have had a few 357mag cases actually wrinkle up when I first started loading them. If the wrinkle isn't bad, and I can get them into the unloading tool, they straighten right out. I still find one on occasion.

I typically will put the slightest bit of Imperial Sizing Wax on every 5th or 10th case anyway, but I now lube every plated 357 & 38spl - it's cheap insurance.

 

[1SOW]

For 9mm,
It's slipperier in the press after tumbling with nu-finish added, also in the mags and feeding.
I also like bling.

 

[cfullgraf]

I find nickel handgun cases seem to split sooner than un-plated cases. But as said, it is not enough difference to worry about. Sometimes I sort by color, sometimes i do not.

Nickel plated cases can be hard on steel resizing dies if not properly lubricated. Since most, if not all, handgun dies made these days have a carbide resizer it is not an issue with handgun cases. But, be careful with rifle dies as they are pretty much exclusively steel.

The plating can gall on the surface of the die and scratch subsequent cases. It is easy to buff out the offending particles on the die surface.

 

[Match10]

I load nickel 7mm RemMag and .30-06 for hunting. I hunt in inclement weather, and they look as good as they did when I first loaded them 20 years ago....(I loaded 400 of each and only shoot a few of those hunting loads yearly.) I treated them the same after I determined the interior volume was the same as my non-nickel.

 

[FROGO207]

I have a LOT of 38 SPL casings and some of the nickle have been reloaded so many times that either the plating has worn off or the head is flattened I canot read the headstamp any more. Almost all that caliber I scrap due to neck splits has been nickle however.