Starline Nickel Plated Brass
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ColtPythonElite
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The pro is it doesn't tarnish. My unscientific con is I believe it splits before plain brass....I wouldn't pay extra for nickel plating.
Depends on your needs, but I find the nickel plated cases are useful for me for oddball brass, like 10mm and 9 Mak. I also use nickel to distinguish between .357 and
.38 Special, in addition to anything I load for defensive purposes.
.38 Special, in addition to anything I load for defensive purposes.
ColtPythonElite
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No difference
GBExpat
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Nickel brass is good to have for ammo that you are storing in leather belt loops, like the old, western revolver rigs. No verdigris.
Not the only reason for nickel plated cases but the corrosion issue was one of the main reasons.
The residual tanning chemicals left in the leather ammunition holders reacts with bare brass.
Catpop
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Not my experience from the 1970s, but then I may have left the nickel-plated cases in the loops too long. Anyway, they did develop verdigris (green grunge) in my leather loops. Cases were R-P obtained from factory loads to get reloading brass.
JimKirk
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Nickel brass is much easier to find in the grass and straw .... I also like the "cleaness" it has ... Seems easier to size
It will split a little more than non plated ... Some times the plating wears or comes off ... But to me I like it very well..
It will split a little more than non plated ... Some times the plating wears or comes off ... But to me I like it very well..
243winxb
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No.
FROGO207
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If you need corrosion resistance for your brass it might be worth it otherwise I will not pay for the extra layer on the brass that seems to shorten the life of it.
Catpop
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I've used nickel exclusively for 357 since 1973.
I use the nickel case color to separate from brass 38 spc..
I use nickel because I do not polish or lube them.
I get 15 to 20 reloading with nickel. Never used brass .357, so can't compare life of brass cases.
I would pay a little more for nickel because of above reasons.
Jmtcw
I use the nickel case color to separate from brass 38 spc..
I use nickel because I do not polish or lube them.
I get 15 to 20 reloading with nickel. Never used brass .357, so can't compare life of brass cases.
I would pay a little more for nickel because of above reasons.
Jmtcw
Generally, when I am buying new cases, I do not buy nickel plated for many of the reasons already mentioned.
But, I have bought nickel plated cases at times because...
They were the only product available at the time.
I wanted some ammunition easily identified as different from my normal stuff.
I wanted the extra corrosion resistance nickel plating provided.
Nickel plated cases do work themselves into my supply of cases besides those specific purchase requirements. Range cases, buying fired cases, and buying factory ammunition are all sources for nickel plated cases. They just get added to my inventory and get reloaded and shot with the rest.
So, there is alot of information presented so that you can decide if buying plated cases is worth it to you.
As others have posted, functionally, nickel plated brass is less subject to oxidation (i.e. tarnish or corrosion) than non-plated brass. This is particularly relevant is you are going to carry the cartridge in cartridge loops on a leather belt. Some tanning processes leave behind reside that can rapidly corrode brass. The nickel plated cartridges are not susceptible to corrosion by those residues.
Other than that, the choice to use nickel plated cases is largely a cosmetic decision.
Other than that, the choice to use nickel plated cases is largely a cosmetic decision.
- Almost all of my 38 Special cases are nickel plated because I wanted the option to be able to carry them on a leather belt.
- I have 200 rounds of 45 ACP loaded as self-defense loads in nickel cases to distinguish them from the ones in brass cases.
- I have 100 rounds of 30 Carbine brass formed into 5.7mm Johnson cases purely for cosmetic reasons.
Blue68f100
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I use to use Ni for all my 357's but I that time I did not have a tumbler to clean brass. With Ni brass all you need is a rag to wipe it clean and your good to go.
I have read that nickel's surface acts almost as a lubricant and makes the cycling process in autoloaders less problematic. And in revolvers, it makes the spent case less likely to stick in the chamber.
Admittedly, different metals have different surface properties and maybe that gives the edge to nickel?
Admittedly, different metals have different surface properties and maybe that gives the edge to nickel?
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DudeRick
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I was under the impression that the nickel plating is slicker than brass making it easier and more reliable to chamber. This is the reason a lot of premium self defense ammo is nickle plated. Nickle plated brass does however split after fewer reloads than standard brass. So it depends on what you are after, longevity or reliability...
ColtPythonElite
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I wouldn't own a gun that needed nickel plated brass in order to be reliable.
Rock185
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I buy Starline nickel plated 38 Super Comp brass. I actually prefer nickel plated brass, especially for higher pressure cartridges like 9MM, .357, 38 Super, 38 Super Comp, 10MM, etc. It does have a lower coefficient of friction/ is "slicker" than unplated brass. I've been reloading for a very long time, but guess I've never reloaded cases enough times to notice a difference in plated/unplated brass longevity............ymmv
I didnt think about it till last night when i found them again, but i have some federal nickel plated STW brass thats on its 7-8 full power firing. I lost a couple to split necks on the 3rd firing, where as my 300wby brass (made into stw) got to 4 or 5before splitting, those i.didnt keep a record of.
After annealing the rest of the feds i havent lost another of the nickels to a split neck yet. So im not sure if its the platting itself that makes the cases harder, or if its something in the process......
Just got some Starline .357 nickel plated brass. Noticed that the plating is complete, not just the outside but inside the case as well ... i.e., 100% of the case surface.
Question: will this effect the way the case lengthens when shot repeatedly. Will it reduce this effect?
Question: will this effect the way the case lengthens when shot repeatedly. Will it reduce this effect?
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