What's your opinion on Nickel plated cases for reloading multiple times. I know some very good authorities(Varmit Al) says ther're a no go as they could damage a barrel and ,or acuracy.
I've got a bunch of Ni 223AI cases that I hate to waste. Need your thinking and opinions.thanks,
Doc Stone

I used about 50 pieces of nickel brass for a .270 win one time. I immediately noticed wear on my deburring, pocket uniforming, and trim tools. When I started seating the bullets the nickel helped in shaving off a thin layer of jacket material which cant be good for accuracy. I just will not use nickel plated stuff any more.

This subject comes up often and usually has half the posters claiming the end of the world by using them and the other half claiming the opposite.

I've not encountered any problems with nickel cases and I use them in several calibers as a color code for specific loads.

I have yet to have any problems using nickel plated brass.

6 one way, half a dozen the other.

I liked it in my handguns because it ran thru the dies smoother and just looks better over the long term. Have not seen any for my rifles tho.

thanks much for the info, keep it coming.Where have I heard that before.?? (grin)
Doc

Hey Doc, How `bout them Cards and Cats?

Over the years I've enjoyed Nickel plated cases on "some" pistol and revolver cartridges. But I do agree they can be tough on Reloading Equipment in general. When I shoot a Pistol, the shine of the Nickel Plating is much easier for me to spot on the ground, especially if some leaves are falling.

I've only had "one" bad lot of Nickel Plated rifle cases over the years and I'm using them up now. As you fire them and the neck expands, the Plating is loosened. Then when they go through the Resizing Die, it will push some pieces of it off. Needless to say you do not want that going down your barrel. So, the ones from this Lot get shot just the one time, inspected to make sure none of it is left in the chamber and then trashed.

Other than looking nice, I don't find they give me any other advantage. They even tarnish similar to a regular case if you have them out in the weather long enough. So, other than the Pistols, I just buy regular Brass cases any more.
---

Good luck this Season.

I love them because they look so nice with my silver bullets Hi O Silver away

quote:

Originally posted by butchloc:
I love them because they look so nice with my silver bullets Hi O Silver away

It seems harder to size to me

For those of you who fall on the don't use them side of this discussion, I will purchase your Federal .416 Rigby brass.

Nickle brass I think has gotten a bad name over the years, if for no other reason than it is 'different'.

I get guys in the store all the time, most recently yeasterday claiming that nickle brass is so hard on your dies that they can wear them out in a matter of months.

NICKLE IS SOFTER THAN STEEL.

I do however think that there is more friction between the die and nickle case, which takes a bit more pressure on the handle to size and load.

It all really comes down to looks I think.
If you like how nickle looks, then go ahead and use it. Thats probably why it came around in the first place, so when you had to load that gun up, you could do it it STYLE!

-Spencer

I don't care that much for Nickel cases in most of my rifle loads because I don't think that Nickel cases are as consistantly accurate as std. brass cases. I base this on RP nickel 308 cases vs Lapua brass cases. Now the Lapua may be more accurate anyway but I can't see how plating cases is going to allow them to be as consistant.
I kinda like them in pistol cases though, if for no other reason than like the others said they are easier to find on the ground, and I don't expect the same accuracy levels with the way I shoot pistols..........DJ

If you have ever left brass cartridges in leather cartridge loops on a pistol belt or rifle cartridge belt in a wet climate, you will know why nickel cartridges exist. Now, if your brass never touches leather and you only hunt, shoot and hang out in the Atacama desert, nickel is definitely a CDI item.

voldoc02,

If you look back several pages, I also posted the same question. After lots of responses, and careful research, as I can't afford to replace my dies, here were my conclusions.

The only advantages to NI cases are that they're prettier, and don't get corroded as easily as regular brass. See above post about the leather.

They CAN ruin your dies, just monitor the cases very carefully after a couple of loadings and make sure that the NI isn't flaking off inside your dies. Lube them just as you would with regular cases. Maybe a bit more just to be sure if you want.

I haven't had to trim any of mine yet, but everybody has said that they are more difficult to trim, so be ready for that.

Regular brass is a little cheaper.

Lastly, It's up to you. My brother loves how they look, and that's all he'll shoot or let me load for him. I like them ok, but could care less other than the fact that I had a lot of old factory NI cases laying around that I didn't want to just throw away. As to everything, there are advantages/disadvantages to them. You have to decide if it's for you.

Here's my old thread. https://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/2511043/m/497105492

good luck

Voldoc2: I hate to disagree with such a noted and esteemed Varminter as Varmint Al - BUT - I have been using nickel plated brass in my Rifles for decades now and never noticed any detrimental effects what so ever on Rifles or reloading equipment!
I use nickel plated brass in the following calibers:
17 Remington
22 Hornet
222 Remington
223 Remington
22-250 Remington
243 Winchester
257 Roberts
25/06 Remington
270 Winchester
280 Remington
308 Winchester
In all these calibers (and maybe some more I have forgotten about) I have never had A single problem!
Indeed I think there are several advantages to nickel plated brass! But thats another thread I will start someday!
The nickel plated brass is SOMETIMES a tad more expensive but I think it lasts a tad longer among other benevolent attributes of the nickel plated stuff!
I mainly use it for caliber to Rifle ease of brass dedication - keeping brass seperated for the particular Rifle in cases where I have more than one Rifle in a particular caliber.
I use excellent lubricant when I reload though and use care when I apply it - not just with nickel plated brass but wih normal brass as well.
Again no problems so far (and its been a LONG, LONG ways to date!).
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

My major problem with nickel brass is not what it does to my sizing dies, but what it does to my case prep tools. It will dull my neck deburring tools in nothing flat, also my case trimmer cutters. For that reason alone I don't use them. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

I like them.
The only problem I have found is the necks seem to split after about 5 loads.
Again I like them.
Some times they will flake but they clean up nice.

No problems at all. I use them in 300 Weatherby, 338WM and 416 Rigby. They trim just like the unplated brass one and they don't seem to foul my dies eitehr. If anything they run smoother through the dies. I just treat them like regular brass. jorge

Most problems with nickle cases are reloader error IMO...I use them for loading solids in my .470 etc. that way I can tell at a glance it I am loading softs or solids...

Nickle requires a bit more case lube, needs to be trimmed and chamferred inside and out..

If I already had some nickle cases, then certainly I would use them, however, in rifle cases the do seem to shave some of the jacket materal of the bullets even after deburrint the case mouth and taking extra care. In all honesty this does not seem to significantly affect my accuracy results, but it still bouthers me a bit.

quote:

Originally posted by voldoc02:
What's your opinion on Nickel plated cases for reloading multiple times. I know some very good authorities(Varmit Al) says ther're a no go as they could damage a barrel and ,or acuracy.
I've got a bunch of Ni 223AI cases that I hate to waste. Need your thinking and opinions.thanks,
Doc Stone

I have never had any problems with nickel-plated cases. In fact, I favor them for hunting in Alaska in September. Rain, snow, and cool weather makes for humid conditions and rusty brass.

I haven't had any problems with nickel-plated brass nor with regular brass, perhaps because I always clean it before they touch the die. I always brush the inside area of the cases with a nylon brush of the right size, and wipe the outside of the case with a clean piece of cloth to remove any dust, sand, tumbling media, and metallic shavings from trimming. I do all this before lubricating the cases for sizing.

I used to use Win nickel plated because I had 120 siting there just wanting to save me some cash. It was the most acurate brass used by that A-bolt to date and I stopped using it on target and varmint loads after about 11 times sized.

On the other hand, my FL sizer started to scratch the necks on my brass to the point where the non nickel brass looked as if it had a white neck. I sent the die to RCBS and the good folks sent me a brand new one immediately, as usual. Inside was a note asking me not to use nickel plate.

How did they know?

I bought some brand new never fired Nickle RP Brass at the gun show loaded up 50 Nosler Partitions for my 300 Win Mag. All were full length resized to round out the case necks and make sure they fit in the chamber. I went to the shooting range tried to get them to chamber some would some would not. I pulled all the bullets, powder & primers tossed the Nickle crap in the trash and have not had anymore problems with any of the brass cartridges. I have loaded thousands of them for revolvers with not any trouble. I may buy some factory loaded nickle 300 win mags just to see if they will fit my chamber after they have been fired resized and loaded.

I am glad to hear some of you like them I just wished they worked for me.

quote:

Originally posted by Swede44mag:
I bought some brand new never fired Nickle RP Brass at the gun show loaded up 50 Nosler Partitions for my 300 Win Mag. All were full length resized to round out the case necks and make sure they fit in the chamber. I went to the shooting range tried to get them to chamber some would some would not. I pulled all the bullets, powder & primers tossed the Nickle crap in the trash and have not had anymore problems with any of the brass cartridges. I have loaded thousands of them for revolvers with not any trouble. I may buy some factory loaded nickle 300 win mags just to see if they will fit my chamber after they have been fired resized and loaded.

I am glad to hear some of you like them I just wished they worked for me.

I had a local shop order me some 280 Rem brass from Win. I didnt know they only offer it to the handloader in nickel plate. I had a problem seating the primers deep enough no matter how much muscle I put into it. I lined 10 loaded cases side by side and gave the table a bump. They weebble and they wobble but....

I also had problems getting the bolt closed. I brought it back after firing around 15. The shop owner thought I was asking a bit much but I never asked for nickel. He said all the guys on the internet prefere nickel. BS I told him. I live on the internet and he's never even heard of any of the sites I hang on.

I do not use Nickel coated brass in a custom bbl.

I've read enough information regarding the "RISKS" of their use and the damage they MAY cause to the throat.

These risks are not something I'm willing to take.

What sometimes happens is that a piece of nickle from the case mouth will stick to the side of the die. This will put a scratch in the
rest of the cases. The die is nor scratched, thete is a glob of nickle inside the die.
They are much easier to find in the grass if tou dont polish your brass.
Good luck!

I always seemed to get more "culls" with the nickel coated. Hey, I generally can say the same thing of Remington brass vs. the softer Winchester brass. The brass seemed harder and more brittle. My reloading method has changed over the years and I work the cases a lot less these days. I doubt I would have any trouble using nickel now.

I've used nickle cases for over ten years. I've never seen a difference in point of impact between nickle and brass cases, I've never had them chip, split, damage a die or give me problems closing the bolt or damage case prep tools, or had more difficulty sizing a nickle case as opposed to a brass case, or require more lube or suffered any damage to the throat on any of my rifles.

Use your cases, they are just as good as the brass ones.

Alfedro

Are you refering to nickel cases or nickel plated cases? I've witnessed issues with both Federal and Winchester nickel plate.

Win- Primer pockets too tight, nickel blistering and flaking, groups openning up or POI changing, destruction of dies that RCBS confirmed was from nickel.

Fed- Less issues because the nickel is on far thinner but it wore off much quicker that the Win. It seemed to almost wipe off.

I use no chemicals to clean my brass and only use water soluble lube.

Resizing nickel plated rifle brass with conventional dies can be done, but requires proper lubrication and care to make sure that you're not scraping any nickel off inside the die. Resizing with Lee Collet dies, however, seems tailor made for nickeled brass. I have some .222 Remingtons I load with a Collet die that act as if they'll last forever.

By the way, I also have a supply of Federal Match nickel brass in .308 that I resized (in one step) to .243. They work fine and I don't recall loosing a single case, nor flaking any plating off. If you can successfully size .308's to .243 in nickel brass, then a careful reloader with clean, unblemished dies can certainly reload the parent caliber without that much trouble.

I HAVE come across some Remington nickeled brass that has a very rough residue inside the case necks. I don't know what this is from, but I spin a wad of steel wool inside the necks to smooth them prior to reloading.

So far I've used nickel without a hitch in .222, .22-250, .243, .270, 7mm Rem, and .30-06. But, other than appearance and resistance to grunge, unplated brass does as well and allows the reloader to use dirty old scratched up dies with less problem.