I have a collection of Federal once-fired brass. Some of it is plain brass, and some of it is nickel plated. Are these two variations interchangeable as far as reloading is concerned? Are the nickel plated brass cases more difficult to resize?

I haven't noticed a difference as long as it is the same brand. The nickel brass may be a bit harder, but that's just my impression. I do sort them separately, but I guess it is because I like the look of a box that matches.

Cheers,

Dan

I've noticed the inside of the nickle plated necks can be rougher than unplated brass,

The only difference is the plating and the thickness is nearly nothing. Somewhere in the range of .0001" thick. Given the thickness of a human hair at about .003" this is about 1/30th of that.

The only nickle plated brass I have used is some once fired brass my son gave me. It is 7mmRM that I ran through my 264 Win F/L sizing die and loaded and it was great. I might buy it when I need brass for it.

One trick I learned working with nickel brass is trim it early. Take off as little as possible at a time. It just plain "cleans up" easier if you get at it right away....probably the first resize get after it.

nickel plated brass is just that, nothing different about it other than the plating. this was originally done for police years ago. the guys that had ammo in leather belt loops and brass would get green from the tanning chemicals. nickel plating solved the problem. today its pretty well cosmetic

quote:

Originally posted by Ejor:
I've noticed the inside of the nickle plated necks can be rougher than unplated brass,

This is very true with some lots, especially with some of the Remington I have used. I addressed it by chucking the right size spindle wrapped with steel wool into a drill to polish the insides of the necks.

I think I ruined a resizing die using it on nickel plated brass (longitudal scratches). It may have been crud on the cases rather than the nickel plating, but I only had the problem on the die I was using on the nickel. Either way, I replaced the die.

Now, with most of my brass and all of the nickel plated brass, I back the die off the thickness of a dime, essentially a neck size only. So far, that's my only problem with nickel plated brass, but I won't buy any more of it.

Not to highjack this thread, but can you still aneal the neacks of nickle brass to soften them? Never realy though of it till now.

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Posted 17 October 2006 00:51 Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by Ejor:
I've noticed the inside of the nickle plated necks can be rougher than unplated brass,

quote:

Stonecreek
one of us
Posted 17 October 2006 00:51 Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by Ejor:
I've noticed the inside of the nickle plated necks can be rougher than unplated brass,


This is very true with some lots, especially with some of the Remington I have used. I addressed it by chucking the right size spindle wrapped with steel wool into a drill to polish the insides of the necks.
Posts: 4908 | Location: Henly, TX, USA | Registered: 04 April

good Idea. I have a bunch of remington 270 brass that was too ruff fo me to use, I can probably polish most of the nickle off the inside.