Re: Nickel plated brass?

09 November 2004, 11:22

Quote:

Why in the world would u want to risk damaging your dies using that stuff?

In making a decision as to use nickled brass or not, I've read a lot about it and come to the conclusion that those that don't like it are those that have never used it and won't because of this myth. Too many that do use it, love it!

09 November 2004, 11:42

Puncher

I'm with the pro-nickel crowd. If I could afford to do it, I'd trash all my brass cases and buy a coupla' hunnerd of each caliber I load in all nickel.

09 November 2004, 11:50

ZERMEL

wrongtarget.

Obviously you never had the nickel plating come of and embed itself into the chamber, nor would you have tried to outside neck ream nickel plated brass, or seat moly pated bullets into the sandpaper like surface on the inside of the necks. And I suppose you never had a nickel plated case stuck in a full size die.

Once you experience all those things, I am sure you will change your mind about nickel plated rifle cases. As mentioned above they are also hard on good polished dies.

But cheap dies are not that smooth anyway.

Volume users of pistol ammo use the carbide dies with out much case cleaning. Nickel plated brass is well suited for that, because grit and dirt don't stick to them. Neither do they use any lube in these dies.

The only thing nickel plated rifle brass has going for it, it looks pretty.And the manufacturer can use a cheaper brass alloy and tough it up with nickel plating. Also this type of alloy is easier to draw before nickel plating. Making money is the name of the game.

09 November 2004, 12:01

wrongtarget

That's true but I also have a good shooting .25-06 Ultra Varmint, so maybe my experience will be better than yours.

And I like pretty....

09 November 2004, 16:26

Tanzian

Quote:

Why in the world would u want to risk damaging your dies using that stuff?

Cause it looks killer with those little blue meanies from Barnes!...lol

I have used nickle in my .280 rifles as long as I can remember and have never ever had one problem.

10 November 2004, 01:38

<eldeguello>

Quote:

I'm with the pro-nickel crowd. If I could afford to do it, I'd trash all my brass cases and buy a coupla' hunnerd of each caliber I load in all nickel.

Me too! I've used both for many years, and always opt for nickel in any caliber, if it is available. It is especially nice for black powder loads in the .45/70 and .32/40 - so much easier to keep clean!

10 November 2004, 04:23

Reloader

Usually when I've used it it has ended up having regular brass streaks all over the cases. The FL die will remove the plating on alot of nickel plated cases. I prefer the all brass cases. The nickel cases sure do work great for pistol reloads.

Good Luck!

Reloader

09 November 2004, 17:11

grizz

Quote:

wrongtarget.
Obviously you never had the nickel plating come of and embed itself into the chamber, nor would you have tried to outside neck ream,(you mean turn) nickel plated brass, or seat moly pated bullets into the sandpaper like surface on the inside of the necks. And I suppose you never had a nickel plated case stuck in a full size die.
------------------------

The only way a case gets stuck in a die is not lubing it. The nickel cases I use,(.280 win and 300 wsm), are actually slicker and easier to size. They also feed and chamber easier.
-------------------
Once you experience all those things, I am sure you will change your mind about nickel plated rifle cases. As mentioned above they are also hard on good polished dies.
But cheap dies are not that smooth anyway.
-----------------

Nickel is not as hard as good barrel steel or steel used in dies. So how can it hurt either?
-------------------

The only thing nickel plated rifle brass has going for it, it looks pretty.And the manufacturer can use a cheaper brass alloy and tough it up with nickel plating. Also this type of alloy is easier to draw before nickel plating. Making money is the name of the game.

------------------

Most of this is old wives tales and myth. People get nickle mixed up with chrome,(well both are shiny and the same color). Of course if it WAS chrome, there'd be a lot of truth in those statements.

09 November 2004, 14:04

Fish30114

Canuk, I have had the Winchester rep tell me that the win supreme ammo that is nickel plated has a less perfect case underneath the plating. When I asked what less perfect meant, he said the case would stil be 'a good case' but it would be less smooth and made of a softer alloy than their all brass brass. That sounds funny....anyway just FWIW
I have had issues with nickel plated brass not maintaining it's sizing as consistently as regular brass, I think in pistol ammo since the sizing going on is not in as many dimensions it probably is not as signififcant, and it clearly resists corrosion better than unplated.
Regards--Don

09 November 2004, 13:53

Jerry/AK

I recommend this vendor for once-fired brass (regular or nickel plated):
B E R AMMUNITION, INC
16 PINE ROAD
FLORIDA, N.Y. 10921
845-651-4703

I have no financial stake here...its just that they treated me great.
Jerry/AK

10 November 2004, 02:54

wm.f. in fla

try Blue Star Cartridge & Brass. he has an excellent inventory and shows a variety of "once-fired".

09 November 2004, 16:41

Atkinson

I have never had any problems with nickle plated brass and I have used a lot of it and I have outside necked reamed the cases, all I got was a tri colored load..I have heard all this stuff for years and IMO its just accepted and passed on mostly by folks who in reality have never actually used it....either that or my chambers and reloading dies are in a lot better shape than some..

I like it mostly because in some calibers I can have nickle brass that denotes solids and brass that denotes softs in my belt and I can tell at a glance which is which...

09 November 2004, 13:43

Alberta Canuck

Zermel -

I have never had any of the problems you describe with nickel plated rifle brass. That doesn't go to say they never occur, but I haven't experienced them and I first started using nickled rifle brass in 1978.

I HAVE outside neck turned quite a bit of Federal .308 nickeled brass for use in my match rifles. As my neck turning tool blades are carbide (and most all of them these days are) that has never been a problem at all.

I have never stuck a nickeled case in my dies, but I do always lubricate my brass before resizing.

On the other hand, I HAVE stuck quite a few plain brass cases lubricated with Imperial Sizing Die Wax in various dies...to the point where I now always use a Q-tip loaded with RCBS high-pressure lube to lubricate the sizing die before sizing the first brass case in any lot of fired, un-nickled, brass. Afterward, the Imperial wax works fine for all after the first case.

Just out of curiosity do you have any reliable source you might want to share, confirming nickel plated brass being made from lower quality stock?

Alberta Canuck

10 November 2004, 03:47

280Ackleyrized

Looks aint everything.

The nickel plating used on the brass is hard enuf to scratch the inside of reloading dies. And I pay too much for my dies to take that chance. My loads in plain brass shoot great, present me with no problems, and dont have a coaing that can flake off and damage my dies. If you want pretty...go ahead....leaves the good stuff for those of us that know...looks aint everything.

11 November 2004, 04:06

<eldeguello>

Quote:

Looks aint everything. The nickel plating used on the brass is hard enuf to scratch the inside of reloading dies. And I pay too much for my dies to take that chance. My loads in plain brass shoot great, present me with no problems, and dont have a coaing that can flake off and damage my dies. If you want pretty...go ahead....leaves the good stuff for those of us that know...looks aint everything.

I have seen absolutely NO EVIDENCE of any scratching inside any of my dies that I have used to size/load nickel-plated cases. But I have seen scratching due to grit on cases, whether they were nickel or just brass. Make sure your cases are clean before sizing them!