Reloading Nickel-Plated Brass

[jwt]

I have a quantity of Remington nickel-plated 30-30 brass. I chose nickel because the cases do not mar or tarnish as much as brass. I've read where nickel can be hard on your reloading dies. Does anyone have experience with additional wear due to the nickel. Thanks.

[cthulhufan]

Great question!

I have heard the same as well and have stayed away from it purely on word of mouth.

I would love to see some real world answers to this one.

By "wear on dies" I'm guessing really only the sizing die is affected if indeed it is affected at all.

[Barenjager]

If you are cleaning the cases of any abrasives before resizing and using a good sizing lube, I doubt you could ever induce enough wear on the sizing die to cause any problems.

From my experience, the real strike against nickeled brass is it shortened reloading life. Nickel cases seem to develop cracks, usually at the case mouths, far sooner than non-coated brass.

Roe

[oleroy]

If you are cleaning the cases of any abrasives before resizing and using a good sizing lube, I doubt you could ever induce enough wear on the sizing die to cause any problems.

From my experience, the real strike against nickeled brass is it shortened reloading life. Nickel cases seem to develop cracks, usually at the case mouths, far sooner than non-coated brass.

Roe

SO TRUE, also nickel plated brass is harder to trim, chamfer & deburr. I made the mistake of buying 100 308Win. nickel plated cases & after resizing, trimming & deburring & chamfering 20 cases i decided to use them for "Hunting Rounds Only".

[STP078]

I've personally reloaded the same lot of 100 pieces of 44mag nickle brass seven times without any issues yet FWIW.

[Dirtwater Doc]

Loading used nickeled brass has it's pitfalls. The mouth will crack more easily and cases split. That said I have a bunch of cowboy loads in nickel cases that have been reloaded at least 5 times and some many more. Some case mouths have small cracks but crimp well and work fine.

Here are things I have learned:
1. Don't over expand (flare) the mouth. Use minimum needed to insert the bullet.
2. When sizing use lube like Dillon case lube
3. Be sure to clean the cases thoroughly and remove dust on the surface. I put some cases in a collander and blow air through them
4. Crimp lightly

Doc

[cthulhufan]

Thanks Doc and everyone else. Think I'll just continue to stay away on the premise of "what's the point"... I don't see anybody offering up any advantages to using it other than it looks pretty.

--James

[BFPGW]

I've been told nickel brass has a bit more corrosion resistance when kept loaded in a firearm or in leather ammo holders. That is likely why all the personal defense labeled ammo I've examined or bought uses nickel plated brass.

I bought 100 45LC brass for a stainless Rossi M92 I use for defense purposes. It stays loaded and the brass has yet to be fired once. All my factory 9mm Federal and Hornady carry ammo is nickel. FWIW

Jeff

[Sweetwater]

I used nickel cases in my 357mag back in the 70's and 80's - never noticed any shortened life and these were loaded over and over again with full pressure loads. I never used any nickel cases in a rifle, that I can recall.

Jeff
NRA Life

[Dirtwater Doc]

Thanks Doc and everyone else. Think I'll just continue to stay away on the premise of "what's the point"... I don't see anybody offering up any advantages to using it other than it looks pretty.

--James

I like 'em because they look shiny all the time.
Doc