Nickel plated brass question

[cfullgraf]

You don’t need lube with pistol, at least straight wall, carbide dies even with nickel plated brass.
Having said that, a spritz of Hornady one shot won’t hurt and is painless. No screams needed. I’ve found that brass spritzed with one shot is very easy to resized, but nickel is even easier!

True.

For a long time I resized 38 Special nickel plated cases just as brass cases without any issues. Generally, the loads were target, wadcutter ammunition. Lots of low pressure stuff.

One of these days, I'll turn the rim off a number of 38 Special cases making a 38 AMU case and see how they function my 38 Special 1911.

 

[AJC1]

True.

For a long time I resized 38 Special nickel plated cases just as brass cases without any issues. Generally, the loads were target, wadcutter ammunition. Lots of low pressure stuff.

One of these days, I'll turn the rim off a number of 38 Special cases making a 38 AMU case and see how they function my 38 Special 1911.

For work holding, I'm curious if you insert a guage pin then put them in a collet. I can't immage the web is big enough to hold and not collapse the case....

 

[243winxb]

experience stuck nickel cases

Old nickel 357 Remington brass is harder to eject from S&W M28 , when compared to same in brass.

Less spring back of the nickel case. Both cases reloaded many times. Load 163 lswc, Alliant 2400 @ 13.0 grs, mag primers. NOTE: WSPM have shown to increase pressure over other primer brands.

 

[Jim Watson]

"If you are using Nickel plated brass, special care must be taken to lubricate the cases prior to sizing them. Nickel plating is harder than brass and the cases require more effort in sizing. In the event a case becomes stuck, purchase a stuck case remover; don’t use pliers, screwdrivers or other common household tools which could damage your sizing die."

Anyone else know anything about this or experience stuck nickel cases with carbide dies?

I wonder if that admonition is a leftover from steel die days.

 

[RetiredUSNChief]

Dedicated and nuts.

I have some Cool-Amp silver plating powder and have been contemplating how cool my buscadero rig would look with silver cartridges and my Colt SSA!

I should get some FMJ cartridges and silver plate just the bullets.

 

[AJC1]

Old nickel 357 Remington brass is harder to eject from S&W M28 , when compared to same in brass.

Less spring back of the nickel case. Both cases reloaded many times. Load 163 lswc, Alliant 2400 @ 13.0 grs, mag primers. NOTE: WSPM have shown to increase pressure over other primer brands.

The hammer down ammunition is advertised to be nickel for easier more reliable extraction

 

[jmorris]

Someone once told me most people that don't lube pistol cases are those that haven't tried it, so I did and now I lube everything; however, when I lived in the other camp, I always thought nickel plated brass was slicker, even if it cracks before non plated brass will. Cleans up faster too, doesn't tarnish...

 

[Barmcd]

I reload 45 Colt for my rifle in nickel cases so I don't inadvertently put them in a pistol. I lubed them the first time I used them, but didn't the second time I reloaded them and noticed no difference in the effort it takes to size the brass. I don't lube them any more. I'm on the fourth reload and the brass looks good. I don't bell the case mouth too much so I work the brass as little as possible.

 

[bfalcon00]

I have quite a few nickel 9mm cases mixed in with the brass. I load them up with the brass cases for target loads. The different cases make no difference as far as I can tell.



A few of the nickel cases are almost completely brass now. Only on a close inspection can you tell they were nickel at one point.



I haven't had any nickel flaking off issues on these or other pistol calibers I load. None of it getting stuck in the die, ect. I do wet tumble though, and I guess that might have something to do with it. Not really sure. I just know it hasn't been a problem for me.

 

[Walkalong]

I have quite a few nickel 9mm cases mixed in with the brass. I load them up with the brass cases for target loads.

I like to use nickel cases for rainy day ammo, because it stays clean looking so much longer.

"Full Power" WCs.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

I like to use nickel cases for rainy day ammo, because it stays clean looking so much longer.

"Full Power" WCs.
View attachment 1199673

4.9gr under a 148gr DEWC is pretty stiff. A nice small game load.

 

[LV Gun]

I don’t shy away from nickel cases either but they do not last as long as brass cases I notice it most in 357 magnum. I just recently bought 600 new Barnes 9mm +P nickel cases they were a good deal but I am finding out why they were priced well, they like to split when expanding them I am getting 3 to 5 per 50 loaded cases I have a feeling they may be blemished. Even with these doing this I still will use nickel cases I like them for special loads as others have said.

 

[Walkalong]

4.9gr under a 148gr DEWC is pretty stiff. A nice small game load.

Hard cast WCs shoot a full caliber hole through things.

 

[RetiredUSNChief]

Hard cast WCs shoot a full caliber hole through things.

But the DEFENSE claim is "My client used WCs because they're dull, unlike pointed bullets and sharp edged hollowpoints."

 

[Bush Pilot]

I have some Cool-Amp silver plating powder and have been contemplating how cool my buscadero rig would look with silver cartridges and my Colt SSA!

I should get some FMJ cartridges and silver plate just the bullets.

You must have a bunch of free time in retirement.

 

[RetiredUSNChief]

You must have a bunch of free time in retirement.

Not really...just a weird and convoluted mind!