Brass vs Nickel
- Thread starter JohnD386
- Start date
- Oct 30, 2004
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I have never noticed any difference.
Rem Jim
Handloader
- Jan 7, 2012
- 688
- 9
Gotta watch for nickel peeling i have had that happen in some of my nickel plated cases ! Could jam up your sizing die - look them over real good every time ! But they sure look KOOL ! RJ
yellow dog
Beginner
- Sep 17, 2012
- 195
- 0
how much harder is it on reloading dies?
Oldtrader3
Ammo Smith
- Nov 6, 2009
- 8,406
- 6
The newer flash electroless nickel plating is only about .0003 inches thick. Nickel has a lubricious property that should make the cases a little easier to size. The thickness in not enough to make the cases noticeably harder than brass. I would not tumble them though. I just wipe them off with a soft rag. Wearing a .001 inch off a sizing die dimension would take about 40,000 sizing cycles. I would not get too wound up about it.
300WSM
Handloader
- Dec 24, 2011
- 1,097
- 706
John D
No worries on the nickel.
Some will tell you that they will peel and they can be harsh on dies, etc etc...
The peeling amounts to all of nothingness. It's not like half the nickel plating comes off. Moreover it is not enough to do any damage to your die set. Not even close.
Nickel looks nicer than brass, feels nicer than brass, and it sure cleans up a lot easier than brass.
The negatives? Nothing other than if you get settled in on using nickel they can be a bugger to find.
I have some nickel cases that are in the double digit on firings and they still look new.
If anything it might make the case a little more resistant to things.
Enjoy them and see if you can get some more. Thumbs up to you
No worries on the nickel.
Some will tell you that they will peel and they can be harsh on dies, etc etc...
The peeling amounts to all of nothingness. It's not like half the nickel plating comes off. Moreover it is not enough to do any damage to your die set. Not even close.
Nickel looks nicer than brass, feels nicer than brass, and it sure cleans up a lot easier than brass.
The negatives? Nothing other than if you get settled in on using nickel they can be a bugger to find.
I have some nickel cases that are in the double digit on firings and they still look new.
If anything it might make the case a little more resistant to things.
Enjoy them and see if you can get some more. Thumbs up to you
- Thread starter
- #7
DrMike
Ballistician
- Nov 8, 2006
- 37,551
- 6,640
Especially with production from the past decade or so, there is no substantial difference between the two case materials. There were incidents in earlier years of severe flaking with nickel plated brass. You may still see minor flaking on the case mouth today, but nothing substantial.
Oldtrader3
Ammo Smith
- Nov 6, 2009
- 8,406
- 6
DrMike that is because the flash plating process is so thin (only a few molecules thick) that most molecules are probably cross linked with the copper and zinc opposite valance molecules anyhow which would make them very hard to flake off.
http://www.varmintal.net/arelo.htm#Nickel_Brass
This is what Nickel brass did to a Lee Collet mandrel when I was uniforming the necks on new brass
This is what Nickel brass did to a Lee Collet mandrel when I was uniforming the necks on new brass
yellow dog
Beginner
- Sep 17, 2012
- 195
- 0
woods,
broke my glasses, what is wrong with the mandrel?
broke my glasses, what is wrong with the mandrel?
- Oct 30, 2004
- 24,460
- 3,538
SJB358":575orluw said:
I use only that in my boy's 325 WSM
Oldtrader3
Ammo Smith
- Nov 6, 2009
- 8,406
- 6
I try to use nickel plated cases in my .270 and .30-06. Plus, my revolvers. They always look nice even after several firings.
FOTIS":2oiyjxkx said:
I'm still using the factory Supreme cases I saved back in 04 for my 270. Can't seem to wear them out. They've been tumbled and sized God knows how many times. I lose a case to a split neck every once is awhile but that's it. Wished I could buy 500 of them. I like having brass for the 7 WSM and nickel for the 270.
