Nickel & Brass Cases

OK folks, what are your views on these cases?
Which do you prefer?
Advantages/disadvantages?
Horror stories?
POI differences?

I haven't used many nickel cases.

Those that I did use were more prone to cracking, and also the nickel plating started peeling off after a couple of loadings.

Used them in .308 Win and the .357 magnum pistol cartridge, 'cause I shot some ammo that came in nickel cases.

I see no advantage other than corrosion resistance. And they look really cool, especially with a black coated Nosler Ballistic Silvertip bullet! :grin:

Regards, Guy

The earlier cases flaked and cracked. More recent iterations are not so noticeable in such aggravation. Guy is correct that the nickel cases do look cool when loaded with the BST bullet.

I stay away from reloading nickel plated cases due to cracking and chipping as has been stated. You can destroy a resizing die with nickel cases. Seems like it would be difficult to get really good nickel case consistency as well. If you want shiny cases that are weather resistant, just tumble your brass and polish your brass with wax.


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I found the nickel plated to be harder to size in some cartridges. Tend to stay away from them. For handgun cartridges, I just load them with everything else.

Once I figured out nickel requires a VLD chamfer, I really didn't have any more issues with them. Some of mine, maybe 3 out of 50, started to flake a little at the necks around the 5th loading. They're just a tad more resistant to sizing and trimming. But, they feed great and are easy to spot in the leaf litter, so I set them aside for hunting rounds.

Guy, They also look cool with a Scirocco..

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When I get nickel cases, I shoot and toss. No loss.

Brass polished up nice.

The m70 300WSM came with a pile of CTBT or PT on nickel cases and least 1/3 cracked.. so just ringing the ding with them on the 200 and 300.

I should post a picture. Many of these PTs have a ring from the seating die. Seem to fly fine..


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It’s interesting there are so many contradictory views on nickel cases.

Personally, I’ve used the same cases (Rem.) for quite a few years and rarely encountered any issues with regard to any aspect of their use.
Certainly no problems reloading them and it’s only over the last three years I’ve been using a VLD chamfer tool and that helps significantly with both brass and nickel cases.

They (Nickel) do (All other aspects being the same) shoot to a different POI though from the brass cases. And that’s a bit annoying!

The only advantage I find to nickel is that it won't tarnish so I use it on hunting rounds that might have a shelf life over several seasons. I bought four hundred remington nickel .257 Roberts cases a long time ago and they have been wonderful cases for handloads.

Have used Rem nickel plated in .270Win, .7mmRM and Win. nickel in .30-06. Liked the Win best several loading no problems. The Rem seemed not as finished and scratched inside one die. Quite using the Rem. in 7mm.