Nickel brass

[4t5]

Is there a benefit to nickel , other than being able to separate different loads visually ?

[44shooter]

Its main benefit is corrosion resistance

[rossim92]

Is there a benefit to nickel , other than being able to separate different loads visually ?

are nickel and steel cases hard on chamber throats compared to brass?

[Pisgah]

Is there a benefit to nickel , other than being able to separate different loads visually ?

are nickel and steel cases hard on chamber throats compared to brass?

No. They never enter the throat, and pose no problem for the throat or the rest of the chamber.

[COSteve]

I've also found that they clean up much easier than brass and as the nickel plating is smoother, they slide into the resizer easier than my brass ones.

In addition, I use nickel brass to separate my lighter SA pistol loads from my levergun loads of the same caliber.

[Griff]

While it's not been my experience, many folks say that nickel cases are more brittle than brass and crack sooner. I still have many nickel .38 Spl cases from the 60s, 70s & 80s that have been reloaded dozens of time without any hint of cracking... many have been resized so many times that the nickel is wearing off the outside of the case!

[samsi]

I had some nickel plated 44 Special cases that split resizing after the first reload. Don't recall the make, Federal maybe. On the other hand I've got nickel 38 Spl cases like Griff's that have been reloaded many times with the plating wearing through.

[earlmck]

I think over the years I have had better than a half dozen case head separations in 38 or 357 cases. These were always nickeled cases even though over half my cases are plain brass. And they were always in the rifle, never in the revolver even though by far most of my 38/357 shooting has been with the revolver. A few years ago I disposed of all my nickeled 38 cases because at that time I'd never had the head separation happen with a 357 case. Since then I had one nickeled 357 case do a separation (again in the rifle). Now the rifle only gets fired with 357 brass cases. It's a Rossi rifle and appears to have a very nice, non-bulgy chamber.

Those are my "observed facts" though I don't pretend to understand 'em.

Oh yeah -- the separated piece has so far always come right on out easily enough. And these were range pick-up cases reloaded some unrecorded multiple times.

[Ysabel Kid]

I've also found that they clean up much easier than brass and as the nickel plating is smoother, they slide into the resizer easier than my brass ones.

+1

[4t5]

Thanks guys !
Gonna get some to separate loads .

[6pt-sika]

For many years I used Remington nickel plated cases for the 7mm-08 , 7x57 , 280 REM and 7mm REM MAG with no ill effects . Later I got a real good deal on 500 unfired Remington nickel plated 444 cases that also did well .

[Scott Tschirhart]

I use them interchangeably in my revolvers and leverguns. No issues.

[Bearskinner]

While on the subject of Nickel brass, has any company ever made 50 Alaskan in Nickel?

[765x53]

I think over the years I have had better than a half dozen case head separations in 38 or 357 cases. These were always nickeled cases even though over half my cases are plain brass. And they were always in the rifle, never in the revolver even though by far most of my 38/357 shooting has been with the revolver. A few years ago I disposed of all my nickeled 38 cases because at that time I'd never had the head separation happen with a 357 case. Since then I had one nickeled 357 case do a separation (again in the rifle). Now the rifle only gets fired with 357 brass cases. It's a Rossi rifle and appears to have a very nice, non-bulgy chamber.

Those are my "observed facts" though I don't pretend to understand 'em.

Oh yeah -- the separated piece has so far always come right on out easily enough. And these were range pick-up cases reloaded some unrecorded multiple times.

Nickle actually grips the chamber wall more aggressively than brass. Possibly contributing to head separations if head space is on the maximum side of acceptable.

[COSteve]

While it's not been my experience, many folks say that nickel cases are more brittle than brass and crack sooner. I still have many nickel .38 Spl cases from the 60s, 70s & 80s that have been reloaded dozens of time without any hint of cracking... many have been resized so many times that the nickel is wearing off the outside of the case!

That's been my experience with nickel cases as well. As to brittle cases, the only time that's ever happened to me was with new Starline .357mag brass that split in middle of the case longitudinally after the very first firing. I called Starline CS and they stated that they'd had a few runs of brittle brass and I must have gotten one.

I asked if they'd consider a discount or something for replacements and they essentially said, "Sorry, you're out of luck." so, I scrapped the rest of my Starline brass and will never buy any more. A company who won't stand behind their defective products will not get my business.

[buckeyeshooter]

If you put brass cases in the loops of your leather belt and do not remove them, you get green crud all over the cases and the leather loop. If you use nickel cases, you have a nice looking belt with pretty ammo. I also think (subjectively) it feeds smoother. Another benefit not mentioned is that when you extract it after a shot hunting and it hits the ground, it is much easier to find that a brass case.