Nickel plated brass

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
  • WHITEBULL
    Bloodstained
    • Aug 2013
    • 43

    Nickel plated brass

    Not Grendel related but. I am buying a 270wsm, and there is some nickel plated brass available. Can you reload this stuff? If so, is hard on the reloading equipment?
  • bwaites
    Moderator
    • Mar 2011
    • 4445

    #2
    Originally posted by WHITEBULL View Post
    Not Grendel related but. I am buying a 270wsm, and there is some nickel plated brass available. Can you reload this stuff? If so, is hard on the reloading equipment?
    Yes and no.

    Comment

    • WHITEBULL
      Bloodstained
      • Aug 2013
      • 43

      #3
      That's good. What are the benefits to nickel plated brass? Corrosion resistance? longevity?

      Comment

      • Boostmeister
        Bloodstained
        • Sep 2014
        • 63

        #4
        The nickel plated brass retains it's appearance longer than brass, but it doesn't have as much give as brass and will eventually lead to neck cracking or splitting quicker than plain brass will. That said, the longevity difference between the two in a gas gun is in the noise.

        Comment

        • bwaites
          Moderator
          • Mar 2011
          • 4445

          #5
          I've reloaded some of my 7mm WSM nickeled brass 5 or six times without any neck cracks so far. I run 180 Bergers at 2900-2950 FPS, so its not a HOT load, but its respectable.

          Comment

          • LRRPF52
            Super Moderator
            • Sep 2014
            • 8569

            #6
            I've reloaded it for my .270 Winchester. Not enough loads to tell longevity, since the .270 rarely gets shot anymore.
            NRA Basic, Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, RSO

            CCW, CQM, DM, Long Range Rifle Instructor

            6.5 Grendel Reloading Handbooks & chamber brushes can be found here:

            www.AR15buildbox.com

            Comment

            • terrywick4
              Warrior
              • Sep 2014
              • 181

              #7
              I reload my 7wsm with nickel plated and my brother reloads 300 wsm with regular, this way when we are hunting/shooting we know who's is who's. The only issue I have had with 7mm nickel plated brass is occasionally there is a 270 piece mixed in with the 7mm when I get them. They look the same but 270 is a tad smaller and full shell will not eject out of my browning bolt.

              Comment

              • ricsmall
                Warrior
                • Sep 2014
                • 987

                #8
                Nickel plated is harder to trim, chamfer, deburr. If you get grit, debris, etc. on it, it will scratch your chamber rather than the brass. Seems to be more springy when sizing as well. I've had 500 rds 22-250 nickel plated for ten years and don't load it because of these small problems. Brass just seems to be easier to work with. If kept clean and not trimming much, it should b fine.

                Richard

                Someone may comment and prove all my observations wrong, but I'm going on years of "feel"
                Member since 2011, data lost in last hack attack

                Comment

                • ricsmall
                  Warrior
                  • Sep 2014
                  • 987

                  #9
                  Originally posted by rwh
                  I bought 2000 pieces of nickel plated remington 223 brass a few years ago. I reloaded it 10 times and pitched it when the primer pockets started to open up. The nickel was starting to wear off some of the cases. I was told all kinds of stuff about how it would scratch my dies and how the necks would split but I never noticed anything different about the nickel cases and other brass cases. I bought them because they were in stock and reasonably priced. I did notice that nickel flakes would come off the brass and get stuck inside the dies and that would cause the cases to come out scratched. The cure was to clean the sizing die and my dies never got a single scratch. I would get regular brass over nickel if I had a choice but if nickel was all I could find I would buy it again.
                  It won't scratch your dies but it will scratch a chamber if dirty. I just don't care for the stuff. Out of my 15 or so thousand rounds of brass I choose to load, the nickel still sits... Just waiting its turn...

                  Richard
                  Member since 2011, data lost in last hack attack

                  Comment

                  • Klem
                    Chieftain
                    • Aug 2013
                    • 3507

                    #10
                    I have loaded nickel plated in 223 and 9mm.

                    In 9mm I don't notice any difference to reloading with brass. In 223 my impression is that there was more effort needed on the press handle, i.e. stiffer cases. Accuracy seems the same as brass. I only had a hundred or so cases and discarded them after one reload. They were free so easy come easy go.

                    I prefer brass.

                    Comment

                    • wraith1516
                      Warrior
                      • Dec 2014
                      • 316

                      #11
                      On my 9th reload with my 7 stw running around 3600 fps more effort to size than brass cases I lube inside of neck when sizing

                      Comment

                      • WHITEBULL
                        Bloodstained
                        • Aug 2013
                        • 43

                        #12
                        Thanks for the opinions. Sounds like there is no advantage using nickel brass over brass. I see a lot of 270wsm with nickel brass, so if that's all that is available, it'll do. Appreciate all the feed back.

                        Comment

                        • Variable
                          Chieftain
                          • Mar 2011
                          • 2403

                          #13
                          The only thing I like nickel plated cases for is for LE duty ammunition. A lot of duty ammo gets carried but then downloaded for qualification (cheap ball is used for score). Then it gets loaded up again for duty. After repeated cycles, it gets sticky if its brass. It can mess with feeding.

                          I know there are work arounds (remember brasso-ing ammo anybody? ). I make it a point to rotate mine out, and I bitch enough they do sometimes shoot it up for score (if we have enough). Still, in LE, a lot of folks aren't gun-centric, and I'd rather all duty ammo was nickel plated. It just helps improve one variable that can't be controlled in every case.
                          Life member NRA, SAF, GOA, WVSRPA (and VFW). Also member WVCDL. Join NOW!!!!!
                          We either hang together on this, or we'll certainly HANG separately.....

                          Comment

                          Working...
                          X