Quote:
Originally Posted by MichiganScott
I'd like to see your data proving that statement. I recently recycled a bunch of .38 special nickel plated cases I received in some commercial reloads purchased in 1972. They had been reloaded enough in the past 45 years that the nickel had become virtually transparent and you could see the brass color underneath it.
Some of them had neck splits over time, but so did some brass cases of the same vintage. I do agree that newer nickel cases require more force at the press. I can't say that I ever had the plating flake off or scratch more than brass.
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I can give you my direct experience with Starline's nickel plated 357 Mag brass. I bought 500 of them around 3-4 years ago. I got to around 5 loadings and after shooting them that fifth time, 80% of them had split mouths. My experience with other brands of nickel plated brass manufactured in the 70's and 80's runs along with what you have seen and they last as long as brass cases of the same vintage and I'm still using some of them in fact with dozens of reloadings. But the nickel Starline didn't hold up well at all for me and I will not buy any more in the future either.
Now, Starline's brass (non-nickeled) cases hold up extremely well. I have some brass 357 Mag cases I bought a few years ago also and there are 1 or 2 boxes of them I have run real hard to to see how durable they are and they are around 14-15 loadings on them and are in good shape still.
I think something about Starline's nickel plating process must make their plated brass especially brittle and prone to splitting.