Any special concerns with reloading nickel?

[Hillbilly77]

OP edit:
It looks like I'm good to go with my nickel cases.
Thanks to everybody for your help.






A friend of mine gave me a couple boxes of once-fired nickel cases.
It is .357 Magnum and I load at or near max charges.

Are there any special concerns or procedures for reloading nickel?

Thanks for any insight.

 

[Rule3]

No.

Don't over flair it. Some say nickel cracks or splits faster than regular non coated over time, but not real issue.

It does stay clean however.

 

[scattershot]

That's been my experience, but no other issues. I have nickel cases that have been reloaded numerous times with no problems at all.

 

[Double-O-Dave]

I agree with what Rule 3 stated, above. I've reloaded .38 Special and .357 Magnum rounds for going on 30 years now. I've known reloaders who immediately trashed once fired nickeled cases because the case mouth splits on them fairly quickly as they lack the flexibility of plain brass shell casings (I assume, anyway). Not me. I'll check them just like I do a brass shell casing, and if they pass inspection, they get reloaded and used until they are no longer serviceable.

Regards,

Dave

 

[mikld]

Like D-O-D stated, I've reloaded nickel brass from the beginning (I got my .38 Special brass from a Police Range, and about 50% was plated). I've reloaded some enough times to see the brass showing through the nickel. I also have a bunch of .357 Magnum brass and I treat it just like non-plated and can see no difference in times reloaded. I also have a box of .44 Magnum cases I reserve for "special" loads; 265 gr. RNFP bullets over an upper range load of 2400 or WC820. So far 7 reloadings and no splits, thinning, or flaking of nickel...

 

[gwpercle]

Older cases were well plated and could be reloaded until the nickel started wearing off and then keep going until a crack developed. The newer stuff may not have as good a plate job, I've heard complaints of it flaking off, but that will not hurt it's loadability. Cracks and splits do them in.
I find that using a bit of lube, even with carbide dies helps extend their life, or at least makes sizing easier.
Gary

 

[rockquarry]

It's doubtful you'll get the mileage from nickel-plated cases that you will from plain brass cases, but they'll still last a good while.

 

[Nemo288]

I actually prefer the nickel cases.
Only have split the neck on some fairly old (decades) ones.
Not sure these outnumber the split brass ones.
As has been mentioned, use a small amount of lube even with carbide dies.
Other than that just load as normal.
I flare the necks the minimum amount no matter whether plated or not.

Some of the advantages are: they clean up easier, they don't corrode, AND they are shiny!

===
Nemo

 

[rwsmith]

Make sure you use....

Make sure you use carbide dies. I have some plain dies from the days when carbide was very expensive.

 

[Alk8944]

Absolutely no difference loading Nickel plated cases. I have hundreds that I picked up in the early 1970s that are still fine. Many of these had been commercially re-loaded so many times that there were areas the Nickel had been worn off. I have no idea how many times I have re-loaded some of these, but surely quite a few times.

Nickel cases MAY neck crack or develop body splits, so what! Shoot them until they break and throw them away.

Remington Nickel cases made in the last 20 years +/- will show peeling of the plate, often from simply carrying them loaded in your concealed carry revolver. I have never had a problem with any other brand!! But then I have had body splits in Remington new factory ammunition, brass and Nickel. I just don't usually buy Remington, problem solved.

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

Have loaded some nickel 357's & 38's so much that the nickel started flaking from the case.

 

[old 1911 fan]

I have loaded for .38 special, .357 mag and .45 acp for 40 years and never had a problem with nickel brass. When I started loading .375 H & H mag that nickel brass split on the second loading. In my experience nickel is fine for handguns but not so much in the bigger stuff.

old 1911 fan

 

[venomballistics]

I tend to reserve nickel plated brass for the special collection loads.
It sizes, loads, and fires all the same.
It just has the added benefit of corrosion resistance, and tends to shun grime.
Nice to have in rounds that will be carried more than fired.

 

[Mad_Charlie]

I have also worn the nickel plumb off of many cases in .357 during the last many years.

As noted by others here, carbide and a little case lube work very well and you don't have to do every case.

It's surprising how many folks think nickle is no good for hand loading.

I'll take any nickle plated brass anyone wants to give me, cheerfully.

 

[Sclays]

Nickel plated cases will not feed thru the 1911 National Match .38 wadcutter gun.
No problem with most of the revolvers.

 

[sophie]

I used to load nickel case .357 magnum cases a lot when shooting silhouette and still have a lot of the nickel cases loaded from the early eighties. I always marked the amount of times I reloaded the brass, be it nickel or brass and I could usually load the nickel cases from 8-10 times before noticing slight splits in the rim. They went to file 13 when splitting occured. I always liked the nickel cases better in all calibers. The nickel cases just seem cleaner and never notice any discoloration or deterioration like I see in regular brass. Like has been mentioned above it is better to used carbide dies for sure.

 

[mikld]

Nickel plated cases will not feed thru the 1911 National Match .38 wadcutter gun.
No problem with most of the revolvers.

Could you tell us why? Plain brass cartridge will feed but not nickel plated? Same bullet?

 

[rwsmith]

I prefer nickel

If it's stuff that I'm loading all the time, I don't care what it is. For defensive ammo that is going to be around and hopefully not used, I like nickel....no turning green.

 

[Rule3]

Nickel plated cases will not feed thru the 1911 National Match .38 wadcutter gun.
No problem with most of the revolvers.

You have them trimmed to spec?

I use Nickel in my my M 52 but it is a different platform.

They both can be finicky.

 

[m657]

I've loaded thousands of nickle plated 45LC for cowboy loads over 15 years.

No particular issues with it....yet I've noted 'brass brass' typically stands decades and 'dozens & dozens' of reloads....while my stash of 'nickel brass' would loose a larger percentage over time & maybe only stand 'dozens' of reloads.

I found excessive mouth flare is a sure way to induce early splitting, far more likely with nickel brass.

In a match running several hundred rounds, with equal amounts of equally reused brass, I might expect 1 or 2 brass brass to finally fail, while more likely 2-4 nickle brass under identical conditions.

Usually my brass brass fail would be near the mouth end, as they often were reloaded twice as often. My nickle brass fail usually was in mid-body split.

I did prefer the nickle cases when using the Holy Black.