Brass vs Nickel Cases

[AJ]

Which seem to last longer? I reload mine until I notice problems with the case in question. I don't shoot real hot loads. No longer see the need to do so, just punching paper. I know some folks count the reloads through the case and trash them at a specific round count. Once I see a crack in the case in the trash it goes.

 

[diyj98]

Most folks say the brass cases last longer. I've loaded nickel cases, but not enough to really do a fair comparison.

 

[WR Moore]

Allegedly, the nickel cases are more prone to cracks at the mouth. This is supposedly due to embrittlement from the plating. A lot has to do with pressures and amount/type of crimp. I've got some old brass .45 ACP cases from the mid 60's or so that have been reloaded enough that you can't read the head stamps. Have some frequently reloaded brass.38 cases that develop body cracks. Not sure why.

 

[BB4XL]

Nickel cases split faster. 38/357 seem the worst.

 

[StrawHat]

AJ,

When I competed, I went through at least 1000 rounds a week. All I used in competition were nickel plated. After the first summer, I got a few splits during winter league. Maybe 10 per week? I just kept loading them until I heard the tingling sound of the split empty then I dug around until I found it and tossed it.

The other way I lost brass was when I noticed the bullet seating easily. If the brass would not resize small enough to hold the bullet well, it got dumped.

I still have a lot of it left.

Oh, I used brass for practice and nickel for matches. Never saw a difference in longevity.

Kevin

 

[LoboGunLeather]

I've used both for many years with no significant issues or differences to report. I know that many of my .38 Special cases have been reloaded more than 20 times. I continue using them until splits appear in the necks or case bodies, which can happen during the reloading processes or just sitting in the boxes waiting to be used. I have concluded that the reason for splitting is work-hardening of the metal from repeated resizing, crimping, and expansion under pressure of firing.

 

[Kid Shileen]

I've noticed nickel plated .38 and .357 seem to split at the case mouth sooner than .45 acp. Not sure if it's a difference in the cartridge material or a difference in the crimp. Roll crimp vs taper crimp

 

[Timothy2700]

Which seem to last longer? I reload mine until I notice problems with the case in question. I don't shoot real hot loads. No longer see the need to do so, just punching paper. I know some folks count the reloads through the case and trash them at a specific round count. Once I see a crack in the case in the trash it goes.

Yes to all of the above regarding pistol cartridges. I don't count number of reloads and couldn't tell you if brass or nickel last longer; I use them interchangeably. If a particular case looks funny (tight/loose primer pocket, or worse a split, etc ) during my cleaning/reloading QA steps it just goes into the recycling bin with cans and cardboard.

FWIW I am a plinker at the range -paper or steel - and don't do competitive shooting. I purchase (don't do reloads) for my ccw rounds.

 

[TAROMAN]

Nickel cases split faster. 38/357 seem the worst.

My experience, too.

 

[Dvus]

I don't know that nickel plated has a shorter life span than brass in general, but I have noticed that some, not all, lots of .38 and .357 nickeled cases seem to have a high mortality rate after just a few loadings. I also have some nickeled .38 special cases that the plating is wearing off from running through the resizing die. I've lost count of how many times they have been loaded. As a generalization though, I expect less loadings out of the nickeled cases.

 

[.38SuperMan]

When I was shooting IPSC with 38 super I used mainly nickel but had several hundred all brass. I was shooting major loads and loaded my cases enough to erase the head stamp. Occasionally I'd have to toss a case or two but it was fairly rare. Most of my brass is still serviceable with standard pressure loads and I can't say I saw much difference in either type.

My 45acp brass, mostly brass and I'm loading cases my dad loaded in the 60's with no problem.

As to 38 special, no preference in brass or nickel with only rare splits after many reloads.

I think the secret is to not over work your brass by over flaring the neck of the case. Heavy loads and over working the brass will shorten its life.

 

[biku324]

I suspect how long they last is about how hot you load them. I routinely use Federal nickel 357 cases from the 80s using 16.2 grains of Lil Gun and 158 grain JHP/JSP and 7.0 grains of Longshot with 158 grain LSWC. They eventually crack at the mouth, but I literally have no clue how many times most of those cases have been reloaded - it is many, many times. Still have a bucket full of these once-fired cases leftover from my policing days when we qualified with Federal 357B rounds and I was the only reloader in the sub-District.

By the way, I use the same RCBS carbide sizing die that I bought in the 70s with all my 357 and 38 cases - no problems.

 

[white cloud]

I anneal and tumble my brass .38 cases. I can't tell you how many times they have been reloaded but longevity is pretty amazing. I quit annealing the nickel case because the results were not that great. I greatly prefer brass .357 cases.

 

[6string]

Case longevity has a lot to do with the match between chamber dimensions and loading die dimensions.
If you're using a tight carbide sizing die for handgun cartridges, to where your loaded cartridges look like their wearing a girdle you can expect short case life.

It's possible to lap carbide dies (though not as easy as with steel dies) to alleviate the problem.

 

[Dio]

Nickle cases seem to split more often for me. My loads are middle of the rd. 38, 357, 45

 

[stansdds]

It has been my experience that nickel plated cases will crack and split at the case mouth sooner than plain brass cases.

 

[gwpercle]

With new modern made cases ... brass will last the longest .

Years ago nickled cases could be reloaded so many times the plating would wear off ... 38 special would get 15 - 20 reloadings ... but they mist have changed something ... nickle cases would start to flake off plating and soon develop splits ... in the sidewall of the case ...
8 - 12 reloadings at best .
Regular brass will give you the longest reloading life .
Starline is good brass .
Gary

 

[Yendor357]

This is a little off subject, but if anyone ever gives nickel plated 223 brass, Throw that junk into the recycling bucket. That stuff is horrible. That's because of the characteristics of a bottle neck case, plus a Steel resizing die. I would get nickel flakes (I think from the case mouths) imbedded into the inside of the steel die and then I'd get nasty scratches in every case I tried to resize after that. Using a brush to get the nickel flakes out of the die was fruitless. I had to use 1200 grit sandpaper wrapped around a bore mop to get it out.

The moral of that story is that I won't use nickel cases without a Carbide die. As always, your results may vary.

 

[mikld]

Just my experience; I'm just an "average" reloader, no multi thousand rounds per year. I started reloading nickel cases that I scrounged from the local police range in the '70s, mostly 38 Special with some 357 Mag. I also bought some nickel plated 44 Magnums. I have reloaded some 38 brass so many timed the nickel has worn off in spots, no splitting, flaking. My 44 Mag nickel cases were reserved for "T-Rex Killer" loads (250 gr SWC over heavy Universal loads) and have 15 reloadings on some. Cases fine

 

[rwsmith]

It's a toss up....

Brass is easier to form and nickel looks nicer without tarninshing. But nickel splits. So I use both and toss them when they split.