If you had your choice......

[randmplumbingllc]

....of brass or nickel plated brass to reload, which would you use and why.

I have acess to both and wonder what y'all think.

I will be loading mostly light to medium pistol FMJ loads. Nothing hot.

Thanks

 

[robocop10mm]

If you want to get the maximum number of loadings out of the casing, use brass.

I like the nickle plated because it cleans up easier, stays bright longer and is easier to find in the grass at the range. Theoretically you will get fewer loadings out of the plated brass, but if you lose the non-plated in the grass after the first loading the point is moot.

 

[MadMo44Mag]

If you want to get the maximum number of loadings out of the casing, use brass.

I like the nickle plated because it cleans up easier, stays bright longer and is easier to find in the grass at the range. Theoretically you will get fewer loadings out of the plated brass, but if you lose the non-plated in the grass after the first loading the point is moot.

That pretty much sums it up.
Brass will last 10 time longer than nickel. The heat and expansion. contraction process takes a toll on the nickel.

 

[randmplumbingllc]

That pretty much sums it up.
Brass will last 10 time longer than nickel. The heat and expansion. contraction process takes a toll on the nickel.

But isn't the nickel just a plating on the brass ? If so, why would it not last longer then brass without any plating ?

Sorry, but I just don't get it.

 

[MadMo44Mag]

The nickel is harder than the brass.
Reloading works the case mouth and because the nickel is harder the case will split sooner.
It just that the harder the metal the faster it will fatigue when worked.

 

[oldguy]

Brass,gave up on nickle some time ago.

 

[accumack]

absolutely brass ! lasts longer.

 

[randmplumbingllc]

Thanks guys. I was leaning tward what Robocop10 said. I do like that I can find spent cases easier. ( I am old and blind )

I do have acess to both, so I will load a couple of hundred nickel rounds and see how many times I can reload them before failure.

I will do some subsonic 9mm 147gn FMJ 3.5gn titegroup loads to test.

Thanks to all for the help

 

[robocop10mm]

The nickle is actually plated. The thickness of the plating varies from maker to maker. Nickle has a rep of developing splits at the mouths earlier but I have never seen any real controlled tests of this. I have some nickle plated brass in .38 Spl and 9mm that has been loaded so many times the nickle is actually worn thin. The brass underneath is showing through and these have not developed cracks.

9mm brass is so plentyful that if you "only" get 4 loadings out of it, it is easily replaced. Might be an issue in 300 WSM or some semi-exotic rifle cartridges but in 9mm, if it cracks it will be readily apparent. Just toss it.

I guess it is easy for me to say when I get 15K of once fired given to me every month.

 

[Starker]

I guess it is easy for me to say when I get 15K of once fired given to me every month.

Dude, hook a brotha up!

 

[randmplumbingllc]

The nickle is actually plated. The thickness of the plating varies from maker to maker. Nickle has a rep of developing splits at the mouths earlier but I have never seen any real controlled tests of this. I have some nickle plated brass in .38 Spl and 9mm that has been loaded so many times the nickle is actually worn thin. The brass underneath is showing through and these have not developed cracks.

9mm brass is so plentyful that if you "only" get 4 loadings out of it, it is easily replaced. Might be an issue in 300 WSM or some semi-exotic rifle cartridges but in 9mm, if it cracks it will be readily apparent. Just toss it.

I guess it is easy for me to say when I get 15K of once fired given to me every month.

Yeah, that must be rough, sorting all that brass LOL I've got a pretty good source for brass too. I am sitting on about 150K right now. A friend runs a indoor range in Phoenix and hooks a brotha up !

I just thought nickel would be easier to see on the ground after firing.

 

[Texas42]

I wonder if people realize just how valuble brass is.

I don't get it how people just throw it away, (or give 150K to a friend). It makes me mad to think that I used to throw it away. I'd have several thousand, "i know the quality" brass.

I like my friends. . . . I just could use a few thousand dollars too.

 

[randmplumbingllc]

I wonder if people realize just how valuble brass is.

I don't get it how people just throw it away, (or give 150K to a friend). It makes me mad to think that I used to throw it away. I'd have several thousand, "i know the quality" brass.

I like my friends. . . . I just could use a few thousand dollars too.

He just hooks me up with a couple of 5 gallon buckets every time I see him. He sells the rest for $10.00 a pound. The guy then sorts it and sells it. Then he scraps the rest.

Hell, I JUST came back from my favorite shooting spot and picked up a K pieces !

 

[Okierifleman]

Dude, hook a brotha up!

Hell, me too!

 

[randmplumbingllc]

Hell, me too!

WHEN U coming to El Paso ?

 

[TexMex247]

Nickel vs Brass

For longevity(more reloads), brass. For appearance, nickel. For +P loads or more powerful ones I prefer nickel. If you are loading and putting them in a leather rig, you NEED to use nickel. Otherwise brass,brass,brass!