Nickel Case's

youngsparkey

I just started reloading, a friend that reloads said not to use the nickel case's. He only reloads for rifle's, said that it's more brittle . Is it ok for pistols with carbide dies? Any pro's or con's that you can help me with.

XXCross

If it was a problem, the factorys wouldn't load it! Take the hint.

scrubberguy

youngsparky:
Nickeled cases offer only one advantage, they look great!

I've shot tons of brass and nickle 45 auto cases and the nickle cases fail, usually due to cracks and splits at the case mouth, at about a ten to one ratio. 357's almost the same but it's not so bad with the 9mm.

Never had much luck finding nickle rifle cases, wasn't looking, but suspect you'll find things about the same!

As far as dies go? Use the carbide! Cases fail because of the "abuse" caused when you pull the trigger not pushing the case through a sizing die.

If you get a good price on nickle cases buy them! Just understand they won't last as long as the brass ones.[8D]

e8gm

Cases fail from the case being overworked more so than from firing. If the mouth is belled excessively it will fail sooner than a case that is belled just enough to start the bullet. Work the brass just enough to get the bullet started straight and you'll get many more reloadings from each case.

Nickel cases are just brass cases with a nickel coating. They are more suceptible(sp) to splitting than brass. The nickel coating is harder than brass and therefore makes extraction easier.

MIKE WISKEY

I use nickel cases for my hunting ammo whenever possible. They feed better and don't tarnish with age. They may not last as long but 100 cases will last many years in a deer/elk rifle.

gotstolefrom

e8gm had the best advice.....bell just enough for you to get the bullet started. Do this too much and you just over-work the case mouths, and they get work-hardened and more brittle.

Annealing the case mouths after a number of loadings can add some life to them by relieving some of the residual stress and work-hardening. Stand your empty cases in a pan, and put water in the pan until about 1/2" or so is above the water (caliber dependent). Pass a propane torch along to heat each 'a bit' (NOT red, or nearly red, but some), then tip them over into the water as you move to the next case.

I've only done this a few times. I don't find great advantages for straight cases in non-magnum loadings.
Either way, ENJOY !

Wulfmann

Interestingly I found something else regarding Nickel 9MM cases.

I have a Firestar and the last MM or so of the case body's bottom is exposed, not inside the chamber like other 9MM I have.
When you look at the closed bolt you can actually see this.
This has caused some 12 year old fired maybe 6-8 times each Federal Nickel is blow out that exposed part of the case leaving the brass peeled back and a nice spray job on my face.
I have stopped using them in that gun as it does not happen in other 9MM guns nor does it happen in brass cases (Those have not been reloaded as much as the nickel, though)

My reloads are less than max but not by much so are slightly less than factory.
Factory 9MM does not cause the same results in that gun

Wulfmann

decee

When you chamfer the case mouth, you have to be very careful that no filings are left.

Nickel is very hard and you do not want nickel grinding down your barrel