I bought some 7-08 brass in an auction, but the seller failed to mention, it is nickle plated. It has a SPEER headstamp, which Ive never loaded either. Does anyone have any problems sizing or priming nickle plated brass? What is the purpose of it anyway? Thanks in advance
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The plating helps keep the caser from corroding. I have never had any trouble sizing nickel-plated cases, but eventually some of the plating may flake off around the case mouth.
Many handloaders don't like it, but I do. It is espefially good in cartridges like the 45/70 used with black powder, since you have to wash these out with hot soapy water as soon as possible after firing. Ammo looks cleaner, too.
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think about it, a soft brass case thats coated inside and out with a nickel coating which in itself is harder than your die or your rifles chamber, and eld said it will start to flake, when you resize it, the soft brass flexes easily and the harder and brittler nickel will start to crack.so a flake stays in your chamber and you ram another case in and subject it to 60,000 psi pressure, not doin that to my rifles.
nickel is good for its intended purpose, if you recall when it first came out, professional hunters used it in they're large caliber dangerous game rifles, because you could carry it for months or years under any kind of conditions and it doesn't tarnish, and feeds well.
I don't shoot nickel if I can keep from it.
RR
Location: S.W. Pa.-- Heart in North Central Pa. mountains-
Posts: 2,508
RE: Problems sizing nickle plated brass?
The only nickle plated brass that I use is for my .45 Colt Ruger Vaquero in stainless steel. It just looks so good with that particular gun, especially in my Western holster rig with the shell holder loops. Other than that specialty application, I feel it has the potential to cause some problems. JMHO......
I use it in a few different rifles with no problems. Mainly like Pawildman said though, they just look cool, especially with Barnes XLC's (blue ones) sticking out of them!
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The Nickel plating isnt going to stick in your chamber. Don't be afraid to use them. If they were that bad they would stop making them. 357 Mag, 38. 45 etc. cases have been used forever with no issues. I have them for my 35 whelen and have reloaded some several times and the nickel is still 100% on the cases. The nickel isn't going to stick in your chamber either and cause problems. If one of them somehow does flake just make sure it's not stuck in there. But honestly, I have never seen an issue with it.
I had some nickle plated .357 brass, when I started reloading again. I could tell "blindfolded" when I was priming the nickle ones. The primers always went in a little rougher.
Personally, I don't really need nickle plated brass. So I've only bought brass cartridges only, since.
I would't throw them away. But if you're like me, I'd move on.
For straight necked pistol brass I don't have a problem. But I've found that with that type for high powered rifle (e.g. .300 WM) that without sufficient case lube getting the brass out of the resizing die takes some real force. It's the only time (with this nickle plated .300 WM brass) that I was afraid I was going to get it stuck in the neck resizing die. Next time, I'll use adequate case lube inside and out and then run the brass through the tumbler again to minimize any excess case lub from inside the case, even though the mfgr says it won't affect the load.
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