Nickel vs brass

Jrb572

Full Member
Full Member
Minuteman
  • Dec 7, 2008
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    Missouri
    I have about 100 nickel Winchester cases. I normally do not us them. But I am going to a competition and figure I do not care if I loose them. My question is should I load them different than my brass cases?
     
    Re: Nickel vs brass

    I load nickel pistol cases all the time. No difference in performance from brass. I've heard that the nickel will eventually flake but it hasn't in the 10 loadings some of mine have. Can't imagine nickel hurting my carbide sizing dies though.
     
    Re: Nickel vs brass

    Nickel coating on brass is softer than your dies, so it ain't gonna hurt your dies. This has probabaly been said around here before, but FYI I have reloaded 1000's of nickel plated Win cases and find no difference between them and straight brass, except that the nickel may take an extra second or two when annealing them, and they seem to show a little more spring back than straight brass.
    I have found no difference (significant) in case capacity, so I just reload them the same as any other same caliber case.
    I actually like them because they don't tarnish as straight brass does. One of my favorite factory loads is a Win Supreme loading which comes in nickel cases, and I like them very much and reuse all the cases I fire from said ammmo. Handle like your other cases and you'll be fine.