- Thread starter BLJ
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Nickle cases in what caliber? I have loaded a ton of them in 9mm and never had any issues. Rifle may be a bit different. Someone else may know about that.
It also depends on what you are doing with them. Plinking/Range ammo should work fine.
It also depends on what you are doing with them. Plinking/Range ammo should work fine.
They can require a little more effort to resize, the nickel can wear off after a few tumbling sessions, and they don't seem to get as many reloads but I like them to distinguish between hunting and target loads.
I had a bunch awhile back. After reloading a few hundred, I moved to brass cases, and noticed long, straight scratches on the brass cases.
The nickle cases were cleaned with corn cob media, not sure if the nickel cases are what caused it, but I never had a problem with brass before, or after.
The nickle cases were cleaned with corn cob media, not sure if the nickel cases are what caused it, but I never had a problem with brass before, or after.
We use them in my wife’s .339 WM.......so far so good, and easier to find ejected brass! 
I don’t have many firings on them, so cannot speak of their longevity! I do recommend having them very clean prior to resizing....dirt, small sand will probably scratch your die! memtb
I don’t have many firings on them, so cannot speak of their longevity! I do recommend having them very clean prior to resizing....dirt, small sand will probably scratch your die! memtb
@Broncovan, had the nickle cases caused issues with your dies?
Never had problems until I tried to do .223 about every 10th round stuck in my sizer die. I was using imperial wax and tried homemade one shot same results. I threw them in the scrap pile they worked fine in all the pistol calibers and I have loaded a few other bottle neck rifles case with no issue
Like mentioned, they're a bit thicker because of the extra thickness of the nickel plating, and can require slightly more effort resizing, but other than that, I've had great luck with Winchester nickel cases in my 7mm RemMag.
I had a box full of 280 mixed nickel and brass. I sized them all together, and couldn't have closed my eyes and told the difference between the two.
I've reloaded nickel cases in 223, 260, 270, 308, 30/06 & 300 WM. I've had no issues with nickel brass.
No issues. Load and shoot. I mix them with brass when I load 223. Can't tell the difference. I also use homebrew alcohol/lanolin lube.
They should load and shoot just fine. They seem to be harder than brass and seem to get neck or body splits sooner than brass. The nickel can peel off of them and get stuck in the die, scratching the following cases. This is easily polished out if it happens. Its also said that the nickel is harder on cutting tools like case trimmers. I haven't trimmed enough nickel cases to prove this.
Having said all of this, I prefer non-nickel cases.
Having said all of this, I prefer non-nickel cases.
Nickel cases have a higher potential to scratch and dame your dies, and the cases tend to develop splits or cracks sooner than regular brass.
I used to use them in my 22-250 varmint gun because it was easier to find empty’s in the grass.
I only neck sized for that gun so I didn’t see the FL size issues.
I do know I had 8-9 loading some of them and they held up fine. A few split necks after 5-6 loadings, so they may be more brittle. But I never anealed them either.
I have some in factory loaded 204 ruger that I will eventually load up after I get all 200 shot up.
I know I shot the hell out of that 100 pieces in the early 90s. Not much target shooting, all ground hogs and crows, then little by little some split some lost. I actually have about 40-50 pieces left.
I didn’t have money to buy new very often in those days.
I only neck sized for that gun so I didn’t see the FL size issues.
I do know I had 8-9 loading some of them and they held up fine. A few split necks after 5-6 loadings, so they may be more brittle. But I never anealed them either.
I have some in factory loaded 204 ruger that I will eventually load up after I get all 200 shot up.
I know I shot the hell out of that 100 pieces in the early 90s. Not much target shooting, all ground hogs and crows, then little by little some split some lost. I actually have about 40-50 pieces left.
I didn’t have money to buy new very often in those days.
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