Is there a structural improvement or difference with nickel plate brass ? I use both, but seem to prefer the nickel plate.

Regards, Vic

Is there a structural improvement or difference with nickel plate brass ? I use both, but seem to prefer the nickel plate.

Regards, Vic


If anything, my experience has been that nickled bras doesn't last as long as brass-brass. Seems to neck crack sooner than the non plated versions.

Only advantage I cna see is that to some eyes, the plated brass looks prettier.

Nickel plating was originally to deal with corrosion (example leather cartridge loops in tropical climates leave an extreme grunge on brass in short order).

It doesn't really contribute much these days, to be honest.

It seems to also that Nickle doesn't last as long.

Is there a structural improvement or difference with nickel plate brass ? I use both, but seem to prefer the nickel plate.

Regards, Vic

I can't see why there would be a structural improvement! They are dis-similar metals. Each, will expand and contract at it's own rate. The "softer" of the two is on the inside. An example might be a innertube inside a tire laying on the floor. The tire retains it's shape. The innertube has not.

Nickle plated brass does not last well for me.

Cheezywan

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The plating process hardens the brass a little. They will split sooner than unplated brass. I guess you could anneal them but it hardly worth the time.

Sometimes, nickle plating can flake off, and scratch the brass in long, lengthwise scratches. It's also been known to scratch dies. Be aware that this can happen, and if you start to see scratches, stop immediately and clean out the sizer die. I've used Hoppes and a barrel cleaning brush to remove such flakes. Not too big a deal, if you catch it early.

With repeated sizing, can also form blisters that separate from the brass. Also, very hard on case trimmer cutters. Will dull a cutter far faster than brass only cases. Have disposed of all my nickel plated brass and now shoot brass cases only.

Good to know ! I do believe my nickel plate stuff is on it's way out.

Regards, Vic

Vic, Imagine a top load expanding in your chamber and a loose piece of that hard plating in between the chamber and the case. Not a pretty picture when the chamber gets a chunk of it stuck on it's walls. I won't reload nickle for that reason.

I operated a case inspection machine in my commercial police reloading business I could make various adjustments of what to inspect for but in specting for splits and mouth cracks the reject barrel was filling with police dept faster to wear out reject nickel cases.

John Paul