Are nickel cases special?

[Capn Jack]

Other than not corroding or sticking if left too long in the chamber,
like brass...

They just look good....

 

[Mikej]

So far the only thing special to me with nickle plated is I use them for my +P+ .38 rounds in the SP101. If I could score a couple or three hundred .357 nickle cases I would use those for the model 94 and load somewhere between +P+ and full power magnum.

 

[41mag]

.357 nickle cases I would use those for the model 94 and load somewhere between +P+ and full power magnum.

I've got a couple hundred old +P cases just finally mixed in with all the others last summer. Don't think it's worth digging them out again but it is nice to hear somebody likes the stuff.

These sat in my 'to be reloaded' stuff for a couple decades. I think they are Speer headstamp.

 

[P7M13]

I really like my 338-300 RUM nickel plated cases (aka 338 Edge). They anneal just fine.

 

[Mikej]

I've got a couple hundred old +P cases just finally mixed in with all the others last summer. Don't think it's worth digging them out again but it is nice to hear somebody likes the stuff.

These sat in my 'to be reloaded' stuff for a couple decades. I think they are Speer headstamp.

Using the nickle is just another way to indicate "Special" ammo so that reading the label isn't the only way to tell.

 

[41mag]

reading the label isn't the only way to tell.

I took to loading my 45 Holy Black in the shiny nickle cases as to not mix them up with the smokeless loads. It was a handy identifier when using my little brace of pre-1900 Gen 1 Colts.

 

[jrd541280]

Reloaded silver brass is just a box plugged nickels.

 

[DLS]

This is why every military in the world uses nickel plated brass.

Military ammo, even from the Podunk countries, is stored in hermetically sealed cans and once removed from the cans is rarely around long before it's fired. So there is little chance for corrosion to occur. Additionally most military firearms have generous chamber dimensions to aid in loading and extraction.

I was in the Corps from '77-'83. At that time once a can was cracked the rounds needed to be fired or pulled from issue every 45 days. I can't imagine it's much different now.

So the fact that military loads don't use nickel is not an argument against the superior nature of plated brass. It's a reflection of cost savings ... they don't do it because there is no real benefit to do so.

Good stuff here!