Starline Nickel Plated Brass

[jski]

What are the pros and cons with Starline's nickel plated brass?

It comes at a premium; is it worth it?

I'm primarily interested in reloading for my revolvers + M1 Carbines.

[condor bravo]

I really don't know of any pros with it. I have it in several rifle calibers but probably bought it because the nickel was the only thing available at the time. However one con could be that you might drive yourself up the wall and become neurotic as you fight to keep from losing some. But the same thing can happen with the standard Starline brass cases. Two months ago I purchased 500 Starline M-1 carbine brass cases and what have I done with them? Absolutely nothing except admire them and just continue to load the old cases. I guess I just want to make sure that 500 stays in the box and not lose any.

[Nick_C_S]

I guess I just want to make sure that 500 stays in the box and not lose any.

I have a box (500) each of Starline's nickel 38 Special, and 38 Special +P - unused.

They sure look nice. Those boxes sitting their in the drawer .

[Nick_C_S]

To our OP:

I'm curious why nickel specifically?

Starline makes good brass; and at a reasonable prices. I mean, if you need brass and range pick up just isn't doing it, then buying Starline is a pretty good way to go - bare brass, or nickel plated.

[springer99]

Pro's for using nickeled cases-
- can make it easier to find fired cases at the range or in the field.
- is an easy way to separate normal range loads from defensive loads
- tends to run thru carbide re-sizing dies with less effort than plain brass.
- won't tarnish over time like brass, especially if exposed to leather.
- polishes to a high shine easier than brass.
- makes is easier to quickly sort 38Super from 380/9mm cases, 38Spl from
357 cases, 44Spl from 44Mag cases, etc.

Con's for using nickeled cases-
- comes at a premium price.
- MIGHT experience split case necks more quickly than brass(not my
experience though)

[Stats Shooter]

Con's for using nickeled cases-
- comes at a premium price.
- MIGHT experience split case necks more quickly than brass(not my
experience though)

Another con.... Nickel is harder than steel. Stainless steel has an HV hardness of around 150. Nickel can be from 300- 1000 depending on how it is applied and hardened.

So, when pieces of nickel flake off the brass you are lapping your barrel if they are stuck to the bullet or flake off in the barrel

[mikejonestkd]

I use nickel plated brass to separate my revolver loads from my rifle only loads. Its one way to make sure that hot loads never end up in an older hangun

[Gary Wells]

As stated by others, there is definitely some pros for the nickel plated brass.
I've been shooting nickel plated R-P brass cases for quite a few years now due to a major gun show purchase years back. My next brass will be Starline brass but for no particular reason. Good luck with whichever you choose. Something of note though: Neither the bullseye shooters nor the benchrest shooters are in favor of nickel plated for whatever reasons.

[Real Gun]

Nickel plating is to avoid corrosion. Bling is nice too. Plated cases are good for carry and are essential if using a leather cartridge holder or belt. The cases are appropriate if they will remain loaded for a long time. Routine reloading is probably better off or more practical with brass. I have nickel cases in 38 Special, .357 Magnum, 44 Special, and 44 Magnum. Got them all from Graf, except the 44 Special came from Midway. All of them are Starline.

[jski]

I have read that nickel's surface acts almost as a lubricant and makes the cycling process in autoloaders less problematic. And in revolvers, it makes the spent case less likely to stick in the chamber.

Admittedly, different metals have different surface properties and maybe that gives the edge to nickel?

[74A95]

Nickel also tends to clean up quicker in the tumbler, saving time in this step.

[Nick_C_S]

nickel's surface acts almost as a lubricant and make the cycling process in autoloaders less problematic.

Mmm, maybe.

But I wouldn't wanna be the guy who has to count all the non-nickel brass that has cycled through autoloading chambers over the decades.

[Gary Wells]

I've loaded only nickel for the last decade or so and it does seem to me that it does contain some lubrication that does not show up in brass

[Master Blaster]

Another con.... Nickel is harder than steel. Stainless steel has an HV hardness of around 150. Nickel can be from 300- 1000 depending on how it is applied and hardened.

So, when pieces of nickel flake off the brass you are lapping your barrel if they are stuck to the bullet or flake off in the barrel
Mississippi is offline Report Post

Um not really true, The steel in gun barrels and chambers is heat treated and hardened alloy. as such it is 7-8 on the MOHs scale. Nickel is a 4 (Diamond = 10).

http://www.jewelrynotes.com/the-mohs...-is-important/

[snuffy]

Nickel is most certainly NOT harder than steel. You're thinking of chrome, which is also shiny like nickle. That myth gets repeated every time this subject comes up!

Saying the nickle on modern brass cases is "plated" is wrong, it is a coating put on by an electroless process. Nickle WAS plated on very early brass cases, the giveaway to ID those is they are only plated on the outside of the case. The beauty of the electroless process is it gets into every nook and cranny of the object being coated. Very desirable form complicated shapes such as our primer pockets and flash holes.

The hardness of the coating can also be controlled, being as how the coated brass will be used in guns, the hardness is made to work out to be softer than anything it will touch.

The initial reason for nickle plating/coating was for 38 special shells carried by LEO's in gun belt loops made of leather. Part of the tanning process had a chemical that ate brass, turning it into a colorful weakened state that also wouldn't chamber if the cop got into a gunfight, had to load from the belt.

I used some winchester .280 nickle coated brass for hunting loads. One shell got dropped in snow, wasn't found until the next summer. The case was still bright and shiny, but the copper bullet was black, as was the brass primer. It chambered and fired in a 7400 Remington. I seriously doubt a brass cased shell would have chambered, or would ever had been found in the first place.

[Real Gun]

I've loaded only nickel for the last decade or so and it does seem to me that it does contain some lubrication that does not show up in brass

I wonder if it is the oxidation that makes brass sticky. Freshly tumbled would probably be pretty slick.

[the possum]

The biggest reason I'm trying to switch to nickel is because it cleans up so much faster in the tumbler. Some of my old brass (that was loaded many times before I got a tumbler) still has splotchy dark spots all over it after spending 15 hours tumbling. Nickel never gets that way to start with, even when we find it laying in the back yard after a year or two. And half an hour in the tumbler is sufficient to remove dirt and powder residue, so I'm ready to load much quicker when I'm in the mood.

Low pressure pistol rounds often last a long time. Some of my .45 ACP brass has probably been loaded 30 times. ? So in the long run, the extra expense is well worth it, since it saves me time over and over at the loading bench.

Like the other guys mentioned, I also like to use nickel brass for specialty rounds that may sit around for years before getting used up. They don't tarnish in storage.

[Stats Shooter]

Cant effectively anneal nickel cases.