Do nickel cases hold up better

D

Dano4734

New member
Just curious, I got a really good deal on 200 starline brass for my casull. All new. I can also get a deal on nickel. Do they hold up better or about the same reloading wise. So far I have reloaded the nickel twice and they look great. I have reloaded my 06 with brass about seven times, still look good but the casull is a beast
 
I have used them in my 45 Colt & Casull, they look especially good in a cartridge belt & for easy ID of heavy loads but I’ve had new Starline ones split on the first time firing them. Seems like I have 1-3 split out of every 100 reloading them.
 
Ill echo the rest in my loadings of 38 & 357, the nickles do tend to split a little bit more, olus the stuff will eventually start flaking, which doesn’t look good and Im sure has detriments.
 
Guys one more question. Going to hunt white tail deer this year like every year but I want to do it with my casull. Would you use the 340 grain hardcast or the Swift A-frame 300 grain jacketed hollow point. Both shoot excellent in my gun and I killed lots of deer with a 44mag but I want to try the casull this year. I always used hollow points in the 44 but the casull is quite a bit hotter
 
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Nickel will hold up better to the elements. Brass will start to tarnish and even get verdigris in certain conditions. However for general reloading, and shooting brass will typically outlast nickel. Unless the ammo is going to be carried for extended periods of time and exposed to the elements I'd just stick with brass.
 
On your bullet selection. Im very often a proponent of hard cast bullets, but in this instance Im gonna go the other way, you’ll have pleeenty of gun for the game you are persuing. You certainly dont need really deep penetration due ti how big the gun is and how (in relative terms) small your game is, I think the A frame would serve you best in this instance.
 
If you don't go nuts belling the case mouth, nickel will last a very long time. I have a lot of nickled cases I got back twenty plus years ago and I'm still using them. Yes, they will crack/flake more than plain brass, but after this much time I don't give a hoot. They look nicer for their life and they are a lot slicker to run into the carbide sizing die. I'm still buying nickle for all my 357mag cases. FWIW, some of those cases have been loaded probably 15-20 times. I ain't complaining.
 
I have nickel pistol cases, it is not a problem for me but in time the nickel gets thin.

I form and neck cases up, I have necked up nickel 280 Remington cases to 338/06 and 35 Whelen. Taking 280 Remington cases up to 35 Whelen and 338/06 is expensive because I loose half of the nickel cases to splits and it is not much better when going from 30/06 to 35 Whalen when using nickel cases.

F. Guffey
 
That’s a good price, but Starline brass are only $40/100 at MidWayUSA. If you get 3 firings on brass and 2 on nickel, they’re the same price.... and I bet you’d get 10 or more on brass... Hell, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Starline brass went with the gun when you sell it.
 
Nothing scientific here. I can only speak for my own personal experience/perception; and this too has been mine . . .

No, they are more prone to splits plus tend to shed the nickel coating. The nickel can flake off.
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I have nickel cases in just about every caliber; but far and away, mostly for 357 Magnum. Since the beginning of this year, I have been in the process of "purging" my nickel plated 357 Mag ammo. After shooting, I will process them for reloading (size, flair, clean); but will then be put in long-term storage as reserve brass. Most of it is thoroughly used anyway. I have purchased new non-nickel 357 brass (R-P, Winchester, and lots of Starline) for current and future loading.

I also have lots of nickel-brass for other calibers. But they are only used for - umm - ammo for long-term storage, so to speak.
 
Guys one more question. Going to hunt white tail deer this year like every year but I want to do it with my casull. Would you use the 340 grain hardcast or the Swift A-frame 300 grain jacketed hollow point. Both shoot excellent in my gun and I killed lots of deer with a 44mag but I want to try the casull this year. I always used hollow points in the 44 but the casull is quite a bit hotter
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Either one. Both will hammer a deer, both great bullets, and both are cool :cool:

BTW If you have a good deal on nickel I'd take it. They look cool and if they are cheaper, well, that's a reload or two.

Please post pics of dead deer in the hunting forum when finished eh?
 
Nickel cases are not affected by leather cartridge belts. Brass cases will become discolored by leather cartridge loops.

Bob
WB8NQW
 
If you use a ultrasonic to clean your spent brass, do not mix nickel and brass casings in a single cleaning solution. Keep your solution that you have used on nickel separate from your solution used on brass casings. It will cause leeching and discolored looking casings.
 
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