Nickle brass

[beginner shooter]

Ok all, I've tried searching the forums and couldn't come up with anything to answere my question. Do you have to tumble nickel plated brass? It doesnt seem to get as nasty as the real brass and my press definately notices a difference with ease of the lever pull on the depriming stage. So when I tumble my brass should I throw this stuff in there too or just leave it out and leave more space in the tumbler for the actuall brass? Sorry if this has been discussed before, but I couldn't find it and I posted it in the .40/10mm forum since thats what the brass I'm reloading is. Thanks for any help.

-Mike

[Chris Keen]

I dont like to use nickle brass for all the problems that it can cause, but .... dirt is still dirt, no matter what surface it is on. I dont like to run any kind of dirt through my press so I tumble everything that I intend to reload.

[TwoShot]

I shoot nickel plated Speer brass for major 9. I do tumble all my brass before loading. While it is shiny there is still powder residue on the cases. It is a necessary step for me. You may find that resizing clean nickel plated brass can be more difficult that "brass" cases. I learned on the forum to spray the inside of a gallon freezer bag with Hornady One Shot, toss in several hands full of brass and roll it around to distribute the lube. Lubing the cases in this manner keeps the lube from getting inside the case. This makes resizing nickel or brass cases a breeze.

[beginner shooter]

I dont like to use nickle brass for all the problems that it can cause, but .... dirt is still dirt, no matter what surface it is on. I dont like to run any kind of dirt through my press so I tumble everything that I intend to reload.

I'm thankfull for the input. What do you mean with "the problems it can cause"? Ive fired it several times (maybe 1100 rounds) out of my glock 22 with zero issues. If its been disscussed before can you provide me with a link so I can read up on it? Thanks

-Mike

[beginner shooter]

I shoot nickel plated Speer brass for major 9. I do tumble all my brass before loading. While it is shiny there is still powder residue on the cases. It is a necessary step for me. You may find that resizing clean nickel plated brass can be more difficult that "brass" cases. I learned on the forum to spray the inside of a gallon freezer bag with Hornady One Shot, toss in several hands full of brass and roll it around to distribute the lube. Lubing the cases in this manner keeps the lube from getting inside the case. This makes resizing nickel or brass cases a breeze.

I see. What kind of dies do you use? All I have are the carbide dies from RCBS and lubing amy cases has never been something Ive seen a need to do with these particular dies. Everything seems to run smoothly even with residue still on the case (for the deprimer/resizing die only as they get tumbled after this stage).

[Merlin Orr]

Cleanliness is next to Godliness.

Oliver Wendel Holmes.

[Pezco]

I can't image using brass that hasn't been cleaned.

[twodownzero]

Just to point out, you don't really "need" to clean ANY brass.

Before I became a high volume reloader, I didn't even own a tumbler. I own one now and use it religiously, but it isn't absolutely essential to tumble your brass, it just is a good idea for a number of reasons (easier to inspect cases and find cracks, keeps dirt out of the dies, etc.).

If you have a tumbler, I wouldn't see any reason not to tumble all of your brass. I definitely tumble all of mine now that I have one. But for years I didn't tumble anything at all and it didn't create any serious problems, other than that it meant I had to throw out any case that was heavily tarnished.

[TwoShot]

I shoot nickel plated Speer brass for major 9. I do tumble all my brass before loading. While it is shiny there is still powder residue on the cases. It is a necessary step for me. You may find that resizing clean nickel plated brass can be more difficult that "brass" cases. I learned on the forum to spray the inside of a gallon freezer bag with Hornady One Shot, toss in several hands full of brass and roll it around to distribute the lube. Lubing the cases in this manner keeps the lube from getting inside the case. This makes resizing nickel or brass cases a breeze.

I see. What kind of dies do you use? All I have are the carbide dies from RCBS and lubing amy cases has never been something Ive seen a need to do with these particular dies. Everything seems to run smoothly even with residue still on the case (for the deprimer/resizing die only as they get tumbled after this stage).

My sizing die is an EGW 9mm die. The rest are Hornady.

[Joe4d]

The "problems" you asked about with nickle involve the nickle, The cases are slightly stiffer and more brittle, they will crack sooner, The plating on multi reloaded cases comes off, sometimes during tumbling, sometimes inside the gun, Nickle plating was used to keep the acid in leather from corroding the brass cases, back when people carried bullets in leather belt loops. Somewhere along the lines it got assosiated with premium ammo so loaders have been using it ever since. I shoot at a range that Gov agencies use so get alot of once fired nickle at matches. I tumble it but for less time, I save it for my Sunday Go to meeting brass.

[LPatterson]

twodownzero Just to point out, you don't really "need" to clean ANY brass.

I have a RCBS carbide resizing die that produces about a dozen scratches in every piece of brass because I listened to that type of advice. If you are cleaning the brass after you resize why not clean it first?

Edited March 14, 2010 by LPatterson

[XD Niner]

The "problems" you asked about with nickle involve the nickle, The cases are slightly stiffer and more brittle, they will crack sooner, The plating on multi reloaded cases comes off, sometimes during tumbling, sometimes inside the gun, Nickle plating was used to keep the acid in leather from corroding the brass cases, back when people carried bullets in leather belt loops. Somewhere along the lines it got assosiated with premium ammo so loaders have been using it ever since. I shoot at a range that Gov agencies use so get alot of once fired nickle at matches. I tumble it but for less time, I save it for my Sunday Go to meeting brass.

One advantage of nickel plated brass is that it is a lot easier to find in long gras.