EricW Posted September 6, 2005 Share Posted September 6, 2005 Because nicked-plated brass has turned into a living hell for me. Reloading has been a nightmare recently. I've wrecked a .223 die (which I unfairly maligned Dillon for) and have had to re-polish my 40 die several times a session - all because of severe scoring in the die. I thought that I was getting the scoring because my 223 die was improperly tempered or something. I thought the scoring in my 40 die was probably because I accidentally contaminated the brass while doing some grinding in the shop. I cleaned my brass with new media, cleaned all the containers that the brass touched....with no improvement. My carbide was *still* gettting scored like crazy. The carbide getting scored wouldn't be so bad if it didn't then make deep scratches in the brass.. Well...last week at the steel match one of the guys said, "don't you have trouble with the nickel brass? It ruins all of my dies." Hmm..... As soon as I sorted out all the nickel-plated brass, the scoring problem was dramatically reduced. I still am getting the occasional scratch in the die which I'm attributing to rogue nickel flakes. Has anyone else been through this hell? I've never had a problem until very recently. I guess it's because my brass must be getting old, but this is the nuttiest thing I've ever seen. I didn't realize nickel could trash carbide. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Posted September 6, 2005 Share Posted September 6, 2005 Man, I ran Rem Nickel .38 stupor brass exclusively in a Dillon die for a number of years with zilch problems. I still have some of that brass that is maybe 6x now and it runs through the press mixed with ww brass no problemo. I never see nickel brass anywhere else (9x19 is the only range brass I have/use other than commercially processed .223). Nickel in .223? -- Regards, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vlad Posted September 6, 2005 Share Posted September 6, 2005 Despite warnings about the end of the world, I have zero problems with nickle brass which is all I use for 9mm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Cheely Posted September 6, 2005 Share Posted September 6, 2005 Never had a problem. I load mixed 9mm, 38spl. and 45. Haven't noticed anything with the nickle cases. In fact, this is the first time I've heard of such a problem. Knock on wood Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shred Posted September 6, 2005 Share Posted September 6, 2005 I was terribly happy in my ignorance that there had never been nickel 38 Supercomp or TJ made, until somebody handed me a nickeled 38 SC case a few months ago. Gaaaa! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XRe Posted September 6, 2005 Share Posted September 6, 2005 I was terribly happy in my ignorance that there had never been nickel 38 Supercomp or TJ made, until somebody handed me a nickeled 38 SC case a few months ago. Gaaaa! <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I ended up with about 100 Tefni-2000 coated SC cases at one point - but it looks different than nickel. Who would waste the money to nickel plate SuperComp cases??? Sheesh.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirtypool40 Posted September 6, 2005 Share Posted September 6, 2005 I love the way kuhnikel .40's run through my machine and gun so much I bought a butt load of them. No scoring noticed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warpspeed Posted September 6, 2005 Share Posted September 6, 2005 No problems with nickle plated brass here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiG Lady Posted September 6, 2005 Share Posted September 6, 2005 I've never had any problems with nickel-plated brass, but tend to avoid it. What few I occasionally find in my stash, I just give to my Rangemaster who seems to lust after them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted September 6, 2005 Author Share Posted September 6, 2005 Back from the dead... Hello, Dillon? Any clues? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merlin Orr Posted September 6, 2005 Share Posted September 6, 2005 Nickle - barf.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Run n Gun Posted September 6, 2005 Share Posted September 6, 2005 Has anyone else been through this hell? I've never had a problem until very recently. I guess it's because my brass must be getting old, but this is the nuttiest thing I've ever seen. I didn't realize nickel could trash carbide. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Yep! For the longest time I had a real love affair nickel cases (it’s sooo shiny!) and then I scored a carbide 45 sizing die. Now I give them away and everyone looks at me like I’m crazy when I caution ‘em about using them. Eric, I think we need to start a club... Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlos Posted September 6, 2005 Share Posted September 6, 2005 I use nickel plated suff in .40, 9 and 45 wihtout a second thought. HOWEVER, it always bothered me that people were scared to death of mild steel cases (even though they never tried them) and yet those same people ran a substance MUCH harder through their dies every day (nickel is a whole lot harder than mild steel. GRANTED, one is plated on in a thin coating (nickel) and the other is the actual case material, but still. When nickel wears off the cases (we have all seen that happen) where do you suppose it goes & what do you suppose it does along the way? Think about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted September 7, 2005 Author Share Posted September 7, 2005 I'm wondering if the nickel scratching is related to my switching over to Brasso. I've used nickel cases with zero problems until very recently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DougCarden Posted September 7, 2005 Share Posted September 7, 2005 OH GAWD, here goes the "hate brasso" mantra.... Seriously, I use brasso as well if I am out of Dillon media treatment as well, and give away my nickel cases, due to the fact that I am a Accuracy freak and Nickel case mouths are not as consistent as brass...plus I dont like loading nickel .40 cases numerous times either . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin c Posted September 7, 2005 Share Posted September 7, 2005 I reload mostly RP nickel .40, cleaned with Frankford Arsenal polish in walnut hull. After a few reloadings there tends to be some flaking of the plating at the case mouth, but I've yet to see a scored case. Still working on the first Dillon carbide sizer in my SDB, approximately 100k rounds, 70% nickel. Kevin C. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted September 7, 2005 Author Share Posted September 7, 2005 OK, I loaded up 700 or so rounds tonight with no nickel cases. Everything else broke, but my die isn't scored up. It's pattern recognition time... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jessej Posted September 7, 2005 Share Posted September 7, 2005 I noticed nickel cases actually smoothed things out on my press. What kind of mojo you using on 'em cases? Could it be the Brasso? I just use the Dillon cleaning stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted September 8, 2005 Author Share Posted September 8, 2005 OK, Now that I've sorted the nickel out of my existing brass, I found out that Brassman will sell me mixed headstamp, brass only for $15/K. Free at last... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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