Nickel Plated brass

[jschroep]

Is there any difference between nickel plated brass and normal brass?

 

Also can I swap bullets in the reloading recipes I find in a book? IE if it calls for Berry's 124's can I put MG CMJ 124's? I would assume the primary difference between the two bullet types would be the seating depth and OAL. That would result in higher pressure right?

 

I am working on finding a load for 9mm major but would like to also be able to use the same powder for 9 minor in the mean time as I am waiting to get my open gun.

 

Here is an example of the recipe in question. 

 

 

[Hi-Power Jack]

I haven't seen any difference between brass and nickel plated, but have read the nickel will peel off -

I've never seen that though.

 

You can swap bullets, if they're the same type - lead, coated, jacketed.  You can use any of these,

but in OPEN, you might want to used completely jacketed bullets to prevent clogging your comp.

Lead will go faster, all else equal, than jacketed.  But, if you cut the powder down, and work up

slowly with a chrono, you should be okay.

 

If you're going to wait 12-18 months for your Open gun, I'd stay away from HS6 which is very

dirty at Minor loadings, and get a powder for Minor , e.g.  WW231 or N320.  Then use the HS6

for your Open loads.

 

Don't try working up your Major loads until you get the gun.  Don't want to have 1,000 rounds

lying around that don't work well in your gun.

 

Not sure why, but I get the feeling that you're NOT waiting for a 2011 for your OPEN gun ???

Glock ?

[36873687]

Not. mine but 9 major an primers were magnum. After I seen that I save nickle for minor

Edited February 15, 2020 by 36873687

[jschroep]

I wound up getting a 2011 and have a Limcat on the way. Should be here in May! Ordered in December. Not sure what their wait time is now though. 

 

Didn't know that about HS-6 at minor PF. That's good to know.

 

At the moment I guess I'll be trying HS-6 and Autocomp for major. What other powders are good to try for major?

[chevrofreak]

I had some issues using nickel brass when I was first loading 9major, where a small ring of the nickel at the case mouth would break off, enter the throat and jam the gun up. 

 

I use it only for SD type loads or minor PF now. 

[chevrofreak]

2 hours ago, jschroep said:

I wound up getting a 2011 and have a Limcat on the way. Should be here in May! Ordered in December. Not sure what their wait time is now though. 

 

Didn't know that about HS-6 at minor PF. That's good to know.

 

At the moment I guess I'll be trying HS-6 and Autocomp for major. What other powders are good to try for major?

After trying Autocomp, HS-6,Power Pistol, N350, 3N38, Accurate #7, Ramshot Silhouette is my go to. 

Edited February 15, 2020 by chevrofreak

[jschroep]

From what I understand the only reason that was recommended to me was to avoid the stepped brass. I figure I'll just be inspecting my brass anyway before loading so stepped brass isn't really gonna be an issue. 

 

That whole stepped brass thing seems like a really bad idea from some small ammo manufacturers.

[36873687]

2 hours ago, jschroep said:

From what I understand the only reason that was recommended to me was to avoid the stepped brass. I figure I'll just be inspecting my brass anyway before loading so stepped brass isn't really gonna be an issue. 

 

That whole stepped brass thing seems like a really bad idea from some small ammo manufacturers.

It’s simple look at the head stamp after u case gage in the hundo. 

[Silent]

I’ve had no issues so far after about 1500 rounds of nickel 9 major. It’s pretty much all Speer and Hornady. Before that I loaded almost 10k of nickel .40. I like it because it’s easy to tell your brass from everyone else without marking it. 

[haiedras]

From what I understand the only reason that was recommended to me was to avoid the stepped brass. I figure I'll just be inspecting my brass anyway before loading so stepped brass isn't really gonna be an issue. 
 
That whole stepped brass thing seems like a really bad idea from some small ammo manufacturers.

You won't see that with new brass anymore, it's older stock you have to keep an eye for from freedom.

[chevrofreak]

3 hours ago, haiedras said:

 

You won't see that with new brass anymore, it's older stock you have to keep an eye for from freedom.

 

There are other brands, like Ammoload, IMT and MAXXTech.

[haiedras]

9 hours ago, chevrofreak said:

There are other brands, like Ammoload, IMT and MAXXTech.

AMMOLOAD and IMT are under the same corporate umbrella as FM. 

[K-Texas]

The only differences I've seen is that nickel cases, depending on brand, can be slightly thicker like .012" within 1mm of the case-mouth vs .011" for non-plated.

 

As far as data, different makers of plated bullets have their own guidelines and velocity specs. They are typically .356" dia vs .355" for jacketed, so there's obviously a difference. Some makers say to use cast bullet data, while a few say jacketed data is okay. Maybe the best policy, depending on the powder/brand is to use plated data for bullets of the same dia. and usually .356" If you use Accurate or Ramshot powders, you'll find data for plated bullets as well.

[HHjr]

I know this is old thread.... just fwiw.... I’ve chron’d pistol loads in brass and plated brass.... I’ve found that plated adds 5fps on average

 

HHjr

[AverageJoeShooting]

nickle plated 38sc is easier to find after finishing a stage 

[TRPOperator]

Nothing wrong with nickel brass. I used it all the time when I was shooting 9Maj. 

 

HS6, WAC,  CFE pistol, 3n37, n350. Not sure you get enough 3n38 in that case, it will depend on the gun

AA7, Shooters world Major pistol. All of those powders will work for 9maj with 124s. some might be limited if you use 115s. 

 

Most load the OAL to somewhere close to 1.165-1.170 to lower the pressure. 

 

But other comments are correct in start low and only load 10-15 or so to chrono etc at different powder weights and wait for the gun to arrive. 

 

 

On 2/15/2020 at 2:03 PM, 36873687 said:

Not. mine but 9 major an primers were magnum. After I seen that I save nickle for minor

As for this. I would say there was something off more than just the use of nickel brass. I used to run range brass for practice in 9maj and never had an issue with nickel causing anything close to that. Just my opinion but that issue has nothing to do with brass. I would def be checking for breach face erosion though. 

[wgj3]

On 2/15/2020 at 3:03 PM, 36873687 said:

Not. mine but 9 major an primers were magnum. After I seen that I save nickle for minor

Nickel cases had nothing to do with those primers popping...

[igolfat8]

Nickel plated brass cases are harder and the process makes the cases brittle. I get more case cracking on nickel than I do on brass. I used nickel exclusively one winter and I got an average of 6 reloads out of a case before it split and that was with minor loads. All my nickel cases are now reserved for matches where I have to leave my brass at other clubs.

[Glockster1]

I can't stand nickel plated brass. Stuff is too rigid hard for easy reloading and the case walls are thicker for no good reason. They're only nickel for the purposes of law-enforcement use in all weather conditions. They do clean in a vibratory tumbler must faster than plain brass cases. You can HAVE all of mine!

[haiedras]

Well ok then, ship them to me. [emoji1787][emoji1787]

[RePete]

I use nickel plated cases all the time, along brass,  to a PF of 150.

 

As previously stated the plating will flake, the cases are brittle so they will split earlier.

 

They are lost, generally, before I have problems.

[AHI]

at one time nickel cases were preferd for major. something about being more consinsit 

in volume.

[stick]

I use nickel plated brass and I haven't had any issues...but I've seen some nickel plated steel cases recently.  I would run a magnet over them just to make sure they're not steel cases that were nickel plated.

[haiedras]

You sure those are the two piece shellshock cases? Those are nickel cases with a steel rim.

[igolfat8]

On 5/1/2020 at 6:50 PM, haiedras said:

You sure those are the two piece shellshock cases? Those are nickel cases with a steel rim.

Are you sure? I thought they were stainless steel cases?