reloading with nickel plated brass?

[timberghost72]

I have about 40 pieces of 300 WSM nickel plated brass and also a bunch of .357 mag and was wondering if there are any problems with using these as opposed to brass. Pros/cons? I am more interested in the 300 WSM then the .357 mag.

Also I am using Barnes 180 gr TSX with IMR 4350 and my groupings are not very good. Any suggestions on power to try? I would like to keep the 180 gr bullets.

[JPhelps]

The only CON that I have heard of is the nickel plating chipping.  I have heard the issue starts when you chamfer the neck.

I don't have any real world experience as I have always used brass casings.

[elkslayer069]

Try hodgens 4831 works well in all my rifles go to their website and start at their base load and go from there good luck.

[buckhorn2]

I have more trouble with the nickle brass case spitting when loaded a few times in my 300 wby as opposed to the brass you just need to check the necks.

[JKEEN33]

I have some of the nickle plated brass for my 300WSM and 325WSM. I have always heard it was hard to re-size and not to use it, but I have not had any issues with it. Make sure it is extra clean. One of the things I have read is it is harder and can scratch your dies. I just make sure its very clean and well lubed and have had no issues.

I use IMR 4831 for both the 300 and 325. Both shoot great groups, but who knows in a different rifle.

[timberghost72]

I have some of the nickle plated brass for my 300WSM and 325WSM. I have always heard it was hard to re-size and not to use it, but I have not had any issues with it. Make sure it is extra clean. One of the things I have read is it is harder and can scratch your dies. I just make sure its very clean and well lubed and have had no issues.

I use IMR 4831 for both the 300 and 325. Both shoot great groups, but who knows in a different rifle.

I have read and heard the opposite. Carbide is harder than nickel. So theroetically they shouldn't scratch or gall the dies.  Any metalurgists here??

[JKEEN33]

I have some of the nickle plated brass for my 300WSM and 325WSM. I have always heard it was hard to re-size and not to use it, but I have not had any issues with it. Make sure it is extra clean. One of the things I have read is it is harder and can scratch your dies. I just make sure its very clean and well lubed and have had no issues.

I use IMR 4831 for both the 300 and 325. Both shoot great groups, but who knows in a different rifle.

I have read and heard the opposite. Carbide is harder than nickel. So theroetically they shouldn't scratch or gall the dies.  Any metalurgists here??

The nickle plating is harder than just the regular brass is what I was going for. That added to dirty casings may scratch the die. Like I said, I have not found that to be the case. I use them where most don't.

[Heredoggydoggy]

A couple of things I've noticed about reloading/resizing nickle plated casings:  They need to be lubed more than plain brass cases, espcially if full length resizing, or swaging in the .40 cal. cases.  they seem a bit harder or thicker than brass cases.  Cleaning the cases is more critical, too.  I think that where the scratching comes in, is if a particle of grit gets embedded in the nickel plating and then pushed into the resizing die. 

[predatorpro]

I have about 40 pieces of 300 WSM nickel plated brass and also a bunch of .357 mag and was wondering if there are any problems with using these as opposed to brass. Pros/cons? I am more interested in the 300 WSM then the .357 mag.

Also I am using Barnes 180 gr TSX with IMR 4350 and my groupings are not very good. Any suggestions on power to try? I would like to keep the 180 gr bullets.

barnes tsx suck (i think they are just too long) i hated them in my gun they leave rediculous amounts of copper residue in your barrel and shoot like piss compared to anything else i have loaded, clean your barrel extremely well and go get some berger 180gr vld youll love em i will never shoot anything else in my 30-06

[SkookumJeff]

I have not noticed any significant issues using nickel plated brass over non plated brass.

Commenting on your accuracy, in case you don't know this...Barnes recommends seating their bullets some distance from the lands, starting at .05 and if necessary experimenting with seating depth from there...

This is different from traditional jacketed or cast bullet reloading technique which most folks seat to within .015 or less from the lands to minimize bullet 'jump'.  I've had very good results with accuracy with Barnes TSX bullets.

http://www.barnesbullets.com/information/bullet-talk/faq/

Skook

[timberghost72]

I have about 40 pieces of 300 WSM nickel plated brass and also a bunch of .357 mag and was wondering if there are any problems with using these as opposed to brass. Pros/cons? I am more interested in the 300 WSM then the .357 mag.

Also I am using Barnes 180 gr TSX with IMR 4350 and my groupings are not very good. Any suggestions on power to try? I would like to keep the 180 gr bullets.

barnes tsx suck (i think they are just too long) i hated them in my gun they leave rediculous amounts of copper residue in your barrel and shoot like piss compared to anything else i have loaded, clean your barrel extremely well and go get some berger 180gr vld youll love em i will never shoot anything else in my 30-06

I have to disagree. I load up 165 gr TSX for my 30-06 and can put them in a group no bigger than a quarter at 100 yards. That added to the fact that they put a hurtin on anything they hit make them a great bullet.

[timberghost72]

I have not noticed any significant issues using nickel plated brass over non plated brass.

Commenting on your accuracy, in case you don't know this...Barnes recommends seating their bullets some distance from the lands, starting at .05 and if necessary experimenting with seating depth from there...

This is different from traditional jacketed or cast bullet reloading technique which most folks seat to within .015 or less from the lands to minimize bullet 'jump'.  I've had very good results with accuracy with Barnes TSX bullets.

http://www.barnesbullets.com/information/bullet-talk/faq/

Skook

This is something that I need to learn. Right now I am just using the Barnes data for seating depth from the manual.

I wish that Winchester would sell their xp3 bullets. Those factory loads shoot good out of my 300 WSM and I have shot one animal with them and was impressed.

[fremont]

I found them much harder to use in the trimmer.  Plating chips, too.  Only use brass now.

[MDGrand]

I reload my nickle plated brass for my 300 RUM and my 300 WSM.

All in all, I get good results from them, however I have noticed chipping and from what I heard, they can be harder to resize.

Also, in researching nickle plated brass, I have read that they are meant to be one and done and apparently are NOT recommended for reloading.

I like the looks and the performance is just fine, so to each his own I guess.

As far as Barnes bullets..

Those are some of the best and from what I hear MOST people say inheritinly accurate bullets in MOST rifles. I find Barnes, Berger and Nosler to be the best and most advanced bullets out there.

Being all coppper, if shot a lot, they can give more copper fouling than most, but I don't shoot a ton of them. once I find a good receipe I just load em up.

[BurlyDogLasers]

I've only used nickel plated for .357 and .38. The only noted difference is when loading high pressure magnum rounds. The nickel cases tend to stick in the cylinder at a lower pressure due to rigidity.

[carpsniperg2]

Extra lube and after a few reloads you will start to see the nickel ware down. Other then that its just like normal brass. I reload a ton of nickel stuff. I also love the h4831 powder and use it in almost everyone of my guns 25cal and over.

[GoldTip]

I use handloaded nickel plated brass exclusively for my 300win mag and love it.  Much less case strecth in my opinion when loading it repeatedly.  Use a little more lube and they size just fine.

[timberghost72]

Thanks for all the advice and replys. I am going to load up some and see how things go.

[elkinrutdrivemenuts]

I have read and heard the opposite. Carbide is harder than nickel. So theroetically they shouldn't scratch or gall the dies.  Any metalurgists here??
[/quote]
I have only heard of carbide pistol dies, not rifle dies.  Where can you find carbide rifle dies?  I would love a set so I don't have to use case lube anymore.

[fremont]

You can find more & more carbide rifle sizing dies.  Used to be specialty manufacturers like Dillon whose progressive presses were pumping out 308 and 223.

[runningboard]

don't know about nickel plating but you could trade or outright buy some brass from different vendors @ gunshows. My hunting load in my 270 uses Barnes bullets & shoots .323" for 5 @ 100, for 130 TTSX, 150 MRX doesn't do too much worse 
good luck

[wadu1]

I have been using nickel plated for years with out any of the above issues. Some of my 30-06 are on the 10th reload no chiping or anything. I'm loading .270, .308, 30-06 and 45-70 all nickel and I bulk Remington from Midway USA and all need a trim and still no issues. And 99% of the bullets I use are TSX and here again no issues with copper fouling, if you want to see fouling try an Norma Orix my 9.3X62 looks like a new penny after shooting 10 or so.

[300rum]

I have hundreds of nickel .38 cases and have reloaded them dozens of times without any issues that are any different than brass.  I bought them bulk 15-20 years ago, one of the best brass purchases that I ever made!  I don't load them "hot", instead they are light plinking loads.  I have reloaded some .357 nickel cases but again, at low pressures.