Thoughts on standardizing on nickel plated brass for my 9mm reloads

[root]

One thing I have noticed with nickle cases is the nickle wears off over multiple reloads and starts to show the brass.

Haven't seen anyone mention that so I thought I would.

Like others I reload the cases until lost or beyond reloading and have noticed it with nickle cases.
Other then the nickle wearing off I've seen no difference in the cases.
I've never kept track of the nickle stuff so I don't know when the nickle starts to wear.

 

[amphibian]

One thing I have noticed with nickle cases is the nickle wears off over multiple reloads and starts to show the brass.

Haven't seen anyone mention that so I thought I would.

Like others I reload the cases until lost or beyond reloading and have noticed it with nickle cases.
Other then the nickle wearing off I've seen no difference in the cases.
I've never kept track of the nickle stuff so I don't know when the nickle starts to wear.

I mentioned that in my first post. It is point #3: "Once I see the nickel starting to wear off, maybe that is a good indicator to put it in my don't pick up stash or just stop using it"

Again, I thought about doing this for my son who is only 13. I've had case head separations from shooting the same piece of brass too many times. Not a big deal for me but I don't want him to have an unpleasant experience because I'm a cheap ass re-using the same piece of brass till it shears apart. It also doesn't help that I make my reloads relatively hot.

I like the idea of the Nickel being a built in wear indicator.

 

[root]

Ok guess ai missed that point on #3

Never thought of it as a wear point cause like you I just load em till they are all used up LOL

Cheap you say?
I started reloading in 1993 when 9mm was 4.99 a box of 50.
And yes it was due to the price of 9mm.

 

[arch stanton]

I mentioned that in my first post. It is point #3: "Once I see the nickel starting to wear off, maybe that is a good indicator to put it in my don't pick up stash or just stop using it"

Again, I thought about doing this for my son who is only 13. I've had case head separations from shooting the same piece of brass too many times. Not a big deal for me but I don't want him to have an unpleasant experience because I'm a cheap ass re-using the same piece of brass till it shears apart. It also doesn't help that I make my reloads relatively hot.

I like the idea of the Nickel being a built in wear indicator.

I do the same thing with the nickel cartridges and toss them when the wear shows

 

[trilogymac]

I remember the Alabama Ammo 147gr.. It was great stuff, nickel plated and I never had a malfunction.
I think its a great idea to load the nickel for your son!

 

[amphibian]

I remember the Alabama Ammo 147gr.. It was great stuff, nickel plated and I never had a malfunction.
I think its a great idea to load the nickel for your son!

Thanks...btw, I just updated my website with some data I had regarding COL and stuff. My website is really just a place for me to put my own notes...
https://c3junkie.com/?page_id=2324

 

[trilogymac]

Thanks...btw, I just updated my website with some data I had regarding COL and stuff. My website is
https://c3junkie.com/?page_id=2324

I’m over there fairly regular.😊

 

[skoda]

I too am a range scrounger as many people shoot new ammo and leave the brass for scum dogs like me to pick up. I have occasionally found some kind of two part cases that are half steel and half brass and they are always nickel plated. They cannot be reloaded and break decapping pins so I sort them out.

I recommend sorting 100% before reloading. I do a quick look for overall condition especially split mouths, stones or other junk inside that doesn't get removed in the polisher, staked primers, berdan primers, bent mouths, and severe corrosion. Might be a good skill to teach your kid.

I do specifically use plated cases for 45 Colt because I load black powder for my Italo-1873 SAA. The plating helps keep corrosion down and helps denote the powder inside. I load smokeless powder in plain brass cases for my other 45 Colt guns.

 

[slimshady]

Those are Shellshock cases, nickel not brass. They are reloadable but require special dies.

Sizing and Flaring Dies, 9mm | Shell Shock Technologies

Reloading Die Sets for Shell Shock's 9mm NAS³ Cases Set 1 Includes a sizing die and a flaring die For use with Hornady, RCBS, Lee, and similar presses Set 1 can be purchased from S3 Reload https://s3reload.com/product/s3-reload-and-lee-sizing-flaring-dies-for-shell-shock-nas3-cases-9mm-luger/...

shellshocktechnologies.com

 

[Slowmo]

Those are Shellshock cases, nickel not brass. They are reloadable but require special dies.

Sizing and Flaring Dies, 9mm | Shell Shock Technologies

Reloading Die Sets for Shell Shock's 9mm NAS³ Cases Set 1 Includes a sizing die and a flaring die For use with Hornady, RCBS, Lee, and similar presses Set 1 can be purchased from S3 Reload https://s3reload.com/product/s3-reload-and-lee-sizing-flaring-dies-for-shell-shock-nas3-cases-9mm-luger/...

shellshocktechnologies.com

Learn something new everyday. Seems like a fairly convoluted answer to a series of nonexistent or mostly nonexistent problems. I guess maybe if you’re loading nuclear loads that are killing primer pockets there might be some advantage?

“Shell Shock’s NAS3 9mm cases are 50% lighter than brass cases, offer greater lubricity and will not abrade, clog, foul, wear-out or damage breach and ejector mechanisms. The cases offer greater corrosion resistance, higher tensile strength (2x stronger) and more elasticity than brass. NAS3cases have been tested successfully to pressures over 50k psi. NAS3 cases eject cool to-the-touch and can be picked up with a magnet.

NAS3 cases will not split, chip, crack or grow (stretch) and are fully-reloadable using a set of S3 Reload dies.”

 

[slimshady]

Main advantage I see is easy retrieval using the long dreamed of "brass magnet" for reloaders. One of those magnets on rollers commonly used to remove nails off the ground after a construction project would eliminate a lot of bending over. That and long life even with +P+++ loads... OTOH fired 9mm brass is so cheap and laying about everywhere that replenishment of one's supply is not a hardship.

 

[Slowmo]

Main advantage I see is easy retrieval using the long dreamed of "brass magnet" for reloaders. One of those magnets on rollers commonly used to remove nails off the ground after a construction project would eliminate a lot of bending over. That and long life even with +P+++ loads... OTOH fired 9mm brass is so cheap and laying about everywhere that replenishment of one's supply is not a hardship.

It would be interesting to see how they hold up to an open bolt SMG. My Uzi really smashes them. It leaves imprints on the casehead matching the ejector and extractor slots.