Hi folks

I've got a Howa in .308. When getting the last batch of supplies, I was offered a bag of Nickel Cases at a bargain price. I've loaded them up and the Howa doesn't like them. For some reason, it prefers Lapua brass. I hear that benchrest shooters like them.

Can anyone tell me what nickel cases are recommended for?

Cheers

D

I think the nickel is intended to prevent corrosion, and possibly look cool. I have some for .357 Mag and .280 Rem. So far I haven't noticed any difference in performance or accuracy but, in the .357, the nickel cases haven't lasted as many loadings as the plain brass. They seem to be more brittle and I have had some split on firing. This could be that my dies are overworking them though. My .280 nickeled has been fired 3 times so far with no problem.

Corrosion is correct. Nickel plated cases came out for law enforcment years ago when they were using revolvers and carried ammunition in leather belt loops. The tanning acid used in leather will create a green slim (can't remember what it's called) on plain brass cases. Now the nickel cases are produced for the same reason and to aid in less corrosion when hunting in inclimate weather and for selfdefence rounds that stay in the chambers for long periods of time. They also tend to extract easier then plain brass. A lot of high preformance rounds are in nickel brass (mostly hunting and defence). I still carry ammunition in leather belt loops for both my revolvers (SAA mostly) and rifles. I get almost as many loadings from them as my brass cases. Maybe one or two less.

Thanks folks

What I might do is go through the whole case preperation sequence again and see if they get any better.

Many thanks

D

Bushmaster wrote:

Corrosion is correct. Nickel plated cases came out for law enforcment years ago when they were using revolvers and carried ammunition in leather belt loops. The tanning acid used in leather will create a green slim (can't remember what it's called) on plain brass cases. Now the nickel cases are produced for the same reason and to aid in less corrosion when hunting in inclimate weather and for selfdefence rounds that stay in the chambers for long periods of time. They also tend to extract easier then plain brass. A lot of high preformance rounds are in nickel brass (mostly hunting and defence). I still carry ammunition in leather belt loops for both my revolvers (SAA mostly) and rifles. I get almost as many loadings from them as my brass cases. Maybe one or two less.

i got the green corrosion from using a elastic shell holder it got a bit of sweat on it and the shells went green!!

Same thing, Morax...Acids in your sweat...

Copper/Brass corrosion if you want to see just how green it can go look at the Canadian Parliament buildings, the roofs are copper.

Dimitri

I tried the nickel cases when Speer "Lawman" ammo came out. The were real bad about splitting at the necks. Some would split after the first reloading and some lasted three. I use only the brass cases now and I can load then more than 10 times.

I usually use nickel cases to keep loads for different rifles or handguns in the same caliber separate. It's a quick check and prevents frustration. Honestly, I can't tell any difference in accuracy, ease of sizing (other than one lot of .44 Magnum brass) or durability...but they do clean up nice!