HNDLDR
Well-Known Member
I'm sure this has been covered somewhere but is it worth the effort? Does it hurt the plating?
I'm using the salt bath method.
I'm using the salt bath method.
Annealing Nickel plated brass
- Thread starter HNDLDR
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No.
I have never annealed them, and I've been using nickel plated brass on and off for 30+ years, grew up using it with my dad.
It's what I am using on all my hunting rifles now, two 7mm-08's and one 7mm Rem Mag.
On one '08 im using Winchester and on the other two rifles Federal. I also have some Remington's I need to prep the necks on for the 7 Rem Mag.
Some of the Winchester brass is on its 10th or 11th firing and no issues at all.
Some will say don't use it as it will ruin your dies and chamber as the nickel flakes off. This is not true, if you regularly clean your rifles and your dies you'll be perfectly fine.
One of my RCBS reloading dies for the 7mm-08 is 20+ years old and it has gone through thousands of reloads now with normal and nickel plated brass, again, I do clean them but you need to anyway.
Hope this helps and stay safe
I have never annealed them, and I've been using nickel plated brass on and off for 30+ years, grew up using it with my dad.
It's what I am using on all my hunting rifles now, two 7mm-08's and one 7mm Rem Mag.
On one '08 im using Winchester and on the other two rifles Federal. I also have some Remington's I need to prep the necks on for the 7 Rem Mag.
Some of the Winchester brass is on its 10th or 11th firing and no issues at all.
Some will say don't use it as it will ruin your dies and chamber as the nickel flakes off. This is not true, if you regularly clean your rifles and your dies you'll be perfectly fine.
One of my RCBS reloading dies for the 7mm-08 is 20+ years old and it has gone through thousands of reloads now with normal and nickel plated brass, again, I do clean them but you need to anyway.
Hope this helps and stay safe
HNDLDR
Well-Known Member
I usually just use regular brass but I have an AR style rifle in 7mm-08. It scratches the brass really bad when it ejects the casing. I'm hoping the harder nickel plating will stop the scratching. I just ordered 100 Rds of Starline nickel plated brass so we'll see if it help my problem. MidwayUSA predicted like three weeks for it to get here so I hope that's not the case.
aushunter1
Well-Known Member
Reloading Nickel plated brass??
What are your thoughts on reloading nickel plated rifle cases?
Yep, annealed nickel plated brass for my 300 WSM. I have so many reloads on the nickel, at least 10, and have annealed them every reload for the last 5 reloads. Worked fine for me and yes I also use the salt bath. Before the salt bath I used a torch and Tempilaq. Biggest thing I saw after annealing was the significance of a much lower ES in my velocities. Just make sure all your brass is of the same manufacturer. I have data that shows all brass, nickel of not, have very different velocities in my 300 WSM. A spread of about 55 fps from fastest to slowest. I deprime, anneal, and then resize.
I have now retired all my nickel and non nickel brass that had 10 plus reloads. Four different types, Winchester brass and nickel, Federal Nickel and Nosler/Norma. I have now switched exclusively to Nosler/Norma (I learned they are both made by Norma) as they have produced the highest velocities as well as the lowest ES.
Your mileage may vary.
I have now retired all my nickel and non nickel brass that had 10 plus reloads. Four different types, Winchester brass and nickel, Federal Nickel and Nosler/Norma. I have now switched exclusively to Nosler/Norma (I learned they are both made by Norma) as they have produced the highest velocities as well as the lowest ES.
Your mileage may vary.
Stan Malinky
Well-Known Member
I have been using Nickel plated brass in my 300 WSM for 15 + years now and the gun shoots +/- 1/4 MOA. I do not know why but that gun likes that brass. I have tried NORMA and I have not had as good results with the same load. Yes, you do have to pay attention to the dies. I clean mine before every batch!
Nickel plating is used prior to chrome plating on various items etc
It is not hard but coats the metal to prevent rust
It may flake but not like chrome
Let us know how it works out
Good luck
Chuck32571
Well-Known Member
I've annealed nickel plated brass in my Worlds Perfect Annealing Machine and have had no problems. The machine gives different settings for a caliber by manufactures so you get the perfect results.
HNDLDR
Well-Known Member
Thank you for all of your replies. I'm hoping the brass shows up tonight. Will have to work for another week before I get to try any of it.
I was thinking of gettin the Starline nickel plated for my 7mm-08 but I bought some Federal premium ammo instead and will use their nichel plated brass instead. Theirs has always been good quality.
Hope the Starline works out good and please keep me posted.
Stay safe
HNDLDR
Well-Known Member
Got the brass last night. Some of the mouths weren't quite round so I just ran then over the expander ball of the die. I did run the deburring tools inside and out to keep it from scratching my bullets too much.
Now I just need to see if I can find some bullets in all my boxes that haven't been unpacked from the move. That part may take a while.
Now I just need to see if I can find some bullets in all my boxes that haven't been unpacked from the move. That part may take a while.
