Nickel vs. Brass Casings for Carry Ammo and Reloading

If you've ever shopped for high-end hunting or self-defense ammo, then you've probably already encountered nickel-plated brass cases. These often elicit the same questions from shooters:

Why are some cartridge cases nickel-plated?

What is the difference between a nickel-plated brass case and a brass one?

Can you reload nickel-plated brass cases?

Nickel plating on brass cases serves several purposes. It reduces metal-on-metal friction, which facilitates feeding and extraction. It protects against corrosion, which helps prevent the underlying brass from becoming coarse as a result of tarnishing. It is more reflective than bare brass, which makes the cartridge easier to see in the chamber (especially in low lighting). It makes a case easier to clean in preparation for handloading. It is also appealing from a cosmetic standpoint (which serves no tactical advantage, although ammo manufacturers would rather market high-end ammo that looks nice).

Although the benefits of nickel plated cases are often leveraged for hunting and defensive ammo, there are some drawback to consider when it comes to reloading.

In this article we will take a detailed look at both plated and unplated brass cases to help you understand the benefits and drawbacks of either.

What is the difference between a nickel-plated brass and a brass casing?

Brass cases are standard for all types of ammunition (with rare exceptions, such as 7mm Backcountry). Nickel-plated brass cases are electroplated with a thin layer of low-fiction, corrosion-resistant and reflective metal in order to enhance overall functionality.

Brass Cases

The development of brass-cased ammo over 200 years ago was a huge leap forward in firearms technology. It yielded a robust, consistent cartridge case that has been used by militaries, law enforcement agencies and civilians to excellent effect.

As a metal, brass is much more elastic than steel. A brass case stretches outward to form a tight seal against the chamber during ignition, thereby preventing gas and unburnt powder from flowing back into the chamber. In addition to promoting cleaner and more efficient ignition, a brass case's elasticity enables it to resume its original dimensions after ignition. That helps it extract reliably, and also makes it suitable for handloading (a pastime which rigid steel cases aren't fit for).

Pros of Brass Casings

Reusable

Brass cases maintain value after they are fired (and not just because they are mostly composed of semi-precious copper). They return to their original dimensions following ignition, in which condition they remain reloadable. Conversely, steel (and aluminum) cases are permanently altered by the force of ignition, and are too rigid to return to form. Make no mistake: If you want to handload, you need brass (or nickel-plated brass) cases.

Inexpensive

Brass cases are generally less expensive than nickel-plated ones (but costlier than steel and aluminum alternatives). Their design has been more or less perfected over the course of the past two centuries, and the 70% copper/30% zinc alloy its made of is relatively easy to source.

Reliable

Brass cases are known for their reliability under extreme weather and temperatures. They also return to the smame shape they had prior to ignition, which helps them avoid becoming lodged in the chamber.

Cons of Brass Casings

Tarnish and Corrosion

Perhaps the only downside to regular brass is its tendency to tarnish when consistently exposed to the elements, stored in adverse conditions, or handled excessively. For cowboy action shooters who store their ammo in leather belt loops, regular brass's corrosion issue is more apparent (as extended contact with the chemicals used for tanning causes corrosion).

Nickel-Plated Brass Cases

Nickel-plated cases offer a solution to the tarnishing issue brass cases often exhibit. Although some shooters might misunderstand their name, nickel cases are, in fact, brass cases that have a thin layer of nickel chemically bonded to them through a process known as electroplating.

Nickel is extremely resistant to corrosion and has a lower coefficient of friction. This is why many high-end self-defense loads, like Federal HST and Speer Gold Dot, are now loaded with nickel cases.

There are a lot of benefits to nickel cases. There are also some drawbacks that primarily affect handloading which need to be addressed.

Pros of Nickel Cases

Corrosion Resistance

One of the biggest benefits of nickel cases is their inherent corrosion resistance. Nickel-plated brass casings can be handled consistently, exposed to sweat and humidity, and allowed to come into contact with leather for extended periods without tarnishing.

Lower Friction

Another benefit of nickel cases is that they have a higher surface lubricity than standard brass. This means nickel-plated brass cases will generally feel slicker, feeed more reliably into the chamber for a semi-auto, and promote easier extraction (not just from semi-autos, but from a revolvers like those chambered fro 357 Magnum as well). This is one reason why many ammo manufacturers have started offering defense loads in nickel-plated cases.

Ease of Cleaning

Nickel cases are easier to clean than unplated brass ones. During cleaning, brass cases typically require a polish to be added to the tumbling media to remove any tarnish. However, for nickel cases, a quick clean in the tumbler with untreated media should be more than enough to clean off any dirt, unburnt powder, or debris in the cases to make them look brand new.

Visually Different

Have you ever had to perform a chamber check in low lighting? Then you might already appreciate how hard it can be to quickly spot a dull brass case in a dark chamber. Nickel plating is by no means glow-in-the-dark, although its greater reflectivity does make it more noticeable when there's less light around.

Nickel cases are also useful to differentiate between two types of reloads. For example, if you’re in bear country and carry defensive loads for your hunting rifle, you could handload your hunting ammo in brass cases and your bear ammo in nickel cases. This way they are easily identifiable without having to label them in any other way.

Cons of Nickel

More Expensive

The electroplating process requires additional time and materials which ammo manufacturers most certainly charge for. That's why the majority of practice ammo, like Remington UMC FMJ, is loaded with plain brass cases. They're cheaper.

Less Elastic

Brass is highly elastic, and returns to its original shape following ignition (although some resizing is still required before it can be handloaded). Nickel, on the other hand, is relatively brittle, and may crack and split during ignition. That's why handloaders typically report getting 10 or more reloads per brass case, but only about five for nickel-plated one. Your results may vary, though you should still expect fewer handloads from nickel cases.

Potential to Damage Reloading Dies or Firearms

It is possible for nickel to flake off and end up in your chamber or reloading dies. If this occurs, the flakes can scratch future cases.

To prevent this, exercise extra care while inspecting your nickel-plated brass cases prior to handloading them. If any nickel cases appear suspect, it is advisable to discard them.

Can You Reload Nickel Cases?

Yes, nickel cases can be reloaded.

However, it is advisable to use titanium or carbide reloading dies, as nickel can damage standard steel reloading dies. This typically only applies to rifle dies, as most handgun resizing dies are made from carbide already.

Nickel-plated cases also have a propensity to get stuck in reloading dies. It is advisable to ensure that you are using enough case lubricant to prevent a stuck case.

Final Shots: Nickel vs. Brass Cases

There are a lot of benefits to shooting nickel-plated brass cases. They have higher corrosion resistance than brass, and feel slicker when loaded into the chamber of your semi-auto handgun or revolver. This is the main reason why many defensive loads are now nickel cased.

Most of the downsides to nickel cases center around reloading. As nickel is harder than brass, it has the potential to damage your reloading dies. Also, nickel cases tend to have a shorter lifespan than brass ones.

If you have zero aspirations to handload your own ammo, you should not be concerned about running nickel cases through your firearms as most issues arise after multiple reloads of the same cases. If you do reload, just make sure inspect your nickel cases before a reloading session and you should not experience many issues except the occasional split case.

Regardless of your preference in ammo cases, make sure you stock up on ammunition here at Ammo.com. I’ll see you on the range!