Problem with reloading nickel plated cases

**Iron Sights** · February 16th, 2014, 09:07 AM

I have been reloading .357 mag brass cases for years with no problems. I just tried 50 nickel plated and ran into a problem. I usually use a taper crimp and the results were some loose bullets or very small cracks at the rim on the ones that were tight. The bullets came from a box that I've used before without any problems. I ran them through the sizing die and all bullets are tight and no small cracks visible. Powder load was light and bullets are 158 grain lead.

Any suggestions on the crimping issue? Die was not adjusted at any time.

Do you think the bullet was deformed since it went through the sizing die and cannot be reused?

Would anyone fire them, MOL is fine?

It was an overall bad day because I dropped my caliber and broke it after checking the minimal overall length. I couldn't check the diameter of the cases after resizing.

**DucatiRon** · February 16th, 2014, 09:24 AM

I've reloaded a bunch of nickel brass in various calibers. I still roll crimp my 38/357 but have ran into split cases also. The general consensus on the web is that the nickel plating causes the brass to become more brittle and tends to crack sooner than standard brass. That also could be the result of the loose cases where the brass is not holding its shape anymore.

I would not fire any case with a loose bullet or a split. Best case scenario is that you get a squib because the case cannot build enough pressure to properly discharge. Worse case scenario is the brass has catastrophic failure and you loose a finger or 3.

Follow the number 1 rule of reloading

"When in Doubt, Throw it Out"

**Iron Sights** · February 16th, 2014, 09:29 AM

That was my plan, but do you think the bullets can be salvaged?

**DucatiRon** · February 16th, 2014, 09:46 AM

As long as they spec to the correct diameter sure. I've salvaged bunches.

The biggest reason you couldn't save them is if by some weird chance say your sizing die was misadjusted or dirty when you ran them through the sizing die and it crushed the diameter of the bullet. Seen this a bunch with misadjusted taper crimp dies. The crimp die smashes the brass into the bullet and then being the brass is more flexible than the lead/copper bullet it snaps back to shape leaving you a loose crushed unusable bullet.

**Iron Sights** · February 16th, 2014, 10:07 AM

I'll have to wait to get a new caliber.

**Fred762** · February 20th, 2014, 08:56 PM

Originally Posted by Iron Sights

I'll have to wait to get a new caliber.

CaliPer??

I've run into a few split nickeled cases over the years, but not too many. I guess I'm not crimping them as tight as you R. I mostly use plain brass cases anyways and load light for practice loads in .357 and .38...

**Bang** · February 21st, 2014, 04:25 PM

When reloading for a revolver, many do not full-length resize. See if it will chamber in your revolver(s) as is. If it will, there is no need to full-length resize it. Resize the area that will hold the projectile. Form the bell just enough to allow the projectile to begin to seat without shaving any lead. Unnecessarily wide belling followed by heavy crimping works the brass more than needed.

I've seen plenty of .38 Spec fired on the range with moderate target loads and small splits with no problems. If the split just happened, and is only an eighth or so, and it's a moderate target load, I would shoot it ONE AT A TIME. The reason being, recoil could cause set-back of adjacently loaded split-mouthed rounds, possibly creating a too-short COL and heightened CUP. Don't store loaded rounds with split cases for a long time. The split will cause the neck tension to relax over time. It's embarrassing to spill lead and powder on the range shelf.