Can I reload silver-colorer brass? (photo added)

[KirkD]

I have some Winchester 30-30 casings but they are not brass coloured, they are silver coloured? What are they made of and can I resize and reload them?

[Streetstar]

Nickel plated? I believe you can reload 'em same as brass (i hope so, i've done it many times to nickel 38/357 casings)

[Marvin S]

Just inspect them for chips in the plating, other wise good to go.

[ollogger]

sounds like nickel cases to me? I just sized some 243s & 357s tonight
I shaved some nickel off one in a 300 Win. case one time & stuck the case good & proper
so I am a little leery of them, for me it seems they size harder & I check to see if they chamber
be for I fill them up, what brand are they?




ollogger

[KirkD]

what brand are they?

Winchester brand

[Lassiter]

Absolutely, you can reload them, but if you don't want to risk it.........send 'em to me

[Paladin]

Load .308 match and .300 Win Mag nickel cases often enough never had a problem. If not nickle Hurters made some steel cases that were Berdan primed I would not reload if I had the equipment.

[Griff]

what brand are they?

Winchester brand

Look at the headstamps. Winchester often made production runs to match their Commemoratives in nickel plated cases. My .32-40 JW cases are so marked.

I probably have 100 .38Spl nickel plated pieces of brass... with LARGE pistol pockets! Apparently production at the Peters plant in OH ceased after WWII... I don't know of any other facility that produced cartridge ammo under the Peters headstamp.

Nickel plated brass is often said to be more brittle and subject to mouth splits and cracks... But, I haven't had that happen to any I've had... I have some cases where the nickel is so worn, they're almost down the underlying brass.

[JerryB]

Kirk, I have loaded a lot of nickel .38 and .357 brass with out any problems. If the cases look good use them, I always lube them a little anyway.

[Malamute]

They are nice to carry in cartridge belts or other leather as they dont get verdigris, though they seem slicker and seem to fall out more easily of the loop tension isnt just right.

I bought some nickel brass in a couple rifle calibers for that reason, and to easily ID my bear loads in 45-70 and 45 Colt.

Just to be 100% safe, look inside and be sure they are boxer primed, and the case isnt magnetic (steel). I think Win had some imported ammo made up for them, but it wouldnt be levergun calibers I dont believe.

[Rusty]

Years ago I reloaded quite a few .38s so many time I wore the nickle off of them.

[J Miller]

I have some nickle plated 30-06 brass. The thing I do differently when I size it is make sure it's lubed all over except the shoulder. When I was sizing nickle handgun brass with a standard die I found they needed more lube than unplated cases or they would want to stick in the die. Carbide dies cured that.

Joe

[KirkD]

Thanks, Gents, for the replies. Sounds like I will proceed with reloading them.

[KirkD]

Mission accomplished. They were a little harder to size and trim, but I lubed them and everything went fine. Here is a photo of six of them, 28.5 grains of IMR 3031 with a 150 grain RCBS gas check bullet. Crimped with my spanking new Lee Factory Crimp Die. Love those FCD's.

[Lassiter]

Looks good!

[AJMD429]

Nice looking loads - and carrier...!

The FCD's sure work well, make tight crimps, and work regardless of 'exact' trim length.

I haven't seen any earlier cracks than with other dies so far, either, but I seldom use a 'taper' die and I suppose those would be the ones least likely to over-work brass.

[Ysabel Kid]

Nice looking loads - and carrier...!

+1

[Griff]

Did they have a commemorative head stamp?

Nice looking loads - and carrier...!

+1

+2!

[KirkD]

Did they have a commemorative head stamp?

No. It just says 'Winchester 30-30 WIN'

[JerryB]

Good looking rounds Kirk, reckon that ammo slide goes along when Sam leaves with you.

[Washita]

I've loaded a bunch of nickel plated .38 Spl. and .357 Mag. and saw no difference at all between them and plain brass. Well, nearly no difference. The nickel plated ones had a greater propensity to split case necks, and a shorter of life expectancy as a result.

It's my understanding that the plating was done to prevent corrosion of the brass in the cartridge holders & loops of leather police belts. This, ime, can happen rather quickly. This really mattered to leos, but the relatively short case life didn't, since they weren't permitted to carry hand loads on duty anyway.

I see a lot of nickel-plated ammo in advertising pics these days. I think it's to make the stuff pretty as much as anything. Nickle plated brass and black bullets (also cosmetic, imo) is certainly striking! Still works well in leather carriers, too.

[Catshooter]

That looks like a good set up. Those nickeled cases can live in the leather for quite awhile with no problems.


Cat

[Griff]

Did they have a commemorative head stamp?

No. It just says 'Winchester 30-30 WIN'

My "Duke" ammo:


Now all I have to do is find a rifle for it!