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Are Winchester silver cases reloadable?

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Hatari View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Hatari Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Are Winchester silver cases reloadable?
    Posted: October/12/2010 at 08:57
I have been shooting the Winchester ballistic silvertips for a while now and was wondering if the silver colored cases (nickel coated I presume?) are reloadable?
 
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SVT_Tactical Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/12/2010 at 08:59
yes, i use nickel cases all the time.  They are rumored to be rougher on the dies but I haven't seen any ill effects of it yet.  They do seem to be "harder" than brass and will split sooner than standard brass though.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Hatari Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/12/2010 at 09:08
Thank you for the information.  I guess I will keep collecting my spent cartridges! Yippee
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SVT_Tactical Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/12/2010 at 09:45
One reason I use them is I have two guns in the same cartridge and it helps me keep the brass for each seperated, I use nickel in one and brass in the other so they stay fireformed in a sense to each chamber so I neck size only. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Longhunter Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/12/2010 at 22:04
I prefer and use nickel-plated brass for my own shooting.
 
They clean up easier, don't tarnish, feed well, and in my experience last just as well as brass.  My dies are still working fine.  I don't have to (or want to) bother with tumbling or "media."  I just wipe the  plated cases off with a paper towel and WD-40, and they're ready to reload.
 
Every once in a while, some notion (like barrel break-in or global warming) becomes all the rage.  This notion is then swallowed whole and spit back up at every opportunity by "true believers".  This may be the case with nickel-plated brass.
 
Don't take my word for it:
 
Guns and Ammo, February 1980, page 54:  Art Blatt tried to see how many shots it took to wear out a .38 Special case.  The Winchester brass case lasted for 109 reloads.  The Federal nickel-plated case lasted for 146 reloads.
 
Handloader Magazine, December-January 2009. p. 257:  Gary Sciuchetti tried switching out various components to arrive at the best possible .308 load.  His table on p. 83 shows that the plain Federal brass and the plated Federal brass both failed at 13 shots.  The Remington unplated brass failed at 20 shots, while the Remington plated brass failed at 22 shots.
 
if you are an experienced reloader, you know what you like or don't like.  If you want to cast spells in the moonlight, that's okay if it works for you.  Just don't swallow whole everything you read.   Remember that ammunition and component sellers are in business to make money.  They do that by providing what shooters want and ask for, whether it makes sense or not.     
 
   
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 338LAPUASLAP Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/12/2010 at 23:00
Yes, and if you don't reload I will gladly take them off your hand.
 
Love the Balistic Tip, Supreme or Black Box Winchesters, use .280, 7mm Mag, .243win, 270win, etc... Have used the Federal Box Nosler 7mm Mag (nickel) did good as well.
 
Love the Nickel cases for a few reasons...
 
Reload Subsonic .308 so I can tell them apart (modifed case primer drill or un modified easy to see)
 
Reload a few different bullets in same caliber .243win, tend to use the nickel in heavier bullets just as a habit to know what I have 100gr is different size than 55 but the 85-90-100 are pretty similar in a group of 100.
 
Use them in the .223rem to distinguish lighter loads for my wife, that and she thinks they are nicer looking and cleaner.
 
Use them in pistol 147gr 9mm subsonic...to tell them apart and find my brass the easiest indoors...
 
Use them in .357 max loading...to tell the difference
 
Use them in .280 for top end loads, 7mm mag as well for color coating loads.
 
Use them in .300win mag to tell which gun they were chambered in so I don't mix them up.
 
Use them in 40s&w with Lead bullets (think they look neat) and they tend to be easy to spot.
 
I do like the look of the nickel vs copper or nickel vs bronze or solids.
 
I have become infatuated with the 150gr berry's flat point copper plated bullet for the .308 and how nice it looks loaded in a nickel case...
 
My second love would be the 200gr B416 Lapua Bullet Loaded in a nickel case followed their by the 300WM loaded with an AP or Balistic Tip or Bronze Solid...
 
I would have to say that I am now mostly motivated by look (sexy and clean) and ease of finding brass, I have a few spitters if you know what I mean that can shoot brass as much as 30+ feet and the nickel is the easiest to find, I have no problems with crimping it and it lasts more reloads without the issues and being able to use it as a color coding system or way to tell the loads apart.
If I shoot in a group It is easy to tell which are mine if two have nickel I just sharpie pen the base and wipe it off later.


Edited by 338LAPUASLAP - October/12/2010 at 23:02
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote magshooter1 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/13/2010 at 11:59
Only issue I've ever had was a few the plating started peeling form the case mouth down to the neck.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Roy Finn Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/13/2010 at 14:04
Originally posted by magshooter1 magshooter1 wrote:

Only issue I've ever had was a few the plating started peeling form the case mouth down to the neck.
 
That's the only issue I have heard of also but I haven't experienced it myself with my 300 WM that I've used Winchester nickle brass for.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Hatari Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/25/2010 at 09:22
Originally posted by Longhunter Longhunter wrote:

I prefer and use nickel-plated brass for my own shooting.
 
if you are an experienced reloader, you know what you like or don't like.  If you want to cast spells in the moonlight, that's okay if it works for you.  Just don't swallow whole everything you read.   Remember that ammunition and component sellers are in business to make money.  They do that by providing what shooters want and ask for, whether it makes sense or not.     
   
 
Super
Thanks for all of the information everyone.  I don't do any reloading yet, but wanted to make sure my spent shells wouldn't be taking up space needlessly.
 
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote sakomato Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/25/2010 at 20:18
I have reloaded nickle cases but after this where I was expanding and rounding out the necks on new cases with a Lee Collet
 
 
and see what Varmint Al has to say about it
 
 
"FORGET NICKEL-PLATED BRASS.... I liked the looks and feel of nickel-plated cases, but I don't load them anymore and here is why. The cases are strong and it is easy enough to outside neck turn them. That is not the problem. The nickel-plating on the case neck ID is like sandpaper. The only way you might be able to remove this grit is with a case neck ID reamer if you have a "tight neck" chamber and enough neck wall thickness to work with. If you have a loaded nickel-plated round laying around and don't believe me, just pull the bullet. It will look like you pulled it out of a tube of 180 grit wet/dry sandpaper. If you pull the bullet out of a brass case mouth that has been carefully chamfered and polished with the steel wool process above, it will be essentially like out of the bullet box. Want copper in the barrel? Start by sanding the surface of those nice polished precision bullets. Try it with a Moly Coated bullet and it is even worse; the nickel-plated cases scrape off the Moly. The nickel-plated case neck IDs don't get any better after you reload them a few times. They are still like sandpaper. Think about a few of those nickel pieces of grit imbedding into the copper of the bullet and what they do to your rifle barrel! I have heard that the nickel is hard enough to score some reloading dies and also wear down the expander ball. Any metal that hard, should be kept away from your precision barrel. I have heard that some people have had success in removing the nickel plate from the neck IDs with a stainless steel brush and a drill motor. I haven't tried it."
 
You can't see what it is doing to the inside of your dies or your chamber, why worry?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Longhunter Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/29/2010 at 06:33
Interesting and enlightening commentary and pictures.  If you are into bench-rest or serious target work, this could be important.  If you are simply reloading for hunting and casual target work,  then maybe not.  [i.e., expert scores are good enough...you're not trying to win highly-contested matches]
 
Repeat:  If you are an experienced reloader you know what you like and don't like. 
You also know your own objectives. 
 
Dies are replaceable and not terribly expensive.   When and if I start seeing accuracy degrade in my nickel-plated revolver ammunition (thousands of rounds), or my hunting ammunition (one MOA or less in .30-06, and 1 1/2 MOA in .338 Win Mag) then I'll check and replace the dies if necessary.
 
In the meantime, I will stick with the convenience of nickel-plated cases and avoid the nuisance and lead exposure of tumbling and media.
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Dale Clifford Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October/29/2010 at 09:25
Problem is you don't know whether they are nickel or cadmium. Most shiny cases are cadmium which is as toxic as lead, I think it was called the Cadmium Fastner Act or something like that , was passed to start "weeding out" chrome and cadmium from plating processes to protect the envoirn. and public safety.  Hornady uses a black nickel on their TAP stuff and I think this is the only "real" nickel cases. The problem I have with coated cases is -- the same one I have against steel cases -- (wolf etc) they are really hard, and my rifle chambers are really expensive.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote normc Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/08/2013 at 09:22
I have 10 3/4 pounds of 38Special (a few 9s and 357s i suppose) mostly nickle cases that I will send to whomever will use them.  The brass is free.  Just pay me whatever it costs me to ship them.  I don't reload 38Special and I hate to throw away brass given the general non-availablity of stuff.

I am a new member so I can't post this as 'for sale.  I saw your post saying you might need used brass.  If you don't want it, do you know who might? 

I got these from an x-LA cop.  I guess that is what they shot a few years ago.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mike650 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/08/2013 at 11:45
Are the cases Remington uses for their Big Game A-frame ammo nickle?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote normc Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/14/2013 at 23:25
Brass in the mail tomorrow - $12.35
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Kickboxer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/15/2013 at 07:50
Originally posted by Urimaginaryfrnd Urimaginaryfrnd wrote:

In the 70s and 80s revolvers were considered reliable and prefered for law enforcement use and only a very few pistols like the Smith and Wesson model 59 in 9mm were starting to be seen with a double action trigger system. The other semi auto pistols then were the Browning Hi-Power 9mm and the 1911 Colt.  The heavy trigger pull of a double action revolver allowed police to hold someone at gunpoint without the risk of going bang accidentaly under stress that a semi auto single action pistol like the Colt 1911 presented. Firearms traning has significantly improved over the years for Police and as a result of many armed conflicts law enforcement has grown toward high capacity semi autos. For those who do not take it upon themself to practice that just means there are more bullets in the air not that it is more effective.  But back in the 70s and 80s the safety on the Browning Hi Power sucked and the hammer was too far back to easily thumb cock it like a single action pistol.  As for a 1911 you either had the safety off in which case the trigger was very light or you had the safety on and the gun was really not ready to go bang neither is ideal for holding someone at gunpoint under stress.  All of this changed with double action semi auto pistols and The Beretta 92  and Sig P229 and P220  and Glock with its striker system which started taking the place of revolvers in the late 1980s and 90s.  The .357 mag revolver once the favorite of many still hits harder  with more energy than the 9mm and 40 S&W and the ability to shoot the lighter recoil .38 special loads aids in training those sensitive to recoil how to aim, but with enough recoil and noise to let you enjoy target shooting.  As far as reloading and shooting The .38 and other revolver cartridges means you dont have to chase brass all over the range like an easter egg hunt, you can load cast lead bullets at significantly lower cost because you have traditional rifling and the reloading process is easier and far less painful than adjusting the dies to load semi auto cartridges. With many states legislating against high capacity semi autos we may once again see a reason to own a six gun.
I certainly never felt under gunned carrying a .357 on duty and one agency I worked for actually required .44 mag  4 in Smith and Wesson Revolvers as the duty pistol and having carried 40 S&W Glocks on duty for the last 12 years I would be just as comfortable with either a .357 or a 44mag as with the semi auto because after the first coulple of rounds I plan to start writing the report.
Yep I still love revolvers.  And to quote an old San Antonio Cop  " 41 mag was the best rat killing cartridge we ever had". 
I Love Old Revolvers  and SILVER BULLETS they make me feel like the Lone Ranger.
Years ago, my next door neighbor and I loaded a box of .44Mag with silver bullets... never encountered a werewolf or a vampire, though (dang it).
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Alan Robertson Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/19/2013 at 16:39
Originally posted by Urimaginaryfrnd Urimaginaryfrnd wrote:
I Love Old Revolvers  and SILVER BULLETS they make me feel like the Lone Ranger.
 

NEW REVOLVERS and SILVER BULLETS will also work...
They make me smell like... VICTORY!

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Smoothron Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/18/2021 at 21:18
hello, I know this is old post, but I have 7mm wsm nickel casings from black box winchester supreme. I notice they don't need to be trimmed, maybe because once fired? Do I reload them as normal brass? Ty
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Urimaginaryfrnd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/18/2021 at 21:42
Absolutely.  just a touch of case lube.  I prefer  Horniday Unique in the little butter tub tap a finger on it and roll the case around between thumb and finger then decap & resize it.

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