Lee Loader

I have a batch of nickel that I keep apart from my other brass colored brass. Not sure why yet. They're once fired.

It's my opinion they're slicker with nickel plate but harder. Let that mean what it means.

Food for thought: HOT .22LR are nickel plated with obviously no thought to reuse.

Nickel plating (I think) was originally used to stop corrosion in the leather carriers for law enforcement reloads. Also in defensive pistols they would stay loaded for a long time, would not corrode. Some of the high dollar carry rounds even have nickel plating on the bullets now.

The next round I find shedding the plating I will take a picture of.

GasGuzzler wrote:Food for thought: HOT .22LR are nickel plated with obviously no thought to reuse.

That's purely cosmetic. The pressure in a .22lr is very low, even in hot ones, and because of the small diameter of the case the resulting stress is even smaller.

I agree with Steve, it's most probably a corrosion thing, and today it became a cosmetic feature. Shiny silver sells better than dull brass.

Steve wrote:Nickel plating (I think) was originally used to stop corrosion in the leather carriers for law enforcement reloads. Also in defensive pistols they would stay loaded for a long time, would not corrode. Some of the high dollar carry rounds even have nickel plating on the bullets now.

The next round I find shedding the plating I will take a picture of.

I believe you are probably correct as to uses for the nickel plating. Whether for LE reloads or not I have no idea, but they for sure don't corrode if left in a gun belt and for that they (nickel plated cases) are a good choice. I have a bunch for 44mag and are the only loaded rounds I'll leave in my gun belts for any length of time. I've had zero issues with them but haven't reloaded any of them more than a couple times. I also like them because I find it easier to not get them mixed up with my 45 colt brass ( which I have done many times with just brass "brass" in those two calibers.) I also agree that nickel brass "seems" easier to re-size but I don't know that for a fact. As far as nickel plated brass flaking, I've READ that they do/will, but not experienced it myself nor have I noticed any less longevity, but once again, I've not reloaded the ones I have many times. Personally I don't worry about it.

Ranch Dog wrote:I've used the collet dies extensively and never had them fatigue the brass. I'm actually the guy that convinced Lee to make them for the 357 Mag, 41 Mag, 44 Mag, and 45 Colt. I had to order a hundred of each!

I've never worked with nickel plated brass but I'm sure someone will provide some insight.

Ranch Dog,

Thanks for the feedback. I figured you would know and I appreciate your taking the time to respond and for your efforts getting Lee to make these dies. Always interesting to see how the Lee naming conventions get threads like this off into the weeds so quickly. It can really be confusing until you get some of each over time and see how they work. Thanks Horseman for such a clear description of them all.

You're welcome.

Let me add even more confusion to the matter; the Short Bottle Neck Collet Style Factory Crimp Die

This is a collet type, factory crimp die but the difference with it is that that it is a closed top die. The reason the die is closed at the top is because the collet is inverted and actuates against the top of the die rather than the shell holder as the cartridges that utilizes this die are too short to accomplish the work against the shell holder.



This die was new when I ordered the short, straight cartridge FCDs, that's what I referred to them as. It was questionable whether the short collet against the shellholder would work. With the samples that I ordered, I ordered the SBNCS die for the 357 Mag and I still have and use it. The SSC-FCDs are a bit "springy" against the ram movement, you almost have to lean into them where the SBNCS-FCD has great feedback as the collet closes. The bottomline is that it came down to cost; the SBNCS would have been double of my SSC offerings.

For a year now I've been meaning to special order a SBNCS-FCD for the 38 Spl. With my Rossi 92 I've started shooting my 35 Rem bullet, the TLC359-190-RF, using 38 Spl brass as the case length along with the bullet's nose length work out perfectly for the 357 Mag cartridge overall length. I shoot the cartridge at 357 Mag maximum pressures and it makes a heck of a big game round.



Okay, it is done! Got it ordered.

Ranch Dog wrote:You're welcome.

Let me add even more confusion to the matter; the Short Bottle Neck Collet Style Factory Crimp Die

This is a collet type, factory crimp die but the difference with it is that that it is a closed top die. The reason the die is closed at the top is because the collet is inverted and actuates against the top of the die rather than the shell holder as the cartridges that utilizes this die are too short to accomplish the work against the shell holder.



This die was new when I ordered the short, straight cartridge FCDs, that's what I referred to them as. It was questionable whether the short collet against the shellholder would work. With the samples that I ordered, I ordered the SBNCS die for the 357 Mag and I still have and use it. The SSC-FCDs are a bit "springy" against the ram movement, you almost have to lean into them where the SBNCS-FCD has great feedback as the collet closes. The bottomline is that it came down to cost; the SBNCS would have been double of my SSC offerings.

For a year now I've been meaning to special order a SBNCS-FCD for the 38 Spl. With my Rossi 92 I've started shooting my 35 Rem bullet, the TLC359-190-RF, using 38 Spl brass as the case length along with the bullet's nose length work out perfectly for the 357 Mag cartridge overall length. I shoot the cartridge at 357 Mag maximum pressures and it makes a heck of a big game round.



Okay, it is done! Got it ordered.

Ranch Dog,

Thanks for the additional information. Can we mere mortals also order the SBNCS-FCD for the .38 Special? If so, could you share how to order it?

Thanks.

Skinnedknuckles wrote:Ranch Dog,

Thanks for the additional information. Can we mere mortals also order the SBNCS-FCD for the .38 Special? If so, could you share how to order it?

I don't see why not. I ordered three special order items over the weekend and today; The SBNCS-FCD for the 38 Spl, a rifle style collet die for the 38-55 Win that will use the Starline 2.125 brass vs. the standard 2.080" brass, and a case trimmer for longer Starline brass. I sent them the dummy cartridges today.

Just go to their website via this link: http://leeprecision.com/custom-bottlene ... p-die.html

Disregard the image on the page as they are using the rifle style collet on every page. Complete the information on that page and check out. You need to send them a dummy cartridge, but if you want, I will call them and see if you can use mine. If so, PM your order number and I will see if that works for them.

Ranch Dog wrote:

Skinnedknuckles wrote:Ranch Dog,

Thanks for the additional information. Can we mere mortals also order the SBNCS-FCD for the .38 Special? If so, could you share how to order it?

I don't see why not. I ordered three special order items over the weekend and today; The SBNCS-FCD for the 38 Spl, a rifle style collet die for the 38-55 Win that will use the Starline 2.125 brass vs. the standard 2.080" brass, and a case trimmer for longer Starline brass. I sent them the dummy cartridges today.

Just go to their website via this link: http://leeprecision.com/custom-bottlene ... p-die.html

Disregard the image on the page as they are using the rifle style collet on every page. Complete the information on that page and check out. You need to send them a dummy cartridge, but if you want, I will call them and see if you can use mine. If so, PM your order number and I will see if that works for them.

Thanks for the link. I'll be interested in your results. Since it works the way it does, will it be possible to use it for .357 Magnum, with a spacer? From the picture, it looks like it ought to be possible. Even better if they could supply two different lower cylinders for the different case lengths.

Received my special order Short Bottleneck Collet Style Factory Crimp Die from Lee yesterday. Now I can load up my 190-grain cast bullets for the little Rossi 92!