The Most Arrogant And Condescending Post Denouncing Reloading I Have Ever Read.

[GFK]

Interesting. I have recently started to seriously consider reloading. I have a Marlin 1894CS that seems to like .357 SWC. But, I am not finding a larger selection on the market. Remington makes a Performance WheelGun brand. But, the casing is not brass. I think it is nickel plated (does not seem to matter much with shooting). Yet, I am wondering if it matters for reloading? Any thoughts would be appreciated. Why am I considering reloading ? I would like to increase my options and not be tired to Remington.

[Mistered]

Why am I considering reloading ? I would like to increase my options and not be tired to Remington.

Well this is a good reason but there are many others and cost saving should NOT be the primary reason!
Reloading should be undertaken as an extension of your interest in shooting and to be able to tailor loads for a specific need and to get the best accuracy out of your guns (and you!) as you can.

With regard to nickle plated cases they do not affect accuracy or function but some do not like to reload them.
They have a 'funny' feel going through the resizing die so I don't reload them anymore but have plenty on hand.
If they are all you can find by all means reload them but I, as well as most, prefer brass for reloading.

[CT_Shooter]

Remington makes a Performance WheelGun brand. But, the casing is not brass. I think it is nickel plated (does not seem to matter much with shooting). Yet, I am wondering if it matters for reloading? Any thoughts would be appreciated.

I've reloaded several hundred Remington .357 nickel plated brass cases during the last few years. Like all of my brass, I tumble clean, then de-cap and prime them, then store them in 50 round boxes until I'm ready to add powder and a bullet. I carefully document how many times each box of cases has been fired.

I won't be keeping any more nickel plated cases in my inventory after the already primed cases that I still have have been fired one last time. I carefully inspect each case as I de-cap and size, and found that after only two or three reloading cycles, too many of the nickel plated case tops have split after resizing. From now on, I'll stick to brass. I've only had one brass case split after reloading more than a thousand of them, some as many as seven times. This is anecdotal, for sure, but I've read the same report from several other reloaders.

[Mistered]

too many of the nickel plated case tops have split after resizing. This is anecdotal, for sure, but I've read the same report from several other reloaders.

Yep - this is true with nickle.
If it's all you have by all means reload it but keep the case mouth flaring step to a minimum with nickle cases.

[Rifletom]

That doofus has obviously never purchased any of the big African ammo!

I can load 450 Dakota, 458 Lott, 460 Weatherby etc with 500gr Barnes X-bullets for about $1 each if you amortize the cases over 6 loads or so. I have several thousand of the X-bullets that I got on-line for 22 cents each!

Buy the same ammo in a store and it is $6-$10 per round.

So a typical big bore range session of 30 rounds saves me $150 to $270. I could never afford to shoot the big guns without handloading.

Yep. Just look at the price for a box of 20 .416 Weatherby Mag rounds. That will get your attention.

[markiver54]

I totally understand and can appreciate those who reload, however I'm sure I'm not the only one who (1) cannot afford the equipment, (2) no place to do it, and (3) don't shoot as much as many of you do to justify it. Just my humble opinion.
Not really a matter of not wanting to.

[GFK]

Thanks everyone for the feedback. I guess I will check out the startup cost and use brass if I decide to proceed. Space is a concern for me as well. But if I decide to proceed, I will figure something out.

[JEBar]

as with most things, when it comes to loading your own ammo, one size most certainly doesn't fit all .... further, just because it might be in the best interest of a person to load some of the calibers he/she shoots doesn't automatically mean its best to load all of their calibers .... the only new caliber I have purchased in the last 50+ years is 45-70 for which I did purchase dies and do reload for it .... we have a 30 Luger that I bought dies for in the mid 60's .... I did try to load for it but found doing so isn't worth the effort .... we fire a large number of shotgun shells and do not choose to reload them ... in short, its all a matter of personal preference .... what makes sense to us and we believe is best for us is totally up to us and no one else's opinion matters

[Mistered]

further, just because it might be in the best interest of a person to load some of the calibers he/she shoots doesn't automatically mean its best to load all of their calibers

Good point.
Many people who reload own guns they shoot infrequently or rarely - for a variety of reasons - ammo availability, value of the gun or possibly safety issues and in this case I would not support reloading for them. The cost of components or tooling might not support the little they shoot them.

Personally I do NOT own any guns that are NOT shot - a couple are not shot as often - but used to be so I already have the components for them.

[220]

too many of the nickel plated case tops have split after resizing. This is anecdotal, for sure, but I've read the same report from several other reloaders.

Yep - this is true with nickle.
If it's all you have by all means reload it but keep the case mouth flaring step to a minimum with nickle cases.

Good advice with any cases but I agree more critical with nickle plated cases.
I loaded 1000 nickle 38 cases yesterday, I honestly dont know how many times they have been reloaded. I use them for mild target loads so the flare crimp cycle is the hardest thing on them. They would have been reloaded at least 10 times so if you are gentle on them they will last a few few reloads. Was probably around the 5/6th reload I started to get a few with very small cracks starting at the case mouth.
I think I started with 1500 so have lost almost a 3rd over time but like has been said they are fine to reload.