Hirtenberg.38sp cases

[Lampuki]

I’ve acquired some nickel, Hirtenberg cases in .38sp.

Have any of you any info regarding them? Just wondering if they are any good as they look a bit flimsy!

Cheers

[dodgyrog]

I've used unplated Hirtenberg cases. No problem with them.

[Daryll]

I won't use nickel cases... i had a bad experience once and have never used them since..

If you have your press set up for brass, you'll have to adjust your crimping die for nickel..

[Alpha1]

I won't use nickel cases... i had a bad experience once and have never used them since..

If you have your press set up for brass, you'll have to adjust your crimping die for nickel..

That's assuming you crimp of course.

[Lampuki]

I won't use nickel cases... i had a bad experience once and have never used them since..

If you have your press set up for brass, you'll have to adjust your crimping die for nickel..

What was the bad experience?

[Lever357]

When I started reloading I bought 1200 used Winchester .38sp nickel cases - dont know how many times they had been used before me and I have used them a lot and no problems so far.

[Chapuis]

I’ve acquired some nickel, Hirtenberg cases in .38sp.

Have any of you any info regarding them? Just wondering if they are any good as they look a bit flimsy!

Cheers

Haven't seen that brand around for a very long time. I have a feeling that they were either absorbed into RUAG or are no longer in the civilian ammunition market.
I do know that at one time back in the eighties they supplied the NRA with .308 ammunition.

And as for nickel plated cases you can keep my share of the blessed things, far too brittle. The plating was always peeling off and they only lasted a third as long as brass cases.

[dodgyrog]

I have to say that I have yet to have a problem with nickle plated cases.

[Daryll]

I won't use nickel cases... i had a bad experience once and have never used them since..

If you have your press set up for brass, you'll have to adjust your crimping die for nickel..

What was the bad experience?

It was partly my own fault.. it was a couple of days before Pheonix several years ago and I realised that I didn't have enough ammo loaded, and the only available cases were some nickel ones at the back of the cupboard.

I quickly loaded them up and trotted down to Bisley... half way through the first comp I started having problems with the ammo not cycling in my Marlin, and the bullets were moving down into the case.

Basically because the nickel cases were thinner, the crimp die, set up for brass, wasn't crimping them, and the pressure of a fully loaded mag tube was pushing the bullets down into the case.

I've never used nickel cases since...

[Sim G]

I’ve been mix and matching .38spl cases for nigh on 35 years. Never found the mixture to affect results in either old school revolvers, LBRs or lever guns over short ranges. Beauty is as well is that they are still so cheap and available, that they are nigh on disposable!

Unlike rare rifle brass that I treat with kid gloves and give each of them a name!!