ASYM “Nickel” Brass

Anyone know what the actual material is that it’s made of? I only ask for the sake of curiosity; not sure why or if it matters.

(And Cecil, don’t start with me - I posted this in between dry fire series.)

It is nickel brass.  That is brass that was nickel plated.  Mostly used in LE applications.  Supposedly provides for better / consistent feeding.

AP

I was told that the Law Enforcement market preferred nickel plated brass because they often leave mags/cylinders loaded with ammo for long periods of time and, potentially, can get exposed to wet/humid conditions.

I've heard that the ASYM cases are actually pure silver.

Dave

The "nickel" cases go way to when LE would carry extra .38 / .357 rounds in loops on the gun belt.  One of the qualities of leather is that it really corrodes brass very quickly (a beautiful greenish shade).  So they started using "nickel" cases.  They would sometimes still corrode a little.

From a marketing standpoint, they looked cool, so eventually moved on to other calibers.  From a reloader's standpoint, there are some with the opinion that nickel cases tend to split earlier than brass cases.  I have noticed that certain .22 ammunition loaded in "nickel" cases tends to split more than brass cases. 

And I posted between dryfire as well.  

CR

There are still a lot of nickel brass cased ammo out there that are being used, much of it in law enforcement circles. In general, I find it very good brass for reloading. I have some Speer .45 ACP nickel plated brass that I've reloaded several times and it is holding up well. I have some W-W nickel brass in the same caliber that has held up for many, many reloads. Just to squawk, I have to say, that over the years, I've found that R-P brass in 9mm and .45 ACP splits the easiest and that is with their brass-brass, as well as, their nickel plated.

I know many folks use nickel brass without any issues. 
When I began reloaing, I was warned about the possibility of a sliver of the nickel coming off in the sizer die and gouging the die interior, I of course ignored the advice and wound up paying for my stubborness with a deeply gouged 257 Roberts sizer die that put a nice deep scratch in every piece of brass that followed. 

Lesson learned. I've never used it again in 47 years of reloading. If I run across some, I still pick it up, but it goes into the scrap tote at our range and gets sold with all the other scrap brass and the money goes to our Jr shooter program.
Al

I know back in the mid-90s, Todd Jarrett was using his 38TJ open gun with brass that had been coated, but with other than nickel.  Supposedly to enhance action cycling and reliability.

Todd Jarrett; now there's a name I haven't heard in a long time.

I ruined some .357 dies about 40 years ago they were not carbide but I try to avoid nickel brass is easy to get!