Unlike some pretty things in life, nickel-plated cartridge shiny silver good looks are what make it practical. Consider the following about a nickel-plated cartridge casing: They stay clean; they are corrosion resistant; they are slick and with a lower coefficient of friction sometimes they insure smoother feeding in otherwise-sticky semi-autos. Sometimes nickel-plated cartridges can mean easier loading and unloading while shooting revolvers; and, because they resist corrosion, they store better.

But for people who shoot cowboy shooting competitions or “Cowboy3-Gun”, the silver is the thing for looks as well as practicality. Competitors in this discipline are required to wear old west or Victorian-era clothing and accessories. The competitors say they enjoy choosing the outfits as much if not more than the shooting. An entire industry has sprung up around this sport that originated in Southern California in the 1980s. Some competitions require more authenticity than others. One might be judged on whether the cowboy clothing chosen is accurately depicting of the 19^th century, At other competitions it may be okay to wear an outfit that just suggests you are a cowboy or cow-girl. But no matter, nothing makes a leather gun belt “pop” style-wise against suede and leather more than a row of shiny silver bullets displayed on the competitor’s gun belt. This is especially true when most have a pearl-handled pistol holstered on each hip.

Competitors in Cowboy Action shooting say using shiny silver bullets not only win style points, they help the competitor function efficiently and safely on the range. They say the nickel-plated bullets slide more easily from leather carriers or bullet loops on their gun belts. Nickel-plated rounds will continue to be shiny and flashy where brass cartridges turn green after being in contact with the leather gun belts.

The guns that competitors use sometimes share similar calibers and yet each might use very specialized rounds and different loads. Silver helps shooters keep bullets straight when telling one round from another is crucial. “Cowboy 3-Gunners” shoot firearms typical of the mid-to-late 19^th Century. Those include single-action revolvers, lever-action rifles chambered in pistol calibers, as well as the old-fashioned, side-by-side double-barreled shotguns.

The nickel helps them differentiate specialty loads. For instance a cowboy shooter might shoot a 44-40 rifle and run a 44 magnum pistol, the silver shine of nickel helps help shooters tell one load from another. A thing that becomes more important, they say, if one has ever experienced the attempt at shooting a 44-mag casing through a 44-40 rifle. The same is true with pistol rounds when the competitor loads similar rounds but each one differently to achieve different results. And, nickel is also a good choice for shooters who want to see their brass and pick it up.

Off the competition field, the ability to discern one load for another is as important for the gun owner at home as well. A silver-colored casing isn’t just pretty ensures quicker identification of a self-defense handgun round. My self-defense pistol rounds for example are nickel cartridges and that helps me prevent a target boo-boo as sometimes, those rounds can end up mixed in with my brass-colored practice ammunition. Most say don’t reload a nickel-plated casing more than 3-4 times per casing.

Capital Cartridge sells nickel-plated casings in several different calibers and they are in stock right now.