Nickel cases S U C K!!!!!!!!! The only thing they are good for is loading once and leaving them in a chamber (s) for an indefinite period of time. They will almost always extract and eject, provided the chamber wall itself has not rusted, but even then nickel plated brass may function. Outside of that narrow window, simple brass will give the best overall performance.
The design of most common resizing dies is to size the neck UNDER size, the expander ball then leaving the neck a few thousandths UNDER ball size so that on seating a ball, the neck will still have proper tension. Trying to seat a ball in any undersize brass such as you describe will result in crushed shoulders, no way out. Nickel plated brass is just that and is a coating on the OUTSIDE of the brass, any inside coating is secondary to the process and is UNCONTROLLED. Any plating that does exist inside the neck only serves to make the inside diameter of the neck after sizing but PRIOR to the expander ball SMALLER!!!! Nickel is actually HARDER than common steel, it is a main component of stainless steel and along with chromium, is one of the reasons for stainless steels reputations for hardness and properties of work hardening. The most common complaint of reloaders using nickel brass is its short life prior to splitting. Again, nickel is HARD!!!!! It does NOT take well to being worked and reworked. It is however very moisture resistant, it will not rust as it has no ferrous properties, and while it will over time oxodize and "fade" in color it will not as brass does have an electrolic reation with iron, as it is harder than iron, the iron will "sacrifice" first. Hence its performance over periods of time in moisture exposed, improperly cleaned and maintained revolver cylinders and rifle chambers. That is why the NYPD choose nickel brass, and why the rest of the nations police forces that require its use, do so. They don't want a cop out in the field unable to reload their revolver because the brass has "become one" with the iron of the cylinder. Quite similar problems exist with autoloaders, the rim will tear off leaving a completely inoperable pistol because the case is still for practical purposes still chambered.
My suggestion would be to relegate your nickel plated brass to "dresser drawer storage" or holster use, use proper reloading practicies and ignore any one who says they are using nickel brass without using expander buttons because they are either using specially made dies or are just simply lying.
Nickel brass is however a good choice if you plan to be afield during the rainy season for the location you are hunting.
