Apache, I like your IC vignettes illustrating the reaction to the lacquered steel ammo and field rations. I think it would be really cool to compile a bunch of similar anectdotes into comprehensive "In Their Own Words" account of the later years of the Twilight War. It seems like a project that would lend itself to an anthology format, with contributions from multiple authors.
One can buy steel-cased cartridges in a few calibers. I've seen it in 7.62x39mm at my local hunting/sporting goods store. I've read that it's pretty hard on weapons' internal working components so I won't try it. The lacquer bit is creative. I can see what you described as being a short-lived experiment, not a systemic replacement of traditional brass casing production. As you described, the proof is in the pudding. As Olefin pointed out, policing up spent brass and reloading it becomes a military cottage industry as the war drags on.
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