I've made like 50 gallons of the stuff in ale pails.... no problemo. It got good feedback from a bunch of cider nuts in our local brew club. I go ~30 days in plastic primary, keg, and age in the keg for a couple months.
I start all my apfelwein in buckets. 1 month in a bucket for primary, 1 month in a glass carboy for secondary, then bottle. Haven't heard a complaint yet...