Short base or full lenght .223?

[tiriaq]

I did get a set of SB .223 dies years ago. They sized cases so that they almost looked as if they had a mini-belt on them.
Waste of money.

 

[Brianma65]

Sounds like you probably need to do some more reading before you start reloading anything.

Small base dies are likely to wear out your brass faster. Try the FL dies first and don't worry about small base dies unless you find you need them. Chances are good you won't. I've never owned or used small base dies and i've loaded for lots of semis.

Thanks, I plan on a lot more reading, I'm just trying to get the tools I need .

 

[Brianma65]

Sounds like you probably need to do some more reading before you start reloading anything.

Small base dies are likely to wear out your brass faster. Try the FL dies first and don't worry about small base dies unless you find you need them. Chances are good you won't. I've never owned or used small base dies and i've loaded for lots of semis.

Thanks, I plan on a lot more reading, I'm just trying to get the tools I need .

 

[Ganderite]

Hey everyone , I'm new on the shooting scene, 10 months in. Anything I know, it's from CGN. I find , that sometimes if you ask a question on CGN, you're told to google it.So that's what I've been doing, guess what,I get a ton of diff answers. So I mean no disrespect to any person here, I'm just green. I've ordered a rcbs rockchucker supreme master kit, it states that it has everything to start reloading , ( but does it really)? I have powder, bullits and primers. I have a digital calliper ( that I've never ever used before). I've ordered a WFT and I am going to take Ganderites advice and get FL dies. I know I'll need shell holder or holders? Do you need more than one of the same calliper ? I'm guessing a primer removal tool comes with the kit, but should I get a better one? Right now I'm setting up for .223 , but as I'm about to do the RPAL course this morning, with any luck , I'll be loading for pistols soon Thanks... Brian

The Full length sizing die includes a decapping rod/pin. I prefer the Lee die set because the decapper pin is almost indestructible. Lee die sets come with a shell holder. I suggest the Lee Carbide sizer. It makes sizing a bit easier. cases still need to be lubed.

You need a unique shell holder for each different caliber, although some will fit a variety of calibers. 45ACP, 308, 30-06 and 9mm all use the same shell holder.

One thing to consider is how you are going to prime. You will be loading using he "batch" technique. You will size/decap a bucket of brass, then you will prime those cases, then charge them with powder and then seat bullets in them.

You can prime on the press, as you size. I assume it will come with a primer tube and a primer seater. That works well, although I prefer to use a Lee Autoprime hand primer tool. It holds about 200 primers, which is handy when loading buckets of ammo in one go.

One thing you have to do is lube the cases. If a case is under lubed it will stick in the die. Most of us have done that at one time or another. We all could have done without the experience.

Here is a very fast and almost fool proof way to size a bucket of brass in about 30 seconds.

Use a 1" worm of Lee case lube. It comes in a toothpaste tube. I buy a dozen tubes at a time.

Smear the lube around the inside of the bucket.

Put a lid on the bucket and swirl the brass for 30 seconds. This will lube every case with a thin film and put a tiny amount of lube in the mouth, so the decapper pin won't bind.

 

[Brianma65]

The Full length sizing die includes a decapping rod/pin. I prefer the Lee die set because the decapper pin is almost indestructible. Lee die sets come with a shell holder. I suggest the Lee Carbide sizer. It makes sizing a bit easier. cases still need to be lubed.

You need a unique shell holder for each different caliber, although some will fit a variety of calibers. 45ACP, 308, 30-06 and 9mm all use the same shell holder.

One thing to consider is how you are going to prime. You will be loading using he "batch" technique. You will size/decap a bucket of brass, then you will prime those cases, then charge them with powder and then seat bullets in them.

You can prime on the press, as you size. I assume it will come with a primer tube and a primer seater. That works well, although I prefer to use a Lee Autoprime hand primer tool. It holds about 200 primers, which is handy when loading buckets of ammo in one go.

One thing you have to do is lube the cases. If a case is under lubed it will stick in the die. Most of us have done that at one time or another. We all could have done without the experience.

Here is a very fast and almost fool proof way to size a bucket of brass in about 30 seconds.

Use a 1" worm of Lee case lube. It comes in a toothpaste tube. I buy a dozen tubes at a time.

Smear the lube around the inside of the bucket.

Put a lid on the bucket and swirl the brass for 30 seconds. This will lube every case with a thin film and put a tiny amount of lube in the mouth, so the decapper pin won't bind.

Thank you, now to order some more gear

 

[Pr589]

I used to use the Lee lube but started finding rust in my dies. The Lee lube is water-based so let it dry before butting the lubed brass through the dies. The alternative is to open and clean the sizing die after each use.

 

[bigedp51]

Your question is very simple.

All once fired brass I buy is resized once with a small base die along with any range pick up brass. After this a standard full length die is used only.

Now put your thinking caps on and look at the illustration below.

A AR15 chamber is already .002 larger in diameter than a standard commercial .223 chamber so therefore a standard die is already a small base die.

"BUT" we live in a plus and minus manufacturing world and I have standard dies that will size smaller than my small base RCBS die and this die only makes the case .0005 smaller in diameter than my standard .223 die.

Dillon dies for their progressive presses for the .223/5.56 are small base dies.

And my Lyman .223 die sizes a case .001 smaller in diameter than my RCBS standard die.

Trust me I have two AR15 rifles and a bolt action Savage .223 and I'm retired with nothing to do and all day to do it.................and decided to tinker around with some dies.

So there are three other .223/5.56 die sets not in the photo below.

Not shown above is a set of Lee full length dies with a collet necksizer, a Forster full length die, a Lyman set of dies and a RCBS and Redding neck sizing dies.

And the dies I use the most is the RCBS standard full length resizing die and a Forster benchrest seating die.

So again my RCBS AR series small base dies only make the case .0005 smaller in diameter "BUT" small base dies size further down the case and return the case to minimum case dimensions. Meaning the same size as the case was before it was fired, and in 47 years of reloading I have never had a case head separation.

 

[Brianma65]

Your question is very simple.

All once fired brass I buy is resized once with a small base die along with any range pick up brass. After this a standard full length die is used only.

Now put your thinking caps on and look at the illustration below.

A AR15 chamber is already .002 larger in diameter than a standard commercial .223 chamber so therefore a standard die is already a small base die.

"BUT" we live in a plus and minus manufacturing world and I have standard dies that will size smaller than my small base RCBS die and this die only makes the case .0005 smaller in diameter than my standard .223 die.

Dillon dies for their progressive presses for the .223/5.56 are small base dies.

And my Lyman .223 die sizes a case .001 smaller in diameter than my RCBS standard die.

Trust me I have two AR15 rifles and a bolt action Savage .223 and I'm retired with nothing to do and all day to do it.................and decided to tinker around with some dies.

So there are three other .223/5.56 die sets not in the photo below.

Not shown above is a set of Lee full length dies with a collet necksizer, a Forster full length die, a Lyman set of dies and a RCBS and Redding neck sizing dies.

And the dies I use the most is the RCBS standard full length resizing die and a Forster benchrest seating die.

So again my RCBS AR series small base dies only make the case .0005 smaller in diameter "BUT" small base dies size further down the case and return the case to minimum case dimensions. Meaning the same size as the case was before it was fired, and in 47 years of reloading I have never had a case head separation.

I've kept about a thousand or so ,cases, from my su 16 days, and I have a couple thousand factory cartridges. So that should do for a while? I thought you just buy the reloading kit,some components,read the instructions,and start making cartridges.... Lol , it's starting to look more complicated by the post... anyway ,I have over a $1000 ,gone into this so far,no going back now. Soon gonna be a few trips to the P.O. Lol

 

[Brianma65]

The Full length sizing die includes a decapping rod/pin. I prefer the Lee die set because the decapper pin is almost indestructible. Lee die sets come with a shell holder. I suggest the Lee Carbide sizer. It makes sizing a bit easier. cases still need to be lubed.

You need a unique shell holder for each different caliber, although some will fit a variety of calibers. 45ACP, 308, 30-06 and 9mm all use the same shell holder.

One thing to consider is how you are going to prime. You will be loading using he "batch" technique. You will size/decap a bucket of brass, then you will prime those cases, then charge them with powder and then seat bullets in them.

You can prime on the press, as you size. I assume it will come with a primer tube and a primer seater. That works well, although I prefer to use a Lee Autoprime hand primer tool. It holds about 200 primers, which is handy when loading buckets of ammo in one go.

One thing you have to do is lube the cases. If a case is under lubed it will stick in the die. Most of us have done that at one time or another. We all could have done without the experience.

Here is a very fast and almost fool proof way to size a bucket of brass in about 30 seconds.

Use a 1" worm of Lee case lube. It comes in a toothpaste tube. I buy a dozen tubes at a time.

Smear the lube around the inside of the bucket.

Put a lid on the bucket and swirl the brass for 30 seconds. This will lube every case with a thin film and put a tiny amount of lube in the mouth, so the decapper pin won't bind.

Hey Ganderite, if your out there, can you tell me , about how many cases fit in that tub? I have a 1 lb butter container. And how many times can you fill that tub , with that one swirl of lube?.... Thanks

 

[ted_dent]

Also, due to their nature there is no such thing as a carbide die for anything but straight walled cases.Well, I think redding or someone has a fancy dual ring die or something...never seen one though.

Dillon has full length carbide bottleneck rifle dies. Very expensive, however....$137.00 US for the sizing die alone or $163.00 US for the 3 die set.
http://www.dillonprecision.com/cont...bide_Rifle_Dies__Individual___Three_Die_Sets_

 

[herpinator45]

I havr dillon carbide in 223 and 300 blackout. If you are running less than a couple of k per year you will not make your money back but they are slicker than goose snot when you are doing them by the thousand. You do need a head space guage to set them up though. If you set them right to shell holder your shoulder will be way too far back.