300 win mag RCBS small base dies
- Thread starter evansd
- Start date
- Location
- Western Manitoba
Not sure what "short base" dies might be? I know that "small base" dies often used for pump action or semi-autos - they apparently size the body of the case a bit more than does a full length size die. For belted magnums, using only full length sizing dies, I have had a couple instances where the area about 1/16" to 1/8" or so ahead of the belt does not get sized down enough to chamber - these were brass fired in a different rifle - so I had to get one of those Larry Willis resizing dies - they just work that area directly in front of the belt, without doing much else to the brass. Target shooting guys usually want very close fit between brass and chamber - I suspect most hunting guys want very slick, easy feeding. I have done "partial sizing" with full length dies when I did not have a neck sizing die - I suspect the same could be done with a "small base" die to reduce the amount that the body is sized - especially if the brass was previously fired in that chamber?
It's just a guess without trying. I have small base .300 dies I picked up decades ago because I had to have dies that day and it was the only type in the store. On my custom chambered rifles its a better fit than standard dies. On others its a bit much and case life is shortened.
A frequent use I've got out of SB dies isn't sizing "for" semi-autos but sizing brass "from" semi autos. Semi chambers are routinely huge, and the brass may not size down enough for manual rifles with a regular die.
A frequent use I've got out of SB dies isn't sizing "for" semi-autos but sizing brass "from" semi autos. Semi chambers are routinely huge, and the brass may not size down enough for manual rifles with a regular die.
