dies for reloading a .308 semi-auto rifle

[Rick65Cat]

I know I have to use a full length resizing die, should I worry whether the neck will be crimped enough? I want to be sure the case will hold the bullet tight enough so that when its chambering, the bullet doesn't somehow get pushed back into the case resulting in a massive KB.
This will be a reload for a Norinco M-14. The bolt can't be babied when closing it.
I'll be using Sierra 150gr SBT bullets that have no cannalure

Are there specific dies for service rifle application?
Am I being overly paranoid?


I'd hate like hell to be sighting on a monster buck with this on my mind...

 

[chemo]

I too am being worried but I think you should read or search the other threads, there have been at least a dozen in the last month

 

[Rick65Cat]

I cant find any sticky on the subject in either the "reloading" or "battle rifle" section.

 

[Dantforth]

Some use "small base" dies when the resulting ammo will be used for a semi auto. I do believe that any set of reloading dies will have a sufficient enough crimp to hold a bullet securely through the semi-auto cycle.

 

[bfoosh006]

www.zediker.com/downloads/m14.html

 

[Northman999]

I use RCBS small base dies and run the brass through full length to get that brass nice and tight. I also trim my brass to minimum length after 2 reloads (sometimes 3 if I forget!!); I do not crimp my bullets in place. I have found that the necks are very tight as is, and I have had no problems at all doing it this way.

 

[Pathfinder]

I know I have to use a full length resizing die, should I worry whether the neck will be crimped enough? I want to be sure the case will hold the bullet tight enough so that when its chambering, the bullet doesn't somehow get pushed back into the case resulting in a massive KB.
This will be a reload for a Norinco M-14. The bolt can't be babied when closing it.
I'll be using Sierra 150gr SBT bullets that have no cannalure

Are there specific dies for service rifle application?
Am I being overly paranoid?


I'd hate like hell to be sighting on a monster buck with this on my mind...

Bullets getting pushed into a case dont' cause massive kabooms (altough it will raise pressures if it further compresses the powder) Firing out of battery will. Proper full sizing and priming will ensure that it will not happen. Read the thread about the last M-14 that blew because it fired out of battery. Its in the battle rifle section.

 

[Rick65Cat]

Yup, already read that one...thats why I'm covering my bases trying to gather as much info as I can.

 

[beltfed]

Bullets getting pushed into a case dont' cause massive kabooms (altough it will raise pressures if it further compresses the powder)

A bullet pushed back into a case could very well cause enough pressure to cause a catastrophic failure -especially if the load is made up of ball powder. (maybe not the 'massive kaboom' as you describe).

I'm a big proponent of crimping for autos. It is such an easy step, I don't understand why some would skip it.
In every test I've conducted, I've seen no detriment to accuracy.

With regard to the dies, as long as they are set up properly, I see no issues with FL sizing dies. I run all my handloads through a case gauge to be sure...

 

[Pathfinder]

Then maybe you can give us an example of these catatrophic failures ?

Im not talking about the bullet being pushed all the way in and that's not easy to do under normal circumstances, its not like he's loading a hard kicking lever gun. If the neck tension is good then he should not have to worry about crimping.

At any rate if crimping was such a big deal Sierra would of put a canulure on that bullet.

 

[Levi Garrett]

Small base dies
seat to where it feeds, and fits mag.
no hot loads, cycle time

 

[beltfed]

Then maybe you can give us an example of these catatrophic failures ?

Im not talking about the bullet being pushed all the way in and that's not easy to do under normal circumstances, its not like he's loading a hard kicking lever gun. If the neck tension is good then he should not have to worry about crimping.

At any rate if crimping was such a big deal Sierra would of put a canulure on that bullet.

Provide an example of a catastophic failure with an unknown cause that rules it out 100%

You do not need the bullet pushed completely in the case for raised pressures. While loading manuals provide a decent background, they are guidelines. I'm betting there is no one on this board (or 99.999% of the internet for that matter) actually knows what pressures their loads are creating. If a load is at or near max. and the bullet sets back a couple of thou. it could spell disaster. Maybe not a fireball, but a broken gun.

Typical autoloaders are not so gentle with round chambering. My point is that while you are shooting, there is no way for you to know for certain that next round has not had the bullet set-back on you, despite chambering fine.

There are a number of bullet manufacturers that produce bullets with canalures, including Sierra designed to be loaded in autos- the 77gr. SMK used in MK262 ammo is a prime example of a bullet the the US Army insisted they make a canalure for.
In any even, you don't necessarily need a canalure for a crimp to work, and as I've stated, I've seen no degridation in accuracy from crimping match bullets without a canalure.

Your milage obviously varies. Good luck!

 

[RePete]

Some semi's require f/l sizing and some require s/b sizing.

I s/b size for bolt actions.

 

[hunter64]

My routine is this:

1. Clean the brass
2. Full length resize/deprime
3. Trim every case
4. Prime and remove any residual sizing grease
5. Powder and seat the bullet
6. Crimp with the lee crimp die.

For the extra 5 minutes it takes to run the rounds thru the crimp die I can't see there ever being a problem.

 

[Campfireprophet]

Lee factory crimp Dies Will crimp bullets without canalure. The new RCBS X die Is supose to extend case life.The big problem with the m14 is the primers.Make shure there seated all the way in the case try to use milspect primers or less sensitive one's to prevent slamfire's. Once my supply of ball is gone I'll be In the same boat.this is main warning I got from a few experienced reloaders. Cheers!

 

[John Y Cannuck]

I know I have to use a full length resizing die, should I worry whether the neck will be crimped enough?

Crimping too hard, can slightly buckle the case, causing bullets to be looser than if you'd not crimped at all.
The Lee Factory crimp die will ensure that doesn't happen.

I want to be sure the case will hold the bullet tight enough so that when its chambering, the bullet doesn't somehow get pushed back into the case resulting in a massive KB.

The chance of it is pretty remote, even without a crimp. A light crimp may help feeding however. As a test, when you fire the three rounds, check the cartridge length in the mag, of the remaining two. If you are doing your job right, you should see little, or no movement.

This will be a reload for a Norinco M-14. The bolt can't be babied when closing it.

The bolt closing, has nothing to do with bullet movement, it's recoil, from firing that can move bullets in your mag.

I'll be using Sierra 150gr SBT bullets that have no cannalure

Do not attempt to crimp these with a standard set of dies, it will just loosen the bullet, by crumpling the neck slightly. The Lee factory crimp die can crimp these bullets. It will form it's own 'canellure' as it squeezes the crimp, by collet.

Are there specific dies for service rifle application?

not that I'm aware of

Am I being overly paranoid?

YUP

I'd hate like hell to be sighting on a monster buck with this on my mind...

Go do a mess of practicing, you should anyway, and when you have no failures, it won't be on your mind.

 

[Boomer]

I used to think that small based dies had to be used for gas guns, but when you consider that the bolt of the gas gun closes with much more force than you would ever use to cycle the bolt of a rifle with a manual action, and that gas gun tolerances are usually larger, it is not a surprise that the majority of folks get by just fine with normal full length resizing. Gas guns with match chambers are another issue, but you know that going in. Neither should gas gun ammo be partially resized as this increases the chances for slam fires and firing out of battery.

I prefer to see gas gun ammo crimped, and choose my bullets accordingly. Having said that, there are millions of match bullets fired through a variety of service rifles every year without incident, and crimping ammo which is to be used in competition could cause more problems than it solves. For hunting scenarios that would be encountered with an M-14, I would urge you to choose a game bullet with a cannelure and crimp the bullet in place.