full size vs small base rcbs 223 dies

View · by **hdgirl1340** on Wed Apr 17, 2013 11:34 am

Does anyone know how much difference the small base dies have over the full size dies for reloading 223 for an AR? A guy at cabelas told me i should be using small base dies for AR. Opinions?

View · by **Hoot** on Wed Apr 17, 2013 11:39 am

hdgirl1340 wrote:Does anyone know how much difference the small base dies have over the full size dies for reloading 223 for an AR? A guy at cabelas told me i should be using small base dies for AR. Opinions?

I have yet to encounter either a 5.56 or .223 chamber that had trouble cycling due to not using small base dies. I have however read of folks with unusually tight chambers that need the extra .002 reduction. Just more the exception than the rule.

Hoot

View · by **shooter115** on Wed Apr 17, 2013 1:09 pm

Yeah I would take anything you hear at Cabelas (or on the internet for that matter) with a grain of salt. I have to agree with Hoot. I've loaded thousands of rounds of .223 for the AR using regular dies and have never had a problem. If you don't need them, I wouldn't use them.

View · by **LarryFlew** on Wed Apr 17, 2013 1:13 pm

plus another one

View · by **Beretta96CT** on Wed Apr 17, 2013 3:30 pm

I asked the "Oldman" about this. He said if you have "Forward Assist" you don't need it, but must clean the rifle and brass to eliminate problems. He said he uses both dependent on which rifle the ammo is intended for.
Seems logical to me as explained by Oldman.

View · by **Erud** on Wed Apr 17, 2013 4:16 pm

Beretta96CT wrote:I asked the "Oldman" about this. He said if you have "Forward Assist" you don't need it, but must clean the rifle and brass to eliminate problems. He said he uses both dependent on which rifle the ammo is intended for.
Seems logical to me as explained by Oldman.

Are you not actually him?

View · by **Beretta96CT** on Wed Apr 17, 2013 4:26 pm

No ! He's a close neighbor of mine.

View · by **Erud** on Wed Apr 17, 2013 4:40 pm

Beretta96CT wrote:No ! He's a close neighbor of mine.

Ok, if you say so!

View · by **kbpc** on Wed Apr 17, 2013 6:17 pm

I don't use small base and haven't had an issue, my assumption is that small base could possibly wear out the brass faster, but if you need it you need it.

View · by **gearguy10** on Wed Apr 17, 2013 7:38 pm

I use regular dies when reloading for my .30-06 bolt gun and small base for my Browning BAR .30-06. I started with a regular set of Hornady dies for my AR in .300 Blackout and had a few rounds now and then that wouldn't load. I switched to RCBS small base dies and have never had a round fail to fully engage.

View · by **Hoot** on Wed Apr 17, 2013 8:49 pm

gearguy10 wrote:I use regular dies when reloading for my .30-06 bolt gun and small base for my Browning BAR .30-06. I started with a regular set of Hornady dies for my AR in .300 Blackout and had a few rounds now and then that wouldn't load. I switched to RCBS small base dies and have never had a round fail to fully engage.

It must be a gun by gun thing. I reload deer hunting rounds for my Dad's .30-06 Browning BAR using standard RCBS dies and never a hitch. Go figure...

Hoot

View · by **BigDog58** on Thu Apr 18, 2013 1:29 am

Beretta96CT wrote:I asked the "Oldman" about this. He said if you have "Forward Assist" you don't need it, but must clean the rifle and brass to eliminate problems. He said he uses both dependent on which rifle the ammo is intended for.
Seems logical to me as explained by Oldman.

Beretta, first let me say it was nice meeting you at Oldman's house the other day. In case you don't remember me, I was the guy trying to get Murphy to go home with me. I never knew the difference between regular and the small base dies. I don't own, nor load for the 223 but this thread taught me something. I hope to come over to OM's house in a week or so, and if you see my truck over there, I hope you will stop by. I always enjoy my visits and almost always lrarn something about reloading too. You, just made the visit more humorous and lively.

I also wanted to welcome you to this board. I will trade houses with you any day. I'd love to live so close to OM and to have a place like the two of you, where I could just go outside and have my own range for shooting. It makes me miss my home back in GA where I could shoot in my backyard. Living in Edina, makes things like doctors and stores very convenient, but shooting requires a bit of travel. I would never get anything done at home, between reloading, shooting, and BSing over at Dougs....

I hope to see you two next week, if everything goes as planned