RCBS X-Die for 5.56?

[m4fun]

I am still on an epic journey of making lots and lots of 5.56 and have a complex setup. Just trying to make lots of plinking, training rounds as well as feed my always hungry full-autos. Nothing hyper accurate as I am systamatically running through lots of old pulled 55gr/62gr - and yes they are separate and I have two receipes of TAC Ramshot I am very happy with.

I have gone through tons of range brass, separating out only the LC brass. Use a Dillon 550 for decapping and trimming(1200B). Have a 1050 setup for the bulk reloading.

Lastly - an acquaintance of mine suggested that since I have goine throught the the initial pain of processing all the brass, I should look into the RCBS X-dies to limit the need of trimming and prolong the reloading life of the brass.

So I read all the RCBS fluff - not much there, so I would like to know if anyone has any experience or opinions they would like to share about the X-Dies.

Thanks

Brian

[nicholst55]

First, let me state that I have no personal experience with the X-dies. That said, I intend to buy one for every gas-gun cartridge that I reload for as soon as I return to the States.

Do a google search for 'Larry Gibson X-die M1A' and read the thread that he has posted online. He began using the X-die in .308 for his M1A and has increased the number of loads for one piece of brass from 4 to 20! That's absolutely phenomenal, especially in an M1A!

I don't know if you load for an M1A but they are brass eaters, and four loads for a piece of brass is all you're going to get unless you want to spend all your time removing separated cases from your chamber. That's with any make of brass, from Lapua to Lake City, and that gets expensive fast if you shoot one a lot - like in High Power competition.

The thought of being able to use a particular lot of brass until the primer pockets get loose, or until the necks begin to split - in an M1A - is enough to sell me on the idea!

[m4fun]

That Larry Gibson info is awesome! That is data and research I needed to seal this. Sold. Mr Dillon is getting a new die and now will handle separating "my" brass from range brass just for what gets first trim or ongoing X-die.

Thanks,

Brian

[Storydude]

All an "X-Die" consists of , is a modified Neck sizing die.


I'd be leery of firing ANY rifle brass more than 5 times at the power levels I load at.

Every time you fire a rifle, brass grows. When you resize, you are forcing that brass back into position, weakening it. All an X-die does is just bump the shoulder back and resize the neck.

If you REALLY need to get 10+ loadings out of your brass, suck it up and buy 1K more brass instead of this die.

This claim of getting 10+ loadings out of brass proves one of two things. Either someone's lying to us, or someone figured out how to cheat the laws of metallurgy.

[Steve in PA]

Well, I have several...........as in 7 reloads through .30/06 brass fired in my Garand and resized using the X-die. If I owuld anneal the case necks I would probably get more, but since I don't the brass ends up getting tossed around that number do to the small neck cracks.

The load is 47.0gr of IMR-4895 under a 150gr FMJ bullet and CCI 200 primers. No trimming other than the first initial trim.

[Storydude]

I look at brass as a disposable commodity. ;)