Match .308 Sizing Dies

[HKGuns]

I absolutely hated bushing dies. People can make them work, but I got the "dreaded donut", and absolutely have no interest in turning necks.

I just run a Redding Body die, and follow up with a Lee Collet neck sizer after tumbling off case lube.

I don’t disagree, interesting solution!

Imagine my surprise when I bought my first set and didn’t buy any collets.........Ready to load and no dice.

[HKGuns]

Same here. I shot National Match M14 across-the-course and for Palma at the National Matches, and a Winchester 70 and Paramount single-shot 308 for Palma.

I sold the M14, Model 70, and Paramount. For my AR-10s, a 7.62 Garand, and 700 I use an RCBS small base die and a Forster benchrest seater.

You get 100-yard 10-shot groups like this from a factory barrel 700 with a Leupold M3LR at 10X:

(click to expand)

Attachment 64081

Why is there always one?

Nice group, my best groups are usually always ruined by that one too.

[STAMarine]

I'm having a hard time telling from the Redding body die description, are they all small base? If so, will this overwork my brass from making it smaller than necessary?

[gunnerblue]

The 700, 70, and two AR-10s had/have factory barrels, the rest have match chambers.

A single die ensures ammo fits any of the rifles in my collection, either bolt or self-loader.

Understood. Is case life affected by firing the smaller-sized cases in factory chambers?

[markm]

Case life will be destroyed if you bump the shoulder back too much. I ruined Lapua .308 brass years back trying to load my .308 the same way I load .223.

I sized it back to SAAMI so it fit in a case guage, and I got a lot of case separations. I since adjusted the die to match the bolt gun's chamber and stopped destroying nice brass. (I keep a different sizing Die for gas guns)

[STAMarine]

Case life will be destroyed if you bump the shoulder back too much. I ruined Lapua .308 brass years back trying to load my .308 the same way I load .223.

I sized it back to SAAMI so it fit in a case guage, and I got a lot of case separations. I since adjusted the die to match the bolt gun's chamber and stopped destroying nice brass. (I keep a different sizing Die for gas guns)

Ok, I also use Lapua brass so I want to get a long life out of them. Would the proper technique be install the body die per instructions, measure using a comparator, and then adjust the die (by backing out) until I'm only bumping the shoulder back like two thousandths? I understand the concept you're trying to get across to me in general, but getting the end result in specifics is what I'm trying to wrap my head around. I'm sloowly picking up what you're laying down.

[markm]

I'm not a big instrumentation fanatic. I grab like 3 pieces of Brass and set the die to where it just takes the force out of closing the bolt.

A comparator is probably easier, but I'm stubborn and cheap.

[STAMarine]

I'm not a big instrumentation fanatic. I grab like 3 pieces of Brass and set the die to where it just takes the force out of closing the bolt.

A comparator is probably easier, but I'm stubborn and cheap.

Ok, I can understand that. And it doesn't require math.

[bigedp51]

I'm having a hard time telling from the Redding body die description, are they all small base? If so, will this overwork my brass from making it smaller than necessary?

Chambers and resizing dies vary in size, below just some of the .223/5.56 dies I have used and tested. Example I have a standard Lee .223 die thats not shown that will reduce the case body diameter "MORE" than my small base dies do. And in the upper right hand corner are two Redding body dies, a standard and small base .223 body dies. And my favorite dies are the Forster full length dies with their high mounted floating expanders. The forster die produce the least amount of neck runout and very concentric cases.

NOTE, I buy bulk once fired Lake City 5.56 and 7.62 brass fired in a verity of chambers. I size the cases the first time using a small base die to bring the cases back to minimum dimensions. Thereafter I size the cases with my standard Forster full length dies. My RCBS small base die only makes the case body diameter approximately .001 smaller than my standard Forster die. So remember both chambers and dies have a plus and minus manufacturing tolerances.



Below a "FIRED" 5.56 Lake City case in my Hornady cartridge case headspace gauge. And I then adjust the resizing die for .003 shoulder bump.



Below the Forster dies hold and center the case neck when the expander enters the neck. And the floating expander does not pull the case necks off center inducing neck runout.

[sinister]

Understood. Is case life affected by firing the smaller-sized cases in factory chambers?

I don't think it's any different than firing virgin brass. Small base will size close to virgin dimensions -- who doesn't like shooting factory ammo?

I also use a Stoney Point (now Hornady) gage to size around 2 thousandths shoulder bump, and no more.