Small base Dies

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DaveB

DaveB

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I have a lot of 223 once-fired Military brass to prep and needed small base dies anyway so I sprung for them about a year ago. Set them up, checked them out, the regular routine to insure what I sized actually chambered in the S&W AR and my Axis 223. Seemed fine, I was happy as a lark. Few weeks ago I sized measured, trimmed, chamfered, and using the small base die Full length sized 200 of them. Loaded a few, chambered them in the Axis, no problem. I loaded 100 and checked the last one. Would not chamber. Well, it would chamber, if I cranked that bolt with both hands. Checked a few more, same results. Started going back methodically looking for where I went out of spec. Round 17 is good-marginal but good, 18 is bad.

I sat and tried to roll back to that point and just do not remember. Checked the die, it was loose. I am not one to hand tighten my dies. The reason why they are knurled is to give your wrench something to grab hold of.

I redid the die install, checking everything, chambering freshly sized brass, all is well. Very carefully I continued to re-size and strangely enough the RCBS die seems to not stay tight in the Lee turret. I had marked the set screw location on the turret and it was the strangest thing to see that mark not in alignment. I mean, it was weird. Nearly all my dies are RCBS, this is only small base die I own. I am going to change turret and go back through the routine, maybe the turret is bad.

I unpacked my Forster bullet puller and got the 223 collet. Going to be a long evening.
 
I got to where I tighten my dies with a wrench,,I dont have a progressive or turret press though,,,if they would chamber in the AR I know how I would pull those bullets,,probably wont chamber in it either but I would check and see,
 
I use a wrench as well, had the same thing happen using a small base for .308 several years ago.
Like Mr. Big said, see if the AR will go to battery with them before you yank them.
 
I have never had a die back out of the press and I always just hand tighten them. The only press I've ever owned are 2 Rock Chuckers though. That is odd to hear of dies backing out like that.

Well, now that I think about it, I do have 2 older Lee Pro 1000 progressive presses that have never had the dies taken out and no problems with dies moving.
 
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if brass was from factory ammo that was shot in an AR sometimes it takes a small base die to get the brass back in spec to chamber,,if it is LC brass that was run through a SAW it will for sure need to be run through a SB die,,

or if you are just shooting an AR with hot loads you will at some point have to run your brass through a SB die or it will fail to feed and sometimes jam your rifle up tight,,

my BIL has a Rem 7400 30-06 that you have to use a SB die with or use factory ammo,,
 
I've got a set of Lee dies, I've never experienced this. I was under the impression that If the dies worked for you they will always work
 
I have been using the turret press for a very long time. I have a turret for each caliber. Once I find a setting that works that die is locked down solid, marked with an awl and with a sharpie. Never had one come loose. My 30.06 has been locked down for over 20 years.

Mr Big accurately describes why Small Base dies are a good thing to have if you shoot semi-auto. If you buy the once-fired military brass it is necessary. I used to use a regular die and some rounds would chamber, most would not. Get th SB die, proper lube, the brass fits all chambers.

I swapped the die into a different turret, got it set up, started to FL size some brass and this time the die stayed locked. Well, at least, so far, anyway.

The 80+ rounds to pull and re-size are moving along.

Note:

All of my 223 brass for the AR comes from BrassmanBrass.com. I like his prices and have actually talked to him on the phone. If you need 55 grain .224 FMJ rounds he has the best price.
 
Just goes to show that no matter how much you do something, you never know what crazy thing is going to happen. Good thing you caught what the problem was and seem to have fixed it with a different turret.

Since I don't reload for any semi-autos, I've never had experience with small base dies.
 

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