223 dies

[k arga]

going to order another set of dies, have the hornady comp dies but they are tight in some guns, I can order the rcbs X dies small base or the sb ar dies. My thought is that the X die is a waste , the head will separate or primer pocket will be gone before I have to worry about the neck or shoulder area.
what dies would you get.

thanks kurt

[PhillipM]

I like my 223 FL X Die. Trim once and rock n roll on the Dillon. Primer pockets are the failure point, the very nature of the X die eliminating trimming eliminates case head separations. I'm not sure you understand what they do.

Frank White chamber, Krieger barrel on my match AR.

[Jim in Salt Lake]

I use Dillon dies that came with my used 550 press I bought 15 years ago. Have had no issues with them. I also use a headspace gauge I got from Mo Defina at Mastercraft Sports (203-775-1013) so that I'm only sizing as necessary. This makes my brass last and it needs very little trimming. I load for three ARs, two with White Oak barrels and the other is a Rock River national match (Wylde chamber). I used the Mo gauge to measure fired cases from all three and set sizing to .002" below the tightest chamber (one of the White Oaks). All three chambers are pretty close and I haven't had any feeding issues. Brass lasts until the pockets get loose, no case head separations anymore. I'll be prepping brass once the snow flies!

[Sunray]

Haven't ever used anything but standard FL dies. All the rest of 'em are nothing but marketing.

[DaveL]

+ one for sunray

[Hefights]

In .223 for most regular shooting a good qualiity set of FL dies will serve you well, so +2 for Sunray. Personally I use RCBS Competition sizing dies and Redding dies with very good results. I use more expensive seating dies and think they help. Follow good preparation procedures, inspect the brass and use decent quality components. In my experience the necks always go first in .223. Thats a fairly safe and convenient way to find out you are beyond the case life, YMMV.

[joem]

Can you determine why your reloads are tight in some guns? Do you have a maximum length case gauge? I load for several AR's and my reloads fit in all of them.

[da gimp]

One of our long time Garand & AR service rifle competitors Maury Krupp uses the RCBS X die on his .223 reloads & is really in awe on how well they eliminate/reduce the need for trimming of fired brass. Heck we own several good sets of RCBS .223 dies, set or individual rifles, and he's gotten cheap old me into thinking of getting a set of X dies too & that's doing something........... I just hate trimming brass, but dam I hate spending money.....If I didn't already have them, I'd get a set of the RCBS X dies & figure it was money well spent.............