Samll Base Dies - Again

[BuckeyeShooter]

This is very Ironic.
I've read the threads here for 20 years about small base dies, but never had to go there.
I may be going there with reloading for an M1a. Not totaly sure yet.
Has anyone used the Redding 308WIN small base die #77355?

[fguffey]

This is very Ironic.

Has anyone used the Redding 308WIN small base die #77355?

I do not have a Redding 308Win small base die. But I do have RCBS dies that should never have left 'the factory'. I also have 762 NATO barrels made for Israeli machineguns and I have many different ways to form 30/06 cases to 308W. I have never had a problem sizing the base of a case because of case head expansion unless it was over pressured.

Back to the RCBS cases, I have 3 sets that are identical, these dies keep every case I shove into them.

F. Guffey

[BuckeyeShooter]

Thank Guffy.
It appears that I will have two sizer dies for 308WIN. Regular for bolt guns and small base for gas guns.

[Clark Howard]

My standard .308 RCBS dies resize cases for my M1A chamber. 7.62x51 cases that have been fired in a machine gun require a muscular, (50 bmg) press to do it.

[BuckeyeShooter]

First time reloading 30 cal for me.
Even with lots of sizing wax, I have to size my once fired LC90 cases with the regular FL die, then with the small base die to avoid a stuck case.
The case doesn't fall out of the chamber like a new case will. Looks like I'm shy about .0001".

I'm mistified by this. I am assured by the die manufcatirer that all is well from my description.
He said he has to do the same thing. I wonder what a NATO chanber would act like.

[fguffey]

I use a no-name case lube when forming cases; all that means is I do no not have the same problems other reloaders have. I have dies that are not identical, I have dies that have failure built into them.

I measure dies; I had two 300 Win Mag rifles, I can fire new ammo in one rifle, after firing the cases I can neck sized the case and then load the once fired cases in both rifles. One is a Model 70 Winchester and the other rifle is a Weatherby.

Cases fired in the Winchester will not chamber in the Weatherby, the Winchester has the ugliest chamber I have ever seen. A Winchester warranty shop sent the Winchester back to Winchester, They sent it back, it came back uglier and it was impossible to chamber a new round, it has nothing to do with the chamber.

F. Guffey

[fguffey]

Again, I have NATO chambered barrels. one is threaded for a 03A3, the other two are heavy blank 7.62 barrels that that fit a 30 caliber machine gun. An old friend started building bench rest type rifles with barrels that were made for machine guns, my opinion the barrels are magnificent. It did not start out that way because he decided 'all you have got to do is? I suggested he make sure the chamber reamer would cleanup the old chamber on both sets of barrels. On the 8mm Boffer barrels his fired cases had two different two neck diameters on his fired cases and the 7.62 NATO had a generous neck. When fired the case body was too large in diameter. He called me to complain about one of his new customers.

I had a question about the rifle, I wanted to know about accuracy, he knew I knew thee was no way anyone could improve on the accuracy. He said his new customer was more than pleased with the rifle's accuracy. He only complained about about the case expansion, especially at the neck. I told him he made a mistake when he sold one of his rifles to an Internet reloader. And then he wanted to know what 'WE' could do. I did not have to ask him if he had enough new 30/06 cases to form 308W cases, he did. I boxed up a few dies and headed out.

We sorted LC NM cases and matched the years and then started forming. I increased the diameter of the neck by 8", that was perfect. And then I suggested his new customer avoid full length sizing the cases after he fired them. He never called me back complaining about his new customer. We formed over 500 30/06 cases to 7.62 (JIC), just in case someone else purchases another loose neck bench rest rifle.

F. Guffey

[BuckeyeShooter]

That is an interesting story.
A friend ended up with a 50 cal MG barrel from a job he did and built a bolt action around it.
He test fired it on the range one day and the whole line cleared out until he was done.
He machined the bullets also. Solids.
Just a little distracting.

[fguffey]

First time reloading 30 cal for me.
Even with lots of sizing wax, I have to size my once fired LC90 cases with the regular FL die, then with the small base die to avoid a stuck case.
The case doesn't fall out of the chamber like a new case will. Looks like I'm shy about .0001".

Lots of sizing wax? I do not believe using more wax/lube decreases the case's ability to resist sizing. I do not have an infatuation with sizing wax, I am told it is the very best and I am not allowed to disagree and when I go to help someone with a problem sizing cases they aske me not to bring my no name case lube. All that means is once I get there I have to figure a way to reduce the cases ability to resist sizing.

I do not complain about task I have trouble doing, I am the fan of measuring before and again after. Many years ago I used feeler gages between the deck of the shell holder and case head to increase the die's ability to shorten the length of the case from the datum to the case head.


The case doesn't fall out of the chamber like a new case will. Looks like I'm shy about .0001".

The chamber should be go-gage length, the case should be size to minimum length/full length sized. The difference between the two should give you clearance. (.0001" is not enough), I suggest you increase the clearance between the bolt face and case head to .002".

I suggest you learn to measure the diameter of the case and the length of the case from the datum to the case head.

F. Guffey

[fguffey]

I measure case head protrusion/unsupported case head from the chamber that part of the case head does not get sized.

F. Guffey

[BuckeyeShooter]

Got it.

While learning this .308 stuff this month, I had two stuck cases, so I broke out the wax. Never needed it before.
I'll put it away when I can spray cases or roll them on a lube pad and size properly. That should come as I learn the ropes.

I measure the bolt face to datem line with the RCBS case micrometer and to the ogive with a comparator.
So far, the only problem has been the final case base circumference for use in this M1a chamber. Thants all good now.
Thanks Gufffy