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Thread: Lake City 308 brass and Small Base Die Set ?????

  1. #1
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    Lake City 308 brass and Small Base Die Set ?????

    Greetings Brothers,

    Do I really need a Small Base Die Set to process Lake City 7.62x51 MG fired blown out ammo?

    What is your brass prep for this brass?

    Bluejay
    Last edited by bluejay75; 12-13-2017 at 03:54 PM.
    You never know how you rank amongst men 'til you have seen what will break another man.
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    Boolit Master trails4u's Avatar
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    I think it depends a lot on your intended use. For a bolt gun......maybe not. For an AR...probably to ensure reliable feeding, but there's no guarantee it wouldn't feed with a regular sizing die. All depends on your chamber dimensions.
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    Boolit Master
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    My Lake city brass worked fine with my lee die.Most of the other head stamps would not fit in my bolt action. It took a small base die and a cam over to get them to chamber.
    I now use a case gauge on every one after sizing and before seating the primers. It took a long time to break down 500 rounds.
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  4. #4
    Boolit Grand Master popper's Avatar
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    For an AR, yes. Also size in several steps with plenty of lube.
    Whatever!

  5. #5
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    I process that brass for an M1A. I use a Small Base resize die. I lube and resize, turn the case 180 degrees, and run it up again. I then check the resized case in a gauge.

  6. #6
    Boolit Buddy

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    I loaded for a .308 Garand for several years. I started with a small base die set, and it was torture to resize military brass. I had to swing most of my weight on the handle of the press. Finally I had enough and bought a RCBS "Competition" full length sizing die, and it made case prep SO much easier. Along with being held to closer case size tolerances, the competition die has a differently shaped neck expander ball. My Garand fed the new ammo just fine, and I tossed the small base die. If you are going to shoot military brass, do yourself a favor and get the RCBS Competition. It is worth the money.

  7. #7
    Boolit Master
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    I full length on a Rockchucker II press using RCBS lube and pad. I don't have any trouble sizing anything.

    I'm not saying not to use the SB dies but you may not need to. I would full length size first then if needed run them through the SB dies. You should only have to do this the very first time you size them.

    Nothing shortens case life faster than SB sizing when it's NOT required.

    Motor

  8. #8
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    I suggest depriming the cleaned cases first with a Lee deprime die. Then use a standard RCBS X-Die to size the cases adjusting the mandrel so the neck does not buckle below the shoulder. I also suggest, instead of just FL sizing, you adjust the die setting in the press for the correct case headspace for your rifles headspace. Sizing them this way will give maximum case life.

    I've done thousands of LC 7.62 cases fired in M60s and M240s this way w/o any problems. I only use the standard .308W RCBS X-Die. The "AR" X-Die is not needed nor is a SB die. Both of the will dramatically shorten case life.
    Larry Gibson

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    Quote Originally Posted by Larry Gibson View Post
    I suggest depriming the cleaned cases first with a Lee deprime die. Then use a standard RCBS X-Die to size the cases adjusting the mandrel so the neck does not buckle below the shoulder. I also suggest, instead of just FL sizing, you adjust the die setting in the press for the correct case headspace for your rifles headspace. Sizing them this way will give maximum case life.

    I've done thousands of LC 7.62 cases fired in M60s and M240s this way w/o any problems. I only use the standard .308W RCBS X-Die. The "AR" X-Die is not needed nor is a SB die. Both of the will dramatically shorten case life.
    I couldn't agree more that small base dies aren't needed. Been shooting semi-auto's of all sorts since far back as I can remember and I use regular dies and a lot of the times neck sizings dies. I have use the neck sizer dies for cartridge use in my M1's, M1A, and AR's both 15's and 10's with nary a problem. Someone may have an extremely tight chamber in a rifle that may require a small base die, but I would try everything you can do with the standard die before resorting to the small base ones.
    Last edited by vzerone; 12-14-2017 at 06:19 PM.

  10. #10
    Boolit Grand Master


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    You might read my test of the X-Die in http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...2-My-M1A/page2 post #21
    Larry Gibson

    “Deficient observation is merely a form of ignorance and responsible for the many morbid notions and foolish ideas prevailing.”
    ― Nikola Tesla

  11. #11
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    Thanks Mr Gibson. Good read and I purchased the x Die Set.

    Bluejay
    You never know how you rank amongst men 'til you have seen what will break another man.
    The original "Bluejay" US Army/ US Navy 1945-1970.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Larry Gibson View Post
    You might read my test of the X-Die in http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...2-My-M1A/page2 post #21
    I have read that, good write up and instructions.

  13. #13
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    I would recommend sb. I've run into certain guns that wouldn't chamber with standard dies. It's all going to come down to the firearm you're running them in.

  14. #14
    Boolit Grand Master In Remembrance
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    For some rifles (mainly bolt guns) & brass you can run them through SB dies for the first reload & neck size from then on

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
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GC Gas Check