.308 Small Base Resizing Dies

[Baughes]

I have a brand new POF .308 AR and I loaded up 100 rounds of ammo and went off to the range today. I'm sure you are now laughing and know I full length sized my rounds with regular 308 dies for my bolt rifle. Now I will order small base dies.

What I want to know now is there a resizing die that I can use to resize the other 98 rounds with bullets in them? I use RCBS dies and I don't think you can take the decapping pin out and size loaded cartridge. My buddie says there is a small base sizing die with the top open so the bullet can protrude for a loaded round. I can't seem to find it online so if you know what its called or the exact number so I can order it I would be very happy after a crappy day at the range.

Thanks,

[Triple R Munitions]

grafs and sons have the die....its made by Redding. its called a small base body size die.

R

[bohoki]

did you trim to spec after sizing?

i use lee rgb dies and trim them with the lee cutter and they are plenty accurate and reliable in my m1a

[jtv3062]

Do not try to resize loaded ammo! I did and the round got stuck, ripped out the rim ruined the Dillion fl die. I'm lucky not to have had an serious accident trying to remove the round from the die.
I would buy a kinetic bullet puller(the hammer type) to remove the bullet and powder and resize after that.

[FLIGHT762]

^^^^^ Heed this ^^^^^^^

[ar15barrels]

Do not try to resize loaded ammo! I did and the round got stuck, ripped out the rim ruined the Dillion fl die.

You certainly can not re-size loaded ammo with a normal sizing die that reduces the neck diameter because the bullet will not collapse to let the neck get sized.
THAT is why you tuck a round in the die.

The Redding body die does not touch the neck.
Redding warns not to use the body die for sizing loaded ammo.
I have used it in that manner without issues though.

You have to REALLY know what you are doing when you start doing stuff like this...

[sonnyt650]

For .223 I have an RCBS small base sizing die that sizes cases which don't measure out any differently from the Lee dies. Small base dies don't seem to be necessary for my ARs so I can't comment on whether it actually does anything differently. Thinking it through: do I need to get RCBS shell holders which might have a thinner shelf that fits in the extraction groove?

As far as resizing finished rounds: if you have a bolt-action, mark them for that instead and make up a new batch using the small base die. IMO you're just asking for too much trouble for 98 rounds. Before loading up even more ammo be sure you know whether you need the shell holder though, waiting on a response to that myself.

[CSACANNONEER]

You certainly can not re-size loaded ammo with a normal sizing die that reduces the neck diameter because the bullet will not collapse to let the neck get sized.
THAT is why you tuck a round in the die.

The Redding body die does not touch the neck.
Redding warns not to use the body die for sizing loaded ammo.
I have used it in that manner without issues though.

You have to REALLY know what you are doing when you start doing stuff like this...

I know enough to know that I'd be risking my safety doing this.

[ar15barrels]

I know enough to know that I'd be risking my safety doing this.

Can you explain why?

[J-cat]

grafs and sons have the die....its made by Redding. its called a small base body size die.

R

+1

Body Dies rule!

[SixPointEight]

Why do you NEED small base dies? I'm assuming you bought or picked up 1fire brass that is too large for your chamber?

[J-cat]

Small base dies size the base of a fired case about .001" more than standard dies and improve reliability in automatic rifles.

[SixPointEight]

Small base dies size the base of a fired case about .001" more than standard dies and improve reliability in automatic rifles.

I misread sorry. I thought he said he was using these in a bolt rifle and I was a little confused why he'd want small base dies for that. I re-read and understand better now.

[CSACANNONEER]

Can you explain why?

Blanket warning to make sure that anyone trying it THINKS and UNDERSTANDS what they are doing before they attempt it.

[Triple R Munitions]

i had to fix a lot of loaded rounds because they were not sized right...that body size die saved me from pulling/destroying all that ammo.

sizing ammo is not recomended, but it really is not all that bad....

R