Full size, neck size, or small base dies for 223 Rem?

[LVJ76]

Regular dies should work fine provided you are virgin brass or brass that has only been fired in your rifle. If you are using milsurp or other brass that was fired in someone else's rifle, then, at least for the initial sizing, a small base die is a safer bet.

All that being said, I have found Forster dies to size the case body a little smaller than most and have loaded literally thousands of milsurp brass without using a small base die, instead using Forster FL dies. They have all functioned flawlessly in my AR.

John

Lee Ultimate 223 Remington Full Length Sizing, Neck Sizing, Bullet

Choose the Lee Ultimate Die Set for maximum versatility. The set features a full length-resizing die to return brass to factory new dimensions, perfect...

www.midwayusa.com

Lee has superior decapping pin design over replaceable RCBS pins. Just buy several because you can bend them.

I used to trim and chamfer all 223 to 1.750 They actually work fine out to 1.770 or so. Since I use a Dillion 550 the crimper stage is a good thing to be consistent on neck tension.

I use Rem BR primer for precision AR shooting. AR-comp and 2000-mr powder. Leverrevolution, 748, CFE 223, H414 are okay. .223 IMO is kind of limited to 75 and less grain bullets because of the 2.26 length.

I only use match 11° target crowned SS barrels of 20 and 24 inches. I'm a piston gun AR guy

Size them first and then wet tumble clean to be lube free for reloading. I sort everything and only use Lake City for paper days. It is possible to shoot sub dime sized 200 yard groups in a AR platform.

Thanks for the help.

I have about 90 pics if once fired fireformed Hornady brass from factory rounds, these were fired on my rifle. I used a few of them yesterday to prep some loads. I'll be getting some Nosler brass soon though.

I used full size dies and they chambered with no issues. I'll see how they work at the range this weekend.

This is not a competition AR. It's a Sig M400 with a stock 16" 1:7 barrel that I got a few years ago and has about 800 rounds fired through it. I am changing the trigger before hitting the range this weekend, I got a Triggertech adaptable 2.5 to 5.0 lbs so that should help in accuracy.

Like with any other rifle I do want sub half MOA accuracy so we'll see how it goes.

Thank again everyone for the help, I appreciate it

Luis

 

[jbs2014]

Thanks for the help.

I have about 90 pics if once fired fireformed Hornady brass from factory rounds, these were fired on my rifle. I used a few of them yesterday to prep some loads. I'll be getting some Nosler brass soon though.

I used full size dies and they chambered with no issues. I'll see how they work at the range this weekend.

This is not a competition AR. It's a Sig M400 with a stock 16" 1:7 barrel that I got a few years ago and has about 800 rounds fired through it. I am changing the trigger before hitting the range this weekend, I got a Triggertech adaptable 2.5 to 5.0 lbs so that should help in accuracy.

Like with any other rifle I do want sub half MOA accuracy so we'll see how it goes.

Thank again everyone for the help, I appreciate it

Luis

How did your loads perform at your trip to the range?

I know I am way late to the party on this but the Fed 205M primers gave me the best results and the lowest ES with Lake City 5.56 brass. I also use the RCBS small base sizing die but opted for the Redding competition seater die.

Do you have a 5.56 or .223 chamber?

I have a Redding sizing die that I recently acquired and I am going to experiment with annealing the once fired brass I have and setting the shoulders back .005'. My hope is that the annealing creates more uniform neck tension and decreases that ES for the load that I am running right now. I will see this weekend how it all turns out.

 

[LVJ76]

How did your loads perform at your trip to the range?

I know I am way late to the party on this but the Fed 205M primers gave me the best results and the lowest ES with Lake City 5.56 brass. I also use the RCBS small base sizing die but opted for the Redding competition seater die.

Do you have a 5.56 or .223 chamber?

I have a Redding sizing die that I recently acquired and I am going to experiment with annealing the once fired brass I have and setting the shoulders back .005'. My hope is that the annealing creates more uniform neck tension and decreases that ES for the load that I am running right now. I will see this weekend how it all turns out.

Thanks Jbs.

I used an RCBS full size die and the rounds chambered and ejected perfectly.

The rifle did not like the 50gr Ballistic Silvertips at all, so I'll provably trade them for a heavier bullet or let my brother shoot them in his bolt rifle. I did not get to try the Hornady 60gr HPBT. I also have some Hornady 62gr HPBT Match and a bunch of 55gr bullets to try. I'll get some 68gr or 69gr bullets, anything heavier I think would be too slow for a 16" barrel.

The 55gr I am sure will shoot good since several factory loads already shoot MOA at 100 yds. I have lots on play time pending still.

Thanks again

Luis

 

[LVJ76]

Forgot to mention, it's a 5.56 chamber.

 

[xsn10s]

Forgot to mention, it's a 5.56 chamber.

My AR's are 5.56 chambers. What load did you use with the 50 BT's? I used TAC and Fed 205's and Federal brass.
Update: I saw you're using close to same load as I did. My rifle is 1-9" TW. I see yours is 1-7". Yeah maybe a heavier bullet. For varmints a 53 VMAX may still work.

 

[LVJ76]

My AR's are 5.56 chambers. What load did you use with the 50 BT's? I used TAC and Fed 205's and Federal brass.
Update: I saw you're using close to same load as I did. My rifle is 1-9" TW. I see yours is 1-7". Yeah maybe a heavier bullet. For varmints a 53 VMAX may still work.

I went from 25gr up to 27gr of TAC and all groups were 2" or larger at 100 yds. I just saw I also have 400ct of the 52gr HPBT Match, will try these as well.

This AR is for shooting only, for now. Don't plan on hunting with it, at least not yet.

I've taken it out to 500m and it shoots pretty good. So should be even better with a good load.

 

[xsn10s]

I went from 25gr up to 27gr of TAC and all groups were 2" or larger at 100 yds. I just saw I also have 400ct of the 52gr HPBT Match, will try these as well.

This AR is for shooting only, for now. Don't plan on hunting with it, at least not yet.

I've taken it out to 500m and it shoots pretty good. So should be even better with a good load.

I think I'd try going up to heavier weights and see if that helps. Your plan with the heavier weight bullets sounds good. With 1-7" I made good loads using 77 gr with either TAC or H4895. But if you have 60's-69 gr to play with that would be good also. Heck whatever shoots lol! Good luck!

 

[LVJ76]

I think I'd try going up to heavier weights and see if that helps. Your plan with the heavier weight bullets sounds good. With 1-7" I made good loads using 77 gr with either TAC or H4895. But if you have 60's-69 gr to play with that would be good also. Heck whatever shoots lol! Good luck!

Thanks and I agree.

I have a few lighter bullets that I want to use if they group well.

The plan is to go heavier. I have a few 60gr and 62gr bullets and want to try the 69gr TMK.

Thanks again

 

[Vidar]

Buy a case checker for all your autoloaders. Lyman or EGW makes one for most AR15 calibers in one unit. It's really easy to use, just drop a sized case in the correct hole and if it slides right in without any force, flip it over and if falls right out you are good! I check all my pistol and AR 10/15 reloads 2 times. Once after sizing and once after completely reloaded.

 

[LVJ76]

Buy a case checker for all your autoloaders. Lyman or EGW makes one for most AR15 calibers in one unit. It's really easy to use, just drop a sized case in the correct hole and if it slides right in without any force, flip it over and if falls right out you are good! I check all my pistol and AR 10/15 reloads 2 times. Once after sizing and once after completely reloaded.

Thanks Vidar, I'll look in to that.

 

[budlight]

Buy a case checker for all your autoloaders. Lyman or EGW makes one for most AR15 calibers in one unit. It's really easy to use, just drop a sized case in the correct hole and if it slides right in without any force, flip it over and if falls right out you are good! I check all my pistol and AR 10/15 reloads 2 times. Once after sizing and once after completely reloaded.

I bought RCBS small base dies when I first started doing 223 about 20 years ago. RCBS had some quality assurance issues. I bought and picked up about a 1000 once fired brass and went to town on my Dillion 550 multi stage. Only to find out that NONE of them would work in my AR's. They actually jammed the BCG and it was difficult to open. So I bought the 223 RCBS matchmaster grade dies and it was the same thing. I was on the phone with the tech guys and of course they KNOW that you are doing something wrong. So I bought the Dillion case checker and every resized case stuck up a few thousands.

I sent RCBS close up pictures and of course it must be my rock chucker single stage and Dillion poor loading technics. Now with more than a 1000 rounds that don't go into any bodies gun I started thinking after measuring everything with calibrated micrometers.

Why is the case to long in the case gauge? I'm around shop equipment like lathes. So why not take 3 thousands of the top of the 223 base case holder? So I did it and the bullets fit right in. The shoulder was not being set back far enough causing jams. So I called RCBS and they wanted my machined case holder that worked. I shipped it to them along with 2 bad ones. Sure enough they finally admitted that they had 1000 upon 1000's of too tall of 223 case holders that were made wrong.

So as a gift they gave me a $500 RCBS gift card. Then I started pulling more than a 1000 bullets with the RCBS collet dies for single stages like the rock crusher