do I need small base dies?

[kimbernut]

Savage chambers

I've had three Savage chambers that were so tight I had to readjust my size die to cam over hard to fit the chambers. My Remington's, Winchesters, and Rugers have never had that issue.

 

[243winxb]

Lee Small Base Dies

Lee does not make small base dies. If your sized brass will not chamber, Lee will make you a custom die from 3 fired brass, no charge. Check here at Lee FAQ> http://leeprecision.net/support/index.php?/Knowledgebase/List/Index/13/product-support

Small Base dies
Posted by on 20 October 2011 08:03 AM
If you have the Lee PaceSetter die set with a full length-sizing die, you shouldn't need a small base die. Other manufacturers make small base dies on the premise that semi-autos require cases sized to the minimum allowable case dimension for reliable feeding, but in reality most semi-autos have chambers cut on the large side for that same purpose. The result is overworked brass and shortened case life. If you have any chambering problems with ammunition that has been sized with a Lee full length sizing die, return the die and a couple fired cases to the factory for free adjustment.

Our address is:

Lee Precision Inc,
4275 Hwy. U,
Hartford, WI 53027

 

[KansasSasquatch]

I made the switch from Hornady dies to RCBS small base dies in .223. It has made a big difference in autoloading rifles, specifically a few ARs. I can't even remember the last time I took the Hornady dies out of the box. If I had to reload for a bolt gun chambered in .223, I would probably give the Hornady dies another chance.

 

[greyling22]

243, thanks for the heads up about lee. I've found that their warranty on paper is pretty lame, but they will treat you right if you give them a call.

 

[fguffey]

"I've had three Savage chambers that were so tight I had to readjust my size die to cam over hard to fit the chambers"



And you and everyone else believes adjusting the die down to the shell holder with an additional turn of the die or an additional 1/2 turn or by some wild guestimate of a turn allows you to size your cases and reduce the length of the case from the head of the case to the shoulder. Then there is cam over, I have 4 Rock Chuckers by RCBS, not one of them will cam over, they jam over, cram over, bind over or lock up, they do not cam over. I have presses that cam-over, adjusting the cam-over press is not adjusted like the non cam-over presses.



Tiny-tight chambers, I sent a Winchester Model 70 back to Winchester, it had the ugliest chamber I have ever seen, sizing cases for that chamber after firing required tools that included a lathe, and collets. I ask Winchester for Winchester dies for their Winchester chamber, or I wanted a Winchester chamber that fit my RCBS dies, or Lyman dies, or Herter's dies etc.. Anyhow, We had words.



F. Guffey

 

[kimbernut]

cam over/ cram over

I have a Rock Chucker and a Lyman All American that I have never used and a Dillon 550 that I am enjoying but my favorite so far and which cams over just right with all my RCBS dies is the well used RCBS Jr. 3 that I started with in 1998. It has been all I could ever ask for in a single stage press and following RCBS's on phone instructions on camming over a little harder has fit every snug chamber I have come up against so far.

Has Winchester begun working toward a solution for you yet?

 

[fguffey]

"Has Winchester begun working toward a solution for you yet?' There remedy, hone, polish and or ream the chamber. Problem: The chamber is ugly, to large in diameter and the distance from the bolt face to the shoulder is is/was excessive, again, I went to their warranty shop, the smith said the chamber was ugly, too large in diameter and too long from the bolt face to the shoulder of the chamber AND!!!! they were not able to clean the chamber by honing, polishing and or reaming and I them I ask for them to explain how polishing, honing and reaming was going to make the chamber smaller, after the smith at the local shop reamed, honed and polished the chamber was larger than when I took it in because he removed the gouges, I took fired cases to him with the rifle, he could not measure the chamber and or cases to determine the effect the chamber had on the cases when fired, and they thought I was difficult.



The warranty shop sent the rifle back to Winchester, they returned the rifle to me in a new box without an explanation, same serial number, I have no interest in determining what they did to correct the problem, I have not shot the rifle since it was returned 4 years ago, finding something else to shoot is not a problem.



I understand "RCBS's on phone instructions on camming over a little harder has fit every snug chamber I have come up against so far" Back to the part where it is not fair, I can not increase the ability of a die to size a case shorter than minimum length/full length size, once the die contacts the shell holder the distance from the deck if the shell holder to the shoulder in the die can not be reduced, it is not possible to increase the dies ability to reduce the length of the case from the head of the case to the shoulder of the case.



Screwing the die down an additional 1 turn or 1/2 turn increases the ability of the press to overcome the cases ability to resist sizing back to minimum length/full length sizing. The dies ability to size is predetermined by the distance from the deck of the shell holder to the shoulder of the die.



I have cam-over presses, I have a RCBS 11, I purchases a tunk full of cases in their original boxes, 2,200 cases in all, after paying for the trunk the seller gave me a RCBS case trimmer with a #1 collet, then he gave me a RCBS 11 press with the explanation, there was not enough room in the trunk for the two pieces.



F. Guffey