rcbs small base x sizer die for 223

[blackdogfarms]

I am just getting into reloadingand have loaded about 100 rds of 308 with my rock chucker. The question I have is when I buy my first 223 dies I know I would like to get the small base dies in rcbs but have recently been reading about small base x sized dies for the 223 by rcbs. I will be shooting my reloads in my ar-15.

Who recommends the x sizer small base dies instead of just regular small base dies as your first and only 223 reloading dies.

Anyone with experience with the x sizer dies please pitch in.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Blue68f100]

I have the SB X-die in 308. But have not shot enough to know if it works as reported. But not having to trim every 3-4 firings is a big plus, the reason I went that way. You will still need to anneal to get longer brass life.

 

[DM~]

SB dies size the "entire" case to a smaller dimension, you may not need that. BUT, if you do, it's a great die to have on hand for those times.

DM

 

[Rollis R. Karvellis]

I us small base die's for my new, and range pick up's, on the first prep, but the standerd size die work's well for all the AR's I, have had over the year's.

Now throw the X-die into the mix is a whole new thing.

 

[mtrmn]

X dies work for what they were designed to do, as long as you do your part. After the initial trim, they eliminate any further trimming-which is a good thing.

But don't get the idea that they extend your case life-they do not. Brass will still flow away from the base of the cartridge and (I guess) it makes the shoulder and neck thicker. You will still get case head seperations right on the same schedule as normal if you don't catch the warning signs.

 

[RainDodger]

In 45 years of hand loading, I have never had a need for any small base dies, much less the newer X-base dies. If you're loading for a rifle with a saami spec chamber, saami spec dies should work perfectly fine. My humble opinion. I've loaded for semi-autos, levers, bolts and single shots. No problems.

 

[cfullgraf]

Who recommends the x sizer small base dies instead of just regular small base dies as your first and only 223 reloading dies.

I do not have experience with the RCBS X dies so i cannot comment. Lots of folks like them.

I do recommend getting small base dies for an AR-15 if you do not already have a sizer die. For the most part, you do not need the small base dies, but occasionally, you will run into some cases not fired in your rifle that will not resize enough to fit your chamber.

It is just a little insurance against chambering problems as there are a variety of chambers used in AR-15s.

As i said, if you do not already own 223 Remington dies, the cost difference is negligible and you will not see any difference in case life using small base dies. What do you have to lose?

I have a couple AR-15s that will not chamber cases fired in other rifles and full length resized in a standard die. To avoid segregating cases by rifle, I just small base resize.

 

[mtrmn]

I do not have experience with the RCBS X dies so i cannot comment. Lots of folks like them.

I do recommend getting small base dies for an AR-15 if you do not already have a sizer die. For the most part, you do not need the small base dies, but occasionally, you will run into some cases not fired in your rifle that will not resize enough to fit your chamber.

It is just a little insurance against chambering problems as there are a variety of chambers used in AR-15s.

As i said, if you do not already own 223 Remington dies, the cost difference is negligible and you will not see any difference in case life using small base dies. What do you have to lose?

I have a couple AR-15s that will not chamber cases fired in other rifles and full length resized in a standard die. To avoid segregating cases by rifle, I just small base resize.

This is my experience as well. Out of several AR's I load for, there are 2 in particular that give trouble if I don't use SB dies. Everybody seems to think SB dies will wear out your brass or something but that is not the case. They simply size a little farther down the case than normal dies. Every set of dies I buy are SB if there's even a remote chance the ammo will be used in a semiauto. RCBS recommends this and they've been into reloading a lot longer than I have.

 

[41 Mag]

I have three SB dies which I purchased expressly to size once fired mil-surp cases as well as for sizing range pick up or brass I get from friends. One in .223, one in .308 and the other in 30-06.

I learned the hard way quite a few years back that it only takes ramming and jamming one round that don't fit into the chamber, in the excitement of a follow up shot to ruin a whole weekend of fun.

After that experience I decided that it was much easier on me to size them all down good the first time and be done with it rather than having to check each and every one from then on out for fit and function in each rifle I used those cases in.

Your use and experience may or may not dictate it, but it is pretty cheap insurance against a jammed case.

 

[Steve in PA]

X-die for my .30/06 and .223/5.56, all regular not SB.

 

[blackdogfarms]

Well I am getting a little crow WFT version 2 for Christmas for 223 so the x sizer is not a must. Either way I plan on sweeping 223 from the local range so small base is a must by not knowing what type of weapon the cases were used in. The x sizer die at midway is about 3 dollars cheaper than just the small base I will let you know hoe it performs.

 

[the count]

Get yourself a Lyman .223 case gauge and the SB sizer.

My .223 reloads never gave me any trouble in a Remington 700 bolt action rifle. Different story in my Stag Arms AR15.

On occasion I would pull the trigger and ....silence. That's not good, especially during an action rifle event. Solved this issue with the small base die and the gauge. Once in a while a case will not sit flush in the gauge even after the small base sizer...so that one either goes in the trash or a bin for the 700.

PS You DO NOT have to run the case through a regular sizer and then through the small base one.

 

[gamestalker]

I'm sure there are some chambers that need the SB die, I have not come across one of those yet.

GS

 

[hentown]

I use the X die for .223 reloading, unless I'm reloading .223s for sale. I've loaded tens of thousands of .223s. Never had one fail to feed in any of a number of ARs yet. Unless YOUR AR is having feeding problems, you don't need the small base die.

I would recommend getting a Wilson case gage for setting up the sizing die, whether you're using the X die or some other die.

 

[Walkalong]

I have never used one, but there is no free lunch. The brass is going to flow, so if the case doesn't get longer, where does it go? I would be concerned about the necks getting thicker. Will this matter? Probably not most of the time, but I would rather use a standard die and trim cases.

Anybody ever keep track of this?

I do not use a small base die, I use a standard die and set it up with a Wilson case gauge so I know the head space should be right in any properly made chamber.

Not knocking the small base die, I just haven't used one.