Small base die sets

[elkslayer4x5]

While on vacation down to to Calif, to visit with his grandmother and sister, Grandpa Mike gives my grandson a M760 Remington in .30-06. Checking the die cabinet, We've got two sets of RCBS in .30-06, series A and series K. The series A set is from 2001-2 and the K series set is older. Are either of these die sets the Small Base we need to reload for this nice old pump?

 

[cfullgraf]

They probably not small base dies and should work just fine with your rifle particularly if the cases were fired in the rifle.

Where you might need small base dies is where the fired cases are from some unknown source. They may have been fired in machine gun with generous chambers.

Just make sure you set up the dies correctly.

 

[fguffey]

Elkslayer4X5, Series K? Before RCBS stamped the date on their dies they used the alphabet. A K stamped die would be somewhere around 1960, I have dies that are stamped M, nothing N and or O.

Among the first dies made by RCBS that were small base were stamped BAR for Browning Automatic Rifle.

F. Guffey

 

[41 Mag]

I have the same rifle in a .243. Yep it is a cool old thing to haul out every once in a hwile.

As mentioned the only time I have had the need to use a SB die was when using range pick up or once fired in another rifle. Just make up a couple of dummy rounds and run them through the cycle, you'll find out really quick if you need one or not.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Are either of these die sets the Small Base we need to reload for this nice old pump?

Why are you assuming you will will need small base dies for loading ammo to hoot in a M760? More than 1 generation of reloaders produced 30-06 ammo for their M760 without using small base dies. IMO there is no reason to worry about that. Use your A series dies and you will be just fine.

 

[fguffey]

Elkslayer, the 'A' is a group as in all dies listed under the 'A' group has the same price.

F. Guffey

 

[DM~]

You may not need a small base sizer... But, every small base sizer i own has small base or SB stamped right on the top of the sizer.

DM

 

[cfullgraf]

Or the side of the die as in the case of Redding.

 

[GW Staar]

There wouldn't be any question if the Dies were Dillon instead of RCBS, since all Dillon bottleneck dies are small-based. That RCBS gives you a choice is a good thing....except for all the arguing it causes. I like them. Good insurance against loads made for one gun that you sell off, then expect the loads to work equally well in anything else you buy of that caliber. They're not quite as small as the factory standard, but closer than ammo you make with regular sizers....that makes 'em that much more reliable in any gun.

 

[hovercat]

You can get a lot of the 'small base' effect by giving the shell holder a few passes over a sharpening stone. Just a couple thousandths, you do not want headspace issues.

 

[gamestalker]

Printed on the side of the die box it should be Group A 2 die set, and then the part number #14803 - Small Base 30-06 Springfeild. Stamped into the top of the sizing die it's self should be RCBS SB FL 30-06 springfield, or something very similar to that.

But like I said the information will definitely be stamped on the top of the sizing die in plain view.

If it turns out that the die set is actually the standard FL set, you do know that it can very likely work just fine for that pump, don't you? If the FL die sizes the brass down sufficiently, which it may very likely do so, you will do just fine with that standard sizing die, and maybe even extend the life of the brass a bit more.

GS

 

[Lloyd Smale]

rcbs small base dies will have a sb stamped on either the top of the die or the body.

 

[elkslayer4x5]

Thank you all, just wanted to be sure. We'll start him out with new brass, and full length re-size.

 

[Sunray]

"...the Small Base we need..." You need that or FL, not SB only. Either should be stamped on the sizer die.

 

[DM~]

You can get a lot of the 'small base' effect by giving the shell holder a few passes over a sharpening stone. Just a couple thousandths, you do not want headspace issues.

All that will do it set the shoulder back, what a SB dies does is reduce the whole case smaller and that means smaller in "diameter"!

Any rifle that needs a SB die, will need the diameter reduced too!

DM

 

[hovercat]

The body of an 06 is tapered. If the FL sizing is not enough, a couple of thousandths MAY (or may not) be enough to solve the problem while staying within headspace tolerances. And it is very low cost.

 

[DM~]

The body of an 06 is tapered. If the FL sizing is not enough, a couple of thousandths MAY (or may not) be enough to solve the problem while staying within headspace tolerances. And it is very low cost.

That hasn't been MY experience...

I've seen some 06 brass from oversize (in diameter) chambers that were just plain FAT. The SB die allowed me to use them in every 30-06 that i own.

Just setting the shoulder back would NOT allow that same brass to go in the chambers of my rifles...

DM