[Tim R]

I see we are going to have fun trying to figure out what dies to get and if you need a FCD.

I bought a Winny F/W in '06 and the wife hated to see me spending $12.50 on a box of 20 every time I wanted to shoot. She suggested I start reloading. I bought a RCBS kit which came with a set of RCBS '06 dies....back in the early 80's.

A few years later I picked up a DCM Springfield M-1 and used the same dies without problems. Then I had it tuned for a match service rifle in 308. One day it dawned on me I no longer had a '06 M-1 so I ordered a Springfield from the CMP about 3 or 4 price changes ago. (I fricking wish I had bought at least 1 each H&R, IHC and Winchester then too) Any ways I still use those old RCBS '06 dies for the CMP M-1.

Heres a rub though. I shoot John C. Garand matches with my stock CMP M-1. Some matches allow any safe ammo. You can bet I load my own for these matches. I have won money and matches with my reloads.....using those old RCBS '06 dies. Granted a service grade M-1 is not a match service rifle by any stretch and I've also won money and matches when I've had to shoot issued GI ball, but the point count is always higher with my reloads.

There are a couple of things a guy can do to help GI brass shoot a little better. First you will need to swage or cut the primer pocket. I prime with a lee hand primer in order to get good feel. I've found I like the feel of a swaged pocket rather than a cut one. RCBS has a press mounted swage tool for $20 something. If you are going to do a lot of GI brass, the Dillon Super Swage is the only way to go. Lots more $ but worth every penny. (I shoot GI 45, 308 and 223 as well.)

The next thing to do is uniform the primer pocket. I'm old school and have a hand turned uniforming tool, thank goodness they only have to be uniformed once and I'm pretty much done after a 100 rounds or so.

You will need good lube. Imperial sizing wax is good, but I use RCBS case lube 2 as it wipes off with a damp rag. I played with setting shoulders back .002 to .003 on both the 308 match service rifle M-1 and the '06 M-1. I found the best results was to just set the bottom of the die against the shell holder so there was some resistance or cam over on the press when cycling the handle.

I have a Forster trimmer mounted next to my press and after I've sized, I give the trimmer handle a couple of turns and the brass is trimmed to length. I have shot bullets with a crimp groove in '06 and got good results, but I find I'm more likely to use 155 SMK's or the "Palma" bullet. I would expect the 150 SMK would shoot very well too but I have not tried them yet. The SMK's do not have a crimp groove so neck tension alone holds the bullet in place and does so without problems and without a Lee FCD. I've shot Speer 130 gr. HP's in a couple of matches with good results out to 200 yards. Cheap and shot well, still no crimp groove and no need for a FCD.

I use IMR 4064 but I'm going to try some Varget soon. I use standard CCI primers. Stay away from Federal match primers unless your firing pin is sprung. (it's not unless a gun plummer does it) No matter what primer you use, you will see a "dimple" on the primer of a chambered and then ejected round. This is normal and is the reason not to use the Federal's. (By chambered I mean chambered like they are supposed to be chambered and not with the op rod handle eased down like it's going to break or something and not go fully into battery.) Another thing to remember is GI brass is thicker than Comm brass. GI brass in '06 is worth about 2 less grains of powder over Comm brass. GI brass should go 10 reloads without too much trouble but keep an eye on your brass.

If you want the very best in dies, I would then suggest Forster with the Forster Ultra match seating die. The Forster and Redding match seating dies are the same idea but the Forster is built like a truck in a good way.