30.06 dies to reload .308?

savage1r · March 30, 2011, 12:24 PM

I've seen a few threads of people asking if their .308 dies can reload 30.06 and the main problem with that being the dies for the .308 are too short and the angle of the shoulder differs. I inherited a set of 30.06 dies and was wondering if the reverse was possible. You can always tighten a larger set of dies smaller, but you can't always do the reverse. I know the shoulder may still be an issue, but otherwise most other attributes should be fairly similar. Anyways, let me know what you think.

F. Guffey · March 30, 2011, 12:44 PM

I use a seater die from RCBS to seat bullets for the 30/06 and the 308 and with a little effort others. the same die is used to seat bullets for the 30/06 and 308 with the addition of an extended shell holder.

Sizing with the same die does not work, the case body at the shoulder case body juncture is .011 thousands larger in diameter on the 308 than it is on the 30/06 when measured from the head of the case head to the same point on the case, again, sometimes overlooked when research is skipped or omitted as when some with a reamer and no investigative skill, they ream a 308 W. chamber to 30/06 to determine if the 30/06 reamer will remove all of the 308 chamber, or they ream the 308 chamber to 30/06, chamber a round and fire then discover a ring around the case indicating part of the chamber still exist and was not removed, I have suggested the 308 chamber to be reamed to 30/06 Ackley Improved or a 30 Gibbs.

F. Guffey

wncchester · March 31, 2011, 10:38 AM

"You can always tighten a larger set of dies smaller,"

Not really. A set of .30-06 dies cannot be used to load .308.

Saltydog235 · March 31, 2011, 10:41 AM

A set of RCBS dies is about $30.00, is it that much of a savings to skrimp on a detail that small?

March 30, 2011, 12:24 PM	#1
savage1r Senior Member Join Date: March 17, 2009 Posts: 313	30.06 dies to reload .308? I've seen a few threads of people asking if their .308 dies can reload 30.06 and the main problem with that being the dies for the .308 are too short and the angle of the shoulder differs. I inherited a set of 30.06 dies and was wondering if the reverse was possible. You can always tighten a larger set of dies smaller, but you can't always do the reverse. I know the shoulder may still be an issue, but otherwise most other attributes should be fairly similar. Anyways, let me know what you think.

March 30, 2011, 12:44 PM	#2
F. Guffey Senior Member Join Date: July 18, 2008 Posts: 7,249	I use a seater die from RCBS to seat bullets for the 30/06 and the 308 and with a little effort others. the same die is used to seat bullets for the 30/06 and 308 with the addition of an extended shell holder. Sizing with the same die does not work, the case body at the shoulder case body juncture is .011 thousands larger in diameter on the 308 than it is on the 30/06 when measured from the head of the case head to the same point on the case, again, sometimes overlooked when research is skipped or omitted as when some with a reamer and no investigative skill, they ream a 308 W. chamber to 30/06 to determine if the 30/06 reamer will remove all of the 308 chamber, or they ream the 308 chamber to 30/06, chamber a round and fire then discover a ring around the case indicating part of the chamber still exist and was not removed, I have suggested the 308 chamber to be reamed to 30/06 Ackley Improved or a 30 Gibbs. F. Guffey

March 31, 2011, 10:38 AM	#3
wncchester Senior Member Join Date: December 1, 2002 Posts: 2,832	"You can always tighten a larger set of dies smaller," Not really. A set of .30-06 dies cannot be used to load .308.

March 31, 2011, 10:41 AM	#4
Saltydog235 Senior Member Join Date: October 20, 2010 Location: Pawleys Island Posts: 1,563	A set of RCBS dies is about $30.00, is it that much of a savings to skrimp on a detail that small?