SB Dies for Mini 14?

Arquebus · November 26, 2008, 02:53 PM

Apologize if this is an oft-asked question. In reloading .223 Remington cartridges for a Ruger Mini 14 are SB (Small Base) dies necessary?

hodaka · November 26, 2008, 03:34 PM

I do not believe small base dies are necessary for anything. I bought some, just because, but I have never had a failure of ammo to chamber in any of my AR's or mini's due to re-sizing in a regular die. I have misadjusted a regular die however and had problems, but that was my own fault, not the die.

steve4102 · November 26, 2008, 05:24 PM

I load for several semi-autos and I have never found the need for a SB die. Regular FL dies will work just fine. Remember, always FL size for your Ruger Mini14.

Slamfire · November 26, 2008, 06:41 PM

I shoot a lot of ammunition in AR's, M1's and M1a's. I think small base dies reduce the risk of a slamfire in M1's and M1a's. Small base dies are a function improver for match AR's with match barrels.

As for your Ruger. Ruger uses it own reamers. They don't like hearing people complain that their rifles jam, don't go bang, etc. I have no doubt that a Mini 14 chamber is huge. So a regular sizing die would be fine for this mechanism.

rn22723 · November 26, 2008, 07:43 PM

Here is some insight.

The reason that small base dies exist for the most part are to deal with guns like the Browning BAR. The action does not have much camming action and so the need to take brass to darn virgin specs is the goal. They can be used to bring brass shot in sloppy chambered guns ie machine guns like the M60 and such.

I have loaded for semi autos for going on over 30 years. My first reloading for the semi auto, Ruger Mini 14 with regular dies! I have used regular Lee dies for loading for the M1 Garand. I have used regular RCBS dies to load for a M1A. Never crimped any of the match loads, and I have had any set beck issues. And, we are talking thousands and thousands of rounds. I have loaded for the HK91 and 93 and even with it's fluted chamber regular dies worked just fine!

totalloser · November 26, 2008, 09:11 PM

I agree with the above posts. I started off using the SB dies for sizing my MG fired (huge chamber) military brass to bring it down. OMG what a pain. The bigger stuff REALLY doesn't like being taken down to SB. I finally gave up and started just FL sizing. No problems so far, after at least a couple thousand rounds. Mostly fired in my Mini.

T. O'Heir · November 26, 2008, 10:51 PM

"...are SB (Small Base) dies necessary?..." They're not necessary for any semi-auto. Full Length resizing is, but not necessarily SB dies. It's one or the other.
"...They don't like hearing people complain that their rifles jam, don't go bang, etc..." They don't care about people complaining about the accuracy of a standard Mini-14 though.

Hylander · November 27, 2008, 12:06 AM

I load for my Mini and have never used SB Dies, never needed them.

amamnn · November 27, 2008, 01:30 AM

RCBS used to try to get you to believe you need small base dies to load cartridges for autoloaders. Redding will tell you the truth: they're used by people who load cartridges for use in chamber smaller than SAAMI standards for the caliber. I know a couple of people who ream their own chambers and use small base dies for certain BR chamberings. A mini-14 has a nice roomy chamber. There's plenty of room for your standard sized case to fit in there-- and maybe a wet bar, too.

November 26, 2008, 02:53 PM	#1
Arquebus Senior Member Join Date: October 1, 2008 Location: Inland NW Posts: 116	SB Dies for Mini 14? Apologize if this is an oft-asked question. In reloading .223 Remington cartridges for a Ruger Mini 14 are SB (Small Base) dies necessary? __________________ "For a man, be he ever so much resolved to do his duty as a parent, can't be flogging his children all day....." The Memoirs of Barry Lyndon, Esq. (William Thackeray).

November 26, 2008, 09:11 PM	#6
totalloser Senior Member Join Date: October 19, 2007 Location: Fort Bragg, CA Posts: 679	I agree with the above posts. I started off using the SB dies for sizing my MG fired (huge chamber) military brass to bring it down. OMG what a pain. The bigger stuff REALLY doesn't like being taken down to SB. I finally gave up and started just FL sizing. No problems so far, after at least a couple thousand rounds. Mostly fired in my Mini. __________________ You only truly believe in freedom if you believe in the freedom of those you disagree.

November 26, 2008, 10:51 PM	#7
T. O'Heir Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 12,453	"...are SB (Small Base) dies necessary?..." They're not necessary for any semi-auto. Full Length resizing is, but not necessarily SB dies. It's one or the other. "...They don't like hearing people complain that their rifles jam, don't go bang, etc..." They don't care about people complaining about the accuracy of a standard Mini-14 though. __________________ Spelling and grammar count!

November 27, 2008, 12:06 AM	#8
Hylander Senior Member Join Date: August 13, 2008 Location: California Posts: 128	I load for my Mini and have never used SB Dies, never needed them. __________________ Today is my Best Day. Lincoln, Ca.

November 27, 2008, 01:30 AM	#9
amamnn Senior Member Join Date: May 13, 2006 Location: WA, the left armpit of the USA Posts: 1,323	RCBS used to try to get you to believe you need small base dies to load cartridges for autoloaders. Redding will tell you the truth: they're used by people who load cartridges for use in chamber smaller than SAAMI standards for the caliber. I know a couple of people who ream their own chambers and use small base dies for certain BR chamberings. A mini-14 has a nice roomy chamber. There's plenty of room for your standard sized case to fit in there-- and maybe a wet bar, too. __________________ "If the enemy is in range, so are you." - Infantry Journal

November 26, 2008, 03:34 PM	#2
hodaka Senior Member Join Date: April 23, 2006 Location: South Texas Posts: 2,010	I do not believe small base dies are necessary for anything. I bought some, just because, but I have never had a failure of ammo to chamber in any of my AR's or mini's due to re-sizing in a regular die. I have misadjusted a regular die however and had problems, but that was my own fault, not the die.

November 26, 2008, 05:24 PM	#3
steve4102 Senior Member Join Date: December 23, 2005 Location: Minnesota Posts: 2,955	I load for several semi-autos and I have never found the need for a SB die. Regular FL dies will work just fine. Remember, always FL size for your Ruger Mini14.

November 26, 2008, 06:41 PM	#4
Slamfire Senior Member Join Date: May 27, 2007 Posts: 5,261	I shoot a lot of ammunition in AR's, M1's and M1a's. I think small base dies reduce the risk of a slamfire in M1's and M1a's. Small base dies are a function improver for match AR's with match barrels. As for your Ruger. Ruger uses it own reamers. They don't like hearing people complain that their rifles jam, don't go bang, etc. I have no doubt that a Mini 14 chamber is huge. So a regular sizing die would be fine for this mechanism.

November 26, 2008, 07:43 PM	#5
rn22723 Junior member Join Date: December 10, 2001 Location: Burbs of Minneapolis Posts: 676	Here is some insight. The reason that small base dies exist for the most part are to deal with guns like the Browning BAR. The action does not have much camming action and so the need to take brass to darn virgin specs is the goal. They can be used to bring brass shot in sloppy chambered guns ie machine guns like the M60 and such. I have loaded for semi autos for going on over 30 years. My first reloading for the semi auto, Ruger Mini 14 with regular dies! I have used regular Lee dies for loading for the M1 Garand. I have used regular RCBS dies to load for a M1A. Never crimped any of the match loads, and I have had any set beck issues. And, we are talking thousands and thousands of rounds. I have loaded for the HK91 and 93 and even with it's fluted chamber regular dies worked just fine!