223 small base die set for a semi-auto?

jambrdly · February 21, 2010, 02:41 PM

Hello:

Do I need to use a "small base" die set for .223 in a Ruger mini-14?

Thanks

JCB

gearheadpyro · February 21, 2010, 02:57 PM

Only if your having feeding problems after sizing with a full length sizing die.

The small base die works the brass more and can shorten case life. Try a full length sizing die first, if it doesn't feed reliably then move to a small base die. I only know of two people that have had to go to a small base die to get 100% feeding.

SwampYankee · February 21, 2010, 03:09 PM

I have 2 Mini-14's. Neither require a small base die but I also have a couple AR-15's which do so I use SB dies all the time anyway.

Yes, the SB die may work the brass more than the regular die but if you find out you need a SB die in the future, it's gonna cost you another $30. If you do it now, you won't need to do it in the future.

I'm not sure how much longer you'll get out of brass that has been FL sized vs FLSB sized, but I doubt it's a huge difference.

Slamfire · February 21, 2010, 04:38 PM

Recently posted about small base dies in this thread

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=505595

I suspect the chamber in your Mini 14 is huge. You could probably feed it Polish sausages and it would chamber them. Ruger knows that sort of person shooting these rifles buy cheap ammo to bust rocks. No one shoots Mini 14's in target competitions where close tolerances make the difference between winning and losing.

However, once fired brass in that chamber, if sized with your standard sizing die, may or may not fit into another rifle.

A shooting bud and my service rifle gunsmith, he sees this all the time. He installs a match barrel, with a commerical reamer, and the customer can't get his ballooned cases to chamber. The previous rifle so expanded the brass that a standard sizing die is unable to reduce the cases to fit.

I small base die everything that I can find a small base die. My ammo fits all my .223, 308, 30-06 rifles. I like that.

jepp2 · February 21, 2010, 08:51 PM

I have a set of 223 SB dies sitting in the cabinet, never used. I load for various AR's and as long as I set up my die properly using a cartridge gauge, everything chambers just fine.

February 21, 2010, 02:41 PM	#1
jambrdly Senior Member Join Date: January 31, 2010 Posts: 105	223 small base die set for a semi-auto? Hello: Do I need to use a "small base" die set for .223 in a Ruger mini-14? Thanks JCB

February 21, 2010, 02:57 PM	#2
gearheadpyro Senior Member Join Date: September 3, 2009 Location: Charleston, SC Posts: 169	Only if your having feeding problems after sizing with a full length sizing die. The small base die works the brass more and can shorten case life. Try a full length sizing die first, if it doesn't feed reliably then move to a small base die. I only know of two people that have had to go to a small base die to get 100% feeding.

February 21, 2010, 03:09 PM	#3
SwampYankee Registration in progress Join Date: November 1, 2008 Location: I can be found on a number of other forums. Posts: 1,333	I have 2 Mini-14's. Neither require a small base die but I also have a couple AR-15's which do so I use SB dies all the time anyway. Yes, the SB die may work the brass more than the regular die but if you find out you need a SB die in the future, it's gonna cost you another $30. If you do it now, you won't need to do it in the future. I'm not sure how much longer you'll get out of brass that has been FL sized vs FLSB sized, but I doubt it's a huge difference.

February 21, 2010, 04:38 PM	#4
Slamfire Senior Member Join Date: May 27, 2007 Posts: 5,261	Recently posted about small base dies in this thread http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=505595 I suspect the chamber in your Mini 14 is huge. You could probably feed it Polish sausages and it would chamber them. Ruger knows that sort of person shooting these rifles buy cheap ammo to bust rocks. No one shoots Mini 14's in target competitions where close tolerances make the difference between winning and losing. However, once fired brass in that chamber, if sized with your standard sizing die, may or may not fit into another rifle. A shooting bud and my service rifle gunsmith, he sees this all the time. He installs a match barrel, with a commerical reamer, and the customer can't get his ballooned cases to chamber. The previous rifle so expanded the brass that a standard sizing die is unable to reduce the cases to fit. I small base die everything that I can find a small base die. My ammo fits all my .223, 308, 30-06 rifles. I like that.

February 21, 2010, 08:51 PM	#5
jepp2 Senior Member Join Date: December 24, 2008 Location: Loveland, CO Posts: 1,476	I have a set of 223 SB dies sitting in the cabinet, never used. I load for various AR's and as long as I set up my die properly using a cartridge gauge, everything chambers just fine.