Relaoding dies for ar 15

[FireFlyFishing]

Your regular RCBS .223 Remington dies will work fine. I suggest either a Redding taper crimp die, or Lee factory crimp die. I've never used a small base die, and haven't had a single problem with oversized brass in any of my multitude of ARs. If your AR has a really tight, match 223 Rem chamber, your results may not match mine.

This.

However, most of my .223/556 loading is done on a Dillion 650 using Dillion dies.

 

[BHP9]

I run RCBS small base dies for my auto and bolt guns without accuracy issues.

 

[Charles De Salme]

I'm gonna go on the other side of the spectrum. I compete in a carbine match monthly. I've had issues with Dillon dies in my AR. For my bolt gun it works perfect. Therefore I use RCBS undersize die when loading for my AR. I also use a Sheridan cutaway chamber gauge. A tad expensive but if the round fits in the gauge I know I'll have no issues with the rifle.

 

[milo-2]

Not to go against the grain, but I have loaded thousands of 223 for AR's, 3 rifles, and have never needed a small base die. Nor when friends load here, have they needed one. I do own one, maybe 2, both RCBS and Redding, have for 25 yrs, it has never seen action.
On a carbide die, think lube is still necessary, not like straight wall pistols cases. No reason to incur that expense.
My favorite die is the first I bought, RCBS X die, the x part a joke, just trim like you are supposed to.

 

[Cemetery21]

I sort by headstamp since there are various case capacities in 223/5.56 brass. Never owned a small base die and I don't crimp. Been loading for a multitude of barrels since mid 1980s, from DPMS to White Oak, Shilen, Lilja, Wilson, Saturn, Black Hole and many more, 10.5" to 27.5" barrels. I do keep brass sorted per rifle. A few prairie dogs were harmed.

 

[jeb405]

I am curious to ask the carbide die users what benefit they believe justifies the cost. I know others have said there is none but in reading all the posts it was not clear to me and I am interested to learn. Not trying to debate just understand.

Thanks,
JB

 

[lyle2231]

I am curious to ask the carbide die users what benefit they believe justifies the cost. I know others have said there is none but in reading all the posts it was not clear to me and I am interested to learn. Not trying to debate just understand.

Thanks,
JB

In my experience carbide is for pistol cases.
Run the batches of rifle at least for 4 hours in the media or wet tumble to get 'em nice and shiny. Spray with case lube, I use Frankford from Midway. As I pull them out of the die, wipe off with the blue shop towel.

 

[bulldurham]

So I have the standard rcbs 223 dies will be loading 50 to 77grn as long as my oal is good your saying you don't crimp your fine . I was always under the impression that in th AR platform that you needed atleast a small crimp in case the bullet was pushed back into case as it was chambered or shook out as the rifle was in firing action . so many different advisors for there operations . just want to be safe and reliable.

 

[jeb405]

Regarding crimp, in my experience if you are using a standard sizing die and not a bushing die the amount of neck tension is substantial enough to not require a crimp. YMMV.

JB

 

[Cemetery21]

I've never loaded heavier than 60 grain bullets and always used or cut M-4 style feed ramps in the barrel extension. Heavy bullets may need a crimp into a cannelure, I just have no experience with them.

 

[milo-2]

So I have the standard rcbs 223 dies will be loading 50 to 77grn as long as my oal is good your saying you don't crimp your fine . I was always under the impression that in th AR platform that you needed atleast a small crimp in case the bullet was pushed back into case as it was chambered or shook out as the rifle was in firing action . so many different advisors for there operations . just want to be safe and reliable.

Don't totally rule out a crimp, or excessive, or adjusting neck tension, at times it can be used to tune your ammo.
No logical reason to manufacture a crisis with standard neck tension, no crimp, RCBS sells a taper crimp die for 223, or they used to.

 

[Rosebud]

I don't own a AR15, but I do load for M1 Gerand, and M14. Plus a couple of ARs for others over the years. My experience with them is that their chambers are rather loose to assure function in feed and ejection. Therefore I've used small base dies to assure that they keep functioning. Today's ARs are much better in tolerance than twenty years ago. So a carbide die will most likely speed up the load procedure. No need for lube, just run it through and done, ready for priming, and trimming. I personally use neck bushing shoulder bump dies made by Forrester. Once the case is run through, you only need to Prime and load. But, and its a Big, but . they can only be used in the rifle they were fired in. They will not chamber in any other rifles. They are form fit to that chamber. Hope this helps.

 

[BHP9]

The Dillon Carbide dies (.223/5.56 and .308) require cases to be lubed.

 

[FireFlyFishing]

The carbide dies for bottle neck cases supposedly last longer than their standard counterparts. Not sure if it's true or not…but that's it.

So, if you're a very high volume shooter…that my be the way to go.