What rifle/s require a small base die. I picked up a set of used dies and this was in the mix. Have never used one before.

I used to use a SB die when reloading for my friends Remington 742 308 semi auto rifle. These dies were generally recommended for semi, lever or pump rifles which do not have the same camming action of bolt rifles when chambering or extracting cartridges and cases.
This was many years ago and I can't recall the exact circumstances around the SB but do recall purchasing it separately from the main die set.

I know the Rem 742 was a bastard of an action and once a bit of wear crept in it needed every help it could get to work reliably, using a SB resizing die was one such help.

M1A / M-14 Match rifles.

Like Eagle27 said, semi and pump rifles need to have the case back to factory base specs to function properly.

I also use the SB die when I have any fired brass that was not shot in my guns. Size the base section back to factory spec. Then once the brass/ammo is fired in my guns I then use a normal full length sizer.

I just sized about 300 pcs of LC 69 30-06 brass with a SB die, there were some of those cases I could tell came from another rifle, now they will fit my rifles

J Wisner

quote:

Originally posted by Rapidrob:
M1A / M-14 Match rifles.

My M1 National match uses normal dies.

Thanks for the information. Looks like I will hang onto it, and put it to use.

I've been hunting deer with my Rem. 760 in .308 Win. for many years. Never used factory ammo and never used a small base die. No problems using standard resizing dies. Why overwork your brass with the small base die if it isn't necessary? Try regular dies first and only use the small base die if needed.

NONE!!!!
I find that in every case (situation), it was the reloader's inability to grasp the concept of sizing a case, that resulted in stuck brass. Small base dies were invented just to sell more stuff to new reloaders.
Recommended by whom? By guys who obviously did not have your particular rifle, dies, brass, etc. Just a gimmick. A useless one.
Small base dies have caused more problems than they ever solved.

I once had a Browning BLR lever action rifle that would not chamber a resized case using a regular rcbs .308 die. I sent 3 fired cases to rcbs and they sent me back a die that still would not resize the cases correctly. I repeated the process and this time the die marked Ulltra Small Base die worked. The rcbs guy told me that the Browning chambers were of closer tolerances than other rifles. I used that die for many years successfully. Swapped the rifle and regreted it ever since. Good Shooting.

All RCBS 308 dies are small base according to the RCBS guy at the shows, and that appears to be the case with my newish RCBS std die set..

I've got small base in .223, .308, 30-06 and 300 Win plus a 30-06 cut in half.

Mostly they get used for brass fired in one rifle that won't size down enough to fit another rifle with standard dies. Take the guts out of them and they can be used on other cartridges of smaller caliber as body dies. My first .300 Win small base was bought simply because there wasn't a standard die in town that day but likely is the best money I every accidently spent. I had a few hundred once fired .257 Weatherby brass that wouldn't chamber in the 2 rifles I still had. The 300 Win salvaged most of them, and the Willis tool saved the rest. Thats another tool that nobody needs until they need it.

The cut in half 30-06 die is used to get the bases down on my 35 Whelen in a 7600 pump gun. Those cases chamber and extract hard after a shot or two, but the homemade fix works fine. Pumps don't have any camming action.

Some of my target rifles and other builds have tight chambers and a standard FLS die just doesn't cut it.

About the only thing that I haven't used them for much is in loading for autoloaders. Typically those have huge chambers. One BAR that belonged to my father in law does function better with the SB dies though.

I use range pickups and other peoples once fired 308 brass. The first sizing is with an SB die. After that I'll use a standard set of neck sizer, depending on rifle.

quote:

Originally posted by Gojoe:
I use range pickups and other peoples once fired 308 brass. The first sizing is with an SB die. After that I'll use a standard set of neck sizer, depending on rifle.

This is exactly what I've found too.
SB is needed if range brass has been fired in a larger chamber than yours but usually not needed if it's brass fired in YOUR rifle.

The other posters bear this out with their comments too.

I load for a couple AR's and brass fired in either rifle is worked plenty hard with a standard sizer die and fits back into either rifle with never an issue.

Zeke

Almost all die sets are built on factory specs, otherwise your chamber is the culprit Id suggest..

All RCBS 308 dies are small base and I suspect most others are also to allow for brass shot on military range and from machine guns..

Ive had this discusion at Safari Club and Gn shows where the big companies have booths, so just passing on what Im told..