I ended up with an AR15 in 223 which I plan on reloading for. The question is which dies should I use? I use mostly RCBS, but not sure if I should use small base dies, standard dies or the AR series small base dies with taper crimp. Another question is can you adjust the taper crimp dies for amount of crimp/no crimp?

For all of my semi-auto centerfire rifles I use small base dies. The ammo will work in any of my same caliber rifles using that ammo.

Small base dies are very rarely if ever, needed even for ars. Just another useless item created by die makers. Been loading and shooting ARs for many many years. Standard light crimp will do.

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Originally posted by dpcd:
Small base dies are very rarely if ever, needed even for ars. Just another useless item created by die makers. Been loading and shooting ARs for many many years. Standard light crimp will do.

Very true.

We use normal dies from RCBS and Redding for all our AR rifles.

Never had any problems whatsoever.

If you load jacketed bullets, then you need to lightly chamfer the case mouth inside and out the first time you load the case and every time you trim it. At that point, you don't need case mouth flare and can simply seat the bullet and forget any crimp.
If you REALLY need crimp, get bullets with cannelure and roll crimp.
Never had a need for small base dies. As long as you have a SAAMI chamber, a standard die is all you need. If small base dies were NEEDED, they wouldn't sell standard sizing dies.

I buy bulk once fired Lake City 5.56 brass that has been fired in many different type chambers. All this once fired Lake City brass is resized in a RCBS AR series .223/5.56 small base die.

In a semi-auto the resized case body should be .003 to .005 smaller in diameter than its fired diameter. And this is for reliable brass spring back from the chamber walls and reliable extraction.

We live in a plus and minus manufacturing world and chambers and dies do vary in size. Example, I have standard Lee full length die that reduces the cases body diameter more than my small base dies do.

I'm loading for three AR15 rifles and a bolt action Savage .223 and use both small base and standard dies.

On average my RCBS AR Series .223/5.56 Small Base die only reduces the case diameter .001 smaller than my RCBS and Forster full length dies.

Bottom line, I would never give up my small base dies because I buy once fired 5.56 and 7.62 brass. And your chamber size and die size will determine if a small base die is needed.

Plain ol RCBS dies will be good enough for 99% of AR reloaders.

According to RCBS, all .308 Win. dies are small base, and after using the same set of dies in a dozen or so .308 Savage Lever Actions, im sure that's a fact...

I have never had to sue small base dies in any rifle, including levers, pumps and autos in 30-06, 270 and .280 Rem to the best of my memory, maybe some others?

Thanks for all the input. I think I will get a standard set of dies and put the extra money toward components.

I have about 150 sets of loading dies and NO small base dies.