RCBS AR Series Dies

Stirling XD

New member
I've got my first AR on the way and I'm turning my attention to reloading dies. I saw that RCBS has a set for reloading for ARs. So I'm wondering if anyone has used them. Are they worth a few dollars more?
 
I use the RCBS small base dies. I just got through annealing 500 cases that went through reloading 5 times. Of that group I only had one (1) split neck.
 
Originally Posted By: Stirling XD"I've got my first AR on the way and I'm turning my attention to reloading dies. I saw that RCBS has a set for reloading for ARs. So I'm wondering if anyone has used them. Are they worth a few dollars more? "

Yup, they are worth it. Some people get by without them (unfortunately, then they tell everyone else what they "don't need").

... but if you become a "Rabid" AR shooter, you will start scrounging for brass, or buying bulk fired GI brass, cuz it is addicting. Then is when you MUST have a small based die - so get it now, up front, instead of buying another die later - which you will, if you shoot a lotta 223/5.56.

As far as working the brass too much - garbage - it is the neck area that you need to be concerned with working too much, and there is nothing you can do about it except anneal the necks from time to time, when they need it. Small based dies don't work the body too much.

Many many years ago, I bought a bunch of dies (unwisely) on bad advice, and had to replace them later with dies that were more suitable.

Also, if you care about what your ammo looks like, then a SB die is needed to remove the bulge in the bottom of the body of the case.

My 223/5.56 brass looks brand new (actually better than new), cuz I use a SB die and then polish it real pretty. Last year, I (and my employees) loaded and sold almost a million rounds of 223. And a large part of the saleability was the visual appearance of the ammo, and the fact that it will chamber into ANY 223/5.56 rifle. no matter what chamber it has.
 
This is a great post as I too plan on loading for a AR. I just bought a set of dies from a member here, Hornady Custom Grade New dimension .223 die set, is this a good choice for a RR PP AR-15? Or should I plan on buying a set of the AR series deis?
 
Well. you don't have a lot invested in the Hornady dies - If I were you, I would go ahead and get the AR dies - but if money is tight, then wait until you need it and then buy them.
 
I haven't needed sb dies for my dpms but the olyarms that I had, had a tight chamber and after missing a dog because a round wouldn't chamber, I invested in a sb die and life was good again.
 
I was thinking of getting a set, not so much for the SB die, but for the taper crimp die.

I've reloaded thousands upon thousands of .223 rounds using the standard FL die, and then the x-die. Never found a reason for a SB die.

Has anyone used the taper crimp die?
 
Catshooter,
... but if you become a "Rabid" AR shooter, you will start scrounging for brass, or buying bulk fired GI brass, cuz it is addicting.


Who you calling "Rabid"-Now do I need to get a ckeck up at the docs to make sure I dont have RABIES.No one told me about the side effects of owning a AR-LOLOLOLOLOLO
 
Originally Posted By: GrizleyHunterCatshooter,
... but if you become a "Rabid" AR shooter, you will start scrounging for brass, or buying bulk fired GI brass, cuz it is addicting.

Who you calling "Rabid"-Now do I need to get a ckeck up at the docs to make sure I dont have RABIES.No one told me about the side effects of owning a AR-LOLOLOLOLOLO

I bought a pre-ban H-Bar then I bought a tiny SP-1 CAR for three gun matches (before the ban), and then a Colt Match AR.

Well, I went to the doctor, and he said I had a big problem, and that I was a lost case - I told him I was loosing a lot of cases, and that was my big problem!

My doctor told me to take some "pills" for the malady, I asked him, "50 or 55 grain?"

I now have seven, 3.5 gallon barrels of .223 brass (~24,000 pieces) that I got from work, and a Dillon 1050 set up for 223 :(((((

There is no hope!


.
 
Originally Posted By: CatShooterOriginally Posted By: Stirling XD"I've got my first AR on the way and I'm turning my attention to reloading dies. I saw that RCBS has a set for reloading for ARs. So I'm wondering if anyone has used them. Are they worth a few dollars more? "

Yup, they are worth it. Some people get by without them (unfortunately, then they tell everyone else what they "don't need").

... but if you become a "Rabid" AR shooter, you will start scrounging for brass, or buying bulk fired GI brass, cuz it is addicting. Then is when you MUST have a small based die - so get it now, up front, instead of buying another die later - which you will, if you shoot a lotta 223/5.56.

As far as working the brass too much - garbage - it is the neck area that you need to be concerned with working too much, and there is nothing you can do about it except anneal the necks from time to time, when they need it. Small based dies don't work the body too much.

Many many years ago, I bought a bunch of dies (unwisely) on bad advice, and had to replace them later with dies that were more suitable.

Also, if you care about what your ammo looks like, then a SB die is needed to remove the bulge in the bottom of the body of the case.

My 223/5.56 brass looks brand new (actually better than new), cuz I use a SB die and then polish it real pretty. Last year, I (and my employees) loaded and sold almost a million rounds of 223. And a large part of the saleability was the visual appearance of the ammo, and the fact that it will chamber into ANY 223/5.56 rifle. no matter what chamber it has.

I was having trouble with my reloads (which were from Full Length RCBS Dies for .223) seating all the way in the chamber. That is, until CatShooter recommended I get some Small Base dies. Haven't had a failure to feed since then.
 
The same thing here, I used the standard FL RCBS dies. I had a fail to chamber/eject once in a while (1 out of 50).I bought a batch of brass, and the guy included a set of SB dies. Well the once and while fail to chamber/eject, went down to none. I would have never bought the SB set, because I did not think that I needed them. But since I got the SB dies on a group deal, I wish that I would have got them in from the start.
 
Originally Posted By: CatShooterOriginally Posted By: Stirling XD"I've got my first AR on the way and I'm turning my attention to reloading dies. I saw that RCBS has a set for reloading for ARs. So I'm wondering if anyone has used them. Are they worth a few dollars more? "

Yup, they are worth it. Some people get by without them (unfortunately, then they tell everyone else what they "don't need").

... but if you become a "Rabid" AR shooter, you will start scrounging for brass, or buying bulk fired GI brass, cuz it is addicting. Then is when you MUST have a small based die - so get it now, up front, instead of buying another die later - which you will, if you shoot a lotta 223/5.56.

As far as working the brass too much - garbage - it is the neck area that you need to be concerned with working too much, and there is nothing you can do about it except anneal the necks from time to time, when they need it. Small based dies don't work the body too much.


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What CatShooter said.
Flyrodder
 
I have the Dillon carbide 3 die set on my dillon 550. If you read the description of the Dillon dies they do not say small base dies but they do say they are for sizing to minimum tolerances for use in semi automatic and automatic firearms would I be better served with "small base dies" or are the dillon dies going to work without a problem.
 
Originally Posted By: ILyotekilla1 I have the Dillon carbide 3 die set on my dillon 550. If you read the description of the Dillon dies they do not say small base dies but they do say they are for sizing to minimum tolerances for use in semi automatic and automatic firearms would I be better served with "small base dies" or are the dillon dies going to work without a problem.

I own the Dillon 223/5.56 Carbide die - it is absolutely, a small base die.
 
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