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#2201596 - 04/15/12 10:01 PM .223 AR Reloading Tips
wilee.wade Seasoned Member Registered: 12/08/09 Posts: 199 Loc: Colorado	I am taking the plunge and getting my first black rifle. Bought a RRA Coyote 20". Should be here early next week. I was told by a friend that I should get "small base" dies for reloading .223 for an AR. What do you guys think? I plan to buy some factory ammo to get the feel of the new rifle and use the brass for reloading an accurate load. Any suggestions on factory ammo that has good brass for reloading? Another friend of mine suggested Fiocci ammo, how is the brass from that ammo? Any other tips or tricks that I need to know (that would be different than bolt rifle reloading)? Thank you in advance for any suggestions and help.
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#2201602 - 04/15/12 10:07 PM Re: .223 AR Reloading Tips [Re: wilee.wade]
CatShooter PM senior Registered: 01/24/02 Posts: 9094 Loc: The Socialist Republic of CT.	Originally Posted By: wilee.wade I am taking the plunge and getting my first black rifle. Bought a RRA Coyote 20". Should be here early next week. I was told by a friend that I should get "small base" dies for reloading .223 for an AR. What do you guys think? I plan to buy some factory ammo to get the feel of the new rifle and use the brass for reloading an accurate load. Any suggestions on factory ammo that has good brass for reloading? Another friend of mine suggested Fiocci ammo, how is the brass from that ammo? Any other tips or tricks that I need to know (that would be different than bolt rifle reloading)? Thank you in advance for any suggestions and help. I would recommend getting a die set with a small base FL die - do a search on here for "Small base die", and you will come up with about a 1,000 pages of stuff on it. . _________________________ CatShooter Spring has sprung, da' creek has riz, I wonder where dem kitties is. Here kitty, kitty, kitty... NRA Life member since 1965
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#2201663 - 04/15/12 11:22 PM Re: .223 AR Reloading Tips [Re: CatShooter]
zilla Die Hard Member Registered: 11/28/09 Posts: 987 Loc: RS, Wyoming	I have a small base 223 die, but rarely use it.. My standard sizing die works just fine. I do use a SB die on any range brass I happen to pickup.. Some auto loaders will not feed unless resizing is done with a SB die.. My upper is DPMS _________________________ Pull My Finger
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#2201704 - 04/16/12 12:22 AM Re: .223 AR Reloading Tips [Re: zilla]
who me Seasoned Member Registered: 08/30/09 Posts: 410 Loc: south west Idaho	I didn't care for fiocchi brass because of the off center flash holes. Some were way off, some not to bad. You could get lucky and end up with some good brass.
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#2201731 - 04/16/12 01:49 AM Re: .223 AR Reloading Tips [Re: who me]
Rustydust PM senior Registered: 10/21/07 Posts: 6241 Loc: Southwest Idaho	Originally Posted By: who me I didn't care for fiocchi brass because of the off center flash holes. Some were way off, some not to bad. You could get lucky and end up with some good brass. Heck, I wish that you would buy more of it. After all, you gave it all to me after you found a few off center punched flash holes. It works great in my .223 AI. Go on Kev- get some more of it and the Subway sammich is on me next time you and me go and start drilling those 350 yard whistlepigs. Oh, and Who Me and myself both use regular ol' .223 dies for our AR-15s as we have not found a need for the small base ones- at least not yet anyway. _________________________ I once asked a liberal "What is it with you people? Is it ignorance or apathy?' He said, "Well, I don't know and I don't care.'"
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#2201780 - 04/16/12 08:53 AM Re: .223 AR Reloading Tips [Re: Rustydust]
Terry N. Seasoned Member Registered: 04/11/11 Posts: 387 Loc: Yuma, AZ	I have never felt the need for small base dies with an AR-15. Some folks prefer them for peace of mind, and that's okay, too. All of my ARs eat whatever I feed them without any complaints, including the rifle I built with a Wylde-chambered Krieger barrel. _________________________ "Fleas can be taught nearly anything that a Congressman can." Mark Twain - What is Man
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#2201794 - 04/16/12 09:46 AM Re: .223 AR Reloading Tips [Re: Terry N.]
bushy Die Hard Member III Registered: 09/16/05 Posts: 2573 Loc: Cave Creek, Arizona	I small base for the AR...its not needed in a couple of rifles that I have but it is in the others...if your going to get a new die, then get the SB and you won't have problems in the future. _________________________ CARNIMORE
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#2202264 - 04/16/12 11:26 PM Re: .223 AR Reloading Tips [Re: bushy]
wilee.wade Seasoned Member Registered: 12/08/09 Posts: 199 Loc: Colorado	Thank you for the suggestions. I purchased a SB die set today. If anyone else has any other things I need to be aware of please let me know. Thank you again.
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#2202319 - 04/17/12 01:26 AM Re: .223 AR Reloading Tips [Re: wilee.wade]
hm1996 PM Junkie Registered: 07/23/06 Posts: 16398 Loc: S. Texas	I've never found small base dies to be necessary and have loaded for a number of M1's, two M1A's, and a couple of AR's. About the only time I've heard of the small base dies being necessary is to resize brass fired in full auto weapons as they usually have a pretty sloppy chamber by comparison. JMO, YMMV. REgards, hm _________________________ If what's ahead scares you and what's behind hurts you, look up; He never fails you. If My people will humble themselves, pray, seek My face & turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven & will forgive their sin & heal their land.
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