Sizing Military 7.62x51 cases

[danlnga]

Been loading metal case for 8 to 9 years but never messed with mil surplus cases. Now I need to utilize some military 7.62 for two different semi autos. A FN AR & a Remington R-25 AR10. These are once fired cases with headstamp dates mostly in the late 60's. They are cleaned, primer crimp out & pockets cleaned so it is time to size. I have spent the afternoon reading & some say that first time, they should be sized with a small base 308 die. Others say just use the full length die...
I would appreciate input from any of you who have trod this path before.......Thanks,.....Dan

 

[whiskerz]

Some semis need the brass small base sized in order to reliably chamber . I would say run off 10 or so and feed them through both of your rifles .

 

[handloader]

I use a Redding .308 sizing die. Never had a semi auto gun turn it's nose up at my .308 reloads. I use a .308 factory crimp die for ammo going thru a semi. Running off a few before making hundreds of rounds is a good idea, but be careful taking the advice of the poster above me; he is from Newnan.

 

[Reloadingman]

I've always used a small base die. I had an M1A and now a Rem 700....works like a champ...better safe than sorry for autos use SBD

 

[Twitch2120]

I've done hundreds is a Lee FL die, only had 1 that hung up a very tight chambered AR10

 

[danlnga]

Loaded 10 small base...........10 full length.........All fed / chambered OK

Good shootin.................Dan

Been loading metal case for 8 to 9 years but never messed with mil surplus cases. Now I need to utilize some military 7.62 for two different semi autos. A FN AR & a Remington R-25 AR10. These are once fired cases with headstamp dates mostly in the late 60's. They are cleaned, primer crimp out & pockets cleaned so it is time to size. I have spent the afternoon reading & some say that first time, they should be sized with a small base 308 die. Others say just use the full length die...
I would appreciate input from any of you who have trod this path before.......Thanks,.....Dan

 

[freedom]

I'm new to reloading, and also lead for a M1a. What is a small base die, how is it different and why should I use one? I'm using a full length die now.

 

[ltfirhunter]

A Small base is just another type of full-length sizing die, but one that is typically used when reloading for semi-automatic rifles, like the AR-15, M14, or AR-style .308 rifles. (It may also work well for bolt guns that need extra sizing on the lower section of the case.) A small base die works exactly like a full-length sizing die, only it compresses the brass just a bit more, usually about .001″ more, and may even push the case shoulder back just a hair. Small base dies give that extra bit of compression to the brass to help make sure the case will properly extract from a semi-automatic firearm. The upside is that you get precision handloads that should work flawlessly in your semi-automatic. The downside is case life is really shortened, especially compared to brass used only in one bolt-action rifle, because the brass is worked more.

 

[Springfield 1911]

I have not had a hang-up using the good old lee full length sizing die. All that a small base does is full length size the brass to minimum specs, not nessesary in most rifles, at least the one's I have encountered. To each his own though.

 

[Going Postal]

I use two dies when I load .308, one being the neck size only for the ammo that I shoot through my bolt action rifle. The other one I don't use much any more, it is a small base die and when I owned an L1A1, CETME, and an M1A, that is all I would use for them. The only time I use it now is for range pick up brass, the first time gets the SB and from then on it's the neck only.