What is the best 308 resizing die? I am currently using a Lee carbide resizing die in a Dillon 550 press. I'm having issues, about 1 out of every 5 cases will not fit in a case gauge. All cases are trimmed to 2.008 or less, the shortest cases are 2.003. Having the same issue with different head stamps, commercial and Lake City brass. I'm trying to build some accurate rounds for shooting High Power Silhouette out to 500 meters. If there's any other information that would be helpful, please ask.
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What is the Best 308 resizing die?
- Thread starter Rambler
- Start date
Are you using this brass in the same gun each time, and that's the only gun you're reloading for?
If so, is the Lee carbide die a full-length sizing die?
Edit: and what's the gun? (even though it's failing a case gauge)
If so, is the Lee carbide die a full-length sizing die?
Edit: and what's the gun? (even though it's failing a case gauge)
Full length small base die, try that and see if it works for you.
You may possibly have a bad die.
Do they fit in the R700 but not the ar-10?
Are you lubing cases same and lubing inside neck.try keeping all case length 2.015, check rim thickness 0.0539 and OAL of 2.800. Other than this I don’t know what could possibly cause it.
OK. So, if you're recycling brass from all three rifles, the brass will probably be coming out different sizes. Of course, your sizing die should be resolving all that brass back to SAAMI standard, which should pass every time in that case gauge.
Even though it's a full length resizing die, some dies don't QUITE get all the way back to the base of the casing, so if your plunk test into the case gauge is failing in the last fractions of an inch, that could be the problem. A change of die might resolve this - the use of a small-base die certainly should - but if you're doing that, then you're less likely to be able to build precision ammo, because a small base die (by design) sizes the brass to under-SAAMI spec which means the brass will have some 'play' in the chamber (which won't help you build really precise ammo).
There are a couple of things you could do.
Plunk the brass in all three rifle actions by hand and see if they bind. If they don't, then the case gauge is measuring dimensions that your guns (and maybe you) don't need to care about.
If they plunk OK in one, and not the others (as
alexs2006
asks above) then there are a couple of things you could do.If they only plunk OK in one of the R700s, you have your precision rifle candidate right there. When you shoot brass from that barrel, collect and keep the brass for that gun's use alone, and even consider a neck-sizing die. if you keep that brass for just that gun, when you fire it, the brass will be fire-formed and should be able to be re-chambered without a full sizing. This will actually work the brass less too.
If they only plunk OK in the AR-10, then you might want to check both the R700's chamber dimensions - because one of those would be the one I'd expect you to use for precision shooting.
So in conclusion, you should be able to trust that Lee die. They work fine for lots of people.
One last thing - the case gauge - what brand is it?
One last, last thing that I should have asked very early on. When you say that the cases "won't fit", is it simply that the case is binding as you insert it, or that it slides in fine until the very last stage when it won't seat fully?
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The AR10 has not had a problem chambering the rounds. Both of the 700s and a Ruger Scout rifle will not chamber, the bolt will slide forward and the bolt handle will move down ward slightly, maybe a 1/16 of an inch. The case gauge is a Hornady, part number 380716.
