Which dies to buy

Buy the small base if you can. They will guarantee to fit your chamber and close the bolt fully.

For semi-auto .223, I have never seen or heard of a case that actually needed small-base dies. Without fail, every case I've seen or read turned out to be poor full-length resizing practice. The downside is high sizing force and rapid wearing of the brass near the head. If you plan to lose your brass in 2 firings, you won't care; I'm still reloading brass with 5-6 firings on it.

I have seen an actual need for SB dies for the reuse of machine-gun-fired 7.62 brass, and there might be an advantage for M1 Garands.

For brand, I like Lee, RCBS is a bit more refined, and I like Hornady's Custom line and seaters. Stay away from the Hornady American line.

I load for my MSR Rifles using the same press that you have. I have 223 Wylde, 300 BLK, 6.5 Grendel, 450 Bushmaster, and just recently started loading the 350 Legend. I use the Lee pacesetter dies to load all of these except the 6.5 Grendel. I have Hornady dies for it. I have never needed a small base die for any of these and I have multiple rifles in 223 Wylde and 300 BLK. On my varminter 223 Wylde I even use the Lee collet die which neck sizes only. And it works well also. I do keep my varmint loads separate and dedicated to that rifle though.

That said I prefer the RCBS dies above the others I like the way that they set up. I have single stage presses from RCBS, Lyman, and Hornady/Pacific that I use them in though.

If I had to choose one press out of all I own, it would be the Lee Classic Cast Turret because of its versatility. I would choose dies from RCBS.

Just my 2 cents.

edwardware said:

For semi-auto .223, I have never seen or heard of a case that actually needed small-base dies. Without fail, every case I've seen or read turned out to be poor full-length resizing practice. The downside is high sizing force and rapid wearing of the brass near the head. If you plan to lose your brass in 2 firings, you won't care; I'm still reloading brass with 5-6 firings on it.

I have seen an actual need for SB dies for the reuse of machine-gun-fired 7.62 brass, and there might be an advantage for M1 Garands.

For brand, I like Lee, RCBS is a bit more refined, and I like Hornady's Custom line and seaters. Stay away from the Hornady American line.

Click to expand...

^^^^^truth^^^^^

While I agree the RCBS dies are hard to beat Lyman has a new set of dies out for the AR platform calibers. I hear they work well and include a case length gauge too.
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1019623376?pid=739020

That link has due sets for all 3 cartridges you mentioned in your OP.

edwardware said:

For semi-auto .223, I have never seen or heard of a case that actually needed small-base dies.

Click to expand...

Cases fired in my AR-15 with a 5.56 NATO chamber and sized with a standard full length sizing die will not chamber in my Compass Lake Service Rifle AR-15. They will chamber if I small base size them. Note, the cases are resized correctly.

I do not see any difference in case life if I small base size them or not. My cases fail for other reasons than failures at the base of the case.

I agree with Walkalong, small base sizing dies are good insurance that you will not have chambering issues.

This is especially true if you use once fired cases from an unknown source.

My dies are green....RCBS, been reloading since I was 16 nothing but RCBS for me

Ks5shooter said:

My dies are green....RCBS, been reloading since I was 16 nothing but RCBS for me

Click to expand...

Funny I’m the exact opposite. I don’t care about brand. I care about value and quality. So I have stuff from just about all the major brands.

For 223 I actually like my Lee dies better than my Hornaday ones. In fact useless there’s a good reason to get someone else’s I find Lee dies have work very well for me and their price is great. Likewise for the LCT.

Beyond that I really don’t care what color things are and if you look close some things are the same just different colors. I learned this when I bought my bullet puller. So I bought the Lyman as it was cheapest at Sportsman’s Warehouse when I was there. So yes dies and presses may be different but shop around and you’ll find some interesting things.

You'll likely be fine with any of the name brands. However, Redding would be my first choice, followed by Lee's with a Hornady lock ring on the seater die, Hornady, Lyman, then RCBS. I've had more problems out of RCBS dies than any of the other brands that I've used, so I tend to shy away from them.

Never an issue with RCBS...experiences do vary.

Most of the commercial Dies I’ve come across overwork brass which leads me to Wilson FL bushing Dies.
J

Across several semi automatics including a Rem M81, AR-15 national match and others, M1 Garand, Browning sporting BAR, and a lever Savage M99, I have never felt the need for small based dies. I'm also loading on a Lee turret.

As for dies, I like Lee, they are a good value and make good ammunition. I like Redding MUCH better, except for the price tag. Same quality ammunition, better ergonomics and overall quality. You don't need a wrench to set up the decapper/expander, and you can lock down your settings. I invest in Redding for calibers I will load a lot, and use Lee dies for calibers I won't use as much. I do find the Lee carbide in straight wall pistol calibers to be superior to other brands.

Never had a need for the SB ties in 40+ years of hand loading. All my chambers are 223 Min Spec Match chambers where are very tight. You do want to FL size back to original SAAMI specs. I have several sets of 223/556 dies setup for different presses. I have started using Redding dies due to the fact have a nicer finished and have the capability of over sizing. I think this is because they set them up to use with competition shell holders. Most of my rifle dies are RCBS, Hornady and Redding. It seams that when someone is have a problem it's with Lee dies. They tell you to buy SB when you call. Lee's are cheap and do not hold the mfg QC controls as tight as the others. 90% of the time though there is never a problem.

Make no mistake
The best Dies are the ones that size your brass the closest to match your chamber

I load 223/5.56 and 308 for both semi and bolt. I have manged to survice and load good ammo with LEE dies. They are all good and will work,

terry bright, welcome to the high road. regardless your choice, I suggest you read the directions that come with the die set. many handloaders have problems because of incorrectly set up dies. also, make sure you read the front part of your reloading manual at least once. there are a lot of things to consider here.

welcome to the addiction!

luck,

murf

slowr1der said:

You'll likely be fine with any of the name brands. However, Redding would be my first choice, followed by Lee's with a Hornady lock ring on the seater die, Hornady, Lyman, then RCBS. I've had more problems out of RCBS dies than any of the other brands that I've used, so I tend to shy away from them.

Click to expand...

I find Lee dies with the Hornady steel lock rings to work very well also.

A little more detail might help, like what brass are you using? Fired from your own rifles, new or range pick ups? Will never be experienced in all the die manufacturers, but like the standard RCBS fl for 223/308. Would be well suited with RCBS fl sizing die and Forster comp seating die (without micrometer adjuster if budget tight). However did splurge for Redding s fl dies and comp seater for most of my main calibers. Redding s dies are especially useful in 308 if using multiple different brass manufactures.

Am using small base dies in 223 and 308 for range pick up brass, or if resizing brass from loose chamber to work in tight chamber. A lot depends on your individual rifles, and if you are planning to find a common load for differing rifles in same calibers.

edwardware said:

For semi-auto .223, I have never seen or heard of a case that actually needed small-base dies.

Click to expand...

In fairness, Lee standard 223remington dies, an exceptionally common die set, ARE small Base does, even though they are not labeled as such.

So if you ever hear (as you often do if you spend much time on forums), “I have loaded thousands of 223rem with my plain ol’ Lee dies, never needed a small base die for my AR’s...” those folks are unaware of the dimensional spec of the products they own.

Blue68f100 said:

Lee's are cheap and do not hold the mfg QC controls as tight as the others.

Click to expand...

I would love to see your factual references for this statement.