Recommended die set for .308 Win/AR-10 loads

[TexanByChoice36]

Just put together an AR-10 with PSA kits. Having rig safety-checked by a gunsmith to check "go" / "no-go" clearances, etc. Will run some factory ammo through it once checks are completed. Want to eventually build up some hand loads. All my other dies are RCBS, as I load both handgun and rifle. Would like to go with Redding or Forster dies for this caliber. Understand "FL" dies are the way to go for AR-type rifles. Anyone know different? I'm more interested in accuracy then number of rounds on target. Anyone out there have advice on dies for this application?

 

[GW Staar]

Depends on your chamber.

My Remington R25 (DPMS AR 10 made for Remington) requires a small base sizer......so that limits me to an RCBS small-base sizer or a Dillon sizer. I even had a problem with a box of factory Federal (blue box) which would fire the first shot in the mag and then the bolt wouldn't close all the way. Too fat in the ass.

Your rifle may do fine with regular full length sizers....you won't know until you try it. If you buy a regular set of your Forster or Redding, you can always buy a small-base sizer later......but I personally like the extra room....still wider than factory, but a bit closer to it for reliability.

My argument has always been that a thousandth or 2 extra squeeze in the base is insurance.......especially if you ever shoot the reloads in another rifle. Some scream brass over-working. I'm more worried about shoulder overworking .004" to .007" than a tiny squeeze in the base area....not to mention the bashing done to brass by the ejector. Brass life is determined by that in most ARs.

BTW, last November I bought my first Redding set after 40 years of RCBS and Lee. I had to buy a custom set for a .22-243 Middlestead. Both RCBS and Redding makes the pricy things, and both about the same price......so I decided to try the Redding. Wasn't impressed with that wildcat example.....it wasn't polished to RCBS standards and sized brass came out scuffed. No bleeder hole in the shoulder area either to prevent dents there. I was surprised....unpleasantly.

 

[Walkalong]

FL sizing is the way to go for an auto, and Forster makes great stuff, but so does Redding and RCBS.

 

[Bart B.]

If your rifle's bolt face is squared up with the chamber axis, then I think a Forster full length sizing die that they've honed the neck out to about .002" smaller than the neck of one of your loaded rounds is best; they charge $12 to do that to your specs. This type of die makes case necks the straightest on bottleneck cases. No expander ball's used that typically bends necks a little bit

Set the die in the press to set fired case necks back .002" to .003" for maximum case life. Five's the typical limit for semiautos.

Proper full length sizing is the best way to go for all centerfires; benchresters finally switched over to that a few years ago. Others have been doing it for decades.

 

[judgedelta]

I use RCBS standard .308 dies in my LMT/MWS and have never had a problem.

 

[Sunray]

Really doesn't matter who made 'em, but FL resizing is mandatory for a semi-auto.
It's a regular FL OR a Small Base. Difference is the SB sizes about 5 thou more.

 

[GW Staar]

It's a regular FL OR a Small Base. Difference is the SB sizes about 5 thou more.

In my experience, the RCBS SB sizer I have, squeezes my 7.62/.308 brass 1 or 2 thousandths more near the base of the case than my full length sizer, depending on brass spring-back, in turn depending on brass hardness and age. I've never seen anything like 5 thou.

 

[Hardtarget]

I do like the small base size die for the semi auto. I read about loading semi's before I started loading for my M-1 and I bought SB dies for my AR as well. Seems to work very well in my guns.

Mark

 

[Sky King]

I use RCBS .308 small base die for my M&P 10, RCBS .223 small base for my Colt 6920 and RCBS 30-06 small base for a Remington 7400