AR advice please

[okie]

Do I need small base dies??
My friend needs ammo to keep up with our hog problem. Never loaded for an AR. I have no experience with the cartridge either.
6.5 Grendel. He is down to his last 2 boxes. It is a "cheap" rifle if that matters??? Thanks in advance. Marc

 

[WildBill3/75]

You don't need special dies. Standard grendel dies work just fine. The grendel was built for the ar15.

I've reloaded this cartridge on a single stage using a Redding type s FL sizer and the competition seater and have produced consistent sub 1/2 moa groups.

Mine loves 8208 xbr
123 scenar
And cci 450's
Using Alexander arms marked Lapua brass(I've had this cartridge for a long time and been through a few barrels.)

Good luck.

 

[chkunz]

I have used a small base die for many years on the military style semi autos (M1, M14, AR). You may do fine with a standard die but the small base die will not hurt anything and may save you some grief down the road.

 

[nakneker]

If all you on hand is standard dies I would load up a small batch of 10-20 and see how they function in the rifle your loading for. I have several ARs in 223 and 300 blackout, most of which I can use standard dies, set the shoulder back .005 and they run just fine. I do have one AR that I use small base dies for. Every rifle is different.

 

[okie]

If all you on hand is standard dies I would load up a small batch of 10-20 and see how they function in the rifle your loading for. I have several ARs in 223 and 300 blackout, most of which I can use standard dies, set the shoulder back .005 and they run just fine. I do have one AR that I use small base dies for. Every rifle is different.

dont have dies, ordering some today---about out of factory ammo.

 

[RegionRat]

If you don't mind a little risk, start with standard dies since they tend to minimize over working the brass.

Sometimes, with 5.56 we encounter brass used in "other" chambers that cause the diameters to go large enough that a SB die helps get it back into a typical spec chamber. But you are not discussing 5.56.

What are the odds your friend's chamber is cut over spec or that they will start with brass that has been blown out, probably low odds but never zero.

A regular die should bring your friend's own brass back into spec on the diameters, and the shoulder datum is an adjustment anyway. If your friend's chamber is reamed way over sized, you should be able to tell in advance with a decent micrometer reading on the 200 line and the body-shoulder junction.

Check the difference between the following: Factory new, fired in your friend's chamber, and the specs. This should help you anticipate if you are dealing with a bad actor (big chamber) and tip the risk towards the SB die.

 

[okie]

If you don't mind a little risk, start with standard dies since they tend to minimize over working the brass.

Sometimes, with 5.56 we encounter brass used in "other" chambers that cause the diameters to go large enough that a SB die helps get it back into a typical spec chamber. But you are not discussing 5.56.

What are the odds your friend's chamber is cut over spec or that they will start with brass that has been blown out, probably low odds but never zero.

A regular die should bring your friend's own brass back into spec on the diameters, and the shoulder datum is an adjustment anyway. If your friend's chamber is reamed way over sized, you should be able to tell in advance with a decent micrometer reading on the 200 line and the body-shoulder junction.

Check the difference between the following: Factory new, fired in your friend's chamber, and the specs. This should help you anticipate if you are dealing with a bad actor (big chamber) and tip the risk towards the SB die.

got it. will do---a lot of this is range brass. appreciate the help, marc

 

[Herzo]

I purchased a set of SB dies after having a feeding problem (failure to go into battery) on one of my Grendel based rifles. Not necessarily needed, but cheap insurance.

 

[Jeff Porter]

If this is hog blasting ammo from range pick up and not match grade tunes to one rifles chamber … I would go small base to be sure it drops in like a hot dog in a hallway in any rifle. Seen too many guys banging on a forward assist when they have a fat case at the base.

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

Lyman sells an ammo checker, you can use it to check brass/cartridge at all reloading steps. If it fits the checker it will run in the rifle. A much safer way to prevent stuck or ammo that will not go into battery.

 

[okie]

thanks guys -good info.

If this is hog blasting ammo from range pick up and not match grade tunes to one rifles chamber … I would go small base to be sure it drops in like a hot dog in a hallway in any rifle. Seen too many guys banging on a forward assist when they have a fat case at the base.

it is and it came from my buddys AR and a bunch from range also

 

[chkunz]

start with standard dies since they tend to minimize over working the brass.

Small Base dies do not "over work" the brass. Your brass will die of something else before it dies from small base dies.

 

[RegionRat]

Small Base dies do not "over work" the brass. Your brass will die of something else before it dies from small base dies.

The unnecessary work hardening of brass being moved an extra 0.002" when and if not needed is guaranteed. This is very easy to observe if you reload for full autos that over blow the brass.

I never made any claim about brass life. Take some cases into a lab after a few cycles with both types of dies and see what happens with respect to the difference in the heads and primer pockets.

The basic concept is that brass, chambers, and dies need to be coordinated for reliable feed, and the less you strain the brass to reload it, the better.

 

[whatsupdoc]

Do I need small base dies??
My friend needs ammo to keep up with our hog problem. Never loaded for an AR. I have no experience with the cartridge either.
6.5 Grendel. He is down to his last 2 boxes. It is a "cheap" rifle if that matters??? Thanks in advance. Marc

Have loaded thousands of 223/556 for AR's and bolt guns using all sorts of brass from Lapua to range pickup.

The short answer is for 98% of ammo rifle combinations you do not need to use SB dies BUT sometimes you do need SB dies.

Its not a simple yes or no answer.

 

[okie]

Thank you guys!

 

[Kracken McGraw]

I noticed last night when I was looking at some dies, Midway had the Forster benchrest die set in the Grendel.

 

[TrapperBR549]

If this is brass that is only going to be loaded once how can it hurt anything to use small base dies? I haven't been hog hunting but I can't imagine crawling around looking for your brass after you shoot some.
I have a Grendel and use standard dies without any problems but we shoot a decent amount and save the brass.

 

[okie]

If this is brass that is only going to be loaded once how can it hurt anything to use small base dies? I haven't been hog hunting but I can't imagine crawling around looking for your brass after you shoot some.
I have a Grendel and use standard dies without any problems but we shoot a decent amount and save the brass.

true---grendel brass is 2 dollars if you can get it---using brass catchers now. (not sure how thats gonna work yet...) until we run out, then maybe have to switch to .223

 

[okie]

yeah I put new batteries in metal detector and gonna get some of it back...i know its crazy...

 

[divingin]

Lyman sells an ammo checker, you can use it to check brass/cartridge at all reloading steps. If it fits the checker it will run in the rifle. A much safer way to prevent stuck or ammo that will not go into battery.

IMO, case gauges cause more problems (or at least more worries) than helping. They're generally not cut to the same spec as the rifle's chamber, and can go either larger or smaller.

Better, IMO, to use the chamber of the rifle the round will be fired in to tell if it will fit or not. Do be safe when doing so, though.