Redding 223 small base body die

[Goatsnguns]

My 20 Vartarg cases are formed from LC11 brass. The base of the case seems to be in specs .375"-.376". I have a CZ 527 rifle that I had re-barreled to 20 VT about five years ago, and I have not shot it as I have a couple of others. My brass will not chamber in this rifle, it sticks in the chamber and has to be knocked out with a cleaning rod. I do have ten fired rounds that came with the gun and the bases measure .373". My question is: re-chamber or get a small base die for 223? How much small do they size the base"

Thanks for any help.

GAry

 

[Rocketvapor]

Your tight cases will probably mark with black marker.

Small base about 0.002"
That should do it.
If still a little tight hone.

By "BASE" you are referring to the body at 0.200"?

 

[L.Sherm]

.373 is what new brass is your 20VT chamber is small at the back end, most 223 dies only size brass back to .375 at the .200.
The chamber needs to be about .3769 to work well, I dont think a small base die will fix your problem.

 

[marazzi59]

You could also try making a cast of the chamber to get some more measurements

 

[painter]

I have a Tikka with a Kieiger Barrel in .223 that I can not use Lapua or Noma brass as they are about .0015 larger at the 200 line than Winchester which works fine.

 

[old codger]

I would try polishing the chamber using a flex hone. They are available on Amazon.

 

[searcher]

I resize all previously fired LC brass in a small base sizing the first time to enable proper chambering. I have one chamber that requires the small base die on every sizing. This is pretty common. The die runs around $50.00 or around $100.00 for a bushing die version. Very worthwhile if you are to size any military brass.

 

[L.Sherm]

I resize all previously fired LC brass in a small base sizing the first time to enable proper chambering. I have one chamber that requires the small base die on every sizing. This is pretty common. The die runs around $50.00 or around $100.00 for a bushing die version. Very worthwhile if you are to size any military brass.

I've used 1,000's of fired LC brass to make 20VT and not once have i had to use a small base die.
The 527 20 Prac I have listed for sale same thing not one piece of fired LC brass had to be used for small base die, now I recently bought a PTG 20 prac reamer hear different story brand new brass .373 barely fits resized .375 won't even come close. I'm waiting on my JGS reamer to fix it

 

[Goatsnguns]

t f

 

[Goatsnguns]

Thanks for the info, greatly appreciated.

 

[searcher]

I've used 1,000's of fired LC brass to make 20VT and not once have i had to use a small base die.
The 527 20 Prac I have listed for sale same thing not one piece of fired LC brass had to be used for small base die, now I recently bought a PTG 20 prac reamer hear different story brand new brass .373 barely fits resized .375 won't even come close. I'm waiting on my JGS reamer to fix it

Yeah - one can go many rounds without the need for a small base die. I have processed probably 20,000++ LC and other mil cases for my own use over the past 50+ years and found that occasionally - a case that was fired out of an extraordinarily large chamber would not chamber in one of my rifles chambered in either .223/.556 or .20 Practical (over a dozen rifles) when sized with my particular dies. While the occasional stoppage in the field was of no real significance - sizing the first time with a small base die takes no more time than a regular die and eliminates chances of it happening. Just eliminates that random problem. Regarding my .20 Practical needing the short base die, I could ream the chamber, yet simply using the small base die solves the issue and, because the chamber is so tight, the small base does has not reduced the life of my brass to any perceived level. Buying or renting a reamer to open a chamber to accept a round not requiring a small base die seems like a no sum game to me. I'm guessing you haven't run into it with your Vartarg as you just didn't have tight chambers. It can also be that your sizing die is small enough to alleviate the need -as some sizing dies are on the verge of being a small base die without being advertised as such. Die makers probably get tired of reloaders saying their dies "aren't working" when re-sizing mil brass and just make them to minimum dimension.

 

[L.Sherm]

I've had 4 20VT and still have 3, a 20-221AI and all I have my own reamers. Specing the reamers correctly and getting them ground correctly is the key thats why I have JGS do all my reamers. I had a dumb shit moment and bought a 20 Prac PTG reamer on here and should have known better.
My dies size the brass back to .375 after firing and I spec the reamer at .3769 they work perfectly.

 

[searcher]

I've had 4 20VT and still have 3, a 20-221AI and all I have my own reamers. Specing the reamers correctly and getting them ground correctly is the key thats why I have JGS do all my reamers. I had a dumb shit moment and bought a 20 Prac PTG reamer on here and should have known better.
My dies size the brass back to .375 after firing and I spec the reamer at .3769 they work perfectly.

I believe my 20 Practical reamer was a PTG as well.

 

[jpx2rk]

I have used a SB die on a few/several pieces of 223/556 brass that was necked down for 20P. I usually just spend the time to cycle every new piece of 20P brass I make thru the rifle before I use it for that particular rifle. Eliminates those "aw damn" moments either at the range or in the field.

 

[L.Sherm]

There shouldn't be any awe damn moments if the die-reamer are what there suppose to be, being what there suppose to be is the key.

 

[L.Sherm]

If I have a piece of 223 brass that a FL sizing die won't size to .375 at the back end thats way to big it goes in the garbage, I can only remember about 3 that I've ran into over several 1,000.
Those seem to be never ending problem brass anyway

 

[searcher]

There shouldn't be any awe damn moments if the die-reamer are what there suppose to be, being what there suppose to be is the key.

Those are true words. Unfortunately, sizing brass that was previously fired out of an out-of-spec M-16 chamber doesn't always allow the base to re-conform to specs. And you can't anneal that to fix it.