SB & Full Length sizing

[survivalshop]

  I have a L.E. Wilson Case Trimmer & the Holder for the Brass Case is not like a lot of the big name ones . It is a Cylinder cut to trap the Case at its taper ( on Bottle Neck Cases ) & when you put the case in , you give the base of the brass a slight tap to seat it , ore or less to keep it from spinning inside the holder . The Holder has a lever that cinches it down on the precision cradle for alignment , you then tap the case mouth to pop it out of the Holder . 

 I noticed quite a while ago,  the difference on how far the case goes into the Holder when using the two different Sizing Dies & just wanted to show how much difference there is between the two types & how much more the SB sizer Die sizes the case Base . These photos are not Chamber dimensions , but the difference in how much they go into the LE Wilson case Holder are interesting .

Full Length

Small Base

 I can see if you have a tight Chamber , SB Sizing may help , of course the brass gets worked more & service life of it will suffer .

 

Whoops, how did those get in there !

[308kiwi]

I small base size all my 308, sure the case life may be shortened but the added reliability and not having to deal with failures to go into battery out weigh the possibly shortened lifespan.

I use a RCBS SB die and made a drop gauge from the off cut of the barrel blank that I used to barrel my 308AR, cut the 'chamber' in the drop gauge with the same chamber reamer I used to chamber the barrel so I can be sure if the round fits the gauge it is going to fit the chamber.

    Full length sized     Small base sized

 

[planeflyer21]

Nice. 

[survivalshop]

      I used to use a SB RCBS Sizer Die myself , but seeing its over thirty years old , I wanted something new & went to a Redding FL Bushing sizing Die , because of using different Brass , I found that I can custom tailor the Neck tension dimensions to the Brass thickness . I have found that all Brass cases do not need the same Neck sizing for proper Neck tension . You can feel it  seating Bullets when using different Brass , Commercial Brass needs more then the LC surplus ( or less , depending how you look at it  )

     I have not had an issue with four different 308 rifles,( three 308AR's ) . I was once one who thought the same thing about only SB sizing , but I have been using a FL Sizer for a couple of years now  , with thousands of reloads & the only issue I have had was recently with my new MEC single stage press & it was my fault because I was not setting the Shoulder back to the proper set back . I had the same issue with the SB Die , when I tried it  .There is a Thread on what I went through with the MEC in this reloading section .

 I see no problem using a SB sizer Die , hell , I loaded for M14's , 308AR's , Bolt Guns ,FN FAL's , with a SB & had no issues , but its a personal preference . I was just surprised at the difference in the two how they fit in my Trimmer Holder & now with your Photo's  showing chambering  .

[308kiwi]

Interesting, I was contemplating getting a 308 Redding FL bushing die, I use one for loading 6mm Remington.

My FL die for 308 is just a cheap LEE die, the photo of the case in my gauge after FL sizing only would actually go in a bit further if pushed but certainly won't go drop in flush like it will after SB sizing. 

@Survivalshop, so you are saying you don't need to SB size if you are using a Redding FL bushing die?,   before I rush out and buy one :-).

Cheers

Edited March 10, 2017 by 308kiwi
clarification on die description :-)

[survivalshop]

On 3/10/2017 at 4:11 PM, 308kiwi said:

 

@Survivalshop, so you are saying you don't need to SB size if you are using a Redding FL bushing die?,   before I rush out and buy one :-).

  I haven't used my SB RCBS sizer Die for a quite a while now  , but all Chambers are not made a like , so I can't say "all "chambers don't need a SB sized case .

  I like that I can change Neck Bushings for what type Bass I'm working with.

  I'm saying its not about a particular brand of or that its a Bushing Die , I just believe a SB Sizing Die is not needed for most applications . If you feel comfortable with a SB sizer die , thats OK , I used one for over thirty years with out issue . The FL sizing Die's benefits are less trimming needed , which goes with less Case stretching .

Edited March 12, 2017 by survivalshop

[jtallen83]

I have gotten by with just a FL sizer die in my rifles. I would assume dies are like chambers with slight variances depending on how new the reamer was when they were made?

[planeflyer21]

1 minute ago, jtallen83 said:

I have gotten by with just a FL sizer die in my rifles. I would assume dies are like chambers with slight variances depending on how new the reamer was when they were made?

And to where in the tolerances the reamers were made, etc.