Lee "RGB" dies.

[epj]

I need to buy some .223 dies to load for my Mini 14. I can get RCBS small base( or regular) dies locally for around $35. The Lee RGB dies, which come with no accessories, are around $12-13 plus shipping. I don't need any of the accessories, since I load on a 550. I use Lee carbide dies for all my pistol loading, and am very satisfied with them. Will the .223 dies do the job, or do I need to spring for the RCBS?

 

[epj]

I need to buy some .223 dies to load for my Mini 14. I can get RCBS small base( or regular) dies locally for around $35. The Lee RGB dies, which come with no accessories, are around $12-13 plus shipping. I don't need any of the accessories, since I load on a 550. I use Lee carbide dies for all my pistol loading, and am very satisfied with them. Will the .223 dies do the job, or do I need to spring for the RCBS?

 

[john traveler]

I have loaded and fired .223 in several AR-15 type rifles and several Mini-14s, both mine and shooting buddies. We have never found it necessary to use RCBS small base dies. The exception might be reloading surplus brass that has been fired in the M249 squad automatic weapon. I've encountered 7.62 NATO military surplus brass that was fired in M60 and M240 machine guns that needed the extra squeezing of the small base dies to use in civilian .308 Winchester rifles.

 

[Paul5388]

I recently ran a bunch of mixed M16-SAW brass through a RCBS small base die and didn't see much difference in effort in sizing the two types of brass.

Since they'll be coming out of my chamber next time, I'll just use a standard die out of a set of Lee Deluxe dies.

I normally get Lee Deluxe dies, since I use the neck sizing collet dies a lot.

 

[James57]

I do not have a lot of experience with the AR platform. However, I have used the little Lee RBG die sets in several calibers and like them in bolt actions and lever action rifles. The RGB dies full length size. Since you can't normally use neck sizing only in semi-auto rifles, I can't justify spending double for a Deluxe die set. The collet die is a neck sizing die, it just uses a collet to squeeze the neck to size around a mandrel. My experience anyway.

 

[Paul5388]

James,

You're quite right for normal situations. However, I have been known to FL size and then come back and use the collet neck size die.

Now I wouldn't do that for black gun fodder, but for loads a little more exacting, that method seems to help.

 

[James57]

Paul, you and I seem to be on the same page. I have been known to do the same thing, I just neglected to include that part for some reason. When I used the collet die I usually rotated the case at least 3 times(1/3 turn at a time) also to make sure of the concentricity but I don't know for sure if it really worked but I felt better about my loads when I did.

 

[Rule3]

I have the Lee Pacesetter dies and collet dies for 223. If the actual RGB are the same as the Pacesetter then I would say they work just fine for me.
I now just use my bolt action 223 so can get by with neck sizing. If they get out of spec I can run them through the full length sizer and pray for no stuck cases on my little single stage.

 

[Paul5388]

you and I seem to be on the same page.

That seems to really be true! I do the same with rotating 30-90 degrees and neck sizing the second time.

 

[epj]

Looks like I'll be getting the Lee dies and using the left over funds to buy a pound of powder.