Dies for one camber used on another?

[Ray Savage]

I have been reloading for many years and had some good training but just recently heard of people using dies for reloading other cartridges in the same bullet diameter, has anyone done this without issues? For example I saw guys using 22 250 die to neck size and seat 223 rounds? I also saw a set of old 22 dies that claim they work for all 22s. Is this 22 specific or could I use my 7mm mag neck sizing die to load 7 mm mauser or 7 mm 08 rounds? This is not something I would do as a norm but if it's safe on ocassion I may want to make some match loads for guns I rarely shoot or for people having accuracy issues with factory ammo.

 

[Park ranger]

Match loads using the wrong die?

 

[85MikeTPI]

You have to dot your i's and cross your t's and make sure you know what you're doing. My friend has a precision combloc 54r rifle with a barrel that slugs at .308. He sizes brass in 54r dies, then neck sizes on a 308win die to load .308 boolits in 54r brass that normally necks to .311-.312. There are many instances of what you're referring to, but you tread lightly..

 

[John from MD]

I have done it in the past and it works for neck sizing. When neck sizing, you have to check different brand brass to make sure that the dimensions work. Some have thinner necks that won't size down properly and others have necks that are thick and need to be inside reamed.

Now that SAAMI data is available to all, an easy way would be to size a given case, load a bullet into the empty case and then mic it. Check your numbers against the SAAMI specs to see your cartridge is within limits and you are set to go. If it is a low pressure cartridge, you can always check to see if it chambers in your rifle. For a high powered cartridge, I don't recommend that procedure.

 

[Ray Savage]

You have to dot your i's and cross your t's and make sure you know what you're doing. My friend has a precision combloc 54r rifle with a barrel that slugs at .308. He sizes brass in 54r dies, then neck sizes on a 308win die to load .308 boolits in 54r brass that normally necks to .311-.312. There are many instances of what you're referring to, but you tread lightly..

Thanks, I thought it would be more factors than what I was hearing about

 

[Ray Savage]

I have done it in the past and it works for neck sizing. When neck sizing, you have to check different brand brass to make sure that the dimensions work. Some have thinner necks that won't size down properly and others have necks that are thick and need to be inside reamed.

Now that SAAMI data is available to all, an easy way would be to size a given case, load a bullet into the empty case and then mic it. Check your numbers against the SAAMI specs to see your cartridge is within limits and you are set to go. If it is a low pressure cartridge, you can always check to see if it chambers in your rifle. For a high powered cartridge, I don't recommend that procedure.

I figured there would be more factors than I normally mess with, mainly I would be using factory brass fired once in the gun I was reloading for. Mainly 7mm and 30 caliber stuff that I rarely shoot but wanted to try some handloads. Dies are cheap but in a gun that I rarely use its hard to get myself to buy a new set of dies when I have more ammo for them than I will ever use since most of the time they sit in the safe but worth keeping because they were my grand dads guns

 

[Melnic]

I neck size 7.62x54r with a brit 303 neck sizing die.

 

[teratos]

I use an adjustable 6.5CM seating die for my .260 Remington. Same projectile. Just dial in for correct COAL.

 

[Ray Savage]

Thanks, I took a bunch of measurements and am going to see how my 7mm mag dies do on my granddad old 7mm mauser. My only concern is the mauser case is .005 thicker. If it don't take the round easy I will ream it a touch

 

[HiStandards]

I would think the dies have to be shorter than the case being loaded. 7mm Mauser wouldn't reach the seating and crimping portion of the 7mm Mag dies.

 

[John from MD]

I would think the dies have to be shorter than the case being loaded. 7mm Mauser wouldn't reach the seating and crimping portion of the 7mm Mag dies.

Excellent point. I should have thought of that too but covid has fogged my brain.

 

[Doco Overboard]

I would think the dies have to be shorter than the case being loaded. 7mm Mauser wouldn't reach the seating and crimping portion of the 7mm Mag dies.

3006 and 7.7 jap are like that. I use 06 dies to bullet seat 7.7sometimes
7x57 m and 257 r are also pretty close.
303 B and .30 Army are another.

 

[GunBum]

The case body portion of the die has to be large enough for the brass to fit. For example, 22 Hornet dies won’t work to seat bullets or neck size .22-250

 

[Pinecone]

Who only neck sizes?

I prefer to bump the shoulder back a thousandth or so.

 

[Ray Savage]

Who only neck sizes?

I prefer to bump the shoulder back a thousandth or so.

What is the advantage in bumping back the shoulder?

 

[dannyp]

semi autos need the shoulder bumped back to load properly .

 

[Ray Savage]

semi autos need the shoulder bumped back to load properly .

Got ya, I only reload for my long range bolt guns, was not even thinking about semi autos!

 

[Muleskinner]

I use a small base 223 die to resize the base of 300 black out cases after i resize them using the 300 BO die. Reloading 300 bo can be a challenge and using the small base solves an issue I had reloading that caliber with a compressed load

 

[85MikeTPI]

I use a small base 223 die to resize the base of 300 black out cases after i resize them using the 300 BO die. Reloading 300 bo can be a challenge and using the small base solves an issue I had reloading that caliber with a compressed load

Is this presuming your 300bo die set is not small base? They do sell SB 300bo dies also, which I bought since all my 300bo are in AR format..

RCBS AR Series Small Base 2-Die Set Taper Crimp 300 Blackout

The RCBS AR Series die set is a must for any progressive reloader. Each set comes packaged with a full length small base sizing die and a taper crimp...

www.midwayusa.com

 

[Muleskinner]

Is this presuming your 300bo die set is not small base? They do sell SB 300bo dies also, which I bought since all my 300bo are in AR format..

RCBS AR Series Small Base 2-Die Set Taper Crimp 300 Blackout

The RCBS AR Series die set is a must for any progressive reloader. Each set comes packaged with a full length small base sizing die and a taper crimp...

www.midwayusa.com

Right. My 300 BO die set is a Lee pacesetter set. It's not small base. It works fine to resize actual 300 BO brass but for some reason I cannot figure out converted 556 brass requires I use the small base die just to properly size the base of the brass when loading supersonic compressed loads. 23.1 grn of CFEBLK fills the case. All I can figure is the compressed powder is bulging the base when I seat the bullet. Sizing the base with the small based die prior to powder appears to fix it. Actual 300 BO brass doesn't require it. it's weird.

I don't have the problem when load subsonics..