I am at a friends house this weekend and forgot my darn .308 dies. Can I use a 30-06 seating die to seat my .308 bullets. I have the cases prepared already.
Use 30-06 seating die for .308?
- Thread starter jpistolero02
- Start date
Re: Use 30-06 seating die for .308?
This is a good question as I have an old set of lyman dies in the black box marked 30-06 and .308 The shoulder angles are slightly different if you look at the drawings I believe though.
This is a good question as I have an old set of lyman dies in the black box marked 30-06 and .308 The shoulder angles are slightly different if you look at the drawings I believe though.
Re: Use 30-06 seating die for .308?
If you can screw the seater stem down far enough, it COULD work. Just keep an eye on them and make sure they work OK.
If you can screw the seater stem down far enough, it COULD work. Just keep an eye on them and make sure they work OK.
Re: Use 30-06 seating die for .308?
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: asbestosglove</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Tough to control run-out in larger diameter portion of die. </div></div>
I agree. They will probably shoot. But they'll group like a shotgun.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: asbestosglove</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Tough to control run-out in larger diameter portion of die. </div></div>
I agree. They will probably shoot. But they'll group like a shotgun.
Re: Use 30-06 seating die for .308?
Which brings up a related issue: Dies That Crimp. What's the difference between a little slop and a lotta' slop? If you're seating w/o crimping, the die's loose anyway.
Which brings up a related issue: Dies That Crimp. What's the difference between a little slop and a lotta' slop? If you're seating w/o crimping, the die's loose anyway.
Re: Use 30-06 seating die for .308?
It depends a lot on whether you are trying to shoot 3" at 100 yards or 10" at 1000 yards. The loaded rounds are almost as important as the barrel as to how they will group. That didn't sound right. But I'm sure most of you understood what I meant.
A match barrel with trash ammo isn't going to shoot very well. A trash barrel with match ammo won't do very well either.
That's why I take all the pains when I'm handloading to try to make everything the best I can.
I hope that's understandable.
Edited to add:
I only crimp for gas guns or lever action rifles. None of my other loads get crimped. I understand that some people don't crimp anything. Other people crimp EVERYTHING. It all depends on what you are shooting and what you expect from your loads.
It depends a lot on whether you are trying to shoot 3" at 100 yards or 10" at 1000 yards. The loaded rounds are almost as important as the barrel as to how they will group. That didn't sound right. But I'm sure most of you understood what I meant.
A match barrel with trash ammo isn't going to shoot very well. A trash barrel with match ammo won't do very well either.
That's why I take all the pains when I'm handloading to try to make everything the best I can.
I hope that's understandable.
Edited to add:
I only crimp for gas guns or lever action rifles. None of my other loads get crimped. I understand that some people don't crimp anything. Other people crimp EVERYTHING. It all depends on what you are shooting and what you expect from your loads.
Re: Use 30-06 seating die for .308?
Victor, thanks for following up. As you mentioned, many (most?) don't crimp. With a standard die, the case body won't be held by the die when not crimping. Implies for me that a standard die with the crimping feature will do a substandard job of seating w/o the crimp. Comments?
Victor, thanks for following up. As you mentioned, many (most?) don't crimp. With a standard die, the case body won't be held by the die when not crimping. Implies for me that a standard die with the crimping feature will do a substandard job of seating w/o the crimp. Comments?
Re: Use 30-06 seating die for .308?
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Winchester 69</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Victor, thanks for following up. As you mentioned, many (most?) don't crimp. With a standard die, the case body won't be held by the die when not crimping. Implies for me that a standard die with the crimping feature will do a substandard job of seating w/o the crimp. Comments? </div></div>
The original poster that started the thread was speaking of seating bullets for a 308 in a 30-06 seating die.
In seating bullets in dies OTHER THAN THE SLIDING BUSHING TYPE like the Redding Competition seater die, the bullet is only supported the last distance equal to the length of the case neck. Before the bullet reaches that point it is being guided through space supported on the sides by the insides of the chamber shaped die. The cartridge case itself is not supported on the sides until the case closes on the inside of the die. The case neck will support the bullet the last length of the case neck. But the entire case isn’t supported by the die until the case is fully inside it. The body of the case will have a few thousandths movement at the base until it is fully into the case. In most sizing dies the base is loose a bit until the case mouth is crimped. Even then in most cases the base of the cartridge case still has some movement. But the percentage of the movement is very small. The only bullet seating dies THAT I KNOW OF that hold everything entirely straight is the Redding Competition seater. Or one made on that design.
Did that answer your question?
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Winchester 69</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Victor, thanks for following up. As you mentioned, many (most?) don't crimp. With a standard die, the case body won't be held by the die when not crimping. Implies for me that a standard die with the crimping feature will do a substandard job of seating w/o the crimp. Comments? </div></div>
The original poster that started the thread was speaking of seating bullets for a 308 in a 30-06 seating die.
In seating bullets in dies OTHER THAN THE SLIDING BUSHING TYPE like the Redding Competition seater die, the bullet is only supported the last distance equal to the length of the case neck. Before the bullet reaches that point it is being guided through space supported on the sides by the insides of the chamber shaped die. The cartridge case itself is not supported on the sides until the case closes on the inside of the die. The case neck will support the bullet the last length of the case neck. But the entire case isn’t supported by the die until the case is fully inside it. The body of the case will have a few thousandths movement at the base until it is fully into the case. In most sizing dies the base is loose a bit until the case mouth is crimped. Even then in most cases the base of the cartridge case still has some movement. But the percentage of the movement is very small. The only bullet seating dies THAT I KNOW OF that hold everything entirely straight is the Redding Competition seater. Or one made on that design.
Did that answer your question?
Re: Use 30-06 seating die for .308?
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Victor N TN</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Winchester 69</div><div class="ubbcode-body">With a standard die, the case body won't be held by the die when not crimping. Implies for me that a standard die with the crimping feature will do a substandard job of seating w/o the crimp. </div></div>
...the entire case isn’t supported by the die until the case is fully inside it. The body of the case will have a few thousandths movement at the base until it is fully into the case. In most sizing dies the base is loose a bit until the case mouth is crimped.
Did that answer your question? </div></div>
Very nicely. Thank you, sir.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Victor N TN</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Winchester 69</div><div class="ubbcode-body">With a standard die, the case body won't be held by the die when not crimping. Implies for me that a standard die with the crimping feature will do a substandard job of seating w/o the crimp. </div></div>
...the entire case isn’t supported by the die until the case is fully inside it. The body of the case will have a few thousandths movement at the base until it is fully into the case. In most sizing dies the base is loose a bit until the case mouth is crimped.
Did that answer your question? </div></div>
Very nicely. Thank you, sir.
Re: Use 30-06 seating die for .308?
i have in the past loaded 308,30-06 with my 300wsm neck dies with no problems.
i have in the past loaded 308,30-06 with my 300wsm neck dies with no problems.
Re: Use 30-06 seating die for .308?
I've tried before, the shoulder on the 308 is a larger diameter than the 30-06 and it stops on the shoulder before I could get the bullets to seat in an RCBS standard die set.
You might be able to do it with another seating die. I ended up using 7.5x55 Swiss to seat the 308's for a few rounds, that worked fine.
I've tried before, the shoulder on the 308 is a larger diameter than the 30-06 and it stops on the shoulder before I could get the bullets to seat in an RCBS standard die set.
You might be able to do it with another seating die. I ended up using 7.5x55 Swiss to seat the 308's for a few rounds, that worked fine.
Similar threads
