Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Reloading dies for a Browning BAR?

I have a Browning BAR Lightweight and my question is do I need the Small Base Die for my 30-06 or could I buy the Standard FL die?

I would go with the small base die.

NO!, NO!, NO!. Regular sizing dies will work just fine. In my wife's BAR 30-06, I only neck size the cases for the first 5 reloads, then I "bump" the shoulder just a tad for the next 5 at which time the cases are canned.

Small base dies are for lousy chambers, they shorten case life.

The chambering power of a BAR is very strong. NEVER ease the bolt forward on the first shot, let it slam and the subsequent ones will handle themselves.

There is a case to be made for only hunting with premium factory ammo (after testing each one to be sure it chambers) in a semi-auto. I do not and have never had a malfunction in the BAR at the range or in the field. The same is true of these:

Bennili R1 in 300 winmag, Merkel SR1 in 9.3x62 and DPMS LR 300 SAUM.

I load for a 30-06 BAR and a 300WSM BAR. Both of these run fine with standard FL dies. I also load for several other semi-autos and none of them require the use of Small Base dies. YMMV.

I can say with 99% certainty you dont need sb dies. I've had 3 bars and none of them needed it. My current one in 308 works just fine with brass that has gone through a redding body die and that particular die is gentler by far than my normal fl dies.

Thanks for the info. I will just get a RCBS FL die since it will work...this way if I ever get the fever for a bolt action I will be covered.