Home Forums Hunting & Shooting AR and Tactical Rifles Reloading for AR type rifles

I'm new to the AR platform. I would like to reload for my recently acquired AR-10. Do I need to get the "small base" dies or will standard .308 dies work? Also if anyone does load for a .308 AR type rifle what has been your go to powder and bullet weight? I was thinking 168 grain somethings...
Thanks!!!

regular Redding 308 dies work for me. Varget and RL15 have worked pretty good in mine. It shoots 180's better for me, Ballistic tips, or Sierra game kings. I am going to hunt with SGK's this year, gun is about 1 to 1.5 MOA on average for 5 rounds.

Lee dies are as functional as any, and better than some. Don't recommend neck sizing for the 7.62 though or any auto loader. Std FL is fine. Varget, RE15, 2520 and perhaps 4064s are top go to's. Mine likes 175s best, 168s are good and 150-155 are the most comfortable to shoot. All are functional in all rifles, but remember rifles are as individual in their tastes as are people.

Interestign comment on Lee dies. Lots of folks like them. I have a few, being the only brand that was in stock at the time and have to say they have been my least favorite of dies.
in 32-20 they are almost unusable due to seating the bullets crooked.

But I digress... FL sizing is all you need. I don't run a 308 but run many ARs and have never needed a small base die.
We did run small base when running the M1A for years, just functioned better and actually shot better with SB dies.. makes no sense to me as they were custom cut chambers.

Per my experience loading .308 in an AR and research over the years, this seems to sum everything up.

Small base dies: No, you don't need them unless you are loading surplus fired brass.
Bullets: 175 Sierras or 178 AMAX
Brass: Hornady, Winchester, or Federal
Powder: RL-15, Varget, or IMR-4064
Primers: CCI

If you can't get an accurate load with that, start replacing parts.

no regular dies will get it done without over working your brass

as others said, regular dies. I general try to use fireformed brass, and I am careful to not push the shoulders back when sizing. I'm using Forster dies, and a light taper crimp.

Varget and RL15 are standards, but I am going to experiment with Big Game, at least with 175's and maybe 168's, too.

If you get once fired military brass you can run it through a 45acp carbide die with the decapping rod removed to squeeze the web area a bit.

I use regular dies also (Hornady) but I do not full size

After the first fire I only bump the shoulder back .005

This must then be tested in your firearm to assure function

My wife is the AR shooter in my house and she is still proof testing the .005 bump in her 3 AR rifles

Over 10K worth of test......but still testing

I bump all my AR cases back .003". Never had any issues and it doesn't seem to work the brass too hard.

That's why I just barley bump all my handloads

Brass life

She has 3 rifles so I segragate brass

1 rifle has a near minimum chamber and the other two are a good bit longer but nearly identical so I use the brass for them as the same

Same here. All my AR's headspace within .001" and my bolt .308 and AR308 headspace perfect for sharing brass. They even shoot the same load very very well.

Thanks for all the helpful info everyone!!!

I have found a good load for the 125gr. NAB and NBT with IMR 4320 at mag oal. Nothing fancy but fl sized lapua annealed brass and WLR primers are what I use. Sub 1" @ 100yds on bench. I place a light crimp with Lee FCD. I know it's light but I am looking for a good deer load for this fall. Hornady 150gr interbonds over IMR 8208xbr do very well for me as well. Neither one burning down the range but still maintaining enough velocity @ 300 yds to do what I ask. Any farther out and I will call on the 257wby.