I HATE CASE TRIMMING!!

[deerdad]

Tonight I started working on about 100 once fired 30-06 brass that I had bought for reloading. I got used to reloading for 9mm and this is my first time with bottleneck cases. These are for my Garand. Cases were cleaned when I got them so I started with the depriming and a full length resize. That was easy. Next came trim to length. I had bought the LEE Quick-Trim that mounts on the press and has the crank. I already know I want something different because it took me almost 2 hrs to do about 100 cases. It had no consistency and I had to stop and check every case and do them again to try to get them about the same. They would range anywhere from 2.490-2.479 after trimming. It took multiple tries on each one, but I finally got them all from 2.479-2.481.(a little under the trim to length). What would be my best option for a trimmer that would easily see under 1,000 cases per year for use? I don't want anything to do with this trimmer again. I don't mind being bored while doing this but I would just like to be able to trim once and go on to the next one and not have to keep measuring each one multiple times.

Greg

 

[7.62x39]

I have this one and I like it a lot, it is very consistent. You don't need any additional collets or shell holders. You just need to put in the correct size pilot when you switch calibers.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/269638/forster-original-case-trimmer?cm_vc=ProductFinding

There is also a power adapter for $15 that allows you to use a cordless drill to power it.

 

[xtry51]

Giraud. Period.

Buy one. It's worth every last penny. Trim cases and chamfer inside/outside in under 2 seconds per piece and they all come out +/-.001 in length.

I trimmed 1600 pcs of 223 this weekend in one sitting in just over an hour while watching TV.

 

[Gammon]

I use an RCBS Power Trimmer. It trims, chamfers and deburrs all in one operation. Not as good as a Giraud, but less $.

 

[Fixxah]

Giraud. Period.

Buy one. It's worth every last penny. Trim cases and chamfer inside/outside in under 2 seconds per piece and they all come out +/-.001 in length.

I trimmed 1600 pcs of 223 this weekend in one sitting in just over an hour while watching TV.

This.

 

[Rate_of_Twist]

I purchased that LEE trimmer mentioned in the OP. Dumb POS it is. Usually LEE is cheap, but at least functional.... its not. I'm on the hunt for a trimmer myself

 

[hv55maxx]

"I have this one and I like it a lot, it is very consistent. You don't need any additional collets or shell holders. You just need to put in the correct size pilot when you switch calibers.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/269...ProductFinding

There is also a power adapter for $15 that allows you to use a cordless drill to power it."



this with power attachment

 

[Colt Delta Elite]

I have a nice drill press so I bought this http://www.forsterproducts.com/store.asp?pid=35808 trims and chamfers in one shot, very fast.

 

[mac1911]

For 1000 cases a year almost any lathe style trimmer will do.
Case prep does suck but at 1000 cases a year I can't see spending the money on the giraud.

As for reloading for your garand . I set my full length die up to push back the shoulder .003" only good for cases shot from same rifle your loading for.
This eased resizing and also reduced trimming to every other resize. I get 8-10 reloads before the case rim get beat up.

Like most lee products they tend to have a learning curve. I'm sure you can get that zip trim working well. The problem I see with the lee trim set ups is the pin goes through the flash hole and the shaft comes to rest on the web. So if your using assorted brass the web thickness may vary .
http://www.littlecrowgunworks.com/wft 2.html I'm considering this
I tried putting a small cordless drill on my rcbs and don't like the pressure it puts on the trimmer shaft. My bench is very small and I don't feel like building a jig to hold the drill. Plus I'm getting older and lazy and would like a,more portable trimmer.

 

[EddieCoyle]

If you're only doing one caliber, and can provide your own rotary power source (drill press, motor, etc), then consider one of these:

http://www.giraudtool.com/Tri Way Trimmer.htm

Also, your cases might stretch when you fire/size them, but they're never going to shrink, so trimming to the min length instead of the "trim-to" length will increase the loads between trimmings.

 

[Rate_of_Twist]

If you're only doing one caliber, and can provide your own rotary power source (drill press, motor, etc), then consider one of these:

http://www.giraudtool.com/Tri Way Trimmer.htm

Also, your cases might stretch when you fire/size them, but they're never going to shrink, so trimming to the min length instead of the "trim-to" length will increase the loads between trimmings.

This looks very similar to the WFT / WFT2. Any thoughts in those?

 

[EddieCoyle]

This looks very similar to the WFT / WFT2. Any thoughts in those?

I have a Giraud, so I don't use those, but don't tjhey use an end mill and trim flat? The Giraud uses the same cutter they use in their power trimmer, so it trims, chamfers, and deburrs in one step.

 

[PatMcD]

If you're only doing one caliber, and can provide your own rotary power source (drill press, motor, etc), then consider one of these:

http://www.giraudtool.com/Tri Way Trimmer.htm

Also, your cases might stretch when you fire/size them, but they're never going to shrink, so trimming to the min length instead of the "trim-to" length will increase the loads between trimmings.

I bought one of those. Works excellent. I chuck it into an old drill I have and clamp it into a vise so its at a 45 degree up angle. A lot faster than chucked into a drill press because you don't need to hunt around by feel to insert the case.

 

[AllaSnackbah]

I have the hornady prep station, problem solved

 

[Rate_of_Twist]

I have a Giraud, so I don't use those, but don't tjhey use an end mill and trim flat? The Giraud uses the same cutter they use in their power trimmer, so it trims, chamfers, and deburrs in one step.

I wasn't aware of that, Thanks

 

[DW357]

I only reload 30-06 (for rifle/bottleneck calibers) as well and don't blast through thousands of rounds with my Garand....yet anyway.

I use the Lee Cutter & Lock Stud which mounts into my cordless drill and takes just a few seconds to trim the cases. It trims to the minimum 30-06 case length and is very precise. All the trimmed cases I've measured afterwards were within +/- 0.001 of the min case length.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000NOQIOU/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It works well and is cheap enough for a lower volume shooter/reloader. Someone who blows through 10k rounds a year would DEFINITELY not want this but it works great for my needs. I then bought a Lyman case prep tool which works great at deburring/chamfering the cases too

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004MCMCYE/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[mac1911]

If you're only doing one caliber, and can provide your own rotary power source (drill press, motor, etc), then consider one of these:

http://www.giraudtool.com/Tri Way Trimmer.htm

Also, your cases might stretch when you fire/size them, but they're never going to shrink, so trimming to the min length instead of the "trim-to" length will increase the loads between trimmings.

nice.... another option. thank you

 

[Dean Crawford]

Ackley Improved, Problem solved.

Dean

 

[DW357]

If you're only doing one caliber, and can provide your own rotary power source (drill press, motor, etc), then consider one of these:

http://www.giraudtool.com/Tri Way Trimmer.htm

Also, your cases might stretch when you fire/size them, but they're never going to shrink, so trimming to the min length instead of the "trim-to" length will increase the loads between trimmings.

I should consider one of these as my dad gave me a lot of his woodworking/machining tools - drill press, a benchtop mounted grinder, and a couple vises.

So this trims and chamfers/deburs all in one?

 

[richc]

Giraud. Period.

Buy one. It's worth every last penny. Trim cases and chamfer inside/outside in under 2 seconds per piece and they all come out +/-.001 in length.

I trimmed 1600 pcs of 223 this weekend in one sitting in just over an hour while watching TV.

As Fixxah say, this.

 

[RImike]

Found a good video of the trimming process:

 

[DW357]

Found a good video of the trimming process:

Thanks for the video. That answers my question about trimming,deburring,chamfering all in one. It looks like it takes him about 10 seconds per case which isn't that much quicker than it takes me using a Lee cutter and lock stud in my cordless drill then using the Lyman tool to chamfer/debur. But if it takes me around 15-20 seconds per case then you multiply that times hundreds or thousands of cases, then the time saved seems worth it. Maybe it will be quicker if mounted in a drill press? I'll have to do more research.

 

[JoseyWales]

As an oblivious new guy researching reloading methods, quick question: If you have to trim a case before each reload, then do you have a limited number of times that you can reload a case. Probably, right?

If I reload 9mm, then does that case have to be trimmed? Or does the trimming come into play more with large shells like .308, 30-06, ...

 

[DW357]

As an oblivious new guy researching reloading methods, quick question: If you have to trim a case before each reload, then do you have a limited number of times that you can reload a case. Probably, right?

Yes, especially with bottleneck rifle cartrides. From my limited reloading experience I think it depends on how you size the cases. As mac1911 said, just pushing back the shoulder which dosn't stress/stretch the cases as much etc. How hot the loads are? The chamber specs on the rifle you're shooting them out of?

 

[1903Collector]

Giraud. Period.

Buy one. It's worth every last penny. Trim cases and chamfer inside/outside in under 2 seconds per piece and they all come out +/-.001 in length.

I trimmed 1600 pcs of 223 this weekend in one sitting in just over an hour while watching TV.

One of these is on my "to Get" list!

Until then it's my wilson.

 

[xtry51]

As an oblivious new guy researching reloading methods, quick question: If you have to trim a case before each reload, then do you have a limited number of times that you can reload a case. Probably, right?

If I reload 9mm, then does that case have to be trimmed? Or does the trimming come into play more with large shells like .308, 30-06, ...

Only bottleneck cartridges.

9mm shoot it until it cracks.

Bottleneck cartridges will also neck crack after a lot of reloads. I don't do anything special, so I get 5-7 reloads out of one brass case. Some longer, some shorter. But all my brass is range pickup, so I don't really know how many times it's been fired before I get it.

There are ways to extend life. Don't push the should back excessively, anneal the case mouth after resizing to relieve work hardening stress, etc.

Coyle and Crawford can probably give you a better idea on what a long lifespan would be since they reload more in number and diversity than I do.

 

[DW357]

If I reload 9mm, then does that case have to be trimmed? Or does the trimming come into play more with large shells like .308, 30-06, ...

No most straight wall pistol cartridges like 9mm don't need to be trimmed for the most part. I think you certainly can but it's not necessary. It's usually the rifle cartridges that should be trimmed. They don't have to be trimmed after every loading - as long as they're within the min and max case length specs. But for the most consistency (and accuracy? with certain calibers/rifles) it is a good idea to have all the cases the same case length. I'm not shooting 600-1000 yards with a match grade AR or bolt gun so I just make sure the cases are within specs.

 

[Bendad97]

I use an RCBS Power Trimmer. It trims, chamfers and deburrs all in one operation. Not as good as a Giraud, but less $.

This is what I have. I have no complaints.

- - - Updated - - -

As an oblivious new guy researching reloading methods, quick question: If you have to trim a case before each reload, then do you have a limited number of times that you can reload a case. Probably, right?

If I reload 9mm, then does that case have to be trimmed? Or does the trimming come into play more with large shells like .308, 30-06, ...

I never trim 9MM/.40/.45 - if it's too long that means it's time for it to go in the shit pail.

 

[deerdad]

Just got home from work and saw the reply's. I like the cordless drill use over the cranking. It wasn't too much fum cranking that thing 3-4 dozen times per case and having to put the case back in and crank some more to get the desired results. It just took too long to get a few cases done. I'm tempted to save my money and go with the Giraud after this ordeal. I have a while to go before having brass for reloading again .Thanks for the ideas.

Greg

 

[Beansie]

Found a good video of the trimming process:

Am I the only one that simultaneously got a "Wow, Silence of the Lambs" vibe along with a "Shut Up and Take My Money" feeling?