Case prep station
- Thread starter hughie
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gamestalker
member
I have a Lyman case prep Xpress, it works fine, and does what it's supposed to do. I'm sure it's just my old school sure and slow style getting in the way of progress. I still use it now and then, but I always come back to my old fashioned ways.
You'll probably like one of those, the Lyman Xpress has the catch tray, makes disposing of the shavings much easier and comes with all the necessary prep tools. I don't know if the other ones you mentioned have those features.
GS
You'll probably like one of those, the Lyman Xpress has the catch tray, makes disposing of the shavings much easier and comes with all the necessary prep tools. I don't know if the other ones you mentioned have those features.
GS
I recently got one of Hornady's L-N-L Trio case prep machine. See here.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/24...e-prep-trio-110-220-volt?cm_vc=ProductFinding
I got it for deburring and chamfering but like gamestalker, I just as frequently chamfer and deburr by hand if I am working with a small number of cases.
It works but I cannot comment on the other motorized tools.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/24...e-prep-trio-110-220-volt?cm_vc=ProductFinding
I got it for deburring and chamfering but like gamestalker, I just as frequently chamfer and deburr by hand if I am working with a small number of cases.
It works but I cannot comment on the other motorized tools.
USSR
Member
+1. The vertical orientation of the tools and the way it is laid out makes it easy to use and keep clean.
Don
Nickb45
Member
I also use a Lyman. It does what it says. It's nice to only have to handle each case one time to debur the inside and outside of the case mouth and clean up the primer pocket.
I usually do runs of 1000+ 5.56 range brass, so I would like to handle each piece of brass as little as possible.
I usually do runs of 1000+ 5.56 range brass, so I would like to handle each piece of brass as little as possible.
gamestalker
member
I'm certain if I worked with larger amounts of brass, I would use it more often.
GS
GS
USSR
Member
I'm currently in the middle of processing ten's of thousands of .30 caliber brass, so I don't know what I'd do without it.
Don
Don
Capybara
Member
The RCBS works fine but it's motor is loud and annoying.
The Hornady only has three stations and I find the low RPMs to be less effective than a little higher RPMs
The Lyman is superior to the other two. The motor is very quiet and it has higher speed and 5 stations versus 3 on the Hornady and 4 on the RCBS.
No contest, we have a reloading club, own all three and the Lyman gets used much more than the others, although the others are perfectly functional. Nothing wrong with them but we like the Lyman the best.
The Hornady only has three stations and I find the low RPMs to be less effective than a little higher RPMs
The Lyman is superior to the other two. The motor is very quiet and it has higher speed and 5 stations versus 3 on the Hornady and 4 on the RCBS.
No contest, we have a reloading club, own all three and the Lyman gets used much more than the others, although the others are perfectly functional. Nothing wrong with them but we like the Lyman the best.
Another one of those 'life is not fair' moments, or my memory is going or gone. I have had the RCBS case prep center for years, it has 5 positions or they quit making the 5 position and now make the 4 position?
F. Guffey
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/1458277820/rcbs-trim-mate-case-prep-center?cm_vc=subv11458277820
The case prep center from Midway has 5 positions, the back center position is the one I use the brush in, 'the brush' I use in the big fluffy one, I push the case down to force the brush inside the case just in case there is anything that can be dislodged with a brush. There is an advantage to having the brush perpendicular, as I remove the case I give the loose stuff a chance to get out of the case.
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red rick
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I have the Lyman and like it pretty good . The military crimp remover doesn't work very well for me . I bought the RCBS military crimp remover , it fits the Lyman and works better at removing the military crimp on .223 brass .
I have no experience with the other units .
I have no experience with the other units .
USSR
Member
You're not alone. All the other tools work fine, but plan on using something other than the crimp remover on the Lyman. I use the Dillon Super Swage 600.
Don
witchhunter
Member
I finally bought one, an RCBS. It works good, but I' thinking of going Tim Taylor from Tool Time on it. It is slower than grandma. Maybe just changing a pulley or something would make it faster. It's still faster than doin it by hand though. And easier on the arthritis.
FastCut
Member
I have the Lyman and it works as advertised. It is reasonable quiet, I do allot of prep in front of the TV and doesn't really disturb other folks in the room to much. Its slow but better than some of the other options available. The vertical orientation and top of unit is easier to use and catches most of the primer crud and brass shavings. When processing a 1000 or more 5.56 cases I usually go back to a power drill and use the same tools I would use on the Lyman prep center in the drill with the exception of the inside and outside de-burring/chamfering tool which is really nice to use on the Lyman prep center to produce very consistent brass. primer pocket uniformer and cutting the crimp out is way faster using a power drill. You can still use Lyman for everything but for large quantities of brass you will likely use a combination of tools like me. When using the Lyman make sure you put some thought about how you place tools to eliminate issues with certain tools spinning and having to reach over them to use another tool. Once you use it for a little while you figure out what works best for you.
mxjunky78
Member
I've been happy with my RCBS unit. Sure beats doing it by hand and is quicker too!
RainDodger
Member
I have one of the big Hornady case prep machines. I would not but another. The case trimmer works, but does not cut as cleanly as others. Cutting speed is slow. Adustment takes a while and there are no scales on the adjusting mechanism, so you have to adjust a bit and measure with calipers until you get it right.
The other stations function fine, although they're also kind of slow in my opinion. After giving it a chance for quite a while, the only thing I use the entire tool for now is to ream primer pockets. I can keep both a small and large reamer on hand and it works quite well for that.
Save your money. I use other tools for trimming cases (L.E.Wilson, a WFT and one of the new Trim-It trimmers), and I use a drill press when quickly chamfering or deburring bulk amounts of cases.
The other stations function fine, although they're also kind of slow in my opinion. After giving it a chance for quite a while, the only thing I use the entire tool for now is to ream primer pockets. I can keep both a small and large reamer on hand and it works quite well for that.
Save your money. I use other tools for trimming cases (L.E.Wilson, a WFT and one of the new Trim-It trimmers), and I use a drill press when quickly chamfering or deburring bulk amounts of cases.
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