Dillon Motorized Trimmer: Any Experience
- Thread starter Gary H
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Dan Shapiro
Member
I've been using one for almost two years. It's built like a tank. I picked up some hose at Home Depot and run my shop vac outside while I am trimming. It's pretty quiet that way.
I have a .308 and 30-06 sizing die on one tool head and just move the motor between them depending on which I am trimming at the time. It works pretty good that way, but I'm planning on getting an extra tool head for the 06. That way I don't have to worry about accidentally sending a .30-06 case into the .308 sizing die.
Now if there was only a way to set this thing up for .30 carbine
I have a .308 and 30-06 sizing die on one tool head and just move the motor between them depending on which I am trimming at the time. It works pretty good that way, but I'm planning on getting an extra tool head for the 06. That way I don't have to worry about accidentally sending a .30-06 case into the .308 sizing die.
Now if there was only a way to set this thing up for .30 carbine
Johnny Guest
Moderator In Memoriam
I'll follow this thread with interest - - -
Case trimming is one of my least faworite chores in handloading.
Couple of years ago, I found a Dillon power trimmer with .223 and .308 dies at a gun show and got the whole thing for about fifty bucks. I later pickedup a .257 Roberts die, too. Now I gotta get Dillon to send me the instructions for use.
Dan Shapiro, I think you've given me a good idea--No real reason I couldn't put all three dies in one tool head, is there? I was thinking about setting up trimming on my RCBS single stage press, but your idea sounds better.
Johnny
Case trimming is one of my least faworite chores in handloading.
Couple of years ago, I found a Dillon power trimmer with .223 and .308 dies at a gun show and got the whole thing for about fifty bucks. I later pickedup a .257 Roberts die, too. Now I gotta get Dillon to send me the instructions for use.
Dan Shapiro, I think you've given me a good idea--No real reason I couldn't put all three dies in one tool head, is there? I was thinking about setting up trimming on my RCBS single stage press, but your idea sounds better.
Johnny
I have been using a Dillon trimmer for .30-06 for about 12 years now. Works great once you have it set up right. I run the vacuum for a few seconds every 30 or so rounds so I don't have to listen to the noise all the time. Still have to debur the neck after trimming.
Dave P
Member
Sinclair sells a nice tool that you just jam the case into as you spin it by hand or drill press. "Headspaces" off the shoulder. About $20; still need to chamfer afterwards.
I think Midway sells it too.
I think Midway sells it too.
Robert inOregon
Member
The time that it takes to setup a brass whacker, you can trim all the cases with a Lee trimmer at a fraction of the cost ($20!!).
Johnny Guest
Moderator In Memoriam
Robert inOregon - - -
There's probably much to what you say--I've trimmed cases thousnds of times with the little Lee outfit, both by sheer hand power and with the shell holder chucked up in a hand drill. I still have the Lee hardware for .257, .308., .30-06, and .30-30. The same electric drill then went to powering a Forster trimmer, which saved a lot of time and finger fatigue.
Now, though, I want to just run the cases around the Dillon shell plate, without having to tighten up that doggone collet every time. I'll still have to do it some, because I really can't afford to buy the Dillon trim dies for ALL the different centerfire rifle cases I need (okay, WANT) to load.
Best,
Johnny
There's probably much to what you say--I've trimmed cases thousnds of times with the little Lee outfit, both by sheer hand power and with the shell holder chucked up in a hand drill. I still have the Lee hardware for .257, .308., .30-06, and .30-30. The same electric drill then went to powering a Forster trimmer, which saved a lot of time and finger fatigue.
Now, though, I want to just run the cases around the Dillon shell plate, without having to tighten up that doggone collet every time. I'll still have to do it some, because I really can't afford to buy the Dillon trim dies for ALL the different centerfire rifle cases I need (okay, WANT) to load.
Best,
Johnny
Dillon .257 Roberts trim die?
Hello Everyone:
Anybody have a Dillon .257 Roberts trim die that works with the Dillon motorized trimmer ?
Id sure like to get one = Dillon says they are out and even thogh still listed in there Dillon April 2008 catalog there no longer available.
Sorta like the 280 rem and 6mm trimmer dies are no longer available now as well.
But i got those two fotunately.
Please email me if you got one youd like to sell/trade.
[email protected]
Head Shot
Hello Everyone:
Anybody have a Dillon .257 Roberts trim die that works with the Dillon motorized trimmer ?
Id sure like to get one = Dillon says they are out and even thogh still listed in there Dillon April 2008 catalog there no longer available.
Sorta like the 280 rem and 6mm trimmer dies are no longer available now as well.
But i got those two fotunately.
Please email me if you got one youd like to sell/trade.
[email protected]
Head Shot
I have been using one for 223. 12,000 cases so far and going strong. A little difficult to get the OAL you want at first but once it is set you are good to go. The vacuum cleaner setup/noise is the only downside but I just put my ipod on and my shooting ears over them...lol.
I recently purchased one of these - It’s not a Dillon but works great -The Giraud Carbide blade is standard with the trimmer. It allows a 15 degree inside case mouth chamfer and 45 degree outside chamfer for smooth burr free seating of VLD style bullets.
http://www.giraudtool.com/prod02.htm
http://www.giraudtool.com/prod02.htm
ReloaderFred
Member
I usually wait until I've got several thousand of any one caliber to do the trimming, since I really don't care for this chore. I set up the Dillon Case Trimmer on my RCBS Rockchucker and go to town. I've got dies for .223, .243, .308, .30-06 and 8mm Mauser. It really speeds up the process and takes no more time than sizing the cases. It does shed brass shavings though.
Hope this helps.
Fred
Hope this helps.
Fred
I've got mine set up on a lee pro1000 with the prime system removed from the carrier, I bought dedicated tool heads for each sizer/trim die so I don't have to adjust each time I use them, I run a couple of cases through at the first of the run to verify OAL is correct and then begin.
I put the cases in gallon sized zip lock bags and spray down with lube several days before and seal up.
that way they're lubed and ready to run through when I get around to it,
when I'm on a good roll I can size/trim 1k 223 cases in approx 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours
since buying the trimmer earlier this year I've done approx 3k of 308w and 7k of 223,
with the trim die it's easy to push the shoulder too far back, so dillon recomends using a case gauge for proper set up, also the trim die sizes the case mouth down approx .008" to .010" undersized and will have to be expanded back out before you can insert/seat bullet.
after I size/trim the cases, I run them through a tumbler to remove case lube and it knocks the majority of the burrs off the case mouths so I don't have to chamfer them,
I load on a dillon 550b with a lee collet die set up in station #1 to expand the case mouth out to .221 or .305 and deprime the case.
with once fired brass that has crimped primers I use a universal decapper before I size/trim then swage the primer pocket before tumbling off the case lube, then the next time around I don't deprime until I'm ready to load the cases.
I put the cases in gallon sized zip lock bags and spray down with lube several days before and seal up.
that way they're lubed and ready to run through when I get around to it,
when I'm on a good roll I can size/trim 1k 223 cases in approx 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours
since buying the trimmer earlier this year I've done approx 3k of 308w and 7k of 223,
with the trim die it's easy to push the shoulder too far back, so dillon recomends using a case gauge for proper set up, also the trim die sizes the case mouth down approx .008" to .010" undersized and will have to be expanded back out before you can insert/seat bullet.
after I size/trim the cases, I run them through a tumbler to remove case lube and it knocks the majority of the burrs off the case mouths so I don't have to chamfer them,
I load on a dillon 550b with a lee collet die set up in station #1 to expand the case mouth out to .221 or .305 and deprime the case.
with once fired brass that has crimped primers I use a universal decapper before I size/trim then swage the primer pocket before tumbling off the case lube, then the next time around I don't deprime until I'm ready to load the cases.
the_right_reverend
Member
I've had one for over 20 years done ammo cans full of 7.63 and 5.56.. once you have it adjusted its the way to go.......
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