Dillon Trimmer Question

[layusn1]

Someone loaned me their Dillon case trimmer with the 223 die to trim some cases. There were no instructions with it though so I'm a bit confused on a point or two. Is it actually a combination resize/trim die? Right now I am running all of the cases through a resize die to decap and resize them but I do have a Lee Universal Decap die. Should I be using that and then running the cases through the trimmer and not resizing them with the normal Lee resizing die? If it resizes as well I assume the brass needs to be lubed...if that is the case, wouldn't the brass spin inside the die? How does the case stay still enough for the blade to trim it? Do you just push down extra hard on the press handle? Thanks for any clarification.

 

[Sheldon]

The cases are sized by the trimmer die and you do need to lube them as they will be sized and trimmed at the same time. The lube prevents the case from getting stuck in the die. The case has no chance to spin as it is still gripped by the die pretty tightly and the trimmer doesn't put that much torque on the case. You don't need to size the cases before using that trimmer as it does it for you, but you will need to decap the cases either before or after the trimming. Some will run the trimmed cases through a sizing die that is backed off enough to not actually size the case but far in enough to decap the case as well as expand the mouth of the case. You could do that before the trimming if you prefer. Some decap the cases and then run them tru the Dillon trimmer and use the cases without bothering to run the neck expander thru them.

 

[layusn1]

After searching around I have read that the trimmer can leave the neck a little tighter/smaller than a normal sizing die. Would it be a good idea to run them trough the trimmer and then through the resize die like I normally do to get the neck diameter back to "normal" and deprime or is that negligible? I figure since they will still be lubed that shouldn't be a problem. Thanks.

 

[ReloaderFred]

I have the Dillon trimmer and dies for .30-06, .308, 8x57, .243 and .223. I normally trim the cases and then run them through the appropriate sizing die to expand the necks and deprime them. Then I chamfer the insides of the necks and run them through the tumbler for about 30 minutes to remove the lube.

My particular dies leave the case necks too tight to load, which is why I run them through the sizing die afterwards. That, and I have sizing dies set up for the headspace of the various rifles, so once they're trimmed, then I can tailor the brass for the rifle it's going to be fired in. I set up the trim dies so they don't set the shoulders back. They size just short of the shoulders and the final sizing is done in the appropriate die.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[layusn1]

Thanks ReloaderFred, I think I'm gonna steal, I mean borrow, your technique/sequence, that is kinda the way I was leaning but its nice to know someone else is crazy enough to do something else I would do to...take that for what its worth....lol.