Do you trim rifle cartridges every time?

[GW Staar]

I trimmed (PH), deburred and chamfered (RCBS hand tool) 500 .223 cases last night. The Giruad is sounding like a better idea all the time. Might be time to get off my cheap butt and get one.

All ready to prime and load.

That's exactly where I was last winter. Extremely tired of it, but built-in cheap butt. So...when Forester showed their 3-way carbide cutter at the shot show, I decided to see if I could fall in love with my 38 year-old Forester Original all over again, with a cheap mod or two. That was going to be my last ditch effort before I paid out the big bucks, and thankfully it worked better than I even dreamed!

The real advantage to me, was the new fast operation, did nothing to my already arthritic hands and fingers, like I experienced, when I tryed out an acquaintance's Giraud. With that, you've got to hold on tight, and the vibration hurt a bit...and that wasn't my idea of a thing I looked forward to trimming hundreds at a time. Wouldn't phase young guys.

Having operated the "modded" Forster for 9 months now, I have simplified a thing or two (eliminated the superfluous microswitch, light, and piezo), added a convenient power switch and simple speed control ($3.00), and mounted my vacuum behind a wall to cut the noise. Much better.

I need to do an update to the "Forester with Style" thread to show you all...and add a video.

 

[Walkalong]

Please do.

 

[GW Staar]

Please do.

I'll get started...give me a few days. I'll call the thread "Forster No Pain Trimmer Project--Updated." That ought to catch the attention of us older farts.

 

[Walkalong]

I'll keep an eye out for it.

My powdered trimmer project crapped out when the motor I had did not have enough torque.

 

[mallc]

Every Time

For .223 and .308 we size and trim every case with a Dillon 1200RT. Then, we have a neck ID sizing mandrel in station 1 of the LNL. Batch size determines how we trim other calibers.

Scott

 

[Coltdriver]

I don't trim every time but I do always put them in a Forster and make the face of the neck square and perfect. Most of the time this amounts to nothing but keeping the neck perfectly even does help in making accurate rounds.

 

[General Lee]

I trim every time. I use the Lee setup with the chuck for a drill and the ball grip trimmer. I can trim/deburr several hundred cases an hour no problem. I used the zip trim for a while thinking it would be a good idea but the drill setup is much faster once you get the hang of it.

 

[Randy1911]

Since I shoot 223 in an AR I have to trim about every third time. With my Rem. 700 I only neck size and it is rare that I need to trim them. I have 6 loadings on them now and they have only grown about .003 in length.