Electric Case Trimmer

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myhandle87

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So I'm considering making my case prep a bit easier by picking up a power case trimmer in the near future. Doing more than a few rounds on that RCBS crank case trimmer is no fun. I found this really cherry looking trimmer from this fellow: http://www.giraudtool.com/ and was wondering if anyone has tried his stuff before. It's a bit pricey, however, and I'd like to know if there are any other cheaper power case trimmer set ups folks have used.
 
If you have a Dillon 650 with the case feeder consider the Dillon Trimmer, otherwise Giraud and there is NO COMPARISON to a GRACEY at all.
 
Anyone with information about this new one Hornady is offering? Just says "lock-N-load power case trimmer/prep center"....coming soon $431.00

https://www.hornady.com/shop/?ps_se...&category_id=3c9ed2b433d9b02ac7e10ac73321c437

050012.jpg
 
The Giraud and Gracey will trim, chamfer, and deburr all at once, but the case will need to be sized first. The Dillon sizes and trims but will not expand the neck.....some feel it cuts clean enough to not need further deburring or chamfering. I had a Dillon and did feel the need to chamfer and debur, so I sold it and got the Giraud. you need a vacuum to draw off the trimmings on the Dillon as well and mine is noisy as hell when running with the Dillon trimmer. I used to have to wear my earmuffs when trimming.....not so with the Giraud. If you're running a progressive press with a casefeeder the Dillon is fast if you don't feel the need to further debur or chamfer. The Dillon trimmer will work on any press, not just a Dillon one. The sizer/trimmer die is a standard sized die that would fit even on a RCBS Rock Chucker press if one wanted to.
 
If I only had one type of case to do I would probably go with the Giraud. I say that as a person who has a Gracey that I bought to do .223. The Gracey now sits on the shelf. At this point I have too many different case types (8) to make the Gracey, or the Giraud in my opinon, worth the cost or effort. These days I am using a Foster "Power" case trimmer in a drill press. I mounted the trimmer to a lab grade lift table to do fine length adjustments. Now, I can do any of the cases that I have with a very minor amount of adjustment between setups. The chamfering is done with a chamfer tool in an electric screwdriver. I figure that the cost of the trimmer, a drill press (who doesn't need a drill press), the table and the chamfer tools are less than the Gracey and much less than the Giraud with multiple cutter assemblies. I have done batches of up to 1500 as wells as small groups with the setup.
 
I use an RCBS Trim Pro that works well for numerous calibers/cases.

https://shop.rcbs.com/WebConnect/Ma...nlabel=index&productId=3569&route=C13J036N012

It's not cheap but it trims the cases to length and deburs the inside and outside of the case neck at the same time. It takes about 15 seconds to insert a case, trim, debur and remove. It's very accurate too which was a pleasant surprise. I used to loathe trimming cases using the RCBS manual case trimmer ... it was hard work.

:)
 
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A drill press with the Forstner adapter. Had the drill press, adapter was about 50.00. :D And it's fast.
 
If you have a lot of brass to trim, get the Giraud, you will not be sorry.

It is a very well built machine. Just insert the case, a little twist and you are done.

Expensive, yes, but worth it, imo.
 
If I am trimming thousands of rounds I use the Dillon I size/deprime and trim on a 650 then run them through the 1050 (with another size/deprime die) works like a champ, no burrs.

The Giraud is #2 for speed and would be my 1st choice if I were shooting lead bullets.
 
I have a giraud and it is very nice. I love it however it would be even more expensive to do multiple calibers. I do just 308 and my Fal gets hungry:D I would buy it again!
 
I have a giraud and it is very nice. I love it however it would be even more expensive to do multiple calibers. I do just 308 and my Fal gets hungry I would buy it again
Click to expand...

I did about 3000 .308's and 2500 7.62x39 using the drill press and Forstner adapter. Once you set the stop trimming is very fast. I didn't time myself but it took about 3 hrs to trim and champher.
 
Why spend that much? I'd rather use a Lee tool with a hand drill. I don't load tens of thousands of rifle rounds, though, usually no more'n 50 at a sitting. I guess if you're supplying your local militia.....
Click to expand...
.

I agree about the money part, (something I don't have much of). I ended up improvising because I do shoot a lot. Working at the range gives me access to all the brass I want as well as shooting for just the price of targets and backers. I spend the winter getting my ammo ready for the warmer season and I don't have the time to reload then. So I'll crank out a lot of rounds during the winter.
 
I pick up brass at our range, but not much rifle is left laying around. Not many tacticool guys in the club, all bolt gun shooters, hunters, bench resters and they all reload. The range keeps me in .45ACP and 9x19, though, and if I had a .40, I'd be in high cotton. LOL!

I just load for my deer rifles. The only autos I have are a Hakim in 8x57 and a couple of SKSs and all I ever shoot in those is milsurp. I have dies for 'em, but I can buy milsurp cheaper (or could in the past:rolleyes:) than brass and bullets and primers and powder. And, chasing brass from an auto is a PITA.

So, I just load for accuracy and power in my hunting rifles. It's cheaper, of course, than buying Federal premium for a 7mm Rem Mag, for instance. Having an endless supply of free brass must be nice! :D I bought about 100 rounds of cheap milsurp .308 a dozen years ago when I got my little Remington M7 and loaded it up a few times. I don't practice with the gun, just sight it in and hunt with it every year. I have the last three cases from the last three deer I shot with it in the box with the few sight in rounds and still have 80 something rounds loaded out of the hundred. ROFLMAO! I practice with my .22 mag and my 7.62x39s mostly.

Seems to me these expensive trimmers are more for high volume, correct me if I'm wrong. I load rifles on a single stage press one at a time. No need to get in a big hurry trimming them. LOL I don't get all crazy like some and check cases for volume, weigh all my bullets, weigh all the powder charges (have a volume measure). I don't think it'd give me more'n about a quarter MOA more accuracy. I'm already shooting 3/4 MOA with the .257 Roberts and the .308 and 1 MOA with the 7 mag and that's plenty good 'nuf for taggin' deer and hogs. But, I ain't in so big a hurry as to buy one of those high dollar trimmers, just saw the post and thought "Why the heck would I want something like that when I could probably buy 2000 rounds of milsurp 7.62x39 for what it costs?" LOL If you're loading that much ammo in a short amount of time, I bet it does save a lot of time, though. I have these Lee trimmer tools and most of the time just use my hands to do it, don't bother with the drill. LOL
 
For the lower volume shooters such as myself I have the Forster case trimmer tool and bought the little adaptor that replaced the hand crank and allowed me to hook up my cordless screwdriver. Am Not sure if the similar trimmers from other manufacturers have them as I have not seen them but am definitely happy with mine . If I were shooting automatic weapons or competition shooting I would have to step up to the high end trimmers too .
 
I looked at those too because I had the hand crank. I decided to get the drill press adapter instead because I already had one in my shop. The reason I didn't get the adapter was they tell you that the wear on the shaft with a hand drill could cause it to wear out faster. I don't do a lot of high volume trimming, only my own, and I'm a little on the lazy side.
 
I got one for my Redding 2400 and what a difference. I do use the Lee trimmers quite a bit.

LGB
 
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