Giraud vs Dillon for power trimming

[Shrinkmd]

I am considering getting a real power trimmer, since I have a nice batch of 223 brass to trim. And the little manual one will take me forever to get 1000 cases done. So, I've been looking at either the Dillon trimmer which mounts on a press (so I could FL resize and then trim on my Hornady LNL AP) or the Giraud trimmer, which also comes highly recommended.

So, for making up large batches of brass (say a few thousand, so the savings "pays" for the tool as opposed to just buying new brass in the first place!) which solution is best? I am using (and hoping to successfully continue to use) the RCBS X-die, which so far has kept the case at 1.740, maybe 1.741 after the first firing after being trimmed and resized in the die, so hopefully it will work properly.

So, I only (hopefully) need to trim these cases once, but there are quite a few of them!

What do people recommend, and why?

 

[Wildbillz]

I have one of the Dillon Rapid trims. It sizes and trims at the same time. It works great for large batches of brass. The only think I don't like about it is that there is no expander in the sizing die. So you are force fitting the bullet into the neck fo the case. Both good and bad I suppose.

Even using the rapid trim setup you will still have some case prep work to do. I use the rapid trim on a single stage press to size and trim them. Then I use a Lee decapping die in the same press to remove the spent primer. Then they go through the Dillon Supper Swage to remove primer pocket crimp (Mil Brass only). Clean the primer pockets by hand and deber and champher using a RCBS tool, and then load them on my 550B. I still use a sizing die on the first station of the dillon so I get the neck expander to go through the case. But its not truly needed.

I have been thinking of doing the neck expantion on the single stage and then tumbling them to get the lube off the cases. I would then use a decaping die in the first station of the dillion to make sure the flash hole was clear.

WB

 

[Walkalong]

If you have a good way to drive it, the Possum Hollow Trimmer is another option for 1K of cases.

I have no doubt the Giraud or Gracey trimmers are the schnitz, but for one caliber, it's hard to beat the PH.

The cutter is adjustable, so I do .223 and .222 Mag with mine. It would work with .222 if I still loaded it. It will do .221 Fireball as well, and I want one of those.

 

[Rokman]

If you have that kind of money available and are really into reloading a lot, then get one. I use a manual lathe trimmer by Redding and the technique that you described with the x-die for my .223 brass and they can be reloaded several times. Trimming the brass is tedious and not my favorite step in the handloading process, so anything that makes it easier would be good. I looked at the Giraud awhile back, but could not justify the expense.

 

[Shrinkmd]

It does seem a bit pricey, but the thought of trimming 1k of brass isn't appealing (as well as doing a quick chamfer/debur with the little Hornady tool) I am wondering, if brass with the X-die will hopefully load 8-10 times (or more?) that is quite a bit of shooting on that one batch. This feels like an "eyes are bigger than stomach" scenario.

 

[HOWARD J]

I use a Lyman electric trimmer..........................

 

[snuffy]

I checked #3, but I consider my Lee trimmer to be a power trimmer. The nice thing is, I can and do all the case prep while the case is being spun by my cordless drill Trim-to-length, inside and outside chamfer, primer flash hole de-burr, even a quick polish to the case with a chunk of OOOO steel wool. Then push into the steel wool to polish the cuts made by the chamfer tool.

 

[Rokman]

I shoot my x-die brass through my ARs so the brass is pretty beat up and I haven't shot any 8-10 times. Life is too short, so bust out and get you a power trimmer.

 

[EddieNFL]

I have used RCBS, Forster, Possum Hollow, Wilson and Giraud trimmers. The only ones used now are the Wilson for small batches or specific guns and the Giraud for mass amounts.

 

[Shrinkmd]

I shoot my x-die brass through my ARs so the brass is pretty beat up and I haven't shot any 8-10 times.

I thought that brass life was usually determined by the primer pocket loosening up, the mouth cracking, or brass flowing away from the case head. All of which affected by how warm or hot the load is.

I know this has been asked before, but for those reading this thread, how many loads are you getting from AR-15 X-die brass?

 

[Walkalong]

I have eight .223 cases (LC & RP) I have been playing with that have been conventionally sized and trimmed each time that have been fired nine times and are in great shape.

Don't know about the X Die. Does it shorten or increase case life?

 

[Rokman]

I usually use Win or Rem or whatever brass I get my hands on for my ARs. I usually load fairly hot, so the primer pockets do loosen up earlier and I loose some of it due to the semi-auto nature of the gun. My X-die is a small base die and that is hard on the brass as well. I would quess about 5-6 at most times before I am through with it.

 

[showclear]

So far I am the only one to vote for using a full length sizer die with decap in the first station of a XL650 and the rapid trim in the 3rd station.
I can trim very quickly with just an almost imperceptible pause on the down-stroke for the trim portion of process to ensure the shavings get vacuumed out. (no need to chamfer after this process in my experience)
I then tumble the lube off and then use totally cleaned and unlubed brass for the next step.
Which is to load it on my 1050 press that I install just a Dillon decap die in the first station just to punch out an media that may be lurking in the primer pocket.
This method has worked out for large volumes with barely a hiccup.
Rich

 

[Fatelvis]

For trimming alot of brass (over 1000), its hard to beat the Giraud. I have one, and can trim 1000 pcs of brass very quickly, and it reams the inside/outside at the same time. Also, the Giraud uses the shoulder as a measuring point, instead of OAL. I believe this is a better way of measuring.

 

[HJ857]

Have you looked at the RCBS unit with the 3 way cutter? Does the same thing as the Giraud for somewhat less cost.

 

[Fatelvis]

Have you looked at the RCBS unit with the 3 way cutter? Does the same thing as the Giraud for somewhat less cost.

I have the RCBS power trimmer also. It is much slower, and uses COAL for the trimming measurement. It is fine for trimming smaller quantities of brass.

 

[EddieNFL]

And to piggyback on Elvis...

Unless the brass is perfectly square, the cut won't be true.

 

[Win1892]

I have the Giraud. If you're a tool guy, it's for you.

 

[jmorris]

I have a 650 tool head with a size/deprime die in station 1 the trimmer in station 3 and another size/deprime die in station 5. It takes me an hour to size and trim 1700 cases.

 

[Balrog]

I will tell you that the best reloading investment you can make if you load large numbers of rifle cases is the Giraud Trimmer.

I bought 3 five gallon buckets full of once fired military Lake City brass. I am not sure how many cases there are in a 5 gallon bucket, but it would probably be 3,000 or so I figure. I have now resized 1.5 buckets, and trimmed them all with the Giraud. This has been a daunting task, even with the Giraud trimmer. But it only takes about 2 seconds per case to trim them, AND the Giraud chamfers and deburs. I can't imagine doing this volume with any other tool.

I love dillon products, and load on two Dillon 650's but I think you still have to chamfer and debur your brass if you use the Dillon power trimmer.

 

[jmorris]

I love dillon products, and load on two Dillon 650's but I think you still have to chamfer and debur your brass if you use the Dillon power trimmer.

I don't but I do run them through two additional size/deprime dies with the expanders one on station#5 on the 650 another on station #2 on the 1050 and the 1050 also has another expander on #3. They iron out any sharp edges on the cases. It would be a lot of additional work on anything but a progressive but you have to pull the handle anyway...