We’re on the same page! I’ve got lots of brain storming. But I did see a thread where a guy build a different motor to power the Dillon dies that was really slim.I'm thinking a "sky hook" over the press and a cord with the drill hanging off, engaging the hex drive on the trim die, would carry the weight of the drill/dremmel.
Of course you'd need a swivel in the cord to keep it from winding-up while the turret turns, and a "dog" on the trim die up to the drill to keep it from spinning when running.
The drill could be left running rather than on/off when a case is in it.
Seriously, it could look like a Shepard's Hook
How do you smooth up a Lee classic turret.
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… or consider a hand crank instead of the drill.
Like a Lee:
https://www.titanreloading.com/lee-...quipment/lee-quick-trim/lee-deluxe-quick-trim
might not be enough room to swing it though
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Mowgli Terry
Member
Lee Classic four hole press: I'd take the lazy way out. Buy another turret and trim and champher separately. I made a rig to load cast bullets in 308. Turned out the case and bullet were too long with the auto index assemble in place. Turned press by hand and have loaded about a thousand rounds to date. Resize, prime and charge in separate operations. Trim the cases on Wilson or Lyman trimmer. Check cases from then on with Lee hand trimmer. Works good for me. More than one way to skin that cat.
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Toprudder
Member
I have used my LCT in auto-index mode, but if trimming cases I would make that a separate operation. I know this is not answering the OP question, but in this situation I would run the LCT in single-stage mode, and do each operation in batch mode.
That's what I do. I dislike it, but that's what I do. If there were a great way to do what the OP is asking about, I'd be quite interested. But I fear there is not. I think you almost have to go to a 1050 progressive to do true, in-line, on-the-press trimming.
Toprudder
Member
Like I said, I process my brass before it hits the press. (Clean, lube & size, trim-chamfer-debur). This gives me the opportunity to inspect cases during the whole prep process. I have my 550 setup to do progressive loading of 223, but station 1 is a universal expander instead of a sizer, to put a slight flare on the cases for when I am using flat base bullets.
Like I said, I think you pretty much have to go all the way to a 1050 to have the stations and physical room to do everything in-line. And you've got to be pretty comfortable that none of the brass has been over-worked to the point of being one good resizing away from a case head separation.
Using a progressive press (case indexes, not the die) could be easily adapted to function with a Lee trim die, what the OP is trying to do with a turret press (dies index).
I think a Breech Lock Pro press ($110) and shell plate ($30) would be a better press to start with to trim on, and all the dies/top tooling can be transferred over from the turret.
Going this route might require pre-sized/primed cases though
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edit: sorry for adding to the drift here,
there are "other" 5 station progressives, not just Dillon, there's even a 7 station that's not a Dillon ...
I think a Breech Lock Pro press ($110) and shell plate ($30) would be a better press to start with to trim on, and all the dies/top tooling can be transferred over from the turret.
Going this route might require pre-sized/primed cases though
.edit: sorry for adding to the drift here,
there are "other" 5 station progressives, not just Dillon, there's even a 7 station that's not a Dillon ...
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How about a push to twist Drill, like one of these:
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_4_12?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=yankee+drill+stanley&sprefix=yankee+drill,aps,306&crid=U949PX7ZB7R4
Mowgli Terry
Member
This may be a hit on me the way things are done here. We are talking about match grade cartridges. From where I'm at preparation of cartridge cases is one of the basics. This means careful inspection. Priming must be consistent. Loss of this monitoring may get lost in too much automation. Apparently, OP has done some homework and got his system working saving hooking up the case trimmer. When loading match grade cartridges the numbers are not huge. Here, cartridges are neck sized with a collet die. Personally, I'd rather not use this sizing die in LCT. When I run my LCT rig all the dies from the collet set are used save the sizing dies. I'd go with case preparation away for the LCP. YMMV
I use the term matchgrade loosely. I need them to be as good as any “matchgrade” I can buy off the self. These all get shot in AR 15, I have one capable of well under Moa. So I sort off the RP cases for it. And all the rest go in the box for the others.
The trimming is what kills me, for the autodrum to charge accurately they have to be trimmed perfect. So I can’t really load even what I call good ammo for my carbine guns without trimming them if I use the drum. So really for me the only step from good ammo to great is sorting them. I like good projectiles since I do lots of hunting so I don’t put cheap fmj in anything.
The driver for this is I don’t have the time to sit down and do the steps. But I have time to pull the handle for 30 minutes and load up a weeks worth of ammo. I don’t have the money to buy good ammo either. So I’m stuck trying to load great ammo fast and cheap. What a task!
The trimming is what kills me, for the autodrum to charge accurately they have to be trimmed perfect. So I can’t really load even what I call good ammo for my carbine guns without trimming them if I use the drum. So really for me the only step from good ammo to great is sorting them. I like good projectiles since I do lots of hunting so I don’t put cheap fmj in anything.
The driver for this is I don’t have the time to sit down and do the steps. But I have time to pull the handle for 30 minutes and load up a weeks worth of ammo. I don’t have the money to buy good ammo either. So I’m stuck trying to load great ammo fast and cheap. What a task!
Mowgli Terry
Member
What a task: I'd suggest you consider a match grade bullets. I don't know from squat about AR's. However, I have loaded much ammo for 224 caliber rifles since when. The bullets can make or break you in this hunt for accuracy. At our club the retired folks shoot during the day. These guys show up with tricked out AR's topped with Night Force scopes. Yes, groups less than an inch with match grade bullets. One guy in particular used Sierra match bullets for five shot group@100 yards smaller than an inch. You are in earnest trying to get match grade ammo. Hope this doesn't happen but you can get crazy trying to make match grade accuracy with FMJ military quality bullets. Hope I'm wrong. I know about having no money. Hope you find your way on this undertaking. Take care and be safe.
No no I run the hornady 62gr hpbt bullets. I must have wrote that wrong. That or some vmax’s. I don’t load Fmj ammo for anything.
.11 for the bullet
.03 primer
.085 powder
.22 for some really nice bullets. Fmj would only save a few pennies and give up hunting and target performance.
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Mowgli Terry
Member
My bad.
Not sure I agree with that. The AutoDrum just has to be actuated enough to fully dump the drum. It will still be the same measure each time regardless of tiny variations in cartridge length.
Perfect is probably an overstatement. But I’ve tried to load 308 on my load master with mixed lengths of brass that were enough to cause big issues. Some dented necks because they were over length and some were too short to actuate it. Not really an issue on the turret since you don’t have to fully stroke it every time and can go by feel.
So I still need to get my bench done so I can mount my flexi drill on the ceiling. But for now I’m just using an elbow. I have the press on manual index because the drill is heavy enough to lift the turret and bind it between stations on auto index, already smoked one square thing. I’m also waiting for an order from Lee to get a hanger for my old style safety prime. This thing runs pretty fast and is super easy to monitor.
Someone asked about the brass shavings. Here’s a pic of what’s happening. Just a small amount of shavings, I’m not sure what to think about that. I don’t think it will jam the gun, doubt it’s enough to cause an issue with case capacity. I may just leave it while I’m loading mixed brass and dump the cases when loading my stuff that’s matching for the precision AR.
Someone asked about the brass shavings. Here’s a pic of what’s happening. Just a small amount of shavings, I’m not sure what to think about that. I don’t think it will jam the gun, doubt it’s enough to cause an issue with case capacity. I may just leave it while I’m loading mixed brass and dump the cases when loading my stuff that’s matching for the precision AR.
ponchh
Member
I have a screw gun like yours, does it hammer when trimming brass, or is the resistance light enough to free spin
thomas15
Member
What trim cutter die do you use that doesn't require de-burr and chamfer?
No hammering. I just used it instead of the drill because it’s lighter.
Lee trim die and power quick trim.
https://leeprecision.com/223_rem_qt_die.html
https://leeprecision.com/deluxe-power-quick-trim.html
They work pretty dang good. There’s a mod you can do to make them better on small diameter cases but I haven’t done it.
RealGun
Member
When one of my turrets doesn't index the whole way, I spray the base with One Shot. That makes it so slick and easy that I have to change my touch, so it won't over shoot the détente.
thomas15
Member
So that quick trimmer die allows you to skip the inspection and de-burr steps and it keeps brass chips out of the case. Genius.
Few brass chips make it in the case. I’m not sure if it’s an issue or not. But you could easily just remove it and shake.
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