Shooterbob
Member
I believe I have one of those trimmers laying around somewhere I gonna have to try it out
Trimming Auto Pistol Cases is Unnecessary & Waste of Time So That’s What I’m Doing
- Thread starter CQB45ACP
- Start date
MFInc
Member
- Joined
- Dec 5, 2020
- Messages
- 246
I had to throw away about 100 once shot ammo inc 9mm brass as it was too long and too big in diameter after shooting once.... Sizing didnt help to them in spec, were out one way or the other... I measured and sorted all of my multi shot active 9mm brass after that,about 500 cases, some were bad so they went bye bye with the ammo inc brass., thats gotta be the worst ammo/ brass I've used so far......
CQB45ACP
Member
A little more practice with the deluxe quick trim—reducing the amount of downward pressure on the spring loaded cutting unit is how to chamfer without also trimming. (Chamfering was my original purchase goal.)
There’s no failsafe stop but after a short while you can tell the difference necessary.
One issue regarding chamfering while not also trimming is I’m getting a near razor’s edge. Not at all the goal of course. Maybe a little more practice is all I need.
I’m also not sure one can “square up” a case mouth easily without also trimming down a little too much material. But practice will tell.
So far for me (only shooting 9mm & 45acp) this purchase/experiment has been a lemon—largely a waste of $50.
But to make some lemonade, if I spend just another $50 for a mini chop saw and just 30 cents each for some 45 Win Mag cases, I can custom cut my own 45acp cases. And then after one or two firings, these will be the same as common range pick up. That is unless I lose them first.
There’s no failsafe stop but after a short while you can tell the difference necessary.
One issue regarding chamfering while not also trimming is I’m getting a near razor’s edge. Not at all the goal of course. Maybe a little more practice is all I need.
I’m also not sure one can “square up” a case mouth easily without also trimming down a little too much material. But practice will tell.
So far for me (only shooting 9mm & 45acp) this purchase/experiment has been a lemon—largely a waste of $50.
But to make some lemonade, if I spend just another $50 for a mini chop saw and just 30 cents each for some 45 Win Mag cases, I can custom cut my own 45acp cases. And then after one or two firings, these will be the same as common range pick up. That is unless I lose them first.
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tightgroup tiger
Member
I always thought it would be nice to just square them up on the ends, but with the quantities I reload it would be just too impractical.
I can see how that would be appealing to someone who only loads like 50 or so at a time, but I'm still curious.
What holds the case still so it doesn't spin with the cutter, while you trimming it?
I can see how that would be appealing to someone who only loads like 50 or so at a time, but I'm still curious.
What holds the case still so it doesn't spin with the cutter, while you trimming it?
CQB45ACP
Member
A collet—I’ll get a picture if I can figure how to disassemble.
CQB45ACP
Member
I was correct for once—a collet
Here’s picture of the 9mm trim die with a case in it—bottom up view
Edit: or is it the bottom down view?
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GeoDudeFlorida
Member
- Joined
- Dec 1, 2020
- Messages
- 11,097
I never knew reloading pistol cartridges could be so complicated. Here I’ve been doing it with simple hand tools since I was 12. Oh, what a fool I’ve been!
CQB45ACP
Member
I spent several pre-Internet/pre-fax machine years at the bureau doing nothing but checking legal documents for typos and mailing them back to the field (it’s why I left).I never knew reloading pistol cartridges could be so complicated. Here I’ve been doing it with simple hand tools since I was 12. Oh, what a fool I’ve been!
So I can put up with anything for a little while.
When I get "new to me" pistol brass, I set a caliper on the SAAMI maximum for the case and run each case on a pass/fail basis.
Since I am a handloader and so generally deal with cases in lots of 50 or 100, such check only takes a couple of minutes.
Any case too long goes in the scrap jar since any over-length straight-wall case (and in spite of its slight taper, I include 9mm) must be at the end of its life or have been through something extraordinary.
Once in my reloading stream, straight-wall cases have always been "lost in the weeds" long before they have stretched enough to require trimming.
A new case is cheap. A new hand or a new face are not. No point taking chances.
Since I am a handloader and so generally deal with cases in lots of 50 or 100, such check only takes a couple of minutes.
Any case too long goes in the scrap jar since any over-length straight-wall case (and in spite of its slight taper, I include 9mm) must be at the end of its life or have been through something extraordinary.
Once in my reloading stream, straight-wall cases have always been "lost in the weeds" long before they have stretched enough to require trimming.
A new case is cheap. A new hand or a new face are not. No point taking chances.
