guess i'm the only one who uses the dillion sizer trimmer. I put it in slot 3 and a decaping die in slot one of my old Hornady progressive. spray the cases down with lube and run 1 pass, throw in the tumbler to get lube off. Have dies for my most used rifles.
What case trimmer do you use?
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redcon1
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Yes indeed, especially for once fired LC 7.62. I used to trim that with a Forster original case trimmer and my hand would start cramping after an hour and I would have barely dented my pile of brass. Now it's just nothing. 5-10 seconds on that 7.62 case and you're grabbing another one. No hand cramps and no tedium and everything is right on the money. It's just a must have if you're frequently loading 5.56 or 7.62 modern sporting rifles IMO.I have 2 Giraud's 223 and 308, also have possum hollow trimmers in the same calibers.
The Girauds take the W out of work.
JEBruns
Member
I'm sure that's a great system. And I know reloaders that use it. But for the volume I'm doing, it's just not worth the investment. For my Dillon 1100, I'd want a new tool head for the trimmer/sizing die. So something in the area of $700.
You are removing the primer before trimming???
Legionnaire
Contributing Member
Wilson, mostly, but also have a Frankford Arsenal Platinum trim and prep center, and a WFT for .223.
ArchAngelCD
Member.
I used to use a Lee Zip Trim and it worked well enough especially for $20 to $25 in cost. Each case gauge with holder is ~$8.00. If you're looking for very inexpensive that's it but it is labor intensive pulling that rip cord over and over and locking the holder which comes loose at times.
I now use the Forster Case Trimmer. It's like a small lathe and is also available in a kit which comes with the case collets and pilots to trim most common cartridges. Additional collets and pilots are available. I bought the kit for just $100 on sale but it's probably a little more now. It's extremely accurate and easy to use. A power adapter is available to hook up a drill to really speed up production. (about $15)
I now use the Forster Case Trimmer. It's like a small lathe and is also available in a kit which comes with the case collets and pilots to trim most common cartridges. Additional collets and pilots are available. I bought the kit for just $100 on sale but it's probably a little more now. It's extremely accurate and easy to use. A power adapter is available to hook up a drill to really speed up production. (about $15)
Jackiesman
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I use an RCBS pro 2 and I don't think it has ever trimmed 2 cases to the same length. I have resigned myself to accept that if it is +/- .003 of my setting. Replaced the cutting head, new case holder, both sizes, no improvement. Looking to upgrade soon.
Soonerpesek
Member
Sorry to hear about those type of problems...
I use the same trimmer and consistently get +/- .001" if any disparity, and I've done 1000's...alot of .223 ( before I got the Lyman Case Trim Express ) and quite a bit of 30 M1 Carbine....
Also, I really don't see that much of an issue with +/- .003"......JMO....but I don't load / shoot PRS or anything like that...
koni
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I use a Redding 2400 and get spot on accuracy every time. It just takes time to bulk trim. But once I get into a groove I can trim reasonably fast for a manual trimmer. For .223 trimming I use a Lyman case trim express.
I’m thinking about getting a Giraud Tri way for 223 bulk processing it looks like it would save me one step and not have to chamfer and deburr
I’m thinking about getting a Giraud Tri way for 223 bulk processing it looks like it would save me one step and not have to chamfer and deburr
redcon1
member
I started out with the Forster and ultimately determined that it too was too labor intensive for most of what I was doing-bulk Lake City 7.62. It just took forever to trim those cases down to 2.005" after the initial resizing. It was super accurate and it would be my choice for small batches of bolt action rifle brass for example but for volume it's hard to beat the Giraud Triway which is what I use now. I had to buy the Forster attachment that does the chamfering and deburring and that's all included in the Giraud. You just need a drill press like I have or a bench grinder like I'm procuring. One of those cases used to take up to two minutes of cranking to get down to size. Now it's less than 10 seconds and it's a one handed operation that requires minimal effort and it's accurate to within .001" as long as your resizing is accurate to within .001" and it chamfers and deburs at the same time so that step is eliminated. Money well spent.
CptnAwesome
Member
Wow... Looks like I'll be the first. I use Hornady Cam-Lock trimmer. My only gripe is that it doesn't have a true micro adjust.
Bazoo
Member
Your last measurement of 2.380, is that a typo?
With the Lyman ezee trim, if I want a bit more length, it's easy to shim the pilot between the cutter and shoulder of the pilot. Not many .010s of an inch, but coke can or similar material, a dab of JB weld, and let it dry. Trim it to the diameter of the pilot and you're good to go.
Nature Boy
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I have a collection of WFTs that I spin with this bench top milling machine.
Ouch. Yes, a typo. Should be 2.538......or 0.002 less than SAMMI max of 2.540. Good news is they are all exactly the same. Bad news is that with each resizing of the case, they grow a few 0.001 beyond the 2.540, so have to be trimmed each time.
But again, that is with what I think is the gauge stem screwed all the way into the cutter head. Not sure how it could trim case down to the 2.520 as the instructions suggest.
Bazoo
Member
I adjusted my Lyman's ezee trim by removing material from the tip of the pilot until I got the desired trim length. I used the sanding disc attachment in a dremel.
GW Staar
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I like it, but that option wasn't available to me when I went progressive, turning the Forster into an aggravating bottleneck.
My trimming bottleneck was cured for me with a lot less tech just using my trusty 40 year old Forster, adding the Forster 3-way cutter and drill adapter and buying a $60 clutched drywall screwgun.
The vacuum feature worked better hooked up to a full blown shop vac.....the little one I tried in the video wasn't strong enough.
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Nature Boy
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I only have the set up I’ve got because we were throwing a bunch of stuff away at work and that milling machine and Leica microscope light were sitting in the pile and I snagged both
JustSomeGuyinCA
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Giraud for all high volume calibers, Sinclair/Wilson for low volume
Jackiesman
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Soonerpesek: you're right about the .003 not really significant, and that's why I have learned to accept it. It just the engineering in me that makes me want the exactness. That range is well within the hunting/self defense reasons I'm loading for.
I use a Forster trimmer, only one I've ever used. I agree that it is a bit finicky to get set, but not too bad. Once it is set up and running honestly I've been impressed with the consistency and you can pretty quickly trim a good batch up. The price of the little collets and pieces dumbfounded me when I needed to add a few pieces though, but I imagine they are all a bit pricey. Probably best to get a complete kit, so you don't get nickled and dimed down the road if you add cartridges to your reloading scheme.I used a Forster for a long time. I have a Hornady now.
I think I like the Hornady better - it seems like it's a little quicker to get set, it takes regular shell holders, and it came with a whole assortment of pilots.
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