

Posted: 8/13/2017 7:42:52 PM EST
For me?
Trimming. I trim 308 and 223 on my 650 and everything else on a Wilson trimmer. Still dont like it. ![]() |
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It used to be processing rifle brass, but now it's fun.
thanks to the XL650, RT1200, and swage-it each pull resizes, de-caps, trims, and swages the primer pocket. ![]() DILLON XL650 RT1200 SWAGE IT |
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Quoted:
Trimming cases. Even with a WFT or Giraud, it still sucks! ![]() View Quote In 37 years if reloading. Even bottler necked rifle cases (when handled correctly & sized to match chamber) do not require all that much trimming. If you want to set them back to minimum headspace every time be prepared to trim frequently as you stretch them to deconstruction. |
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Quoted:
It used to be processing rifle brass, but now it's fun. thanks to the XL650, RT1200, and swage-it each pull resizes, de-caps, trims, and swages the primer pocket. ![]() View Quote |
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Waiting to get a chance to test loads. This whole "work" thing really gets in the way of shooting...
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Trying to figure out what caliber to load and decide on a bullet weight and powder to use.
I like trying new loads. If you hate trimming, you aren't using a Giraud. |
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I actually LIKE picking up brass most of the time. Sorting it out later is another matter, but not too bad. What bugs me is when the range's overhead/berms/gutters/etc. make it hard to get at my brass, or worse. (Worse is usually "the things that live where my brass landed.")
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If you hate trimming, you aren't using a Giraud. View Quote But it still will be 'painful'. $35 for case holders And add another $45 if you want a dedicated cutting head for each cartridge, otherwise there is the "2 to 20" cases you need to chew through to set up the Giraud for a different cartridge. |
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I'm going to go another direction and say molding the bullets.
It's hot and sweaty and you can only do it outside, which around here makes it seasonal. It's hazardous to life and limb. It's the only step that one really HAS to wear safety gear. Oh, don't get me wrong i do it. Do it plenty, but you did specify my "least favorite" thing. That's probably why when i do it i go all out and make a shit ton of bullets all at once! |
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Processing rifle brass, in general.
Sizing, de-lubing, trimming, primer crimp removal... yuck. |
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Dialing in my powder measure.
Some days its easy. Then get days like last Saturday. 3.1 gr adjust, 3.3 gr adjust, 3.1 gr again. Was ready to throw it out the window by the time got it dialed in for 3.2 gr bullseye charge wanted. |
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Dialing in my powder measure. Some days its easy. Then get days like last Saturday. 3.1 gr adjust, 3.3 gr adjust, 3.1 gr again. Was ready to throw it out the window by the time got it dialed in for 3.2 gr bullseye charge wanted. View Quote Then set the adjustment. Otherwise the first 20 drops will be settling the powder and all will be all different weights anyway. |
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In order of annoyance:
-Sorting range pick-up brass -Trimming rifle brass (I trim once and done- if it stretches, it's trashed) -Load development (I wish the powder companies would come up with a "load development kit". Hodgdon started to and the quit ![]() |
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Haha thats what inspired this thread. Moving my 1200 from the 308 to 223 prep tool head. View Quote First, with the trimmer removed or set really high, adjust the die to size to your desired length. Get the press sizing brass correctly first. Second, lower the trimmer a little at a time to get your trim length. If you try doing both at once or in reverse order, yeah, it sucks. For me it's trimming (or was). I used to hate it so much I now have multiple router+Dillon die trimmers now. Easily over $1.5k spent on 'automatic' trim stuff just so I don't have to hold cases by hand anymore. ![]() Back when I was young, dumb, and poor...I removed the primer crimp from 1000 pcs of LC .223 with a swiss army knife ![]() |
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That is the funny thing about this hobby for me. Every time I find something I hate doing I find a better tool for doing it.
I hated sorting brass. Got the sorting trays and now have zero issues sorting. Especially love the .380 tray insert that things saves a lot of heart ache in sorting and avoiding the random 380 while loading 9mm. I hated being stuck at my bench to de-prime. That limited my amount of time since my bench is in the basement. Got a hand depriming tool and now I can watch the kids play, watch TV or have a conversation while popping primers out. Trimming is the next on the list. Currently using a WFT in a drill but plan to upgrade to either RT1500 or a Giraud in the future. |
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I have overcome all the stuff I didn't like.
Absolutely despised annealing with a drill, so I got a machine. Dreaded trim, chamfer, deburr so I got a machine. Hated trickling, changed my method so I don't have to. Got sick of setting up dies so I made everything LNL bushings. Got sick of primer pocket prep, flash hole prep, brass sorting so I now buy Lapua. Didn't care for FL sizing so I got Forster bump neck dies. Nothing is a pain in the ass anymore. |
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my least favorite thing
fill up 5-10 primer tubes fill casefeeder, powder measure get started .....3mins later, wife or one of the kids walks in and says " I need..." . |
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I dislike debur and chamfer. I don't mind trimming (yet), but deburing is boring and slow. I need to get a debur and chamfer tool for the drill.
I got a primer pocket reamer and the drill bit adaptor for that. Have not used it yet, but I have high hopes. Trimming is not a big issue, but I have yet to reload any 223 yet. I am on single stage press only. |
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Trimming was the.most labor intensive, tedious and boring part of reloading until I purchased a Gracey and Giraud trimmers. It's a walk in the park now compared to the old way.
Primer pocket uniforming is now the biggest pain. Second place goes to swaging military crimps. Trimming is a distant, very distant third. I think watching my stocks of components and powder dwindling may be the biggest psychological "pain" when reloading. |
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I have to be honest. My least favorite reloading step is documenting......but I don't dare leave that out.
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right now bulk power primer pocket uniforming rifle cases.
Every now and then I'd get a case where the the cutter will spin the case instead of reaming the primer pocket, witih just trimmed brass the sharp chamfered case mouth cut into my finger and drew blood. Started wearing gloves ![]() |
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Trimming of course with primer crimp removing right up there with it.
I can't do much about the primer crimp removing but have switched to RCBS X-DIES for some of my higher use calibers. It still amazes me why these things haven't taken the reloading world by storm. Especially high volume users. Is it like the guys who have so much invested in lubing that they can't bring themselves to try powder coating? Guys have so much tied up in the latest greatest trimmer that they just have to keep trimming? Or maybe to some it's just too good to be true? I don't know but I'm loving my X-Dies. 30-06, .308 Win and .223 Rem all standard full length sizing all used in semiautomatics. Motor |
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Trimming of course with primer crimp removing right up there with it. I can't do much about the primer crimp removing but have switched to RCBS X-DIES for some of my higher use calibers. It still amazes me why these things haven't taken the reloading world by storm. Especially high volume users. Is it like the guys who have so much invested in lubing that they can't bring themselves to try powder coating? Guys have so much tied up in the latest greatest trimmer that they just have to keep trimming? Or maybe to some it's just too good to be true? I don't know but I'm loving my X-Dies. 30-06, .308 Win and .223 Rem all standard full length sizing all used in semiautomatics. Motor View Quote |
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Trimming of course with primer crimp removing right up there with it. I can't do much about the primer crimp removing but have switched to RCBS X-DIES for some of my higher use calibers. It still amazes me why these things haven't taken the reloading world by storm. Especially high volume users. Is it like the guys who have so much invested in lubing that they can't bring themselves to try powder coating? Guys have so much tied up in the latest greatest trimmer that they just have to keep trimming? Or maybe to some it's just too good to be true? I don't know but I'm loving my X-Dies. 30-06, .308 Win and .223 Rem all standard full length sizing all used in semiautomatics. Motor View Quote How is accuracy with X dies c/w neck sizing or bumping back the shoulder a few thousandths? I picked up a couple of X-dies, but have yet to use them. |
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I don't see any difference in accuracy full length sizing with the X-Dies vs any other full length die.
I don't know about "bump" dies but have a ton of experience neck only sizing. Neck only sizing doesn't make casings grow and does improve accuracy but neck only sizing is not recommended for semiautomatics, pump or lever action rifles for obvious reasons. So if you need to full length size why not do it with a die that's as good as any standard full length sizing die and negates the need to trim. If you want to get started using your X-Dies and are not sure about the set up feel free to send me a PM. Once you understand the reason for the initial trimming using the die and prepping other brass which you've already sized and prepped for use with your X-Dies is easy. Motor |
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Load work ups.
Has to be done, but I find it a collosole waste of range time. Not to mention the time to make the loads. |
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