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Posted: 3/2/2009 7:12:27 AM EDT
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I've been trimming my case with the Lee Case trimming gauges.
I want to upgrade to an adjustable model. My first question is it worth the $100 to switch instead of just getting the gauges at $5 a pop? My second question is which manual trimmer do you recommend? |
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You should check out the Wilson trimmer at Sinclair International Sinclair. It is set up much like a lathe with a stand that can be clamped to your bench. You purchase case guides that are caliber specific. You set it up for the trim length, insert the case into the guide, and away you go. It's fairly fast for a manual trimmer.
Good luck! |
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Quoted: I also use the RCBS Trim Pro attached to a drill, but I'm switching from cordless to cord. Even with two batteries they don't hold enough charge for 1hr lunch.The popular trimmer 'round here seems to be the Possum Hollow. I use an RCBS Trim Pro. I can attach my corless drill and do about 300/ hour. There's a bunch for sale on ebay. There's one that includes the power unit and it's only up to $35. Also, I recommend the RCBS Trim Pro 3-way cutter for each caliber, which saves a lot of time. |
I use a RCBS Trim Pro with the power adapter and 3-way cutter head for my .223 cases. The 3-way cutter cuts, chamfers and deburs all in one step which makes the process over 3x as fast. It's held up to more than 2000 cases at this point and still going strong. I've always admired the Wilson cutter for it's simplicity and inherent precision (although the RCBS is pretty consistent), but I stuck with the RCBS mainly because of the availability of the 3-way cutter. Here is a link to a YouTube video I made showing my case trimming process. I know, I know I nerded out a bit. 
Click Here for Video Hope this helps, DOC |
| I used a Lyman lathe type trimmer for many years before the Giraud came out. The Giraud I use for 223, 308, 30/06, 30/30, 7.62x39. Stil use the Lyman for all else. Tried the Lee trimmer and found the fixed trim length to be shorter than factory specs so I don't use them. |
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Quoted:
Giraud!!! It will be mine, oh yes, it will be mine (one day). Even thought about prepping brass for money to pay for one. Great piece of equipment. Each time I find myself looking at a 1000 case batch of .223 I start to get an itchy debit card. You're a better man than I am, Gunga Din. The first shipment of 5.56 brass from Brassman retired my Possum Hollow and made another convert for the Giraud. Definitely the most productive piece of equipment I have. (OK, the Square Deal pukes ammo, but I don't mind knocking out a few hundred on the single stage. I HATE to trim/chamfer brass!). The Possum Hollow can be chucked in a drill press (got one on sale at Lowes) and zips thru the brass. You still have to chamfer (which can also be done at the drill press). The Wilson/Sinclair also has an optional micrometer adjustor. It's a pip. I do all my .38/.357 and .32-20 trimming on one. |
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Quoted:
After watching the video, I think it's time I put down the Possum Hollow and VLD and tools, and start usig the trim pro I bought when I first started reloading... Can you build a power adapter out of a standard 1/4" chuck "bar"? I'm sure you could make one yourself. The RCBS one is basically an allen head screw which is the size of the screw holding the hand crank on. It comes with a small piece of hex bar shaped a bit like a ball at the end (I think this compensates for misalignment of the drill with the shaft of the cutter). The power adapter is only $9 at Midway, only thing that sucks about it is shipping. But I'm telling you, as nice as the power adapter is, the 3-way cutter is what really saves you time. You handle the case once, do the same thing you would do to trim, and you get chamfering and deburring thrown in for free. It's $44 at Midway but figure out the time saved over 3000+ cases and divide by your hourly income and it just makes sense. Only problem is if you reload large volumes of several different calibers because the 3-way cutters are caliber specific. A couple tips with the Trim-Pro. 1. Oil the shaft and the bearing surface of the stop ring. This helps you "feel" when the case is trimmed to length and also keeps the drill and trimmer cooler (less friction). 2. When you get the 3-way cutter the pilot that it comes with is a little ruff and can mark up the first portion of the brass inside the neck. To remedy this you can remove the pilot, chuck it in a drill, run the drill in REVERSE (this prevents you from dulling the chamfering blades during this process) and polish it with some 1000 grit sandpaper. DOC |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
After watching the video, I think it's time I put down the Possum Hollow and VLD and tools, and start usig the trim pro I bought when I first started reloading... Can you build a power adapter out of a standard 1/4" chuck "bar"? I'm sure you could make one yourself. The RCBS one is basically an allen head screw which is the size of the screw holding the hand crank on. It comes with a small piece of hex bar shaped a bit like a ball at the end (I think this compensates for misalignment of the drill with the shaft of the cutter). The power adapter is only $9 at Midway, only thing that sucks about it is shipping. But I'm telling you, as nice as the power adapter is, the 3-way cutter is what really saves you time. You handle the case once, do the same thing you would do to trim, and you get chamfering and deburring thrown in for free. It's $44 at Midway but figure out the time saved over 3000+ cases and divide by your hourly income and it just makes sense. Only problem is if you reload large volumes of several different calibers because the 3-way cutters are caliber specific. A couple tips with the Trim-Pro. 1. Oil the shaft and the bearing surface of the stop ring. This helps you "feel" when the case is trimmed to length and also keeps the drill and trimmer cooler (less friction). 2. When you get the 3-way cutter the pilot that it comes with is a little ruff and can mark up the first portion of the brass inside the neck. To remedy this you can remove the pilot, chuck it in a drill, run the drill in REVERSE (this prevents you from dulling the chamfering blades during this process) and polish it with some 1000 grit sandpaper. DOC This is great stuff by the way! |
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Quoted:
Ok so it's narrowed down to RCBS or Wilson. I don't think I can go wrong with either. I think I'm leaning toward RCBS only for the 3-way Cutter. It seems it would save a lot of time. I'd go with the Wilson if it had an attachment like it... Does it? Unfortunately it doesn't. If it did I would probably go with it because I like its unique case holder system. One thing to note about the new RCBS trim-pro trimmers is that they have a lever and shellholders instead of a T-handle and collet to hold the case. This is probably an improvement in some regards but it would slow down the process outlined in my video slightly. This is because I think you would have to use one hand to push down the lever while the other hand inserts the case. I also am not sure if the trimmed case would fall freely out of the case holder when the lever is pressed or if you would have to remove it with your other hand. You may be able to find an old model Trim pro somewhere, if you get lucky you might find a used one and save some money. The new one would work just fine, but the issues I mentioned might slow down the process a bit. DOC |
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Quoted: I have the newer RCBS trimmer with a drill setup similar to yours. There's a compression plate which retains the brass, operated by the lever. The plate is attached by two pins and the brass is designed to be fed from the top, preventing a drop free option. I tried reversing the place but the two plate holes are tapered in one direction. Tapered holes would have to be added to the other direction to allow for a drop free option. I might try this.Quoted: Ok so it's narrowed down to RCBS or Wilson. I don't think I can go wrong with either. I think I'm leaning toward RCBS only for the 3-way Cutter. It seems it would save a lot of time. I'd go with the Wilson if it had an attachment like it... Does it? Unfortunately it doesn't. If it did I would probably go with it because I like its unique case holder system. One thing to note about the new RCBS trim-pro trimmers is that they have a lever and shellholders instead of a T-handle and collet to hold the case. This is probably an improvement in some regards but it would slow down the process outlined in my video slightly. This is because I think you would have to use one hand to push down the lever while the other hand inserts the case. I also am not sure if the trimmed case would fall freely out of the case holder when the lever is pressed or if you would have to remove it with your other hand. You may be able to find an old model Trim pro somewhere, if you get lucky you might find a used one and save some money. The new one would work just fine, but the issues I mentioned might slow down the process a bit. DOC After watching the video, I am about 1/3 slower than your brass processing. |
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