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Posted: 7/3/2015 5:14:39 PM EDT
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I have a hornady lnl press. Today I am trimming with a rcbs trim pro with motor and a3 way cut head. I am currently loading 223, 6.8, 300blk, 308, and 30-06. Might be also adding 243. Also I an buying all my 300blk brass instead of forming it.
Here is what I have thought about: -get the gaurd trimmer with all the calibers I need -get an rcbs x die and use my current trimmer fit the one time you need to trim cases -get the Dillon rt1500 trimmer Any other ideas or feedback on this? |
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I have an X die, and since buying it...have never used it.
I have no doubt that it works, but the reality of my shooting is that > 50% of the time, I'm coming back with range brass as well as my own, which basically means I'd run them all through the trimmer or be measuring each in order to identify 'X-died' brass and split out from range pickup...more trouble than it's worth, especially using a Giraud instead. 
Between the Dillon trimmer and the Giraud - you're going to get supporters of each. The way I see it is the Dillon doesn't debar nor chamfer...which may or may not be a big deal. If loading flat based bullets or using a bullet feeder, I'd say it increases in importance, as well as just how 'clean' your individual trimmer may be. I know some wet tumble (pretty, but just too much time wasted for me vs dry), and claim the SS pins in wet tumbling help to 'soften' the cut case mouth, but the Giraud trims, deburrs, and chamfers in one step, and does it very well. If I 'only' loaded .223 3 gun or 'bulk' ammo (e.g. Hornady 55gr FMJBT), I can see how the Dillon trimmer has some serious appeal, although noisy (shop-vac attached and running)...but I decided to go with the Giraud. YMMV as always. |
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In my situation, I shoot thousands of 223 per year and the vast majority of those are precision loaded rounds. I shoot hundreds of rounds of 6.5 Creedmoor and am about to start loading for a 300 WM.
I looked at the Dillon Trimmer. The Dillon if I were loading bulk plinking rounds would have been fine, but I don't. I have one AR and it is a 26" Varmint profile WOA barrel that I bought because I wanted long distance accuracy. That being said, I went with the Giraud because it does trim, chamfer and debur all in one step. I never check lengths prior to using the Giraud as it is quicker for me to stick it in the trimmer and let the trimmer let me know that it needs trimming. I can do hundreds in an hour. I have several thousand pieces of 223 brass for my bolt and several thousand for my AR. I prefer to load in batches of 1k. It is just easier for me to prep and load a bunch when I have the down time. I now also anneal every firing because I picked up a Giraud Annealer and it is stupid easy and hands free. I still have to watch it, but it can run on the other end of the reloading bench while I am trimming my hundreds per hour. Since you buy your 300 BLK already formed, I would treat that cartridge like any other. At $75 or so per cartridge, adding additional cartridges is easy. |
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thanks for all the replies
rtpguy, the noise is one thing on the RT I was not looking forward to. I try to shoot about 2k a year. most of it is progressive bulk loads. I do get range pickups and the small amount of new OFB to replace bad/lost brass. I see your point with the x-die on those and was something I was wondering about. for bulk stuff I don't see myself changing from tumbling anytimne soon. I haven't found a good and efficient way to dry thousands of cases. the oven method works but is too much a PITA for that many cases. I do use the lemishine method on range, really dirty, or precision loads though. I bought some SS media but don't have a wet tumbler. I also have an ultrasonic cleaner I haven't used yet. angus6, there is a way to mount a RT1500 to a LnL press. I have a place that is local that reforms brass though and I just buy it from them (ozark ordinance). also when I went to Dillon's site last week the RT1000 was no longer listed, just the rt1500. the blades and such for the rt1000 were still there though. capreppy, right now I am leaning to the Giraud. the caliber conversion doesn't seem that bad in cost plus like you said it deburs and chamfer. once I get my headspace issue fixed (which I think I have) trimming off the shoulder shouldn't be and issue and actually a little more accurate in some cases. I was looking at buying their annealer (or building one) also for the 300blk brass too. |
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angus6, there is a way to mount a RT1500 to a LnL press. I have a place that is local that reforms brass though and I just buy it from them (ozark ordinance). also when I went to Dillon's site last week the RT1000 was no longer listed, just the rt1500. the blades and such for the rt1000 were still there though.
I realize the RT1500 mounts to the LnL just not sure if it'll do the 300blk as with the 1050 I had to mill the toolhead as it's to thick to make 300blk as is, I had miss read your post as I took it you were going to use both the Dillon and Giraud |
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Quoted:
In my situation, I shoot thousands of 223 per year and the vast majority of those are precision loaded rounds. I shoot hundreds of rounds of 6.5 Creedmoor and am about to start loading for a 300 WM. I looked at the Dillon Trimmer. The Dillon if I were loading bulk plinking rounds would have been fine, but I don't. I have one AR and it is a 26" Varmint profile WOA barrel that I bought because I wanted long distance accuracy. That being said, I went with the Giraud because it does trim, chamfer and debur all in one step. I never check lengths prior to using the Giraud as it is quicker for me to stick it in the trimmer and let the trimmer let me know that it needs trimming. I can do hundreds in an hour. I have several thousand pieces of 223 brass for my bolt and several thousand for my AR. I prefer to load in batches of 1k. It is just easier for me to prep and load a bunch when I have the down time. I now also anneal every firing because I picked up a Giraud Annealer and it is stupid easy and hands free. I still have to watch it, but it can run on the other end of the reloading bench while I am trimming my hundreds per hour. Since you buy your 300 BLK already formed, I would treat that cartridge like any other. At $75 or so per cartridge, adding additional cartridges is easy. Trimming 300BLK on the Giraud has been a horrible experience for me. The case is just too short to get a good grip so it tries to spin and causes my fingers (whole hand really) to hurt in a short amount of time and I have tried tape, gloves, etc. of which nothing helped to any great extent. I only trim 100 cases at a time due to the discomfort. For me anyway 223 is as short as I want to go with the Giraud. |
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I have a Gracey trimmer with upgraded motor and carbide bit. it works great but is tough on my old carpal tunnel hands. Anything I have to grip hurts after a short while.
For precision rounds or small batches the off press trimmers are great. Since I go through 4-5000 rounds of .223 per year I need a faster less time consuming method. I just bought the Dillon RT1500. I know it is noisy but I will just wear muffs. I should be able to crank out 500-600 per hour easily once set up. I also had an issue with range pick up brass mixed in with my brass after a session. Since the pockets are crimped I did not want to have to check every single pocket. I mark my reloads with a sharpie so when I get home I can separate them. I only have to ream the pockets on any new to me brass. I do not think the RT1500 will trim .223 to 300 BO on the LnL. How thick does the head on a Dillon have to be for it to work? |
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I didn't know people were milling heads for 300blk. That makes sense but kind of sucks.
Also how are you marking you cases with a sharpie? I am guessing however you do it probably won't work for me because I shoot a lot suppressed which makes the brass really dirty. |
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Quoted:
Trimming 300BLK on the Giraud has been a horrible experience for me. The case is just too short to get a good grip so it tries to spin and causes my fingers (whole hand really) to hurt in a short amount of time and I have tried tape, gloves, etc. of which nothing helped to any great extent. I only trim 100 cases at a time due to the discomfort. For me anyway 223 is as short as I want to go with the Giraud. Quoted:
Quoted:
In my situation, I shoot thousands of 223 per year and the vast majority of those are precision loaded rounds. I shoot hundreds of rounds of 6.5 Creedmoor and am about to start loading for a 300 WM. I looked at the Dillon Trimmer. The Dillon if I were loading bulk plinking rounds would have been fine, but I don't. I have one AR and it is a 26" Varmint profile WOA barrel that I bought because I wanted long distance accuracy. That being said, I went with the Giraud because it does trim, chamfer and debur all in one step. I never check lengths prior to using the Giraud as it is quicker for me to stick it in the trimmer and let the trimmer let me know that it needs trimming. I can do hundreds in an hour. I have several thousand pieces of 223 brass for my bolt and several thousand for my AR. I prefer to load in batches of 1k. It is just easier for me to prep and load a bunch when I have the down time. I now also anneal every firing because I picked up a Giraud Annealer and it is stupid easy and hands free. I still have to watch it, but it can run on the other end of the reloading bench while I am trimming my hundreds per hour. Since you buy your 300 BLK already formed, I would treat that cartridge like any other. At $75 or so per cartridge, adding additional cartridges is easy. Trimming 300BLK on the Giraud has been a horrible experience for me. The case is just too short to get a good grip so it tries to spin and causes my fingers (whole hand really) to hurt in a short amount of time and I have tried tape, gloves, etc. of which nothing helped to any great extent. I only trim 100 cases at a time due to the discomfort. For me anyway 223 is as short as I want to go with the Giraud. My buddy uses his for 300BLK, I'll have to ask him what his solution is. I know he's processed literally THOUSANDS of pieces of 300BLK brass as he was making and selling the brass here for a while. I don't have a 300BLK (and at this rate, it'll be next year before I pick one up) so don't actually have experience with this cartridge and the Giraud. |
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