How does the ziptrim save time?

[sheepdog]

I got for xmas, seems like a big hassle.

[rob45]

The time savings is due to the fact that one end of the case is left out in the open. This allows you to not only trim the brass, but also chamfer/deburr while the case is still mounted. You can also polish the brass while it's still on, and some of my more serious brass also gets the flash hole deburred while it's mounted.

Most of the other tools require you to either take the brass off the shellholder or change out the cutting attachment or make an adjustment of some type. The Zip Trim allows you to have the various cutting tools right there and simply switch them out without any adjustments. Sorta like a progressive press, you save time by having to put the brass in the shell holder only once.

The Zip Trim is a good idea. Even though it seems flimsy from being made out of plastic, it performs as advertised and is very accurate.
Not as accurate as my Wilson trimmer, but certainly very close and considerably quicker since as mentioned above the ability to do more than one operation while it's mounted.
In my experience, it is more accurate than my Forster, and quicker, too. The trim gage (mandrel, pilot, whatever) on the Zip Trim is guided by the neck of the case, and the cutter handle is left free to follow instead of being locked in place. So the Zip trim allows a square cut (in relation to the case neck) even if the neck itself is not perfectly square. With my Forster, if the neck and base are not perfectly square, then the trim cut will not be perfectly square since both the case and the cutter are locked in place.

Being a different type of system, it does seem like a hassle at first, but once you get used to it, it goes very fast. I have used it to completely process 1000 cases of surplus 30-06 in an evening (trim, chamfer and deburr the mouth, deburr flash hole, and polish case). Probably averaged about 20 seconds per case.


I have two complaints with it:

1. For me, it does not seem to do as well with straight-walled (or slightly tapered) cartridges such as 45-70. Since the system works based upon a close-fitting mandrel, maybe there is too much brass-to-steel contact? But it has performed flawlessly on any bottleneck cartridge. Initially some minor polishing on the mandrel may be required for smoothest operation.

2. To me, the weak part in the Zip Trim is not the cheap housing or fragile-looking rope; it's the recoil spring.
The base should be mounted snugly but not overtightened.
Provided one is not pulling past the stop point, the rope will hold up. If you pull enough to break the rope, you're pulling too far on the pull stroke.
But the recoil spring will wear out eventually. I have three of the Zip Trims, and I learned quickly that it is prudent to have a backup spring available. Like any spring, the more cycles to which it is subjected, the greater the chance it can wear out. The faster I go with it the quicker it seems to break, too. Maybe heat buildup in the spring? I don't know, but that's just my experience. Usually the spring will break at the very end, so an easy fix is to bend the broken end of the spring with needle-nose pliers to fit into the lock groove if you don't have a replacement spring available.
BTW, don't be put off thinking your spring will break on the first 50 pieces you do, although some people get a defective spring right out of the box. But as I mentioned above, I used it for several thousand strokes without a problem. Not too shabby for a $20 tool!


I'm not trying to glorify the Zip Trim; as I mentioned, I have most of the trimmer systems and use them all. They all perform well and each has its pros and cons. But I certainly would not sell the Zip Trim short. I despise any type of brass prep, and the Zip Trim allows it to get done quicker.

[mooman76]

I'd just get the attachment($4) for a drill. I do mine on a rechargable drill that way it's easier not to get too carried away.

[462]

Just chuck the lock stud and case holder in a cordless drill.

[DLCTEX]

+1 on the drill attachment. So easy to just pull the trigger. I can polish corroded cases by using a green plastic pot scrubber or steel wool while spinning the case. Trim, very fast, chamfer inside and out in seconds. I accidently got some 223's mixed in with 222's and trimmed them in about three seconds each. My old Lyman case trimmer would have made work of that.

[HeavyMetal]

Buddy bought a Zip Trim and we both hated it!

Got the cordless drill adapter and the three jaw chuck and go to town. With the three jaw no need for an endless supply of shell holders that can't be used for anything else!

With a 24 volt cordless I can do a lot of case's, just finishing primer pocket reaming, trim to length, flash hole de burr, and deburring the case mouth on abut 500 or so 30-30 case's!

A Sundays work watching a good John Wayne movie!

[zuke]

I took the cutter and chucked it in a lathe and turned it down a bit. It now fit's in my drill so I can change case's more easily.
I then made up an aluminum handle to hold the lock stud and make it easier to hold the cartridge case.