Case Trimmer Pilot Size

[Uncle Grinch]

Can anyone tell me the shaft size of a pilot for an RCBS case length trimmer. My Forster is 3/16 inch and I want to know what is compatable?

[swamp]

I use a Forster and I believe the RCBS pilots will work in it. I believe the last one I got was RCBS. Just looked at it and no markings but it is blued unlike the Forsters. Shaft is the same.

[Uncle Grinch]

Thanks Swamp!!

[mac60]

I have an RCBS power trimmer and a Forster trimmer. The shaft on the Forster pilot is much larger than on the RCBS pilot.

57899

RCBS on left and Forster on right.

[swamp]

mac60,
I got out my mic and measured. It is larger(Forster0 but the RCBS seems to work ok in my Forster. Never payed much attention to shaft size, as long as it went in. What would the difference in shaft size make in the trimed case?
swamp

[mac60]

Swamp - While it's true that the shaft of the RCBS pilot will go in the hole, when you tighten the set screw you are pushing it over to one side. I'm no machinist, but I don't see how that can be desirable.

Edit: Maybe someone would be kind enough to measure a Lyman and Hornady. Maybe they're compatible. It's easy for me to see how company A wouldn't want someone buying pilots from company B, so maybe they're ALL different diameters (don't know - never owned a Lyman or Hornady trimmer).

[Pepe Ray]

Redding and Forster are compatable

[Uncle Grinch]

Redding and Forster are compatable

Perfect Pepe, Redding is the only one that has a 9.3 pilot. (at least as far as I can tell)

[Hardcast416taylor]

RCBS used to offer a cutter head that would accept the Forster pilots, unsure if they still do. I got one of these cutters some years back. I sold my Forster trimmer but kept the pilots. Now I have pilots to use in either the regular RCBS head with their pilots or the Forster cutter and pilots. Pretty sure there are machinests on the site that can open up a std. RCBS cutter head for use with Foster pilots if need be.Robert

[mac60]

Perfect Pepe, Redding is the only one that has a 9.3 pilot. (at least as far as I can tell)

Forster will custom make you a pilot. I had them make me one so I could trim 7.35x51 Carcano brass. Can't remember what it cost me.

[Uncle Grinch]

I made a crude one many years ago from a small brass rod, but on Pepe's info, I purchased a Redding .362 pilot last night.