Lee Quick Trim and 30 Carbine

[foesgth]

I love shooting 30 carbine. However, it is not one of my favorites to reload. I shoot it in a carbine and a Blackhawk. The Blackhawk is the problem. It headspaces off of the rim. So trimming becomes critical. I thought I could speed up trimming with a Lee Quick Trim but I am having problems getting it to work.

The Lee instructions state you should remove the spacer on cases shorter than 1.25". I trim my carbine brass to 1.286". If I use the spacer the cutters don't touch the brass. If I take it off the system cuts the brass way too short even at the longest setting.

Have any of you used the Quick Trim successfully on 30 carbine? I am trying to get a load that both the rifle and pistol like.

Thanks

[Mk42gunner]

Never used the Lee Quick Trim system, but can you make a shorter spacer?

Robert

[foesgth]

Robert,
I may look into doing something along those lines. The funny thing is I got this setup to make things a bit faster than my other method of trimming. Here is the answer I got when I put the question to Lee"

As a general rule when you are trimming cases using the Lee Quick Trim Dies the knurled metal Spacer must be removed from the trimmer for cases with a maximum trim length shorter than 1 1/4" or 1.25". However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. The cases listed below have a maximum trim length that is greater than 1.250" but the Quick Trim Die design requires that the knurled metal Spacer be removed from the trimmer to trim these cases. Please be sure when trimming the following cartridges to remove the Spacer:
17 Hornet
22 Hornet
218 Bee (custom overrun)
221 Fireball (custom overrun)
5.7 x 28 FN (custom overrun)
30 M1 Carbine
300 AAC Blackout
44-40 (custom overrun)
8mm Kurz (custom overrun)

I have tried it without the spacer and it trims way too short. The only way I have found to have it reliable in the Blackhawk is very careful trimming. If Startline would ever make 32-20 brass again I might just abandon 30 carbine in the Blackhawk.

[lawdog941]

I've adjusted the by using different size buckshot inside the cutter where the spring is. Don't know if this helps on the .30 though.

[MS Caster]

Foesgth, did you ever have any luck with this? I got one of these a while back and have been confused too about the spacer ring. When adjusted as long as it will go it trims to 1.280 which is technically the minimum but I want to trim to 1.285 for reliable primer ignition on an Inland carbine. I was thinking about trying to make a thin spacer somehow even if it involves some foil tape or something to gain a few thousandths.

[megasupermagnum]

I've never tried 30 carbine, but is there any reason you can't simply back the die off just a little? Say make it so the shell holder is .005" from touching the die?

Ultimately this is a problem with the trim die being too short.

[foesgth]

I never did get this to work for my needs. I shoot 30 carbine in a Blackhawk and I could not get the length I need.