Which case trimmer to buy?

[Brother_Love]

I am about to buy a new case trimmer because I do not have one. In my former reloading days I started with the Lee trimmers, advanced to a Lyman universal collet trimmer and then to Forster.

Now that I begun to reload again after my 27 year break I need another one. The new Lyman, I have been told is made in China (I prefer USA reloading equipment). The Lee trimmer is OK if you only have 20 rounds at a time to trim. The Forster is still the same and a good trimmer.

I really like the Hornady except for the fact you have to have their shellholders which means none of my present shellholders with work.

Input from trimmer owners appreciated.

Malcolm

[WILCO]

I've used the Lee Zip Trim for years and it's always worked well for me.

Here's a vid of it in action:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sGHoNd6vfA

[testhop]

i have a C&H TRIM A MATIC .i got it a very long time ago from the owner of C&H CHARLIE .
I FORGOT HIS LAST NAME ITHINK IT WAS HICKS it is a great one .it is a power driven . like a lathe. it is super fast. and does a good job.
i would recimend i t highlyand buy another in a heart beat

[Pepe Ray]

I purchased my Forster in 1976, but only after exploring the brands available to me ATT. I was working for a sporting goods distributor and all of the big company products were available to me at dealers cost.
My criteria for deciding were
1. The variety of features/tasks doable by the units.
2.How many extra parts must be acquired.
3. Was there commonality in parts among the various brands
4.What was my anticipated range of cartridges to be serviced, in the future.
5. Estimating the end cost of each of my options (Raising a family came first)

Even tho I've expanded my cartridge inventory and acquired more tools than anticipated, Ive never been sorry I went with Forster.

The only bone of contention I have is with the so called "experts" who accuse the Forster of inconsistency in the trim length settings/cuttings.
Since I first heard of this accusation I investigated the accusation and found that the "experts" were ignorant or too lazy to operate and maintain the tool properly.

Under different circumstances such as needing to "go light and fast", one or two firearms, single, moving from job to job or state to state ,I'd go with the Lee stuff.

My $0.02
Pepe Ray

[mike in co]

wilson is a good tool... you can go in cheap and add bells and wilstles as money is avaliable.

for the record..one of my foresters dose not cut square...and yes i have done tons of stuff to try and align it. i have two. and a lyman, and several lee. i use the lees for small batches and the wilson for br, and the forester for blasting ammo.

mike in co

[Gary51]

I currently have a Wilson and it works fine although not the fastest trimmer I don't trim hundreds of cases at a time. Have had Redding's, RCBS, Lyman, Forster, old Hornady and C&H and all did the job and of those the Redding was my least favorite and C&H I would buy again.

[454PB]

I've owned and used many different trimmers over the years. In a garage sale purchase, a Wilson trimmer set up was included. It layed around for years, and on a boring winter day, I finally broke it out and learned it's use.

It's now my favorite trimmer, although it takes a while to set up, it's the most accurate and repeatable of any I've tried.

[Dframe]

I'm still using an old Lyman I've had for years. Never saw the need for another one.

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

For doing it by hand: Wilson Trimmer.

For automation: Giraud

Regards,

Dave

[Lloyd Smale]

ive got the motorized rcbs and it works fine.

[NuJudge]

Get some sort of power attachment. The repetitive motion injury you prevent will be your own.

The Giraud is neat because of its incredible throughput, and because it trims, inside and outside chamfers all at once.

RCBS has a trimmer head that does all three at the same time also.

CDD

[winelover]

+1 on the motortized RCBS Trimmer

Winelover

[Bret4207]

My Forster cuts square and I use a cordless drill to power it.

[Shiloh]

L.E. Wilson

Trims to the same length every time.

Shiloh

[longhorn47]

the best is wilson check with the BR shooter see what they use and it will be wilson

[montana_charlie]

The Wilson does not vary the case length based on variations in rim thickness, so you can change headstamps without the need for readjustment.
It cuts square without needing to have the mouth fit tightly on a pilot, so you don't have to size all case mouths before trimming.

It's simplicity makes it utterly dependable, and it's precision is unsurpassed.
CM

[GSM]

Low volume - Wilson
Large volume - Hornady (even with the PITA shell holders you have to get from them). You probably make RCBS holders work if you reamed out the center hole.

Real high volume - look at Gracey.

Least favorite - RCBS collet. Could never get it to cut square.

[Lead Fred]

I found out something interesting about trimmers the other day.

I have a RCMS press, and had a RCBS trimmer, but it got misplaced over 20 years.

So I picked up a Hornady trimmer. Being that I only reloaded 30-06 I never had to chnager the shell holders.

When I fell into a Marlin 30-30, I knew I needed another shell holder.
I went to Cabella's and got a number 2 for my press and primer seater.

Went home, got to the point of getting ready to trim 30-30 brass for FTX bullets.

The RCBS holder does not fit the Hornady trimmer. They are both number 2s.

It took me two days and traveling 3 counties to find a hornady shell holder.

Good rule of thumb, get the same trimmer as your press and primer seater

[454PB]

Regarding the Hornady trimmer problem......

I have a 20 year old Hornady that accepts any brand of shell holder. My Son bought one about 6 years ago that only accepts the Hornady SH. I chucked the center rod from his newer Hornady in my lathe and turned it smaller so it now accepts all SH's.

[Brother_Love]

Thanks for all the input. I have read every response and studied the reviews given each trimmer on the Midway USA website. Regardless of the SH problem, I am going with the Hornady. I like Hornady "stuff" anyway, their products are quality made, at least the ones I have. Malcolm

[montana_charlie]

Regardless of the SH problem, I am going with the Hornady.
My original case trimmer was from Pacific. I used it for decades...but not hard enough to wear it out.

When I began using it on .45 caliber cases, the mouth diameter was large enough for me to visually discover that it did not cut a square mouth. I examined it closely to find out 'why', then replaced it with the Wilson.

The Pacific tool was picked up by Hornady when Pacific 'disappeared', and Hornady continued with that model for years. The current trimmer which uses a shell holder is the same design (in the shell holder area) as the Pacific...and it was that system (a pin applying pressure from the rear) which threw cases off square.

In my opinion, almost any other choice would be better...

CM

[1hole]

I know RCBS is now getting press castings from China and suspect the current fad of over-priced digital scales and powder despenser systems are from there as well. But, other than that, I've not heard of any reloading tools coming from China.