I need a new trimmer

[plumber]

Does anyone use one? I really need a new trimmer, this looks like justnwhat I need for .223, but I question how not having the chamfer would work with boolits? Now that I think of it, I'm not to sure bow much I like the idea of having to full length size. The Dillon seems quicker and easier on the fingers, but a Giraud sounds like it would do everything I want. Any input on a trimmer?

[ETG]

If you were talking about the Giraud not having a chamfer - it does. It trims to length, bevels the outside of the neck and chamfers the inside in about a second. I have used mine for years and have setups for 50BMG, 3006, 308, and 223. Just stick the case in and give a quarter twist and your done. I did have a small blister on my index finger after doing a thousand LC 223 cases in about an hour and a half.

[Pepe Ray]

If your even "thinking" about buying a Giraud then you don't need any advice from us hobos. Money talks ,everything else walks.
In 50 years I've never wished for that much technology. You must be making a lot of noise. :mrgreen: Good luck.
Pepe Ray

[Trifocals]

I have no idea how sophisticated you want a trimmer to be, nor how much money you want to put out to purchase one. Not being familiar with the Giraud, I pulled up the description with a Google search. It may be a great machine but is certainly out of my budget constraints. Unless you have a need to trim a huge volume of brass in a short time, the inexpensive Lee trimmers work well. A step up would be the Lyman Universal or the RCBS model that uses "shell plates". Either of these three can be used manually or an adaptor obtained that enables them to be driven by an electric screwdriver, or the Lyman and RCBS can be had with an integral electric motor. I personally have a Lyman Universal (manually powered) and a motorized RCBS. Either will reliably trim to + - .001", and I recommend them. Insofar as chamfering, if I have a small lot of brass to do, I simply use a hand tool. If I have a large amount of brass to do, I have made a holder for the hand chamfering tool and primer pocket cleaning tools which I attach to the output shaft(s) of a small gear reduction motor. I let the motor do the twisting, thus no sore fingers. RCBS, and I believe Hornady make powered tools that include chamfering as well as several other functions. I hope this helps. LOL

[plumber]

Right now I'm tossed between the Dillon and the Giraud. My concern about the Dillon is needing to chamfer to seat cast bullets. As well with the Dillon you have to full length size. Sounds perfect for .223, but for feeding bolt guns? The Giraud does it all, but at twice the money. I've been using an old crank lathe, and a Lee zip trim. The Lee is quicker but not consistant.

[Dale53]

When I was shooting three gun matches and big bore, I trimmed thousands of rifle cases. The Dillon allowed me to do this when full length resizing and did a superb job.

However, to chamfer (I did both inside and outside) I used the drill press and they went VERY fast. I just chucked up the Wilson chamfer tool and held the cases by hand. I could feel it perfectly and it did a VERY nice job. However, there is some hazard with doing it this way and you DO have to be careful. If you are "ham handed" this will NOT be for you (can you dial 911?). The dangerous part is doing the outside chamfering. Inside chamfering is a piece of cake this way. The Wilson tool has a shaft in the middle of the outside chamfering tool that really helps to center the case and minimizes the risk.

FWIW
Dale53

[doubs43]

Unless you're doing massive amounts of cases, a Forster is an excellent trimmer. I've used a couple (short base and long base) for at least 30 years and have been more than happy with them. I know the motorized units are faster and maybe that's what you need. If not, the Forster will do just fine.

[ETG]

Just my personal opinion. I am not a rich guy by no means - 2 jumbo jacks = lunch for about $3 type guy. I bought my Giraud several years ago and it was around $100 cheaper - course the dollar was worth more then too then it is now. I buy a lot of minimal use tools from HF - to save as many pennies as possible. I bought the Giraud when I started shooting the 50BMG - the trimmers I had would not hold the case. I debated for weeks. After long discussions with experienced 50BMG shooters I sprung for the Giraud. I don't mind telling you it hurt (the pocket book) - BUT - I can honestly say I have NEVER been sorry. For years I sized, trimed to length, champhered the outside of the neck and beveled the inside with a lyman case trimmer and hand held champher/bevel tool. Setting, locking every case into the trimmer, crancking the handel, twisting the tool to champher and bevel EACH case. Being able to do all those steps in a second (FL or neck resized or no resize at all) leaves a lot more time for shooting and the other reloading steps. Take one case and run it through the required proceedures and compare it to a second. How much is your time worth? If it's twice the cost of a dillion then were talking a little more than $200! Most of the post I have seen on this site seem to indicate that members wouldn't blink an eye at dropping $75-$100 for a boolet mold and many thousands for swaging dies. I guess my point is, for a little over $200 why settle for less than the best. I didn't want to reset everything for different cals so I bought complete setups for each but that has been over the course of many years. I will say that when I bought mine there was no cover over the belts and my acrylic cover cracked all over. Giraud sent me the belt cover and another acrylic cover for no charge - the acrylic cracked because I had it in a cabinet above my containers of acetone and lacqure thinner - moved them and no more problems.

I will say that I have never used a Dillion case trimmer or any other powered trimmer - just Lyman and RCBS hand cranked trimmers so I really cannot give you a comparison. I looked at it as a one time investment and frankly, when you get into 50BMG, it was one of the cheaper investments. I am not affiliated with Giraud in any way - just my personal opinion.

[Shiloh]

I don't have a power trimmer. I do them one at a time and use a, L.E. Wilson trimmer.
Every shell is the same after trimming. I could never do it with my Forster that accurate.

SHiloh

[plumber]

After reading here, and elsewhere. It seems that that trimmer is one Dillon product that people gripe about. It seems that it's not what I'm looking for after all, I don't want to full lenght size everything. Perfect for .223 but I'm not buying two trimmers. I'd have to buy three, because there is something so special about 7.62x39 that it has to have it's own trimmer. Looks like I need to save a few more pennies, the Giraud not only seems like the better tool for what I want, but will work out to be less expensive. I've got way too much brass to process to continue doing it by hand.

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

I have the RCBS power trimmer. I'm selling it and I'm getting a Giraud. The Dillon isn't even on the consideration list and I've used one of them, so I'm familiar. To use the old "blue koolaid" refrain: "Buy once, cry once." The Giraud is worth it if you're doing lots of cases.

Regards,

Dave

[Shooter6br]

I have a Foster Original model form my dad from about 1964 or so.It does anything you need. The foster people will e -mail you if you have a question. They offered to modify my old trimmer to take a larger collet for my 45 -70 FREE You can use a power screw driver with a power adaptor. GREAT company Just my 2 cents

[skeet028]

I've had almost all of 'em from Wilson Lyman Rcbs and even a Gracey..the Giraud is simply the best machine..pricey but a great tool..

[GabbyM]

A trim die and a good 12" second cut file will rough down anything. Especially good on reconditioned mil brass which tends to be way over length after sizing. Then just finish up with chamfer tools. You should have a good file in your tool box anyway so don't even count that into the cost. As long as you don't drag it backwards across the work it will stay sharp for a long time. Good for machetes, mower blades or whatever.

[BIG GUN]

I like the Lyman powered trimmer with a carbide cutter. Works like a champ! I had the RCBS power trimmer. Didn't like it and sold with 22 & 30 cal cutters to a friend for 40 bucks.

[plumber]

Well, the Dillon is off my list. It's not boolit friendly, nor bolt gun friendly. I am getting into 7.62X39 so I'd have to purchace two trimmers, actually three to account for the one I'd have to get to cover the calibers you can't get for the Dillon. As well I neck size most rifle brass. So to make a long story short the Dillon trimmer is out.
I know I can't go wrong with a Giraud, and that's where I'm leaning. Even more so when I spoke to him on the phone and he can make a conversion for any caliber.
I have seen the RCBS unit can chamfer and deburr with the optional 3 way cutter, does anyone have any experiance with it?

[snowwolfe]

Been using RCBS trimmers for years and recently added the Trim Pro. While I like it wished I purchased the Redding trimmer instead.
Rarely do I need to trim more than 50 cases at any time so no power trimmer is needed.

[plumber]

Unfortunatly, I compete in high power matches and I practice a lot. So I've got a massive amount of brass to process. I usually load them all at once, when I retire the brass I retire the whole lot and start over again. I've been having issues holding and working with small parts, so I'm trying to mechanize the process as much as possible. I also see that Hornady has come up with a trim station as well. Perhaps I could process brass for some folks at a nominal fee to help offset the purchace. I want to go with the Giraud, but if I can find something that comes close, it would be easier on the pocket.

[TAWILDCATT]

nobody has mentioned the Lyman drill press trimmer.I have one and I bought a cheap drill press $59 I believe they are still sold.It works great for taking of a little bit. I have a harbor freight minicut off saw to make conversions.:coffee:

[armyrat1970]

I don't have a power trimmer. I do them one at a time and use a, L.E. Wilson trimmer.
Every shell is the same after trimming. I could never do it with my Forster that accurate.

SHiloh

For most of my use I use the Lee Trimmers. If I want something really close I'll use my L.E. Wilson that I bought from Sinclair. Sinclair sells some other fine tools also. Like their flashole deburring tool.
Most of my stuff is Lee but I do have a little of others.

[cheese1566]

My solution for basic high volume and precision needs. But I don't do high power matches or need frequent high volume.

An old garage sale find C-H trimmer (LE Wilson style and comaptible) and a refurbished Pacific trimmer and modified cordless drill. Salvaged computer power box as a power supply.

16490

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

I have seen the RCBS unit can chamfer and deburr with the optional 3 way cutter, does anyone have any experiance with it?

I have it and two of the optional three way cutter heads. Don't waste your money, get the Giraud.

Seriously,

Dave

[Hip's Ax]

I just bought the Giraud in 223, its still in the box in my living room. I bought it because I intend to return to XTC High Power service rifle next year and have thousands of cases to deal with this winter and with every practice taking up 100 rounds I'll get a quicker turn around of my brass once the season has begun. I also bought the conversions for the Giraud for 30-06 and 308 to keep all my NM service rifles fed. I hear the Giraud accuracy is so so and only appropriate for service rifles where the required configuration of the rifle is the limiting factor and not the ammunition.

I have a Wilson that I will use for my MR and LR prone guns (260, 6XC, 30-338 and 6.5-284) where the rifle can take advantage of the accuracy of the trimmer.

I will keep my Redding trimmer for the large number of off the wall calibers I have where I'm working in 100 round batches.

[45-70bpcr]

I have it and two of the optional three way cutter heads. Don't waste your money, get the Giraud.

Seriously,

Dave

I just bought a used rcbs power trimmer at a gun show. For the $50 I paid I am very happy. I do not have the 3 way head and it is no speed demon but very accurate. If I had to pay the $220 plus for it new I don't think I would do it. To be honest I think I could keep pace with it with my wilson manual trimmer. I have found it worth the time to run through all my .223/.308 cases with my dial calipers locked on my trim length to seperate the ones that need trimmed from the ones that don't rather then just running them all thru, because it is so slow trimming. I have Lee trimmers, forster, lyman trimmer with a power adapter, and the kwik case possum hollow trimmers I chuck in my lathe and my wilson. In the manual world for me the Wilson is hands down the fastest and easiest. The possum hollow works but cuts rough and you have to push the case hard and hold on to the shell tight enough that my fingers get tired with it pretty quickly. No experience with the Giraurd but sure sounds nice if you have the funds. RCBS X-dies are on my wish list next. Would prefer not to have to trim much at all with any trimmer.