Lee zip trim vs Forester Case Trimmer

[sheepdog]

I was going to buy a zip trim but a guy is offering me a Forester Case Trimmer and collet accessory kit for $60. Is this worth the extra cost?

[1hole]

Well, yeah, it's worth the cost IF you will use the extra capabilities. But, if all you want is to shoot safely and at lowest cost, no.

Both tools are aimed at specific markets. The Lee is quick, simple and inexpensive but does a very good job of trimming to a fixed lenght; that's really all most folks need. The Forster and others like it require a bit of adjustment tweaking to attain the desired length and is more prone to error because of that but the added flexibiltiy is appealing to many users.

Bottom line, make an educated choice based on your needs and get the best tool for what you do, not what someone else does.

[StarMetal]

Don't let 1hole scare you away from the Forster, it's an excellent tool. All you do is take a correct length case and put it in the Forster and set the length adjustment collar and lock it. You're set. He mentioned flexing. Yeah, if your cutter is dull and you're using extreme force to trim your case there probably is some flex. Used properly it's one of the best out there. The accessories are dynamite, especially the outside neck turner, which I surmise someday you may need when forming one brass to another caliber. If you have a lathe, even a drill press, you can make addition caliber trimming pilots for your different caliber cartridges.

I'd get the Forster.

Joe

[jgt]

I have the forester and a couple of wilsons, to my surprise the lee trimmer is a lot more accurate by far than the others. I am using the hand trimmer without the zip fixture. I would highly recommend the lee.

[1hole]

"He mentioned flexing. Yeah, if your cutter is dull and you're using extreme force to trim your case there probably is some flex."

Star, just a point of fact; Flexable is a lot different from flexability in a tool. Flexabiltily includes the ability to adjust cut lenght to anything you may want whereas the Lee cuts to a fixed (non-flexible) length. It also means you can do more than a single function on it. Forster has a neck turning attachiment, a bullet hollow pointing drill, etc. That's flexability, but it's not flexable. ;)

And getting a length of cut set exactly as you wish it on any lathe type trimmer is a bit more involved than simply using a standard case as a gage but it will quickly get you close. I suppose most of do it that way, right?

[mooman76]

I like the Lee with the adapter to put on a drill. Works good and is almost idiot proof.

[selmerfan]

I love my Forster, buying a Wilson didn't convince me to ditch the Forster, it convinced me to sell the Wilson. Very VERSATILE tool - outside neck turning, case trimming, hollow pointing bullets, etc.

[StarMetal]

"He mentioned flexing. Yeah, if your cutter is dull and you're using extreme force to trim your case there probably is some flex."

Star, just a point of fact; Flexable is a lot different from flexability in a tool. Flexabiltily includes the ability to adjust cut lenght to anything you may want whereas the Lee cuts to a fixed (non-flexible) length. It also means you can do more than a single function on it. Forster has a neck turning attachiment, a bullet hollow pointing drill, etc. That's flexability, but it's not flexable. ;)

And getting a length of cut set exactly as you wish it on any lathe type trimmer is a bit more involved than simply using a standard case as a gage but it will quickly get you close. I suppose most of do it that way, right?

Yes that's right...I agree. The Forster is a great tool though. Maybe the time it takes for you to grab your different caliber Lee tool from drawer is about the same for me to change the pilot and set the length.

Joe

[Bret4207]

Far as I know the Lee is a nonadjustable tool. It works, but what if you have varying case lengths? Just trimming to the max accomplishes nothing.

I vote the Forster.

[dogbert41]

IThe Lee is inexpensive and trims your brass perfectly square and at the perfect length. Best bang for the buck in brass trimmings. it's fool proof.

But when you process a thousand and more rounds of 5.56 at a pop, it's nice to have something faster.

[saz]

I like the Lee with the adapter to put on a drill. Works good and is almost idiot proof.

+1

The lee is the setup is what I use simply because the handloading I do does not require any differing case lengths. I have tinkered with OAL for leverguns, (IE trinning brass to the crimp groove) and I wound up with 2 courses of action.
#1. I figured out what the ideal Length brass should be, bought another lee case trinner stud and shortened it to the desired length. Took about 5 minutes.

#2. If the OAL leaves the boolit where the case mouth is quite a bit above or below the crimp groove, I just use the Lee factory crimp die and make my own crimp groove.

Either way it works for me.

Although, I have been eyeballing that Acculine trimmer from Lyman.............

[Lead Fred]

Ive been using a Wilson for 45 years. I just got rid of my Forester. I had it and a RCBS for spares. I do not like the shell holders.

Ill stick with the Wilson for another 45 years (cept I wont last that long)

[dromia]

Far as I know the Lee is a nonadjustable tool. It works, but what if you have varying case lengths? Just trimming to the max accomplishes nothing.

I vote the Forster.


Bret is right, you are comparing apple and oranges.

The Lee is a fixed length trimmer and if that is all you need then go for that.

However if you are trimming for good case/chamber fit for a specific rifle then you will need an adjustable and the Forster is an excellent adjustable trimmer as has already been pointed out.

[rob45]

But when you process a thousand and more rounds of 5.56 at a pop, it's nice to have something faster.

dogbert41,

If you are shooting that type of volume, you need to consider one of the Giraud trimmers. My arthritis flares up simply thinking of doing that much at one sitting.:(

http://www.giraudtool.com/index.html

Those boys shooting highpower go nuts over this trimmer.

[jonk]

I never liked the zip trim. Too chinsy. But the cutter stud and pilot itself, good stuff. Chuck in a drill and away you go- I can do 100 cases in 20 minutes. Not rocket fast but pretty good.

[1hole]

"Far as I know the Lee is a nonadjustable tool. It works, but what if you have varying case lengths? Just trimming to the max accomplishes nothing."

You are correct that it is not adjustable. You are incorrect that it cuts to "max" length. In fact it cuts some 10 thou shorter, what is normally considered a proper "trim to" lenght.

[skeet1]

I use the Lee case trimmer with the cutter chucked in a drill press running on the slowest speed. I use a magnetic screw driver handle to hold the shell holder and stud and run the case up to the turning cutter. This works great for me, its quick and you can trim a lot of cases in a hurry.

Skeet1

[kevbo]

The Lee trimmers can be "adjusted" to cut cases a bit longer by shimming between the cutter and the stud with a washer, or washer shaped piece(s) of shim stock. Not elegant, but easy to repeat exactly if you keep the shims with the stud for each caliber.

[dogbert41]

dogbert41,

If you are shooting that type of volume, you need to consider one of the Giraud trimmers. My arthritis flares up simply thinking of doing that much at one sitting.:(

http://www.giraudtool.com/index.html

Those boys shooting highpower go nuts over this trimmer.

I would love to have one, but they are pricey. I discovered the Possum Hollow Qwick trimmer. It fits in my electric drill, which fits in an ammo box (I didn't have to build a stand or anything). It works off the shoulder of the case, same as the Giraud. I am able to press the drill button with one hand while pushing the case in with the other until there's no more resistance. Very quick. Can do hundres in no time at all. It's about 30 bucks if I remember correctly.

Shavings fall in the box for easy cleanup. Finish processing with my RCBS case prep center.

There are easier and better ways though, no doubt. But for $30 bucks...

[Recluse]

I like the Lee trimming system for certain calibers and applications, but the Lee Zip Trim unit is a piece of junk. Period. That's the bad news. Good news is that Lee knows it and doesn't even protest when you call them up and tell them you're sending another one--that broke--back to them for replacement.

I also like the Lee 3-key/jaw chuck thing. I put one in a cheap Harbor Freight drill press, and I can trim cases fast, smooth and accurate that way.

But there is no way in Hades I'd ever process over a thousand pieces of ANY caliber brass with a manual crank case trimmer.

Ain't enough Aleve Arthritis Strength at my local drugstore to take away the pain that would cause.

I'm thinking of getting a Forster just for drilling hollow-points.

:coffee:

[stephen perry]

Sounds like chickens fighting over what's left of the droppings.

First I think everything LEE makes is well thought out and the best bang for the buck. I have some LEE not all.

Trimming cases depending on how many is simple and hard to mess up. Don't think less of me if I throw in a few BR references from time to time. Also don't chastise me if I tell you I was trimming cases with my Forrester trimmer at the age of 13 back in 1963. The reason I had so much experience at case trimming back then was because my old man insisted I make my .222 cases out of WCC .223 cases.
As some know this is an easy process. One pass of a .223 WCC case through my CH .222 sizing die and I had a .222 case. Sounds good except I had to trim off
.070 of excess neck material to get down to the 1.700 max case length for a .222.
Doesn't sound like allot of trimming until you trim 100 cases. A grown man would quit half through and go have a couple beers. Not me I trimmed until my fingers turned blue usually an hour and a half for 100 cases. Sure my cutter was dull but they get that way after trimming 1000's of cases.

Now I'm older, a BR shooter, and am not trimming .070 off cases. If I had the Lee trimmer with drill back then would have been a quick easy process but I didn't. I have a Forrester, Wilson, Lee, and CH trimmer. But what I use the most is my hand held speed trimmer that my bud made for Sinclair. These I have in 22 and 6 easy adjustment when you hear the squeeling noise you are done. Still need to inside/outside chamfer, I use my LEE even though I have a Forrester and a Wilson chamfer tool. I still use my Forrester and Wilson for anything different than 22 and 6 cases.

Stephen Perry
Angeles BR :brokenima

[kelbro]

The Lee 3-jaw chuck in a slow drill press combined with a Possum Hollow trimmer makes short work of a batch of brass.

[HeavyMetal]

I have a Lee three jaw chuck and a 24 volt cordless drill set up to do case trimming.

Fast, easy, and quick! As to adjustable? Not really but if you pick a case length and trim the "pin" end of the trimmer stud to shorten it you can make all your cases the same length.

I have had short cases so would rather not fight with one or two odd ball length cases a few thousandthd shoter than trim to length won't hut anything and certainly make case length a lot more predictable which helps crimp in both revolver and auto cartridges!

By the way hate the Zip trim!