Lee Case Length Guage

[rollmyown]

Just been trimming some cases (various calibers) this morning when it occured to me I just take it as a given that the lee trim case lenghth gauges are accurate, so I thought I'd check. Using a starrett 799 caliper I was dissapointed as the actual trim lenghth was on the short side. :violin: If anyone out there is interested is seeing if the problem is unique to me or a wider problem. The guages have not seen lots of use so wear should not be a contributing factor.

[1hole]

I have never taken anything about reloading as a given until I prove it to be so.

Saying your's is trimming to the "short side" tells us little. Short of what, the maximum or the "trim to" length? And, perhaps, you could add by how much?

[rollmyown]

Up to .015 short of maximum trim length depending on caliber.
Is this a problem?
Will it be a problem on cases which headspace from the mouth?

Thanks

[mooman76]

By chance did you trim it without putting it in the chuck? I did it once not thinking and it depends on the chuck to keep it at a standard length and it will go in farther without it.

[rollmyown]

Am using the correct shellholder base in drill cordless drill.

[hk33ka1]

My gauge when turned in tight to the cutter is cutting at about 2.002" for .308. I changed to a cutter with ball grip (same gauge, shellholder and zip trim base) and now am about 2.006" which is almost perfect. Wear will eventually be an issue depending on how short you will go, then you'll need another gauge. I used the shorter 2.002" cases with no problems.

[1hole]

"Up to .015 short of maximum trim length depending on caliber. Is this a problem?"

Not generally. Maybe in some wildly non-common chamber.


"Will it be a problem on cases which headspace from the mouth?"

Being 15 thou short could result in failure to fire problems in SOME auto handguns, especially if the firing pin is a tad short and the chamber a tad long. But, I'll never know 'cause I wouldn't trim rimless handgun cases at all.

Nothing is perfect in every way but, over all, I'm quite happy with my Lee case trimmer tools and will add to my collection of length gages as time passes. Why not, they are quick, easy to use and very consistant with no set-up time. I rarely use my old Lyman Universal case trimmer any more.

[HeavyMetal]

Oddly, and bear in mind I haven't had to buy a Lee trimmer "guage' in a few years, the ones I bought were always on the long side.

I have found, particularly on auto pistol case's, that very few are longer than they need to be. What I have found is they can be all over the place unless trimmed.

9 mm is a huge case in point! Case's can vary .020 in a 50 round box in some of the cheaper brands. This makes for incnsistant case neck tension and subsiquint accuracy issues.

Back the the Lee trimer set up. I always measure some sample case's when I first purchase such a tool and decide how long they need to be with a minimum trim.

If this is shorter than the case guage I trim the pin that goes through the flash hole until I get what I want in trim to length.

The Lee pins are very hard so wear won't be an issue.

I want case's that are all the same length but not nessasarilly the length sammi spec's!

Of course some common sense needs to be used in this adjustment of course. If you think your taking way to much metal off the case send it back to Lee with a request for a specific length.

Problem should then be solved!

[wallenba]

A lot of mine are off a bit. I use them primarily now to square up the mouth of the first one in a batch and carefully cut it down to length by hand. Then I use that case as a gauge to set up my Hornady trimmer.

[Spector]

I have thought about making a lock stud for the Lee case trimmer that is hollow and threaded. Thread in a screw that has been hardened on one end and that is small enough to slide up into small primer pockets. Then you could adjust the length of cut either direction from what the fixed cut lenth of the trimmer pilot would give you. Use a fine thread and put a small jam nut on the back end to hold the adjustment.

No problem if you want a hand held lock stud. If you want one that will still fit in a cordless electric drill then the jam nut will have to be smaller than the end that is inserted in the drill. The diameter can be larger than what Lee furnishes on their factory lock stud though............Mike

I like the desgn of the Lee case trimmer, but adjustible would be better I think.......Mike

[Jerry11826]

Good thread! My experience is that hand gun cases get shorter with use. This is experienced with light loads in 45 ACP, 40 S&W, 38 Spec. and 32 S&W long. I usually start with new brass, say 1,000 new Starline cases. When I get the new cases, I test 10 - 20 with the Lee trimmer. Only a few will barely touch the cutter. Each time I reload them I mark the case head with a green slash. I try to only pick up my own brass.

I shoot them until they split. At the pressures I am using, a split is not a big problem. Normally, the rounds fire and function normally. I believe I may have loaded some of the cases 10 - 15 times.

After I start getting a few splits, I test another 10 - 20 with the Lee trimmer. None of them will touch the cutter.

Why is this? I have read many times that cases will stretch with use, but this has not been my experience with light loads in the calibers mentioned.

Does anyone have any idea why this might be true?

Thanks,

Jerry

[rollmyown]

I agree with most comments that this is a very good system. Much faster and easier than the alternatives i've used.

It would be brilliant if it were ajustable. I understand this probobly is not achievable at the low cost that lee puts on this product.

(perhaps a shim in the caseholder may do the trick)??

[fryboy]

Oddly, and bear in mind I haven't had to buy a Lee trimmer "guage' in a few years, the ones I bought were always on the long side.



If this is shorter than the case guage I trim the pin that goes through the flash hole until I get what I want in trim to length.

The Lee pins are very hard so wear won't be an issue.

!

the new ones are one piece ... i miss that old needle bearing ! it may of been slow to alter but .... IMHO this makes the new trimmers much inferior to the old ones [bummer]

[Frozone]

I only use it as is on one or two cases then measure those and stone/shim as necessary to get the length I desire. An old feeler gauge set makes a great shim source. It's far easier to stone the tip to length though, I sure prefer them long to short.

[Spector]

''(perhaps a shim in the caseholder may do the trick)??''
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I took a 44 Mag case length gauge, removed the pin and replaced it with a much longer one and use it to trim 10.4x42 Swiss Vetterli cases. I have used shim washers in the shellholder to shorten the trim length to 1.625'' to comply with Indiana's law on maximum rifle case length for deer hunting.

I would just prefer an adjustible threaded and hardened core in a lock stud with a jam nut to hold the length. I know I will have to make it though as Lee is not likely to make such an animal..........Mike

[Wally]

''(perhaps a shim in the caseholder may do the trick)??''
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I took a 44 Mag case length gauge, removed the pin and replaced it with a much longer one and use it to trim 10.4x42 Swiss Vetterli cases. I have used shim washers in the shellholder to shorten the trim length to 1.625'' to comply with Indiana's law on maximum rifle case length for deer hunting.

I would just prefer an adjustible threaded and hardened core in a lock stud with a jam nut to hold the length. I know I will have to make it though as Lee is not likely to make such an animal..........Mike

How in the world did you remove that pin...