Case Trimming. What are you using?

[LostSoul]

This is going to be a new subject for me, I've only loaded for 9x19 and .38/.357, and I've never needed to trim cases. I have little experience, and it's been a few years now since I've reloaded, but I believe I've loaded cases 3 times for .357 and they still never stretched enough to need trimming. Now I'm venturing into RIFLE reloading and casting (starting with 7.92x57 for my Gewehr 88) so now I assume I'm going to have to trim cases... The Lee gauges and trimmer and whatnot seems to be the most affordable way in, but frankly I don't understand how it works, and it looks cumbersome. Various companies make lathe-like trimmers that make more sense to me, but they're obviously more expensive and I'm still not wrapping my head completely around the process. What are you using? And more importantly... WHY?

[Skunk1]

At the moment I’m just using the Lee trimmers. Have an rcbs trimmer but not using as I’m not shooting as much rifle right now. Shoulders have been aching for awhile. Lee trimmers are pretty easy to use with a drill of some sort. You need the trimmer and cutter for these.


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[rodsvet]

I'd go with any of the small lathe type trimmers. I have an old Forester that I bought around 1970. Keep it lubed and it will last a lifetime. I use it for not so common type calibers. Most of my shooting now is .308 and 5.56 so in invested in a Dillon power trimmer. Expensive but really fast. I doubt that your caliber would be available in the limited sizing dies that are used in the motor housing. But then again, you aren't shooting 1,000 to 1,500 rounds each time you go out to shoot. A small unit like the one sold at Midway sounds like what you need. Enjoy!!

[Outpost75]

The Lee Quik Trim in the loading press is what I use. Very consistent and easy to use.

The regular Lee case trimmer which uses a length gage with pin which bottoms against the case older and lock stud HAS BEEN CHANGED!!! The old version used a hardened steel 1/16" needle bearing pin, and was durable, held its length and lasted forever.

NOW the pin is turned integral with the length gage and is SOFT so that if you run the Lee case trimmer under power, as many of us do, the end of the pin wears rapidly, so that length is not consistent and the pin soon bends, fatigues and SNAPS OFF!

DO NOT BUY THE REGULAR LEE CASE TRIMMER IF YOU INTEND TO RUN IT UNDER POWER. A waste of money.

[Rockzilla]

Forster, Lyman, for small runs, Giraud for large runs.

-Rock

[daboone]

Lee case length has worked well for me and are simple to set up and use. Haven't used them much since I got the Wilson Sinclar.

[Moleman-]

I have a lyman and a Forster. I think the Forster is more accurate, but the Lyman is built heavier and has a quicker case chuck v/s the collet of the forster.

[metricmonkeywrench]

Started out with a hand me down Lyman with a standard (not carbide) cutter, the universal shell holder is nice and the accessory kit will let you cut primer pockets true. There is also a neck turning accessory available. On mine however the shaft bearing is worn and the cutter shaft wobbles a bit slowing down the process as I try to keep an even pressure until the shaft hits the adjuster stop. Despite this it seems to cut true.

I recently upgraded to a Forster which seems to cut much better but as said before the collet style is a bit slower to load the shell. It has pretty much the same accessory package available. There is also a larger selection of pilots available. Overall it seems to be a lot more refined and smother than the Lyman.

To date on both I have trimmed .38, .357, 30-30 and 30-06 with both and would give the Forster the edge.

[AnthonyB]

+ 1 on the Giraud trimmer. Kids bought me one for Christmas and it is incredibly fast and easy to use. Well worth the money to me since I have buckets of 5.56 to process before the zombie apocalypse. Now I need something for straight wall cases.

[maxreloader]

Only works with cases that have a shoulder (rifle) but I cant believe nobody has mentioned the WFT trimmers by Little Crow Gunworks. They work AMAZINGLY fast and are right-on. WAY less $$$ than the Giraud as well. The WFT 2 has interchangeable inserts that space on the shoulder so no changing oal everytime you change a pilot. check them out. I have no interest in the company besides liking their product.

[country gent]

Depending on your other tooling you have, may also make a decision on your choices.
The lee set sets length and is non adjustable with the one set up Its inexespensive and adding calibers is a small cost. It does a good job and can be ran under power easily with a drill motor, drill press, lathe or other tools. It cuts well and does a good job. The dead length set by the caliber rod and pin is accurate but not easily adjustable. SO measuring ( other than the first use to verify isn't needed)

The lathe types Lyman, RCBS, Foster, Reddings and Hornadays are very useable units. fully adjustable as to length, cutter heads may be available to chamfer deburr and trim all together with them. They require different mounting set ups also. They can be powered with a drill motor or drill press but may require a more specialized set up. A lot come with collets and pilots to trim most popular calibers with out added equipment purchases. They are very useable and universal. Measuring becomes important with these as they are adjustable and need to be "set" to a given cartridge length.

The Wilson and sinclairs are very good set up easily and are very accurate as to squarness and length. A special case holder is needed for each caliber. They are smaller and take up less room of the bench than the Lathe types above. This style has been a benchrest standard for a long time. Easily djustable to dead length the stop sets on case head and trimmer cuts mouth to its stop. Dead accurate. Again measureing is critical to set up.

The Gracey and Giraurd are very fast for bottle necked cases working off the shoulder of the brass as the stop so sizing becomes important here also. Again clamped to a bench they take up some room. For large batches they do a wonderful job quickly and accurately. Adjustable for length and they trim chamfer and deburr in one pass. They also contain chips better than the above. there are adapters to run a shop vac on these to control chips.

The last are the drill press mounted set ups. Forester has one a base for holding cases and a cutter pilot in the spindle chuck. As accurate as the drill presses stop is. are fast and simple to use. Squarness and accuracy are dependant on the drill press. The first lee set up can be made into a nice drill press trimmer by setting the shell holder stem into a block of aluminum or steel and set screwing the stem in place. I have made these up with 6"length of 3/8" X 2" flat stock in center a piece of 1/2" key stock 3" long 1/4 " machine screws bolting together hole on center and #10 set screw to lock in place on the flats. The dead length of the Lee takes the drill presses stop out of the equation.

I haven't used the WFT or Possum hollow so cant comment on them

[kayala]

100 and under I use RCBS & Wilson. 100+ I setup my Dillon and zoom through (only exception to this rule is 9x18Mak conversion - don't have that die for Dillon, so RCBS + drill)

[dhain]

I used one of the lathe-style trimmers when I first started doing rifle cartridges but found it slow and cumbersome. I switched to the Lee system with a cordless drill and haven’t looked back. It is cost effective, simple and does a good job.

[Dadswickedammo]

Lil crow's world's finest trimmer.
Indexes off the shoulder of a sized case attaches to a drill I can do 4 to 500 an hour.

[Rockzilla]

Also forgot the Giraud tri-way case trimmer needs a drill or drill press
same principal as the self powered version. It's about $100
I think.

-Rock!

[fast ronnie]

I do mine in the milling machine set up with a snap open collet system. For a cutter, I use a piloted counterbore. It is basically like a Forster drill press setup, only more easy to set an exact length.

[rbt50]

Giraud and dillon

[gpidaho]

I use the Lyman Easy Trim and the RCBS Trim Pro. The "Easy Trim" is what the Lee post style trimmers should be. They give a good grip on the case and are consistent. Gp

[EDG]

I have Lee hand trimmers for a few rounds, Forster trimmers and Wilson trimmers. I have multiple trimmers because they came with loading components that I got cheap.

I have used a Forster long and hard since 1975. It has been powered by a drill press, a power screw driver and a power drill at different times.
With a full set of collets and pilots it will trim everything from a .222 to a .45-70. You can also add a case neck turner with a set of neck turning pilots. The Forster trimmers can be found in like new condition for $25 to $40 if you are a good shopper. They have been in production a long time and there are lots of them around. They last forever if protected from rust.

I also have several Wilson trimmers. They also work well but the case holders are expensive and it takes a lot of them to cover all possible cartridges.

[Artful]

Forster

but to make 300 black out I just pay my buddy to run 'em thru his 1050 Dillon with Dillon Trimmer