And Not so Purty Brass...

[earlmck]

So a couple days ago I posted a picture of my newly washed 30/30 brass, which looked all ready to load. Then I had the thought that maybe I should check case lengths.
Oh gosh, oh golly oh pooh. And double pooh. -- a fair percentage are right at the limit and a small few are a bit over.

And now my true colors come out -- I like the look of a nice batch of shiny brass as well as anybody. And maybe even running my fingers through the pile. But I don't like anything about the trimming process even though you get to handle each and every case a full couple of times.

I went more years than I care to remember using the Forster hand-crank trimmer (and wore out a Herter's copy of the Forster trimmer before that). But here's my present set-up for handling the little problem using Lyman's drill-press chuck and trimmer:

DrillPressTrim.jpg

I suppose the trimming part goes about as fast as it is going to go with the drill press. But here's the weakness in my system:

TrimmedBrass.jpg

Once the brass is trimmed to length it needs inside and outside chamfering. The old Herter's universal chamfer tool was getting a little dull so I got these Lyman ones this year. Nice and sharp but still seems awful slow and tedious. With some 350 of those trimmed cases staring me in the face I could go for something a little more.... automated?

[Bill in Oregon]

Earl, mon frere, case trimming is at the very bottom of my list of things I'd like to do. Faced with trimming several hundred cases, I would rather have a root canal.
I know the various case trimmers and prep centers can take all the work out of this, but I can't get myself to want to spend more than I would on a nice rifle for more reloading gadgets, so I am not much help.

[Chuck 100 yd]

I agree, not much fun at all. I usually trim new brass after the first firing,(I do check them first to make sure they are within limits ) After the first firing , I full length resize and then trim. Doing it that way,I don`t end up with any too short or odd balls as they usually stay uniform for several shots and at that point they may end up in the scrap bin anyway. I rarely load to max. levels. No need to.

[Griff]

A paltry 350? I recently cleaned 2700+ 5.56 cases. And the vast majority of those required reaming the primer pockets.

So... I did what any smart Dad would do... I convinced my son he needed the RCBS case prep center! And that hhe should be the one to rest it out... With another freshly tumbled 2200 5.56 cases, we've yet to come together on who's going to prep them!

Hopefully we get them loaded before the process has to start over!

[Griff]

.45 Colt, BP loads... after match status, washed in hot water & dish soap, dried:


After tumbling:

[vancelw]

My wrist hurts just thinking about all that trimming...
I just got a benchtop drill press. I guess I could speed up the process, but then I'm still stuck where Earl is.

Those Hornady case prep centers are sure nice (and pricey)

[ollogger]

I use the Lee trimmers in a drill & chamfer in & out with the drill also I use a bore brush to
clean the neck, may use copper wool to clean brass. still would rather drop a anvil on foot




logger

[BrentD]

.45 Colt, BP loads... after match status, washed in hot water & dish soap, dried:

After tumbling:

If you tumbled those with steel pins instead of walnuts or whatever you used, they would be as clean on the inside as they are on the outside. The primer pockets too.

I've got some .38-40 to get after tonight. Like now.

[86er]

I'd suggest youngsters, maybe Grandchildren!

[Glenn]

Earlmck, Ollogger has the idea, put the chamfer tools in the drill press, or an electric drill and chamfer away. Much faster, no carpal-tunnel!
Glenn

[earlmck]

I would rather have a root canal.

still would rather drop a anvil on foot

Maybe I'm not so bad after all: I'll take brass prep a little bit before either root canal or anvil on foot.

I'd suggest youngsters, maybe Grandchildren!

Hah! That's just what I thought I'd try next. Great minds....

[Shasta]

I have the old style RCBS rotary trimmer. I just clamp it in my bench vice, get it set for the cartridge case I'm trimming, then remove the crank handle and slip my cordless drill onto the trimmer's shaft in place of the crank. A quick press of the drill's trigger and the case is trimmed.
My hands got so bad with arthritis that I couldn't de-burr the case mouths by hand anymore, so i got the RCBS Trim Mate Case Prep Center. It makes very short work of de-burring and cleans the crud out of the primer pockets too, all without me having to overwork my hands.

SHASTA

[Ben_Rumson]

Do a chamber cast... There might be lots of room left before you really have to trim