How do you trim cases?

Bill in Oregon · Post by **Bill in Oregon** » Tue Dec 02, 2014 3:34 pm

I absolutely hate this aspect of handloading more than any other.
I have used file trim dies and prefer them over ll other methods, but the darned things are spendy. Wish Lee would make some.
I have had the lathe-style trimmers from both Forster and Lyman and found them fiddly and wanting in every case.
I don't want to pop for a Gracie power trimmer.
Tried the cheap Harbor Freight cutter and had a hard time getting a clean cut perpendicular to the base.
I am looking to trim some 8mm Lebel brass to fireform for the .41 Swiss Vetterli.
What do you use?

Tycer · Post by **Tycer** » Tue Dec 02, 2014 4:07 pm

Forster

jnyork · Post by **jnyork** » Tue Dec 02, 2014 4:08 pm

I have used RCBS and Forster. If you get a Forster, you will throw rocks at the RCBS. Never a problem.

M. M. Wright · Post by **M. M. Wright** » Tue Dec 02, 2014 4:19 pm

I have RCBS and an old Herters that are almost the same but now I use the Lee trimmers and put the cutter in my drill press and the base holder in a drill vise. Very quick and accurate.

TedH · Post by **TedH** » Tue Dec 02, 2014 4:26 pm

I've always used the RCBS and thought it worked pretty darn good, but dang, sounds like I need to look at a Forster.

Griff · Post by **Griff** » Tue Dec 02, 2014 4:44 pm

TedH wrote:I've always used the RCBS and thought it worked pretty darn good, but dang, sounds like I need to look at a Forster.

+1. I recently converted my RCBS to the "new" lever clamp affair and the son trimmed approximately 2,000 .223 cases... I didn't find the task onerous or particularly tiring. But... he might disagree!

Post by **Chuck 100 yd** » Tue Dec 02, 2014 5:28 pm

I use the RCBS Trim Pro with a Makita cordless drill to power it. It is as fast as any trimmer I have ever used or seen.
I trim my .223 cases after every shot just to make sure an odd one don`t slip through (range pick up?). It barley touches most but an occasional one does need it. I have found my ammo is much more accurate that way and I have zero feed or extraction issues. I am using RCBS small base dies with the taper crimp.

Shasta · Post by **Shasta** » Tue Dec 02, 2014 5:33 pm

I have always used the old style RCBS trimmers. I have several of them, and have never had a problem getting one set for a given case length.
I don't crank them by hand like I used to. Now I clamp the trimmer in my vice, remove the crank handle, chuck my cordless drill onto the trimmer's shaft, and spin away. I am careful to keep the shaft well lubricated since it is now turning so much faster.
Freshly trimmed cases are power de-burred inside and out using an RCBS Trim Mate.

SHASTA

Sixgun · Post by **Sixgun** » Tue Dec 02, 2014 5:53 pm

Forster.......and it's all in your head....it how you set the tool up.....I made an adapter so I can hook up a small drill to make the power.

If I have a zillion cases to do, I have another Forster tool I use on my drill press.

Bronco · Post by **Bronco** » Tue Dec 02, 2014 5:59 pm

I use the rcbs three way trimmer! One step operation... length, inside AND outside champher. If I have a lot. hook up the drill to it .

John

J Miller · Post by **J Miller** » Tue Dec 02, 2014 6:09 pm

Forster. Been using the same one for nigh on to 30 +- years now. Might be better ones out there but I'm slow to change.

Joe

Bill in Oregon · Post by **Bill in Oregon** » Tue Dec 02, 2014 6:38 pm

Looking at the Forster Web site, I think I might order the power trimmer to be used on a drill press ...

Rusty · Post by **Rusty** » Tue Dec 02, 2014 7:29 pm

Lee for me. I find it a good way to take a slow look at the cases as well.

DadsMod12 · Post by **DadsMod12** » Tue Dec 02, 2014 8:44 pm

Carefully

With an older RCBS. Haven't used it much, but no problems so far.

AJMD429 · Post by **AJMD429** » Tue Dec 02, 2014 9:11 pm

Rusty wrote:Lee for me. I find it a good way to take a slow look at the cases as well.

Same here - the two things I WILL do while watching a movie are deprime cases (with the Lee hand-press), and inspect/trim cases, using the Lee hand-trimmer. I am in no rush, but when I experimented with the "chuck it in a drill" option, what I found with the Lee, was it was MUCH FASTER to chuck the TRIMMER (cutter/base, and attached length-rod) in the drill (had one of mine turned down to 1/4" for that purpose), and rapidly put the cases in and out of the "case holder" and keep that in my hand, instead of trying to have that part in a drill.

Here's a thread I posted on it - viewtopic.php?f=1&t=11878

Never a problem with precision or speed that I've seen; only issue would be if I wanted a non-standard trim length, but even then all I would have to do is get a same-caliber rod for a longer round, and file down the tip, for an unusually-long trim length, and just file the existing rod down for a shorter trim length. Never did either, though.

Old Ironsights · Post by **Old Ironsights** » Tue Dec 02, 2014 9:21 pm

What, nobody uses a bandsaw?

AJMD429 · Post by **AJMD429** » Tue Dec 02, 2014 10:05 pm

Old Ironsights wrote:What, nobody uses a bandsaw?

I heard Grizz just bites the ends off...

Ray Newman · Post by **Ray Newman** » Tue Dec 02, 2014 10:12 pm

Bought a Sinclair micrometer enhanced Wilson a few years. And never looked back. old/gave away file trim dies and the Redding is some place out ion the shed where I would not forget Where I stored it....

Bought the case holders for the most shot calibres first, then slowly bought case holders for others calibres that are not shot as much.

http://www.sinclairintl.com/reloading-e ... 54116.aspx

flatnose · Post by **flatnose** » Tue Dec 02, 2014 11:15 pm

Bill, how much do you need to take off the lebel brass?
Just finished trimming and annealing 400 brass for 30-06, 22-250 45-70 and 30-30. i use a lee cutter and a holder chucked in a drill.

guido4198 · Post by **guido4198** » Wed Dec 03, 2014 4:18 am

Wilson...hand crank.
LOVE it, but then I'm not trying to trim thousands of cases. A few hundred are no problem however.

Bill in Oregon · Post by **Bill in Oregon** » Wed Dec 03, 2014 1:46 pm

Have to trim about 5 mm off the Lebel brass.

Old Ironsights · Post by **Old Ironsights** » Wed Dec 03, 2014 11:13 pm

5 MM?!?

Trimmers are made for removing hundredths or thousandths. Maybe you DO need a band saw (and THEN a trimmer...)

earlmck · Post by **earlmck** » Thu Dec 04, 2014 12:31 am

If I'm just going to trim a few I use an elderly Forster, but how often do you ever just trim a few?

My main trimmer is the Lyman setup used in a drill press. For sure if I needed to take off something approaching 5mm I'd be using that drill press and thanking my lucky stars I had it available...

flatnose · Post by **flatnose** » Thu Dec 04, 2014 2:57 am

This is the most affordable and a fast way. Not my video.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1dH5-tYKFk
Rough cut the case with a dremel first, and use everthing you see in the video. You will also need the case length gauge that screws into the lee cutter for 8mm. I don't think that lee makes a cutter for the lebel, but using that would result in a too short of a fireformed case anyway. You will need the 3 jaw chuck and adaptor.
If you go to steve's pages, http://www.stevespages.com/page8d.htm he has cartridge case length drawings, and it would appear that either a 32 win special or a 325 winchester short magnum case length gauge from lee will do the job. You can grind the tip of the gauge to shorten if required.

Canuck Bob · Post by **Canuck Bob** » Thu Dec 04, 2014 3:20 pm

I use dedicated Lee hand trimmers. A glorified go-no go that trims I guess. Easy and fast but it seems I'm out of step to most folks!

Bill in Oregon · Post by **Bill in Oregon** » Sat Dec 06, 2014 10:39 am

Flatnose, with a .621 base diameter, I don't think Lebel brass will fit into that Lee three-jaw chuck.
Earl, I am going to try to put something together that will work on the drill press I just ordered (having given away my last one before we moved).

pharmseller · Post by **pharmseller** » Wed Dec 10, 2014 4:42 pm

Google "world's finest trimmer."

That's all I use.

P

Dan 444 · Post by **Dan 444** » Wed Dec 10, 2014 5:25 pm

Lee Trim Length Gauges for each cartridge.

Dan

Bill in Oregon · Post by **Bill in Oregon** » Wed Dec 10, 2014 6:41 pm

Pharmie, isn't the WFT caliber specific?

Hagler · Post by **Hagler** » Thu Dec 11, 2014 2:06 am

Bill,

Some people use the HARBOR FREIGHT MINI CHOPSAW, when they fabricate 300 Blackout brass:

http://www.harborfreight.com/power-tool ... 61900.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6q-N4nai6_4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLHMPJJsXhw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-IIHN6cYf4

Shawn

cnjarvis · Post by **cnjarvis** » Fri Dec 12, 2014 4:58 pm

AJMD429 wrote:
Rusty wrote:Lee for me. I find it a good way to take a slow look at the cases as well.
Same here - the two things I WILL do while watching a movie are deprime cases (with the Lee hand-press), and inspect/trim cases, using the Lee hand-trimmer. I am in no rush, but when I experimented with the "chuck it in a drill" option, what I found with the Lee, was it was MUCH FASTER to chuck the TRIMMER (cutter/base, and attached length-rod) in the drill (had one of mine turned down to 1/4" for that purpose), and rapidly put the cases in and out of the "case holder" and keep that in my hand, instead of trying to have that part in a drill.

Here's a thread I posted on it - viewtopic.php?f=1&t=11878

Never a problem with precision or speed that I've seen; only issue would be if I wanted a non-standard trim length, but even then all I would have to do is get a same-caliber rod for a longer round, and file down the tip, for an unusually-long trim length, and just file the existing rod down for a shorter trim length. Never did either, though.

I trim mine the same way but I chuck the cutter in my drill press and turn it on at its lowest speed.

Bill in Oregon · Post by **Bill in Oregon** » Fri Dec 12, 2014 5:45 pm

Hagler, I had an older model of that saw and can't remember why I didn't like it. Wow, it sucks to get old!

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