Trimming cases for me will never be fun, but I just bought a Lee Case Trimmer setup, and it works better than I hoped and is very inexpensive.

For those of you who use another trimming system, let me suggest you try one of these. They're cheap, easy, and effective. It's not really a kit, so you figure out exactly what you need. I bought a (1) Lock Stud and Cutter, and (2) a package that holds a Case Length Gauge and Shellholder, and finished off with (3) a Chamfering tool.

You fit the Lock Stud into the jaws of a hand drill, then screw a Shellholder onto that, tightening it to lock the deprimed case into place. You then insert the Case Length Gauge specific to that cartridge into the mouth of the case where it bottoms out against the Lock Stud through the empty pimer hole. The cutter is attached to the top of the Case Length Gauge. With the bottomed-out Case Length Gauge setting the proper cut length automatically, you just use the drill to spin the case, and the cutter cuts the right amount of case, then stops cutting when no more case is presented.

One spin inside and one spin outside with the Chamfering tool finishes that chore, too, and you're done. Pretty slick.

Any power tool speeds the trimming process, but the real benefit of the Lee system is the "measuring" phase. Instead of a pilot system and a mini-lathe that requires finicky, trial and error measurements to find the right cut length each time I change cartridges, the Lee tool is self-measuring, which completely eliminates that step.

And all these parts (not the drill, of course) cost $8.97 at Midway. Slick and inexpensive. I'm selling my Forster case trimmer.

Jaywalker

I lucked out (they seem to be the most reasonable-and I have Scottish genes) and bought mine in the beginning.

Easy to use, no worry, no hassle.

I do use a variable speed electric drill to spend the cases.

I been using Lee trimmers since I started.

Looked at a Lyman trim set once, because a friend told me it would give more control on trim length. He was right, but for $100 I don't need that much control. If I shot matches, I might think about it.

Me too! They work great as long as they make em for the particular caliber you load for, but they don't make em for everything, unfortunately. Then I use a Lyman Universal.

They will custom make one for you for about $10.00.
Pete

quote:

Originally posted by wrongtarget:
Me too! They work great as long as they make em for the particular caliber you load for, but they don't make em for everything, unfortunately.

WRONG, Lee will make a custom trim set. It will cost more than a std., but it can be done. Give them a call and tell them what you are looking for.

Hog Killer

maybe it was me, but I could not tighten the lock on the case enough by hand to keep them from occassionally slipping out under power. Judicious use of pliers helped.

Also, I had to fiddle with them to keep the runout from being excessive. This worried me as The hardened pin was in my recently sized (and hopefully perfectly straight) neck.

Anyone else have these problems?

I really like concept. I would think it would work much better to spin the cutter rather than the case. You would not have to lock down the case so tight.

quote:

Originally posted by Hog Killer:

quote:

Originally posted by wrongtarget:
Me too! They work great as long as they make em for the particular caliber you load for, but they don't make em for everything, unfortunately.

WRONG, Lee will make a custom trim set. It will cost more than a std., but it can be done. Give them a call and tell them what you are looking for.

Hog Killer

Yeahbut, but I only paid $10 for the Lyman trimmer and it does everything I need it for, I use it for .405 Winchester and .45-120. I modified a .22-250 lee trimmer for my .204, cost was $2.50 and a little elbow grease!!

I thought about why they spin the case instead of the cutter, and came to the conclusion that it's a safety issue - unprotected spinning cutter.

I think the worst case slipping happens when the case is particularly long and the cutter is taking a big bite. It helps to press down not quite so hard at first.

Jaywalker

With the cutter spinning it is not necessary to stop and start the motor for each case, but you do not get to deburr or polish the case in the same setup.
I chuck the cutter in the drill press or the lathe.
Cheers from Darkest California,
Ross

I took the extra step to get a Lee Zip Trim

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=515804

and a Universal 3 Jaw Chuck

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=352653

Mount the Zip Trim on a piece of 2x4 and lock in bench vise.

Easier for me than holding the drill and quicker to lock the case in with a little practice.

Also spread a little flitz on it and spread it with one of those little sponges that come in the top of a bullet box. Hold a rag against it for clean up and it shines and has a protective coating all in one.

Wind a little steel wool on a 22 caliber bore brush and smooth out the inside of the neck and take out all the burrs and scratches.

Just my way of doing it.

I'm glad somebody else found and realized how great of tool the Lee case trimmers are. Inexpensive and easy to use... Now, If someone would make a case neck turning tool that is that accurate, inexpensive and easy to use, they would be wealthy beyond means and have alot of happy customers to boot...

If you get one of those large ball handles to put the cutter in, it makes it easier to hold. Wonderful addition to the Lee cutter.

I saw the other day a rotating collet style case holder for a Forster trimmer. That would be a nice thing for the drill. I have gotten old and artheritic and locking down the case in the stud on the drill sometimes hurts the heck out of my thumb. Kudude

quote:

Originally posted by metalman29:
maybe it was me, but I could not tighten the lock on the case enough by hand to keep them from occassionally slipping out under power. Judicious use of pliers helped.

Also, I had to fiddle with them to keep the runout from being excessive. This worried me as The hardened pin was in my recently sized (and hopefully perfectly straight) neck.

Anyone else have these problems?

I really like concept. I would think it would work much better to spin the cutter rather than the case. You would not have to lock down the case so tight.

I usually check the cases afterwards. If I really screwed up on one, it goes into a pile and I either FL resize or more often use my Collect die and neck size it. That helps limit the runout, but does add an extra step at times.

I'm not reloading for match but for fun and varmit shooting.