I'm thinking about getting an RCBS Trim Pro power case trimmer. I have two questions for those familiar with this product:

1. Do you like it?

2. With the RCBS three way cutter, do you have to have a separate three way cutter for each caliber or does having a pilot for each caliber suffice?

You'll need a separate 3-way trimmer for each caliber you'll be trimming.

The answer to your first question is yes.

The answer to your second question is yes and no.

The 3 Way cutter is a PITA to get setup. Once it is setup, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it. You'll kill the man that messes with it. You'll shoot him like the low down dog he is! You'll want 1 for each caliber.

1. I love it!

2. The pilots are part of the cutter. I have separate cutters for my main calibers, but not all of them. I have 22, 25 and 7mm cutters.

I guess I have other questions.

What is used to hold the cartridge in place while being trimmed? Are standard shell holders used, special shell holders or some type of universal collet?

If I'm reading things correctly, one may use something besides the three way cutter so I presume that would be used for calibers for which you didn't have a caliber specific three way cutter?

I've pretty much decided to get this trimmer and just want to be sure I order all I need with the first try.

Don't waste your money with power trimmers from Lyman, RCBS, or the others. The reason is they don't have enough RPM to cut effectively. They use too small of a motor that lacks power, and the only way they can get around that is by gearing the motor itself down in RPM to gain torque. Instead invest in one of these:

http://www.giraudtool.com/prod02.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGYLmHvKVd0

This tool trims the case to length + -.002, and chamfers both the inside as well as the outside of the case at the same time. All in one single operation. With all of the others, including the Dillon you must chamfer to remove the burr in a seperate operation. Once you use this tool you'll wonder how you ever lived without it. It works unbelievably well. I trimmed 2,350 .223 cases in less than 3 hours start to finish. It would have taken days with the other units. Bill T.

quote:

Originally posted by Grumulkin:
I guess I have other questions.

What is used to hold the cartridge in place while being trimmed? Are standard shell holders used, special shell holders or some type of universal collet?

If I'm reading things correctly, one may use something besides the three way cutter so I presume that would be used for calibers for which you didn't have a caliber specific three way cutter?

I've pretty much decided to get this trimmer and just want to be sure I order all I need with the first try.

This is the shell holder.



This is the cutter and one of the pilots that comes with the trimmer, also shown with the 3 Way cutter.

quote:

Originally posted by billt:
Don't waste your money with power trimmers from Lyman, RCBS, or the others. The reason is they don't have enough RPM to cut effectively. They use too small of a motor that lacks power, and the only way they can get around that is by gearing the motor itself down in RPM to gain torque. Instead invest in one of these:

http://www.giraudtool.com/prod02.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGYLmHvKVd0

This tool trims the case to length + -.002, and chamfers both the inside as well as the outside of the case at the same time. All in one single operation. With all of the others, including the Dillon you must chamfer to remove the burr in a seperate operation. Once you use this tool you'll wonder how you ever lived without it. It works unbelievably well. I trimmed 2,350 .223 cases in less than 3 hours start to finish. It would have taken days with the other units. Bill T.

That’s one quick machine. If I were reloading for a shooting club or police force I’d own one. I don’t think I can justify owning one for my reloading. With the cartridges I reload for I would have a lot of money tied up in a machine that would just sit on a shelf for 11 months out of the year.

quote:

Originally posted by billt:
Don't waste your money with power trimmers from Lyman, RCBS, or the others. The reason is they don't have enough RPM to cut effectively. They use too small of a motor that lacks power, and the only way they can get around that is by gearing the motor itself down in RPM to gain torque. Instead invest in one of these:

http://www.giraudtool.com/prod02.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGYLmHvKVd0

This tool trims the case to length + -.002, and chamfers both the inside as well as the outside of the case at the same time. All in one single operation. With all of the others, including the Dillon you must chamfer to remove the burr in a seperate operation. Once you use this tool you'll wonder how you ever lived without it. It works unbelievably well. I trimmed 2,350 .223 cases in less than 3 hours start to finish. It would have taken days with the other units. Bill T.

X2.

I also like the dillon trimmer.


Also, this is better than the Pro-Trim:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...1XsA&feature=related

RCBS Trim Pro 3-Way Cutter 22 Caliber,
Lee Shellholder 223,
Lee Lock stud,
Rockwell mill,
Kurt vise,
vise grips,


This is the best set up I have tried, but then I figured out that the trick is to NOT trim .

The manuals are short by .010" ~ .015" as to what his the max case length, given the factory chamber breech to neck distance minus the headspace [Headspace allows the firing pin to push the case forward, so the brass to neck must be shorter than the chamber by the amount the brass is shorter to the shoulder than the chamber].

What does it all mean?
A) If you FL size and believe the manuals, you need to trimming.
B) If you use your senses, FL only once, and use a Lee collet neck die the rest of the time, you can probably avoid trimming, even with 72kpsi loads.

I really appreciate all the photos and suggestions.

I would agree that the Giraud trimmer is the Cadillac of trimmers but, if I understand its use correctly, it would be a bit expensive and/or a pain to equip one to trim many different cartridges. If I were only going to have to trim 2 or 3 different cartridges, it's what I would get. I need the capability to trim at least 20 different ones.

Neck sizing does cut down on the need to trim but I can't just neck size if the cartridge is to fit in different guns or for semiauto use.

quote:

I've pretty much decided to get this trimmer and just want to be sure I order all I need with the first try.

Don't forget to order shell holders.

Does anyone use the RCBS three-way cutter with the Forster vertical case holder (drill press attachment)?

I hardly ever use my trimpro anymore. I use a lee lock stud in an elec drill. Take a look here...it's the poor mans way of doing things but it still goes really quick....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sGHoNd6vfA

I would fire up my trimpro if I had more than say....75 cases to do at a time. My 3 way cutter always leaves heavy scratches on the inside of the case neck where the pilot rubs...I contacted rcbs and they said it was not unusual and wouldn't hurt anything.

One last comment about "don't trim unless you have to"....ABSOLUTELY TRUE!! I also have the sinclair lead inserts to check chamber length. Many are at least .015-.020 over saama spec. I have several guns that NEVER NEED TRIMMING for the life of the brass.....for me usually 6-7 loadings. (And that is the fastest trimmer in the world.....not needing to)

quote:

Originally posted by Grumulkin:
I'm thinking about getting an RCBS Trim Pro power case trimmer. I have two questions for those familiar with this product:

1. Do you like it?

2. With the RCBS three way cutter, do you have to have a separate three way cutter for each caliber or does having a pilot for each caliber suffice?

I have used my Trim Pro for many years and have put more cases through it that I can keep up with. When I trim I set it up for the caliber and generally run 500 or generally more through at a sitting.

I have one of the three way cutters, but the pilots for several calibers. It only takes me a few minutes to swap them out and adjust it to trim like it was designed to. It saves so much time I would hate to think of going back to cleaning up the necks of that many cases one at a time.

As to the scratches mentioned, I haven't noticed anything much more than a shiny spot in most cases.

I wished they would make the pilots in handgun calibers as well as I trim three times more of them than rifles.

Good lcuk with your decision.

quote:

Originally posted by Mke / Tx:
I wished they would make the pilots in handgun calibers as well as I trim three times more of them than rifles.

That seems odd. In almost 40 years of shooting and reloading I have never trimmed a handgun case. Bill T.

quote:

Originally posted by billt:
That seems odd. In almost 40 years of shooting and reloading I have never trimmed a handgun case. Bill T.

Well in your 40 years you seem to have found it has not been needed, for the shooting you have done.

I, on the other had have found that it does serve to keep the crimp on all of my bullets at a uniform distance. This also equates to the bullet being seated to the same length on every case. In my personal testing with revolvers, and auto's this will effect accuracy. I have also proven to myself that the crimp on a revolver case being somewhat looser on one than the next will blow a group.

Might not matter to you or anyone else, but I prefer as many of my shots to hit the same place as I can get. I do not consider a 2" 20yd group good, I generally use 2" or less to test them out to 50 or 100yds. At those ranges yes the case length can and does effect the crimp which will also effect the shot to shot consistency and size of the group.

I cannot say that your type of shooting compares to mine or not, and if what your doing works for you I can not argue with it. I simply know what works for me.

My Trim Pro arrived yesterday; now I just have to get it set up and running.

Thanks for all the advice rendered.

quote:

Originally posted by Mke / Tx:
I, on the other had have found that it does serve to keep the crimp on all of my bullets at a uniform distance.

This also equates to the bullet being seated to the same length on every case.

I have also proven to myself that the crimp on a revolver case being somewhat looser on one than the next will blow a group.

The bullet seating stem controls the distance and depth the bullet is seated, not the type or amount of crimp. Use the Lee Factory Crimp Die and all of your crimping issues will disappear. It doesn't use the length of case as the determining factor of how much crimp is applied. Bill T.

quote:

Originally posted by Grumulkin:
My Trim Pro arrived yesterday; now I just have to get it set up and running.

Thanks for all the advice rendered.

Do you like it?

quote:

Originally posted by Winchester 69:
Does anyone use the RCBS three-way cutter with the Forster vertical case holder (drill press attachment)?

I think that would work well.
Don't see any reason why it wouldn't work.

Don

quote:

Do you like it?

I haven't used it yet but it seems well made. I'll probably like it a lot better than turning a handle to trim several thousand cases.

I got my new RCBS Trim Pro set up last night and I LIKE it. Now having several thousand cases to trim doesn't seem so bad and I won't get carpal tunnel syndrome during the process.

The 7mm 3 way trimmer worked perfectly and it only took 3 adjustments to get 7mm Remington Magnum cases trimmed and chamfered perfectly.