I have two [2] Lyman power case trimmers and one manual trimmer. I use a Lyman case length gage. If that does not have the caliber I need, I get a Lee case trimmer/gage.
Posts: 355 | Location: Roanoke, Virginia | Registered: 29 May 2003
quote:Originally posted by ddunn: I need educated on trimming cases. I will be trimming 30-06 and 308.
Thanks
A little more info would help....trimming can be done with a Lee hand held preset trimmer,a lathe type hand cranked or powered bench tool or a "form/trim" die with a press and hand file.....in all cases the brass should be full length resized and trimmed to the book reccomended trim length measured with a good steel caliper.....this length is the SAAMI chamber length minus .010 and keeps the case from hitting the end of the chamber and causing pressure spikes....IF you want to trimm just exactly for YOUR guns chamber...Sinclair and others? offer a sliding plug to use a fired case and the insert to find your specific guns chamber length.....easy and fast....just keeps from having to "overtrimm" in some guns.....clean the necks inside before trimming with a old bore brush and a slight amount of sizing lube in the neck makes the process easier and smoother...turn the crank or hand tool with steady motion and don't "force" the cutter into the neck too firmly....it will tear and chatter the brass mouth.......recheck your setting on adjustable trimmers after the first few cases and every 25 or so to make sure the adjustments haven't changed...at least untill you get used to the tools.....after trimming then use a deburr/chamfer tool to remove the burrs made by the cutter to the inside and outside of the case mouth and use a cloth or Q tip to clean the left over lube from the case mouth insides.....keep track of how many times you trimm the cases and keep the cases in different batchs-lots together and when one grows out past the trimm length then trimm all in that batch......your sizing procedure,die-chamber match and pressure-action type will cause case growth and need for trimming....after 3 trimmings be sure to check for case body thinning and case seperation near the base of the case body inside with a bent metal probe or Casemaster type tool.......the 30-06/308 aren't bad as some cartridges can be about that.......double check the trim length and your first trimmed cases and keep good log records of the brass life/trimming/firings by batch/lots.......HTH..good luck and good shooting!!
Posts: 687 | Location: Jackson/Tenn/Madison | Registered: 07 March 2001
Best Trimmer : WIlSON reason: rectagular trimming without any wiggling you can get it at Sinclair I used all others,"chuck" held trimmers before they all work,but wilson makes sense of the operation sheephunter
Posts: 795 | Location: CA,,the promised land | Registered: 05 November 2001
I am a fan of the redding case trimmer. It is a crank type but can be upgraded to a powered type with an adaptor later. Midwayusa.com has them for about $55.
Posts: 257 | Location: Long Beach | Registered: 25 June 2002
quote:Originally posted by ddunn: Bigdaddytacp, that is excellent.
I have a good steel caliper and a couple reloading books that include trim length. But I need everything else.
Can I get a recommendation for make and brad of trimmer?
For just easy trimming of a few cases the Lee system is cheap and reliable....but for more cases and expanding to other task the hand crank style is better if more expensive..the Wilson is the upper end standard and worth it for really serious work.....but the RCBS trim pro-manual with the case holding plates is good and fast and works well for me.....I also have the Forster lathe style hand crank trimmer with the collet and it trimms well and you can get outside neck turner for use with it if you ever go that far in handloading......a properly sized nut on the crank bolt and a electric screwdriver and you can power your trimming and speed up the process.....the Lee sells a similar case holder to use with the screwdriver to trim with their hand held single case trim mentioned earlier......these are time and hand savers.......check with the "usual suspects" .....Midway,Grafs,Cabalas and Sinclair(for the Wilson and others) for the best price and the "kits" often save money over the individual peices....the RCBS power add on seems too expensive unless you are going to load large batchs of ammo such as match shooting...to me.......and the Lee is the least costly just for your two cases....same cutter-just different trim length rods......don't forget the good deburr tool....RCBS,FOrster,Wilson....all look the same and except for the long angle speciality deburrers for the VLD bullets they all work the same.....and again go slow with them to get smooth cuts....sinclair sells a screwdriver holder for the tool to save the fingers if you get into the biger batchs.......keep a old toothbrush at the trimmer to clean the trimmings away from the cutter to let it seat the pilot in the neck smoothly.......good luck and good shooting-loading again!!!!
Posts: 687 | Location: Jackson/Tenn/Madison | Registered: 07 March 2001
The easy way is to get a form/file trim die from either RCBS or Redding. Screw the die into your press like a FL sizing die. After the slack is out of the press linkage, back the die out a half turn and lock the ring. Lube the case with Imperial sizing wax and run the case into the die. Take a fine tooth hacksaw and cut off what is sticking out of the die. Do all of your cases. Now screw the die back down to take out the slack in the press linkage and take off what sticks out with a file and deburr the inside of the case. If you have used a RCBS die all you have to do is deburr the outside of the case neck and you are ready to go. If you use a Redding you will need to run the case into your FL sizing die for one last adjustment.
Posts: 263 | Location: Corpus Christi, Texas | Registered: 23 December 2002
Oops..I misread your post. YOu will be triming 30-06 and .308. I thought you would be triming 30-06 TO .308, which can be done. I load both rounds and have both Wilson and Forster trimmers, but still use file trim die for routine case trimming in both 30-06 and .308 and about twenty other calibers.
Posts: 263 | Location: Corpus Christi, Texas | Registered: 23 December 2002
