The gold glint of the Forester caught my eye 31 years ago and it still works great. Never even had the cutter resharpened. No experience with any other brands; no need to.
Posts: 4799 | Location: Lehigh county, PA | Registered: 17 October 2002
Haven't used those particular brands. Tried a Hornady, as that was what the local dealer had. Ended up returning it, as I was getting lengths varying +/- 0.005 or more. Maybe there was a 'technique' to using that thing, but I never found it.
Ended up going w/ a Wilson trimer, w/ the clamping base setup as available from Sinclair International. Highly recommended, especially if you later spend the $$$ for the Starrett micrometer attachment. Extremely fast, accurate and *repeatable*!!!
YMMV,
Monte
Posts: 341 | Location: Wenatchee, WA | Registered: 27 February 2002
I use and recommend the Wilson. It seems like a much more reliable method of holding the case square to the cutter. I also used the Forster years ago and found it to be adequate. Jim
quote:Originally posted by milanuk: Tried a Hornady, as that was what the local dealer had. Ended up returning it, as I was getting lengths varying +/- 0.005 or more. Maybe there was a 'technique' to using that thing, but I never found it.
I bought a Hornady and found that the primer hole in my lee shellholders was to small for the rod which clamps the case tight.
I tried it anyway with the rod just clamping the shellholder and holding the cases with my fingers.
I quickly found that I needed power to drive it. I used a small battery powered drill and slide the drill on a wood block which holds the drill's weight.
I chucked my RCBS deburring tool into my drillpress and went thru each case on the inside, fliped the deburring tool, and did the outside.
It went really well which is good as I had purchased 3,000 .223 cases.
It worked great with rifle (.223 & 30-06) cases.
In triming some 9mm to 9x18 I found I needed a pliers to hold the cases from turning.
Very quick as I don't lock the cases.
Accurate as well as the head bottoms on the bottom of the shellholder, just as it should.
JerryO
Posts: 231 | Location: MN. USA | Registered: 09 June 2000
This was in about, oh, 1999 or so. Honestly, if you get a chance to play w/ a Wilson, I think you will wonder how in the hell the other ones manage to cut even close to square and accurate. W/ a Wilson, (and this is the one pisser about them) you get a shell holder for the caliber, stick the case in firmly (it's like sticking it in a mini chamber), set the cylindrical holder on the rails, push it back against the adjustable stop, and start tuning the cutter. When the cutter stops, the cut is done. Lift the holder out, stick the end w/ the case mouth against your leg to 'pop' the case loose, and put a new one case in. With practice it takes about 10-15 seconds per case, and if you have the Starrett micrometer attachment (spendy, but worth it), once you have it set for a given case, just record the setting. If you do a different case/caliber, and then need to come back to the original, just dial in the setting, and start cutting. Like I said, the Starrett is spendy, but there is a reason for it. It's about as repeatable as it gets.
Can you tell I like my trimmer Almost makes me feel guilty when I use my Gracey for some of my high volume stuff like .223 Rem and .308 Win.
Monte
Posts: 341 | Location: Wenatchee, WA | Registered: 27 February 2002
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Almost makes me feel guilty when I use my Gracey for some of my high volume stuff like .223 Rem and .308 Win.
