I preped about 200 pieces of brass (Sized, trimmed, chamfered, pockets and primed).
My hands hurt.....
What motorized equipment do you boys use and what degree of error do you find acceptable in brass prep?

this tool from Forester is a very good holding tool for case trimming in volume where one isn't really concerned with precision in overall length. You might be able to hold a .005 or so tolerance with it but it's use in a drill press takes the pain out of case prep.

When you're done use the drill press to ID chamfer the case and then again to OD chamfer the case.....
I actually had three drill presses running for this operation.

RCBS used to make a powered case prep tool as well and the one I used worked very well.

I can't find it on their website....maybe they dropped it!!!

Swamp,
Try one of these bad boys out. The worst part for me is the chamfering and deburring. This eliminates that. As far as degree of error, my dad loaded thousands of rounds without ever trimming a case. He wasn't concerned about five shots in a 1/2 inch though. He only wanted one shot were he was aimin'. I'm a little pickier.

I am sold on the Lee system. You put the locking stud into your drill, insert the pilot and cutter into the shell, and it cuts it down. While still in the stud, chamfer the mouth. Nice things have been written about the inertial case spinner Lee makes which looks like a neat alternative to using a drill. I have to get one of the new locking studs. It would save my old arthritic hands a beating. Kudude

Like kudude I use the Lee system.

I have one of these mounted on a piece of 2x4 and clamped in a table vise

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

along with one of these that threads on the shaft and clamps on the case head like a shell holder

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

get case trimmer and a caliber specific mandrel that screws into it

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=136199

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=930066

the mandrel point goes through the primer hole and bears upon the anvil of the zip trim so all the cases will be trimmed to the exact same length and exactly square. No need to ever measure again.

Hold a chamfer tool against the case mouth

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=389104

usually takes 2 to 3 spins to trim, one spin inside chamfer, one spin outside chamfer.

While the case is in the zip trim I also take some steel wool and hold it against the outside of the case and spin it 3 to 4 times and it will clean the outside of the case. Also have a 22 caliber brush that I have wrapped strands of steel wool around and clean the inside of the neck down to bare brass.

I can do 20 cases in less than 30 minutes and the cases are all very consistant in length, chamfer and inside neck cleanliness.

Lots of rainy winter days here in the Pacific Northwest. I usually do about fifty cases and stop. Then again in a day or two when it rains again I'll do another batch. Right now I probably have about 3k of .223 cases to load. Seems like they really stack up I just put them into bins.

I use one of the NJK trimmers that are found at Cabelas. You do have a limited number of cartridges that they fit, but all I do is chuck it into the drill press and the cases fly.
For inside and outside chamfering, I use one of the chamfering tool holders that fit on a portable electric screwdriver. This way I can do them while watching TV.

I use one of these http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=481398 and love it.

I trim with an ancient Herter's case trimmer (identical to the Forster). I simply unscrewed the handle (and threw it away many years ago) and chuck the end of the cutter in an electric drill. Zips cases down in no time and consistency is very good.

Similarly, I unscrewed a Lyman VLD inside neck chamfering tool from its wooden handle and chuck the stem in a drill press to do the inside chamfering. For outside chamfering I have a chamfering tool holder (can't remember the brand) that fits the RCBS or other chamfering tools and likewise chucks in a press.

Once brass has been trimmed and inside & outside chamfered, I usually never have to touch it again since I mostly use a Lee Collet neck sizing die and cases usually stretch negligibly with this tool.

Thanks for the replys.
I'm a RCBS fan but I will look closer at the Lee equipment before I make a choice.

For case trimming, use a Forster trimmer, take the handle off and chuck it up to a cordless drill. This will give you good precision and won't wear you out trimming cases. You can also put some of the chamfering tools in it as well.

I've asked this question on several forums and found some interesting equipment.
The high tolerance stuff gets pricy and makes me think that a mini lathe might be as good as it gets while having a piece of equipment that would do other things.

Still mulling it over......

I use the Lee trimmers, but I chuck the cutter in the drill motor and hold the case and holder in my hand. That way I don't have to stop the motor to change cases. I can do 50 cases in about 10 or 15 min.

lyle

I use a RCBS trimmer adapted to a cordless drill along with a RCBS Trim Mate the Trim Mate is the best $$$ I have spent.

I follow the procedures with the Lee system outlined above by woods, including brass polishing with steelwool. Previously I used the Forster, but not since discovering Lee.

The problem I had with the Forster wasn't the cranking to cut, but the fiddling length adjustments when changing cartridges. ("Too short, too long, too short, too long, just right. Now what'll I do with all those 'too short' cases?") Adjustments aren't necessary with the Lee - you just use the appropriate gauge. Fast, simple, effective, cheap. My Forster's for sale.

Jaywalker

I use the RCBS TRIM PRO Power Case Trimmer to trim to length, along with the RCBS TRIM MATE Case Prep Center for champhering, beveling, primer pocket and case neck cleaning!

These two unit are the handiest items I have ever used in brass prepping!

I find that consistency is very good with these tools!