PDA

View Full Version : Case Trimmer !



m1a_scoutguy
07-12-12, 23:57
No dog in the fight,,but I just came across this the other night !! Looks like a decent trimmer,not sure how long it has been around or if anyone here has seen it,but figured I would share !!
http://www.littlecrowgunworks.com/wft.html

Nightvisionary
07-13-12, 00:14
I saw that somewhere else recently. Very ingenious but over $70 and it is caliber specific so you have to buy one for every single caliber and caliber selection is somewhat limited.

jmart
07-13-12, 08:40
A nicer version of a Possum Hollow or a poor man's Giraud/Gracey.

I'm still a fan of Dillon's. It's pricier, but it works so simply and easily, and you get to resize your cases at the same time.

vaglocker
07-13-12, 09:01
I bought one recently (.223) but haven't had a chance to use it yet. Seems to be well made. I'll start a thread after I've had a chance to use it.

m1a_scoutguy
07-13-12, 09:14
I saw that somewhere else recently. Very ingenious but over $70 and it is caliber specific so you have to buy one for every single caliber and caliber selection is somewhat limited.

Yea,,being caliber specific was a thought for me also,,,but my main concern or main use would be 223/556 & then 308 2nd. When your doing 1K +++ of 556 at a time,,it sure looks fast & convenient !! I will have the Dillon Size & Trim someday myself,,,but this looks like a good ideal for now !! :)

ralph
07-13-12, 09:26
That looks like it should work fine..Case trimming is one of those area's where there's more than one way to skin a cat..I myself use a Dillion trimmer, But I ended up with that quite by accident. My wife used to play bingo alot..one night she comes in with 5K in cash, peels off $500 and gives it to me, and says go buy yourself some toys...Otherwise, I probably would have never bought one..

QuietShootr
07-13-12, 10:16
I guess I can see a lot of better things to spend money on, but I only trim and prep precision rifle brass.

ICANHITHIMMAN
07-13-12, 12:51
I considered it a few years ago but the Dillion won

Boxerglocker
07-13-12, 13:28
I considered it a few years ago but the Dillion won

I own a utilize a Dillon RT1200B, up to 1200 rounds a month of .223 it is IMO on of the best investments I have made in reloading equipment. I still haven't built a .308 precision rifle, but have been testing .308 hand loads in a buddies 700 AAC-SD. My buddy doesn't have his own press yet so is using my SS and I talked him into investing into a WTF in .308
This thing is pretty sweet, trims clean off the shoulder and I can see why it's called the "Poor mans Giraud". It cuts so clean that I yet have to see a need to chamfer or deburr (like the RT1200, unlike the possum hollow which I have tried in .223). I'll eventually be getting my own once he takes it home.

n032
07-13-12, 21:15
i use the dillon a lot faster than my buddys that hes uses

R600
07-14-12, 10:47
I spent the money on the Giraud and love it. No looking back.

shootist~
07-14-12, 11:39
I spent the money on the Giraud and love it. No looking back.

I finally bit the bullet and have the Giraud on order. The Dillon works fine for 5.56/.223, but when I finally started on my huge pile of 7.62x51 brass, not so much. It significantly under-sizes the neck on 7.62/.308 (not to mention the lack of chamfering) . I figure the Giraud will be one of those once-in-a-lifetime purchases.

m1a_scoutguy
07-14-12, 17:08
You guys are correct about the Giraud,,it is and should be a Once in a lifetime purchase & as AWESOME as it seems to be & as many great reviews I have heard about it,,,it just hard for me to spend over $500 bucks for a trimmer & multiple caliber change dies/collets !!!! :( I would dare say if I tried one,,I would be selling my right nut to get one,,but until I do,,this little gem looks to be the hot setup !!! Even buying 2 of them for 2 different calibers would be less $$$ that the Giraud,,,Dillon,,etc !!! The Dillon is great cuz your sizing the brass and trimming in one step,,but it sounds like you have to deburr with the Dillon,,,so you still have that "extra" step in there !! One the other hand,,I have one buddy that plans to get the Dillon Setup in the next month or so & I have another friend that has already ordered this trimmer after I sent him the Link,,so it looks like I'll have a first hand try at both of them !!!! Time will tell !! I'll report back once I give them both a shot !!! :)

chadbag
07-14-12, 19:41
but it sounds like you have to deburr with the Dillon,,,so you still have that "extra" step in there !!

Other people have other experiences, but in most cases, no, you don't.

-

chadbag
07-14-12, 19:44
. It significantly under-sizes the neck on 7.62/.308 (not to mention the lack of chamfering)

We've probably talked about this before, but are you doing anything to expand the neck back out? Dillon says that you need to do that after sizing/trimming.

One person I sold a Dillon setup to for 308 was told by his mentor, who I understand is an accomplished high power shooter and is on this forum, to use a Lyman M Die to slightly expand the neck back out.

I modified that for my 556/223 but have not personally sized and trimmed 308. I only have one 308 rifle, which gets shot not very often, so have not yet had the need.

--

shootist~
07-14-12, 20:42
The M die would be one way, but for the initial 7.62 batch I processed, I just ran them through a conventional die with the expander ball. Short term solution.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

chadbag
07-14-12, 21:17
The M die would be one way, but for the initial 7.62 batch I processed, I just ran them through a conventional die with the expander ball. Short term solution.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

Yeah, that was what Dillon recommends, with the die turned out to not contact the case itself.

As you said, short term solution. The expander ball supposedly works the brass a lot more than does the M-die.

When you get your Giraud, an extensive review is in order :)


--

DBR
07-14-12, 21:27
I had a Giraud which I sold. I didn't like the way it chamfered the case mouths and the "extra step".

The setup I use now works perfectly for me and produces very uniform cases. I have an RCBS 2000 press setup as follows:
Station one has a Dillon decap die.
Station two is empty.
Station three (the one built into the press body) has the Dillon Trimmer.
Station four is empty.
Station five has a Sinclair carbide -.002 expander mandrel. This is the one they sell for case neck turning. They also have a tool steel version that is considerably cheaper.

I usually reload on my Dillon 1050. The first station has a Lyman neck expander. This takes care of inside chamfer. The last station has either a Redding taper crimp die or a Lee Factory crimp die. Adding a modest crimp takes care of the outside chamfer issue.

If I had to use no crimp then I would lightly chamfer the outside of the case mouth.

m1a_scoutguy
07-14-12, 21:35
Other people have other experiences, but in most cases, no, you don't.

-

Thanks for the info Chadbag !! But it looks like there "still" is some dickin around with the Dillon,,even as good as it is !!! Hell it looks like everything has its high & low points,,LOL !!! ;)

Boxerglocker
07-15-12, 00:35
Thanks for the info Chadbag !! But it looks like there "still" is some dickin around with the Dillon,,even as good as it is !!! Hell it looks like everything has its high & low points,,LOL !!! ;)

As Chadbag stated very few people I know see a need to deburr with a Dillon. I simply tumble off the lube in a dry corncob after sizing and trimming. Clean cuts come easier when you watch you timing and use even consistent pressure when cycling the handle. I do slightly chamfer with a Hornady case prep mate when loading flat base bullets for my bolt gun, but still never see a need to deburr.
I personally feel the RT1200B to be the best reloading investment I have made to date other than my actual press.
Use a fresh side to the cutter blade ever 1000 -1200 rounds will keep the motor from being overloaded and give the best cuts. The Dillon ones are expensive at $17 each, but I have found a supplier through research that I got them for $5 each. You need to buy 10 at a time but I split order with a buddy. Each blade does up to 4000 cuts. http://www.carbidedepot.com/detail.aspx?ID=28289 I would also recommend drilling holes in your vacuum shroud to increase airflow for cooling and chip extraction.
http://images5a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp6354%3A%3Enu%3D68%3C5%3E%3A47%3E254%3EWSNRCG%3D33%3C%3B9297%3B3345nu0mrj

chadbag
07-15-12, 01:32
but I have found a supplier through research that I got them for $5 each. You need to buy 10 at a time but I split order with a buddy. Each blade does up to 4000 cuts. http://www.carbidedepot.com/detail.aspx?ID=28289 I would also recommend drilling holes in your vacuum shroud to increase airflow for cooling and chip extraction.
http://images5a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp6354%3A%3Enu%3D68%3C5%3E%3A47%3E254%3EWSNRCG%3D33%3C%3B9297%3B3345nu0mrj

Thanks for the tip on the blade supplier.

I am interested in the wholes in the shroud. Do you get "leakage" of chip pieces or is in the incoming air enough to stop that? Does it weaken the vacuum at all?

Boxerglocker
07-15-12, 02:00
Thanks for the tip on the blade supplier.

I am interested in the wholes in the shroud. Do you get "leakage" of chip pieces or is in the incoming air enough to stop that? Does it weaken the vacuum at all?

No leakage of chips at all. The holes just gives more air flow, rather than just sucking up from the bottom... more flow more cooling. Theoretically a little less vacuum pressure (suction) but more volume. Not an issue as I have a 25 gallon 3/4 HP Craftzman shop vac that can more than handle it.

chadbag
07-15-12, 02:31
No leakage of chips at all. The holes just gives more air flow, rather than just sucking up from the bottom... more flow more cooling. Theoretically a little less vacuum pressure (suction) but more volume. Not an issue as I have a 25 gallon 3/4 HP Craftzman shop vac that can more than handle it.

OK thanks. Will have to look into it.

I now have 2 Dillon trimmers. A regular one and one of the longer shaft ones made for 6.8 and 7.62x39 sized trim dies.