recommend me a case trimmer.

**jmart** · 01-01-08, 13:55

Dillon's warranty on their presses is fabulous. But their trimmer motor is only warrantied for one year. I believe all electrical components Dillon sells (scales, tumblers, trimmer motors) are warrantied for one year, which is pretty standard within the industry.

**markm** · 01-02-08, 09:32

Here is my solution...

I DON'T TRIM CASES. PERIOD. Just take a look at Black Hills Blue Box ammo. Put one of those blue box rounds in a head space guage an see how long the brass is.

They must have some really sticky expander balls, man! Anyway... all those hundreds of thousands of blue box rounds with long brass, and you never hear of one problem with the ammo.

Most of the time I can get 3 loadings through a case without it being significantly out of length spec like BH Blue box... no problem. And even the few cases that are slightly long get a factory crimp. After the third loading the primer pocket is getting a little looser than I like, so that's it for the case anyway.

If you insist on getting 7 loadings out of every case you have, get the giraud.

**skyugo** · 01-02-08, 16:08

Originally Posted by demigod

Here is my solution...

I DON'T TRIM CASES. PERIOD. Just take a look at Black Hills Blue Box ammo. Put one of those blue box rounds in a head space guage an see how long the brass is.

They must have some really sticky expander balls, man! Anyway... all those hundreds of thousands of blue box rounds with long brass, and you never hear of one problem with the ammo.

Most of the time I can get 3 loadings through a case without it being significantly out of length spec like BH Blue box... no problem. And even the few cases that are slightly long get a factory crimp. After the third loading the primer pocket is getting a little looser than I like, so that's it for the case anyway.

If you insist on getting 7 loadings out of every case you have, get the giraud.

holy crap.

isn't that some kind of sin?

actually i've been noticing that if i seat bullets to the canalure the OAL is rather short..... hmmmmmm

you sir, may have saved the day.

**taliv** · 01-02-08, 21:33

going to have to toss a dissenting opinion in here...

I get about 2 firings out of my 223rem brass before it will consistently no longer go into battery on a 223rem chamber. and when it sticks, it is a PITA to remove. however, it feeds through wylde and 5.56 chambers just fine.

after 3-4 firings, it's long enough that i'm nervous enough about it sticking in the wylde and 5.56 chambers to trim. I haven't actually stuck one though.

Considering the popularity of Ned's chamber reamer for 5.56 chambers that "aren't", I'd recommend erring on the side of caution here. At the very least, run a hundred or so though the chamber before you make up a batch of thousands. AND DO NOT ASSUME THAT BECAUSE IT RUNS IN YOUR GUN IT WILL ALSO WORK IN YOUR FRIEND'S.

If you are unlucky enough to have a Les Baer AR15 (chamber dimensions closer to 22LR than 5.56*) plan on trimming after every firing.

oh, and I also use the giraud trimmer. it rocks. worth every penny.

*only a slight exaggeration

**markm** · 01-03-08, 08:02

Originally Posted by taliv

going to have to toss a dissenting opinion in here...

I get about 2 firings out of my 223rem brass before it will consistently no longer go into battery on a 223rem chamber. and when it sticks, it is a PITA to remove. however, it feeds through wylde and 5.56 chambers just fine.

Dig it! I guess I was assuming 5.56 chamber practice ammo since we're on M4carbine.net/

**skyugo** · 01-03-08, 17:46

i had a couple sticky rounds today. i'm wondering if i need to simply lower my resizing die in my press.

this is with trimmed cases mind you.

**jmart** · 01-03-08, 18:33

Originally Posted by skyugo

i had a couple sticky rounds today. i'm wondering if i need to simply lower my resizing die in my press.

this is with trimmed cases mind you.

Sticky in your die? Sticky in your chamber? I'm not following....

**markm** · 01-03-08, 20:11

Originally Posted by skyugo

i had a couple sticky rounds today. i'm wondering if i need to simply lower my resizing die in my press.

this is with trimmed cases mind you.

Get a headspace guage, and follow it strictly. There is a very narrow window of acceptable headspacing that can't be negotiated with. I'd bet that you need your die turned down, but the headspace guage will remove all doubt.

**skyugo** · 01-03-08, 20:56

Originally Posted by demigod

Get a headspace guage, and follow it strictly. There is a very narrow window of acceptable headspacing that can't be negotiated with. I'd bet that you need your die turned down, but the headspace guage will remove all doubt.

yeah i think i've determined that i need to turn the die down a bit.

luckily i managed to break off the depriming insert in my lee die tonight