I am wondering if any of you folks have a Dillon Rapid Trim. Does it work well? How does it compare to a Gracey? Does the brass still need to be chamfered & deburred? I have a Gracey, with the upgraded motor, and I am just not impressed with it.
- Thread starter GSPKurt
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Re: Dillon Rapid Trim case trimmer ??
I have a Rapid Trim. It does not chamfer, although I believe it cuts at a slight angle away from the mouth of the case (something like 4 degrees). It cuts EXTREMELY clean, and leaves no burr whatsoever. I have an RCBS trim mate and after using the Dillon it is very frustrating having to wait, and the burr is quite significant.
I have no experience with any of the other trimmers so I can't comment or compare.
I have a Rapid Trim. It does not chamfer, although I believe it cuts at a slight angle away from the mouth of the case (something like 4 degrees). It cuts EXTREMELY clean, and leaves no burr whatsoever. I have an RCBS trim mate and after using the Dillon it is very frustrating having to wait, and the burr is quite significant.
I have no experience with any of the other trimmers so I can't comment or compare.
Re: Dillon Rapid Trim case trimmer ??
I've owned both and still have the dillon. I really miss the gracey and have been looking for another. You're doing 3 steps with the gracey and 2 steps with the dillon. You could really get shit done using both. Just use the dillon to trim most of the way down and then finish/deburr/cham with the gracey. Also if you use the one piece Giraud carbide cutter blade with the Gracey it makes a big difference. That two piece one they make sucks.
I've owned both and still have the dillon. I really miss the gracey and have been looking for another. You're doing 3 steps with the gracey and 2 steps with the dillon. You could really get shit done using both. Just use the dillon to trim most of the way down and then finish/deburr/cham with the gracey. Also if you use the one piece Giraud carbide cutter blade with the Gracey it makes a big difference. That two piece one they make sucks.
Re: Dillon Rapid Trim case trimmer ??
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Gimpy</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Only gripe about the dillon is the need to expand necks afterward. It really sizes them small </div></div>
I haven't had an issue with it. I'll have to check next time.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Gimpy</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Only gripe about the dillon is the need to expand necks afterward. It really sizes them small </div></div>
I haven't had an issue with it. I'll have to check next time.
Re: Dillon Rapid Trim case trimmer ??
Thanks, guys. I was trimming some 7.62 brass last night, and the Gracey seems like it takes a long time to get it done. I wound up using a Possum Hollow to get it close and finish it up with the Gracey. I have the carbide cutter and the faster motor for the Gracey, and I'm wondering if I wasted my money on it.
Thanks, guys. I was trimming some 7.62 brass last night, and the Gracey seems like it takes a long time to get it done. I wound up using a Possum Hollow to get it close and finish it up with the Gracey. I have the carbide cutter and the faster motor for the Gracey, and I'm wondering if I wasted my money on it.
Re: Dillon Rapid Trim case trimmer ??
I love my Rapid Trim. Only brass I process with it is .223 for three hungry AR's.
The sharp bit doesn't leave enough, if any, burr to worry about. My FMJ-BT's slip right in with no issues and no "shaved jackets".
I do, however, have a Lee Collet Die in Sta #1 of my XL-650 that I have modified the mandrel slightly so it enters a sized case easier. As an added benefit, the case is better centered in the shell plate so when it moves to the priming station there are less issues.
I love my Rapid Trim. Only brass I process with it is .223 for three hungry AR's.
The sharp bit doesn't leave enough, if any, burr to worry about. My FMJ-BT's slip right in with no issues and no "shaved jackets".
I do, however, have a Lee Collet Die in Sta #1 of my XL-650 that I have modified the mandrel slightly so it enters a sized case easier. As an added benefit, the case is better centered in the shell plate so when it moves to the priming station there are less issues.
Re: Dillon Rapid Trim case trimmer ??
I owned a Dillon and a Gracey and used then for about for ten years. I sold them both and got a Giraud about a year ago.
The Dillon was a good trimmer if you used it on a progressive press. Using it on a single stage required two steps, one to trim and then the cases had to be run through either a N/O or F/L die to deprime and to run the case necks through an expander or a mandrel. On a progressive press, you set the die stations to do this in one operation. If you have a progressive set up, a Dillon Rapid Trim is a good way to go. It's fast. The one thing about the Dillon trim dies is they are like a F/L sizing die and setting them up, you need to use a headspace gauge to be sure you don't bump the shoulders too far back. I trimmed for 5 calibers. I made this mistake with a .222 Remington trim die and pushed the shoulders so far back, I got case head separations on the first firing. You need to be aware of this.
The Gracey is a good trimmer, also indexing off of the F/L sized shoulder like the Giraud. The downside I experienced with the Gracey was a motor with a bit less power than the Giraud and a pain to change the cutter to a different caliber. Giraud has a replacement cutter blade for the Gracey, which does work better than the original Gracey cutter, but it was still a pain to change settings.
Doug Giraud refined his current model into a work of art. The only downside is he doesn't supply the caseholders with a lockable ring. We all toss the original supplied lock ring and install a standard lockable die ring. The only other thing I've read is the original bearings in the cutter assembly may need to be replaced at some time with a higher quality bearing.
The Giraud is a great tool that is worth the cost and the tool retains a high resale value. That's all I use now for multiple calibers.
I owned a Dillon and a Gracey and used then for about for ten years. I sold them both and got a Giraud about a year ago.
The Dillon was a good trimmer if you used it on a progressive press. Using it on a single stage required two steps, one to trim and then the cases had to be run through either a N/O or F/L die to deprime and to run the case necks through an expander or a mandrel. On a progressive press, you set the die stations to do this in one operation. If you have a progressive set up, a Dillon Rapid Trim is a good way to go. It's fast. The one thing about the Dillon trim dies is they are like a F/L sizing die and setting them up, you need to use a headspace gauge to be sure you don't bump the shoulders too far back. I trimmed for 5 calibers. I made this mistake with a .222 Remington trim die and pushed the shoulders so far back, I got case head separations on the first firing. You need to be aware of this.
The Gracey is a good trimmer, also indexing off of the F/L sized shoulder like the Giraud. The downside I experienced with the Gracey was a motor with a bit less power than the Giraud and a pain to change the cutter to a different caliber. Giraud has a replacement cutter blade for the Gracey, which does work better than the original Gracey cutter, but it was still a pain to change settings.
Doug Giraud refined his current model into a work of art. The only downside is he doesn't supply the caseholders with a lockable ring. We all toss the original supplied lock ring and install a standard lockable die ring. The only other thing I've read is the original bearings in the cutter assembly may need to be replaced at some time with a higher quality bearing.
The Giraud is a great tool that is worth the cost and the tool retains a high resale value. That's all I use now for multiple calibers.
Re: Dillon Rapid Trim case trimmer ??
GSPkurt,
Have had both, and used both extensively. For volume shooting, the Dillon's the way to go between these two, though as Gimpy pointed out, the overwork the neck area. The problem is, the chamber in the trim dies is cut with what amounts to a standard sizing die reamer, and leaves the neck too small. That is, it still needs an expander to pass through it to achieve the correct final dimensions. I solkved this by honing out the necks on all my Dillon trim dies to a diameter that gives good neck tension, and yet doesn't overwork the brass. Still need to chamfer the cases (at least) and a deburring isn't a bad idea, either.
And then we have the Giraud.Use one of these just once, and you'll never look at another trimmer for any kind of high volume case processing. I have since sold my Gracey (the cutter's are too "fiddley" to adjust), and only very rarely use the Dillon (it can be faster in some contexts, since you're sizing as well as trimming, with one stroke), but the Giraud is now my standard "go to" trimmer. Clearly the best of the bunch, at least in my opinion.
GSPkurt,
Have had both, and used both extensively. For volume shooting, the Dillon's the way to go between these two, though as Gimpy pointed out, the overwork the neck area. The problem is, the chamber in the trim dies is cut with what amounts to a standard sizing die reamer, and leaves the neck too small. That is, it still needs an expander to pass through it to achieve the correct final dimensions. I solkved this by honing out the necks on all my Dillon trim dies to a diameter that gives good neck tension, and yet doesn't overwork the brass. Still need to chamfer the cases (at least) and a deburring isn't a bad idea, either.
And then we have the Giraud.Use one of these just once, and you'll never look at another trimmer for any kind of high volume case processing. I have since sold my Gracey (the cutter's are too "fiddley" to adjust), and only very rarely use the Dillon (it can be faster in some contexts, since you're sizing as well as trimming, with one stroke), but the Giraud is now my standard "go to" trimmer. Clearly the best of the bunch, at least in my opinion.
Re: Dillon Rapid Trim case trimmer ??
I think it will come down to volume. I am not going to handle 3k pieces of brass to trim them. 100 or 200 pieces of brass, not a big deal.
I use my Trim mate for my .308 bolt gun, but processing brass for the AR's is too time consuming. Easier to let the casefeeder orient them, size and trim with a pull of the handle.
I think it will come down to volume. I am not going to handle 3k pieces of brass to trim them. 100 or 200 pieces of brass, not a big deal.
I use my Trim mate for my .308 bolt gun, but processing brass for the AR's is too time consuming. Easier to let the casefeeder orient them, size and trim with a pull of the handle.
Re: Dillon Rapid Trim case trimmer ??
I have the Dillon RT for both .308 and .223. I honed both dies out so that they only size down .004" on LC brass.
I jump to the Gracey after trimming to chamfer inside and outside. I think Bob Jones has the Carbide cutter that works wonders. Just touch cartridge into the cutter for a second and it's chamfered inside and out.
Fastest way I've found. Trimming and sizing at the same time.
I have the Dillon RT for both .308 and .223. I honed both dies out so that they only size down .004" on LC brass.
I jump to the Gracey after trimming to chamfer inside and outside. I think Bob Jones has the Carbide cutter that works wonders. Just touch cartridge into the cutter for a second and it's chamfered inside and out.
Fastest way I've found. Trimming and sizing at the same time.
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