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Advice for trimming solution

RTTY

RTTY

Sergeant of the Hide
Full Member
Minuteman
Sep 5, 2023
165
52
Italy
#1
Can the forum members tell me is advice and suggestion for a concrete and best compromise for a trimming solution that result simply and affordable?
(I use now the shaft and shell holder by Lee)

I'm looking for RCBS Pro 2 trimmer or Lyman Universal trimmer.
I likes the chuck for brass locking very fast.

Have you some other solution that have similar price and easy?

Thanks
 
#6
Hello, thanks for your advice.
The Wilson are a bit expensive for me, it need some accessoires....

The brass clamp of Forster are a bit cumbersome, it need 2 hands...
 
#10
FrankFord Arsenal case prep center. You should take a peak with a bore scope where your brass lines up in the chamber though. You could reduce your trimming by 3/4 if you see your case mouth is .050ish away from the chamber wall...
 
#11
Read up on both, I've had both plus the WFT .The Forster uses collets and pilots , the WFT "head spaces" on the case shoulder and the Wilson measures distance ** from the base of the case to the case mouth.
I found that a case's rim/head Dia. effects the Forster's OAL of the case. IF you size all of your cases the EXACT same way so the shoulder to the case base distance is the EXACT then the WFT will work.
The only way I know of the check a case's OAL is to measure it from the base of the case to the mouth.
Something else to consider , how many different cases do you want to trim and MAINLY how anal are you about the case length ? 0.003 , 0.006 , 0.009 ?
Most loading manuals list for the 308 , a Max case length as 2.015 and a trim length of 2.005
What case are you trimming for what weapon ?
 
#12
918v said:
Trimmers that do everything don’t do anything well.
Click to expand...
Why do you say that?

I've got a Giraud and a Trim-it II and both do a very good job, once they're set up properly. I get very consistent case lengths, no burr on the outside and just the right amount of chamfer on the inside with a smooth uniform cut. . . + the large amount of time savings. :giggle:
 
Last edited:
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#14
RTTY said:
Can the forum members tell me is advice and suggestion for a concrete and best compromise for a trimming solution that result simply and affordable?
(I use now the shaft and shell holder by Lee)

I'm looking for RCBS Pro 2 trimmer or Lyman Universal trimmer.
I likes the chuck for brass locking very fast.

Have you some other solution that have similar price and easy?

Thanks
Click to expand...
Affordable and best are not going to be close unfortunately. My recommendation is to save up for a Henderson. Once you use it, you will wonder how you ever trimmed without one. Being able to chuck, trim , chamfer, debur and drop into bin a case within 3 seconds with .0005 variance is really really nice.

Its the only trimmer i know that wont tear up your hands either, besides the old slow lathe style. You can do 100 cases in like 5 minutes or less.
 
#15
ShtrRdy said:
Have you looked at the LEE case trimmers? I use the one that's titled 'case length' and it works amazingly well with a cordless drill.
Click to expand...
Hello I use this for now:
leeprecision.com

Case Length Gauge & Shell Holder

Lee Case Length Gauge is a precise, easy way to trim to length and square the case mouth. Used with the Cutter and Lock Stud or Zip Trim
leeprecision.com leeprecision.com

But the length of the case I s more short than the length that my chamber permit...
 
#16
FredHammer said:
FrankFord Arsenal case prep center. You should take a peak with a bore scope where your brass lines up in the chamber though. You could reduce your trimming by 3/4 if you see your case mouth is .050ish away from the chamber wall...
Click to expand...
Hello I have the photo ...
But I think that the measures of the chamber with Sinclair gauge are the best and most precise.
 

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#17
Old Corps 8541 said:
Read up on both, I've had both plus the WFT .The Forster uses collets and pilots , the WFT "head spaces" on the case shoulder and the Wilson measures distance ** from the base of the case to the case mouth.
I found that a case's rim/head Dia. effects the Forster's OAL of the case. IF you size all of your cases the EXACT same way so the shoulder to the case base distance is the EXACT then the WFT will work.
The only way I know of the check a case's OAL is to measure it from the base of the case to the mouth.
Something else to consider , how many different cases do you want to trim and MAINLY how anal are you about the case length ? 0.003 , 0.006 , 0.009 ?
Most loading manuals list for the 308 , a Max case length as 2.015 and a trim length of 2.005
What case are you trimming for what weapon ?
Click to expand...

Hello, thanks for your advice.
I use only Lapua cases.
My rifle caliber Is 6,5x47 Lapua.

I can tolerate a difference for about 2 thousand of inch ...
 
#18
DeathBeforeDismount said:
Affordable and best are not going to be close unfortunately. My recommendation is to save up for a Henderson. Once you use it, you will wonder how you ever trimmed without one. Being able to chuck, trim , chamfer, debur and drop into bin a case within 3 seconds with .0005 variance is really really nice.

Its the only trimmer i know that wont tear up your hands either, besides the old slow lathe style. You can do 100 cases in like 5 minutes or less.
Click to expand...

Hello you have mentioned one best piece of hardware but the dislike of this stuff are the price...

Are not for my budget at this moment.
 
#21
I just switched to the Trim It II. A bit finicky to adjust, and I think the cutting blade walks a bit (I see drift on my inner/outer chamfer over a couple hundred cases) if you don’t tighten down the screw enough, which is hard because it’s tiny.

But, that said, it’s cost-effective and cuts well and quickly. I’d still recommend it for someone on a budget.
 
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#22
KnowNothing256 said:
I just switched to the Trim It II. A bit finicky to adjust, and I think the cutting blade walks a bit (I see drift on my inner/outer chamfer over a couple hundred cases) if you don’t tighten down the screw enough, which is hard because it’s tiny.

But, that said, it’s cost-effective and cuts well and quickly. I’d still recommend it for someone on a budget.
Click to expand...
I have a Trim-It II also, as I mentioned before, and the only issue I had with it was the cutter blade was leaving a distinct burr that wouldn't go away no matter what adjustments I made. I finally figured something was wrong with the way the cutter was sharpened. Since the blade is the same as the Giraud's, I ordered one from Giraud and installed it into the Trim-It. Compared to the Tri-Way trimmer, adjustments for the Trim-It are much easier and weren't very finicky at all for me. With the new blade, trimming turns out really well now and I can't be happier.
 
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#23
I have used a few:

Lyman Universal
Forster with the 3-way head
Hornady
Henderson

Notes:

Lyman Universal:
Is a trimmer with a very cool case holder - sort of a quick insert. This makes it pretty quick to move cases in and out. The negatives are: it doesn't chamfer, so you need another tool for that, and it's hard to make minute adjustments. The only reason I keep it around is because it's the only thing that I've got that can trim my 37XC. You need to buy the power adapter for it.

Forster/3-way head:
I love that you can use the 3-way head to chamfer the inside and outside of the neck and trim at the same time. The negatives are that it is relatively slow to use and does not make minute adjustments easily.

Hornady:
Meh all the way around.

Henderson:
Love, love, love this thing - a precisely machined piece of equipment. Powered, quiet to use, quick to cycle through, very accurate, and easy to change for different cases. Negatives are that it is expensive, and it is expensive. Did I mention it is expensive? Of note is that it indexes off of full-length vs the primary competitor, Giraud, indexing off the shoulder. Which one is better? Unknown.

Out of those four, given your budget considerations, my recommendation would be the Forster.
 
#25
straightshooter1 said:
Why do you say that?

I've got a Giraud and a Trim-it II and both do a very good job, once they're set up properly. I get very consistent case lengths, no burr on the outside and just the right amount of chamfer on the inside with a smooth uniform cut. . . + the large amount of time savings. :giggle:
Click to expand...

Because separating the steps gives you better control and better results. The 3 way cutters tend to overdo it and you end up with cookie cutter necks. The way I do it I get absolutely perfect necks.

That is when I trim. You don’t need to trim every time. Most factory chambers have very long necks.
 
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#26
918v said:
Because separating the steps gives you better control and better results. The 3 way cutters tend to overdo it and you end up with cookie cutter necks. The way I do it I get absolutely perfect necks.

That is when I trim. You don’t need to trim every time. Most factory chambers have very long necks.
Click to expand...
I like "cookie cutter necks", as I want them to all be the same. :giggle:
 
#27
Rocketmandb said:
I have used a few:

Lyman Universal
Forster with the 3-way head
Hornady
Henderson

Notes:

Lyman Universal:
Is a trimmer with a very cool case holder - sort of a quick insert. This makes it pretty quick to move cases in and out. The negatives are: it doesn't chamfer, so you need another tool for that, and it's hard to make minute adjustments. The only reason I keep it around is because it's the only thing that I've got that can trim my 37XC. You need to buy the power adapter for it.

Forster/3-way head:
I love that you can use the 3-way head to chamfer the inside and outside of the neck and trim at the same time. The negatives are that it is relatively slow to use and does not make minute adjustments easily.

Hornady:
Meh all the way around.

Henderson:
Love, love, love this thing - a precisely machined piece of equipment. Powered, quiet to use, quick to cycle through, very accurate, and easy to change for different cases. Negatives are that it is expensive, and it is expensive. Did I mention it is expensive? Of note is that it indexes off of full-length vs the primary competitor, Giraud, indexing off the shoulder. Which one is better? Unknown.

Out of those four, given your budget considerations, my recommendation would be the Forster.
Click to expand...

Hello!
The 3 way Forster can be mounted on Lyman or RCBS also?

By the Forster I don't like the head case fixture...
 
#28
RTTY said:
Hello!
The 3 way Forster can be mounted on Lyman or RCBS also?

By the Forster I don't like the head case fixture...
Click to expand...

While there have been other trimmers that have used their heads (older Hendersons, being a primary example), the head is essentially proprietary to Forster. Henderson has since gone on to make their own - I assume it was due to availability, as it was tough to find the part sometimes, and I'm sure that throttled Henderson's trimmer sales. The new ones are much nicer.

With respect to the Foster, when you say "head case fixture", are you talking about the collet that the case head fits in? If so, it's not a bad setup - not great (like the new Henderson), but not bad either.
 
#29
Rocketmandb said:
While there have been other trimmers that have used their heads (older Hendersons, being a primary example), the head is essentially proprietary to Forster. Henderson has since gone on to make their own - I assume it was due to availability, as it was tough to find the part sometimes, and I'm sure that throttled Henderson's trimmer sales. The new ones are much nicer.
Click to expand...
Hello, yes I saw that the Handerson head are similar to the Forster.
But I think that this 3 way head debur the neck a bit more Deep.
This can make a big carbon ring...


Rocketmandb said:
With respect to the Foster, when you say "head case fixture", are you talking about the collet that the case head fits in? If so, it's not a bad setup - not great (like the new Henderson), but not bad either.
Click to expand...
Yes and no, I talk about the knob or key that tightens the collet.
It takes 2 hands to seat the case and tighten everything.
The RCBS or Lyman Need only one hand, and with the other hand move the mille near the neck mouth...
 
#30
RTTY said:
Yes and no, I talk about the knob or key that tightens the collet.
It takes 2 hands to seat the case and tighten everything.
Click to expand...

I always used my left hand on the collet handle (it's basically a T-handle) and put the case in with my right. Once in, I tightened, then I moved my right hand back to the drill that powered it and slid it in.

Anything that operates off full length would have a similar process as you need to tighten whatever is holding the case. If you're using something that indexes off the shoulder, then you can simply insert with one hand, but that also requires a motor (or else you're using your second hand to power up a drill or something).
 
#31
Rocketmandb said:
I always used my left hand on the collet handle (it's basically a T-handle) and put the case in with my right. Once in, I tightened, then I moved my right hand back to the drill that powered it and slid it in.

Anything that operates off full length would have a similar process as you need to tighten whatever is holding the case. If you're using something that indexes off the shoulder, then you can simply insert with one hand, but that also requires a motor (or else you're using your second hand to power up a drill or something).
Click to expand...

Yes the usage are clear for me, but I think are tedious...

On the RCBS also use 2 hands but Simply push down the lever and insert the case.
Also on the Lyman trimmer...

This two type of "case holder/retainer" are friendly for my think.

If you don't play attention on the Forster you risck that the case have some runout or not?
 
#32
RTTY said:
Yes the usage are clear for me, but I think are tedious...

On the RCBS also use 2 hands but Simply push down the lever and insert the case.
Also on the Lyman trimmer...

This two type of "case holder/retainer" are friendly for my think.

If you don't play attention on the Forster you risck that the case have some runout or not?
Click to expand...
So champagne taste on a beer budget.
 
#34
Rocketmandb said:
I have used a few:

Lyman Universal
Forster with the 3-way head
Hornady
Henderson

Notes:

Lyman Universal:
Is a trimmer with a very cool case holder - sort of a quick insert. This makes it pretty quick to move cases in and out. The negatives are: it doesn't chamfer, so you need another tool for that, and it's hard to make minute adjustments. The only reason I keep it around is because it's the only thing that I've got that can trim my 37XC. You need to buy the power adapter for it.

Forster/3-way head:
I love that you can use the 3-way head to chamfer the inside and outside of the neck and trim at the same time. The negatives are that it is relatively slow to use and does not make minute adjustments easily.

Hornady:
Meh all the way around.

Henderson:
Love, love, love this thing - a precisely machined piece of equipment. Powered, quiet to use, quick to cycle through, very accurate, and easy to change for different cases. Negatives are that it is expensive, and it is expensive. Did I mention it is expensive? Of note is that it indexes off of full-length vs the primary competitor, Giraud, indexing off the shoulder. Which one is better? Unknown.

Out of those four, given your budget considerations, my recommendation would be the Forster.
Click to expand...
I got my Henderson to trim my 37XC by getting a 375 pilot and putting in my extra cutter head and adjusting it to trim properly.
 
#37
Hello,
what are yours impression and/or comment about the Derraco Ugly SRT?

I mailed with Mr. Giraud about 3 Way Trimmer, but this are unavaillable for the 6,5x47 Lapua.
 
#38
RTTY said:
Hello,
what are yours impression and/or comment about the Derraco Ugly SRT?

I mailed with Mr. Giraud about 3 Way Trimmer, but this are unavaillable for the 6,5x47 Lapua.
Click to expand...
You might ask for a custom one???

When I got my Trim-It II, they didn't have my cartridge either, but they did a custom fit. To do that, of course, you pay just a little extra and have to send in a couple of your cases and it takes a little longer to get your tool.
 
#39
straightshooter1 said:
You might ask for a custom one???

When I got my Trim-It II, they didn't have my cartridge either, but they did a custom fit. To do that, of course, you pay just a little extra and have to send in a couple of your cases and it takes a little longer to get your tool.
Click to expand...

He advised me against the 3 Way for a caliber like the 6.5x47 Lapua which is one of the precise calibers for patterns under a quarter MOA. Instead he recommended his other trimmer with motor included.
 
#40
Hello,
for the final rush I've reduced the choice at only this two trimmer:
RCBS Trim Pro 2
Lyman Universal Trimmer

What do you think and wy?

Thanks
 
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