Giraud Power Trimmer question.. lengthy

[beenjammin]

Sorry for the lengthy paragraph, I was not intending on writing a book, but I am a little frustrated and need you guy's help... again.

Ok, I got in my giraud trimmer and love it, but I also use redding competition dies for my .308. The die set came with a body die, neck sizer/decapper, and a seater. These are bushing dies.

So I took some of my brass that I neck sized and decapped and tried to trim them, but no dice. I later read that I need to full length size to use the giraud trimmer.

Now my question: I shoot an AIAW so do I need to even worry with neck sizing. Its not considered a match chamber anyway is it? I understand that neck sizing is good to do on match chambered rifles. better accuracy an longer brass life?

So.. I feel like I kinda messed myself up. To benefit for the trimmer I need to full length size, so I didnt need the redding competition die set ( even though I like the seater for sure).

What can I do with what I have? Do I need to change bushings on my body die and just size them that way. I know it will not be as effecient as a full length die? I figure I dont need to worry with just neck sizing on my AW anyway. Would it be better to sell the die set and get a full length sizing/decapper set. And if so should I go for carbide for longevity or is this mily for semi auto use only? I wanna do it right.

BTW; if you cant tell im no seasoned vet in this area, but would love to get there one day.

 

[LoneWolfUSMC]

Re: Giraud Power Trimmer question.. lengthy

I am no expert, and have no experience with the Giraud trimmer, but I have always wondered why you can't just adjust it to get your correct length. Since it indexes off the shoulder it shouldn't matter if you can set it for YOUR brass since the shoulder in the chamber of your AI isn't going to move all of your neck sized brass will still have the shoulder in the same place. Obviously it would have to be re-adjusted if you wanted to trim FL Sized brass.

I wondered about this because I neck size all of my Winchester brass for my 700. I will only FL size it when it becomes hard to chamber. No reason to work it for nothing.

Hopefully some others will chime in, because I would like to figure this out before spending the money on one.

 

[padronanniversary]

Re: Giraud Power Trimmer question.. lengthy

You can send in your once fired brass to Doug to get a custom fixture (forgot what that was called) for your brass.

 

[memilanuk]

Re: Giraud Power Trimmer question.. lengthy

I think your options are a) sell the Competition neck sizer, keep the bushings, keep the body die (they always come in handy), get a Type 'S' F/L bushing die. The bushings will work in the new die, you'll be able to F/L size (with controlled neck tension) all in one whack, and you can run the sized cases through the Giraud no problem. Most of my 'match' ammo runs through one of these dies, regardless of caliber. Short of getting a custom die cut to fit your chamber, they are way more than good enough. Option b is send some fired brass to Giraud and get a custom shellholder made - but it may only work with that one particular chamber. The reason it isn't as simple as adjusting the headspace to get fired cases to fit in the shell holder is that a .308 (and most cartridges designed to feed from a magazine for rapid fire) has some body taper from the case web to the shoulder - you have to squeeze that in just a smidge (with a F/L die) to where the limiting factor becomes the cartridge headspace. As mentioned, you *can* get a custom shell holder to fit your fired brass - or you can get a f/l bushing die - your choice.

Monte

 

[ChadTRG42]

Re: Giraud Power Trimmer question.. lengthy

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: beenjammin</div><div class="ubbcode-body">So I took some of my brass that I neck sized and decapped and tried to trim them, but no dice. I later read that I need to full length size to use the giraud trimmer. </div></div>
Would the brass case not go into the Giraurd holder to trim it?

 

[beenjammin]

Re: Giraud Power Trimmer question.. lengthy

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ChadTRG42</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: beenjammin</div><div class="ubbcode-body">So I took some of my brass that I neck sized and decapped and tried to trim them, but no dice. I later read that I need to full length size to use the giraud trimmer. </div></div>
Would the brass case not go into the Giraurd holder to trim it? </div></div>

the once fired brass would not go into the trimmer ( that I had put through the redding neck sizer), but some of the full length sized brass that I had left over would with no issue.

 

[ChadTRG42]

Re: Giraud Power Trimmer question.. lengthy

Ok. I know the AI chambers are a little big, so that's your issue. You can contact Doug and see if he has a larger 308 holder for the trimmer. Or just bite the bullet, and FL size the case. I'd lean that way for reliability.

 

[C.K]

Re: Giraud Power Trimmer question.. lengthy

Or you con get a case holder blank and have it cut by some one with a milspec reamer. I'd call GAP or APA, I know george has a Milspec reamer for the 338 lapua. I always send a blank in when I'm getting a rifle built to have it cut with the same reamer.

 

[1911.it]

Re: Giraud Power Trimmer question.. lengthy

Sounds like the simplest thing to do is to buy the Redding Type S F/L sizing die. I could just neck size my brass because it all fires out of the same rifle. However, this is a tactical rifle and reliability is more important than the utmost in accuracy. I have the three die Redding Type S set and it works great.

 

[FootSoldier]

Re: Giraud Power Trimmer question.. lengthy

Go with full length every x number firings, trim then, and use neck sizing the rest of the time. That's how I do it.

 

[LoneWolfUSMC]

Re: Giraud Power Trimmer question.. lengthy

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: FootSoldier</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Go with full length every x number firings, trim then, and use neck sizing the rest of the time. That's how I do it. </div></div>

I think that may be the best answer. My brass doesn't grow that much especially when using the Lee Collet Die.

 

[vdub]

Re: Giraud Power Trimmer question.. lengthy

I ran across this same situation recently as some of the Lapua brass I have been reloading several times are starting to stick a little when chambering. I was considering getting a custom shellholder made but then I could only trim after the brass had been fired at least once after a full length resize. I came to the conclusion to buy a F/L Redding resizer (since I use the same bushing die set that you are talking about), and a standard 308 shellholder. Then I would F/L resize the brass, trim after F/L sizing, and then neck size until they need F/L sizing again.

However after reading the sticky on Beginner's Guide to Reloading that is tacked up top, I have considered F/L resizing everytime but not sure how that will effect brass life.

 

[1911.it]

Re: Giraud Power Trimmer question.. lengthy

My GAP Crusader has what I consider a match chamber. I came to this conclusion by F/L sizing fired cases from it. The F/L sizer didn't have much work to do. I don't worry about brass life as a result. So, if you have a rifle with a tight chamber you shouldn't need to worry about this step too much either.

 

[beenjammin]

Re: Giraud Power Trimmer question.. lengthy

thanks everyone. i think its safe to say that any way i go. i should have a F/L sizer in the kit anyway. So should i get a carbide or regular f/ler.

 

[Tims]

Re: Giraud Power Trimmer question.. lengthy

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: beenjammin</div><div class="ubbcode-body">thanks everyone. i think its safe to say that any way i go. i should have a F/L sizer in the kit anyway. So should i get a carbide or regular f/ler.</div></div>

I would just get a regular one instead of carbide. I have one question, after you neck size your brass, how long is it.