Any input on gracey trimmer how is it?
It seems more reasonably priced than a giraurd is it as good?
Thanks Corey
It seems more reasonably priced than a giraurd is it as good?
Thanks Corey
- Thread starter CSiebert
- Start date
Re: Gracey trimmer
I have a Gracey and they work pretty well, even better with a carbide blade insert. They are cheaper than the Giraud. If bought mine used for a pretty good price and it works well. If I didn't have one, I might spend the extra $$ for a Giraud, but I certainly don't feel slighted that I have a Gracey.
I have a Gracey and they work pretty well, even better with a carbide blade insert. They are cheaper than the Giraud. If bought mine used for a pretty good price and it works well. If I didn't have one, I might spend the extra $$ for a Giraud, but I certainly don't feel slighted that I have a Gracey.
Re: Gracey trimmer
I dont have first hand experience with the Gracey, but a friend had a gracey, sold it and bought the Hornady case prep center. Said he likes it better. I've seen power adapters for manual trimmers. I guess it all depends on volume of loading.
I dont have first hand experience with the Gracey, but a friend had a gracey, sold it and bought the Hornady case prep center. Said he likes it better. I've seen power adapters for manual trimmers. I guess it all depends on volume of loading.
Re: Gracey trimmer
I have a Gracey and like it a lot. But it is a pain in the butt to adjust the cutting blade for different calibers. There are two blades and there is an art to moving them just right. Kind of like taking-down a Ruger 22 auto. Once you get good at it it's no big deal but you do it so infrequently that it can really drive you nuts sometimes.
For a long time I only used it for .223, doing 1000's, and used a crank style Hornady for other calibers that only got loaded a couple 100 at a time. If you're only doing one caliber a Gracey is golden.
The Giraud is nicer in proportion to the cost. Better motor, drive system, bearings. It also uses a one piece blade. The blade is still a pain to adjust between calibers but about 1/2 easier (1 vs. 2 blades).
They are both nice because they trim and inside and outside chamfer in one step, just push the case in, twist a little, and you're done. Most other trimmers require multiple steps.
How many cases will you do a year? 10,000s = Giraud, 1000s = Gracey, 100s = Hornady or RCBS.
If you are only doing a hundred or so at a time between caliber changes I'd stay away from Gracey or Giraud.
I have a Gracey and like it a lot. But it is a pain in the butt to adjust the cutting blade for different calibers. There are two blades and there is an art to moving them just right. Kind of like taking-down a Ruger 22 auto. Once you get good at it it's no big deal but you do it so infrequently that it can really drive you nuts sometimes.
For a long time I only used it for .223, doing 1000's, and used a crank style Hornady for other calibers that only got loaded a couple 100 at a time. If you're only doing one caliber a Gracey is golden.
The Giraud is nicer in proportion to the cost. Better motor, drive system, bearings. It also uses a one piece blade. The blade is still a pain to adjust between calibers but about 1/2 easier (1 vs. 2 blades).
They are both nice because they trim and inside and outside chamfer in one step, just push the case in, twist a little, and you're done. Most other trimmers require multiple steps.
How many cases will you do a year? 10,000s = Giraud, 1000s = Gracey, 100s = Hornady or RCBS.
If you are only doing a hundred or so at a time between caliber changes I'd stay away from Gracey or Giraud.
Re: Gracey trimmer
I also have been using a Gracey for several years. I did replacer the Gracey cutter with a replacement made by Giraud, but it is still a pain to change to another caliber. I pretty much keep it set at 30 cal for 308 and 30/06, just changing shell holders.
If I was to do it all over, I'd buy the Giraud, but I'm not going to sell the Gracey to get a Giraud. The Gracey works well enough for me.
I also have been using a Gracey for several years. I did replacer the Gracey cutter with a replacement made by Giraud, but it is still a pain to change to another caliber. I pretty much keep it set at 30 cal for 308 and 30/06, just changing shell holders.
If I was to do it all over, I'd buy the Giraud, but I'm not going to sell the Gracey to get a Giraud. The Gracey works well enough for me.
Re: Gracey trimmer
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: dinc</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have a Gracey and like it a lot. But it is a pain in the butt to adjust the cutting blade for different calibers. There are two blades and there is an art to moving them just right.
</div></div>
Buy a Giraud one piece replacement for a Gracey. Much better than the Gracey designed one.
http://www.giraudtool.com/prod03.htm
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: dinc</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have a Gracey and like it a lot. But it is a pain in the butt to adjust the cutting blade for different calibers. There are two blades and there is an art to moving them just right.
</div></div>
Buy a Giraud one piece replacement for a Gracey. Much better than the Gracey designed one.
http://www.giraudtool.com/prod03.htm
Re: Gracey trimmer
I have a gracey and a giraud trimmer. The Giraud is a much better trimmer. The gracy trimmer cutter blades are a much better desighn than the giraud. I bought a second set of gracey blades and ground the long one down so they fit my giraud.
I have a gracey and a giraud trimmer. The Giraud is a much better trimmer. The gracy trimmer cutter blades are a much better desighn than the giraud. I bought a second set of gracey blades and ground the long one down so they fit my giraud.
Re: Gracey trimmer
I got a Gracey years ago. If the Giraud existed back then, I had never heard of it. Ditto on the cutter blades being a bear to adjust. I bought a second one so I wouldn't have to jack with it when switching between my two main calibers. I use an older crank trimmer for the seldom-used calibers.
My Graceys work just fine. Stick it in the hole for a couple seconds and it's done. The Giraud motor is more powerful, but I've never lacked for enough. Maybe I could shave off a fraction of a second with more power but that alone is not worth it to me.
You can buy replaceable cutter heads for the Giraud to avoid adjusting the cutter blades. I got a cutter head from Gracey to convert one of their neck turners into my second trimmer, but it cost more than the Giraud heads and I'm guessing the conversion process was more involved.
If the quality on my Giraud annealer is any indication, the Giraud is 'slicker' looking in terms of manufacturing than the Gracey, which looks like a mom & pop product (which is exactly what it is.) The Giraud catches the shavings while the Gracey leaves a little mess to clean up - no biggie. There is no off/on switch on the Gracey - little things like that are what makes it cheaper I guess.
Just looking at the picture above of the Giraud cutter, I'd say I like the Gracey better even though it has two blades to adjust. With the Gracey, you can get an optional cutter that will give you a longer taper on the chamfer blade for VLD bullets (pretty cheap option, too). You can also adjust for thicker vs thinner neck walls if you wanted to.
I got a Gracey years ago. If the Giraud existed back then, I had never heard of it. Ditto on the cutter blades being a bear to adjust. I bought a second one so I wouldn't have to jack with it when switching between my two main calibers. I use an older crank trimmer for the seldom-used calibers.
My Graceys work just fine. Stick it in the hole for a couple seconds and it's done. The Giraud motor is more powerful, but I've never lacked for enough. Maybe I could shave off a fraction of a second with more power but that alone is not worth it to me.
You can buy replaceable cutter heads for the Giraud to avoid adjusting the cutter blades. I got a cutter head from Gracey to convert one of their neck turners into my second trimmer, but it cost more than the Giraud heads and I'm guessing the conversion process was more involved.
If the quality on my Giraud annealer is any indication, the Giraud is 'slicker' looking in terms of manufacturing than the Gracey, which looks like a mom & pop product (which is exactly what it is.) The Giraud catches the shavings while the Gracey leaves a little mess to clean up - no biggie. There is no off/on switch on the Gracey - little things like that are what makes it cheaper I guess.
Just looking at the picture above of the Giraud cutter, I'd say I like the Gracey better even though it has two blades to adjust. With the Gracey, you can get an optional cutter that will give you a longer taper on the chamfer blade for VLD bullets (pretty cheap option, too). You can also adjust for thicker vs thinner neck walls if you wanted to.
Re: Gracey trimmer
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: OldTex</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
There is no off/on switch on the Gracey - little things like that are what makes it cheaper I guess.
</div></div>
I didn't like no on /off switch either. I bought a replacement on/off switch from Dillon for their vibratory case cleaners. It hooked right up onto the Gracey and it now has an in line on/off switch. I think the switch was about $15.00 or so from Dillon.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: OldTex</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
There is no off/on switch on the Gracey - little things like that are what makes it cheaper I guess.
</div></div>
I didn't like no on /off switch either. I bought a replacement on/off switch from Dillon for their vibratory case cleaners. It hooked right up onto the Gracey and it now has an in line on/off switch. I think the switch was about $15.00 or so from Dillon.
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