Hey guys super new to reloading this will be my first year on my own. I am just wondering what is a highly recommended scale and case trimmer. It can be the best value or the highest value. I just want it to be as accurate as possible for the powder. And the trimmer I would like something that is very simple to use and manipulate. I dont want to have to keep investing tons of money after the first purchase. I am all ears and please dont shred me for being green. I currently have 2 scales a digital rcbs and a 505. They are old hand me downs from my dad he thinks I should invest in a new scale. I recalibrated the digital scale twice and it went from 0.02 off to 0.01 off and I weighed a bunch of 143eldx bullets and they were all with in 0.03. He also gave me some wilson parts for a trimmer. But it is missing like $100 worth of parts or more. I am going to reload 6.5cm first then work up to my 300 win mag. Then move to a progressive to do pistols.
- Thread starter BigBlastin300win
- Start date
For a scale, I highly recommend spending up a bit and getting the A&D 120i. You can get it from the same folks that sell the auto-trickler for the "reloader" price of just under $500. It may sound like a lot, but I spent nearly that much on the predecessors I had before moving up. Then, when you're ready, you can add the AutoTrickler V3 on top of it for about the same price.
For a trimmer, I use the the Forster trimmer with the 3-way trimmer/chamfer head. It's not as quick as some of the expensive trimmers, but you do get 3 functions for one action, which is nice.
For a trimmer, I use the the Forster trimmer with the 3-way trimmer/chamfer head. It's not as quick as some of the expensive trimmers, but you do get 3 functions for one action, which is nice.
Neither is top of the line, but I’ve been pretty happy with my RCBS Chargemaster and the Frankford Arsenal Platinum Case Trim and Prep System.
There’s tons of info out there on powder measures, the best being the Prometheus (which is insanely expensive), but I wouldn’t touch one that didn’t auto-dispense. Getting powder charges right is already one of the longest steps, although that’s been mostly due to overthrows in my personal history. With the Chargemaster, I recommend picking up a set of nozzle inserts to slow down powder dispensing, to try to minimize overthrows; I just bought a set off Etsy for like $12. Three different sizes, hoping they eliminate having to scoop individual kernels out to fix charges. Time will tell.
The Giraud Power Trimmer is the best trimmer as far as I know, but it’s steep. It performs three steps in one (trim and inside/outside chamfer), and that’s a sweet bit of time saved across hundreds of cases. The Frankford does them separately, but still WAY faster than the Wilson manual trimmer I have (that needs a separate I/O chamfer step by hand
). Strong value at half the price of the Giraud ($240 vs $500, got mine for $160 a couple years back on Amazon), and it doesn’t require more expense for multiple cartridges like the Giraud.
There’s tons of info out there on powder measures, the best being the Prometheus (which is insanely expensive), but I wouldn’t touch one that didn’t auto-dispense. Getting powder charges right is already one of the longest steps, although that’s been mostly due to overthrows in my personal history. With the Chargemaster, I recommend picking up a set of nozzle inserts to slow down powder dispensing, to try to minimize overthrows; I just bought a set off Etsy for like $12. Three different sizes, hoping they eliminate having to scoop individual kernels out to fix charges. Time will tell.
The Giraud Power Trimmer is the best trimmer as far as I know, but it’s steep. It performs three steps in one (trim and inside/outside chamfer), and that’s a sweet bit of time saved across hundreds of cases. The Frankford does them separately, but still WAY faster than the Wilson manual trimmer I have (that needs a separate I/O chamfer step by hand
). Strong value at half the price of the Giraud ($240 vs $500, got mine for $160 a couple years back on Amazon), and it doesn’t require more expense for multiple cartridges like the Giraud.
Another vote, like @KnowNothing256 ... for the RCBS Chargemaster and Frankford Arsenal Platinum combo gadget. Both are easy to use, and 100% worth the money. You can spend more, but it's unlikely you'll get better results.
Good timing. I’ve been pondering the Giraud vs. the manual method I currently use. I hadn’t even considered the Frankfort.
This. If you're in the long range game, and you want precision and speed, all roads eventually lead to the auto trickler. I had the CM lite, and now have the v3. The v3 is faster, more accurate, and there is zero wondering about charge weights. If I could have done it over again I would have just skipped straight to ordering a full AT package, but I did spend over a year using the fx120 and a manual trickler, which I enjoyed at the time.
But for getting started, a vintage 505 isn't bad either - it's just no where as quick. I'd skip the digital scales and just scoop and trickle on the 505.
My four stations are trim, outside chamfer, inside chamfer, and a brass brush (I think it’s one caliber oversized) to clear out any shavings. I’d rather have the Giraud, but I about choked when I saw how much it cost. I probably cut my original trim/chamfer time by 80-90% with the Frankford for $160, and the Giraud would maybe take it to 95-97% savings (wild guesses on those numbers haha).
So If I am reading this right a good started combo would be the RCBS charge master combo and the Arsenal prep and trim? The rcbs charge master has been at the top of my list but I have spent a lot getting powder primers bullets and brass lol so I was hoping to get into some savings some where. Thank you guys for all the information and help. Looks like i need to do some more research and buy some new toys 
Okay so I just looked at the v3 and it looks like the bees knees. So would I have to buy like the $500 scale and the $500 v3 trickler to go with it? This will have to be for down the road when I save up some money. For now the 505 and the old redding thrower will have to work unless I can come up with some funds real fast.
Frankford Arsenal Platinum Case Trimmer and Prep system is what I recently upgraded to. I was using both the Lee handheld ones and the RCBS one, but you had to buy pilots and the case holders. And the Frankford is darn near universal and fast compared to manual systems. I have RCBS manual and electronic scales. They work for me.
Ya know, I'm increasingly skeptical of the "savings" angle, since getting geared up for reloading is not cheap, and there's always a new mousetrap...So If I am reading this right a good started combo would be the RCBS charge master combo and the Arsenal prep and trim? The rcbs charge master has been at the top of my list but I have spent a lot getting powder primers bullets and brass lol so I was hoping to get into some savings some where. Thank you guys for all the information and help. Looks like i need to do some more research and buy some new toys
Although I happened to see some dangerous game magnums for sale for like $10-12 per round the other day, so if you're going on a few safaris, you could certainly save there lol
Chargemaster is always a great start.
The FA combo trimmer is surprisingly decent.
Natchez has the ChargeMaster on sale right now, I believe, but there may be better prices elsewhere.
Not really - you can buy both together for just under $1000. Or you can buy them separately for just under $500 each. I bought the scale first, knowing at some point I'd get the AutoTrickler to go along with it. I then used a manual powder throw to get close to the charge, and a manual Frankford Arsenal trickler ($19) to trickle up.
I had three lesser scales before I got the FX 120i. One was about $80. Then I upgraded to one that was about $150. Then I upgraded to one that was about $200. I was not happy with any of them. So, more than $400 later, I basically trashed all those and bought the 120.
As someone mentioned earlier in the thread you can get nozzles to help with over throws using the charge master or cut a McDonald’s straw and insert it into the drop tube. Cheap and works great!
did the McDonald’s straw for years until I decided to get fancy and bought some Mkm inserts.
did the McDonald’s straw for years until I decided to get fancy and bought some Mkm inserts.
If you told me I could only keep one high end thing on my reloading bench it would be the Giraud Power trimmer. doing all trimming steps at once takes trimming brass from absolute misery to merely a horrible chore. The giraud lets me trim on average 800 an hour.
Get that and then save up for the auto trickler. )my second favorite tool.
Get that and then save up for the auto trickler. )my second favorite tool.
Money is not an issue just was hoping to save somewhere. But i realize guns ammo reloading is all an expensive sport. But I also know a lot of people who spend a shit ton of money on the "top of the line" and yeah it works. But I also see some old timers who are very precise and smart using older methods that are proven and work. Who is the better reloading. Usually that old guy who has 40+ years of knowledge and loves to reload. They also shoot very well too. I was just asking for input clearly you have no useful input
Im totally with you there. I think $1k is very acceptable to have super accurate powder charges! I watched a video and how on or off it was. Simply amazing!!!!
Well as of right now it is the charge master or the v3 auto trickler with the 120i. Im glad you said something about the nozzles and straws because that is why I was avoiding the charge master.
Man you guys are going to make my wife kill me....if you dont hear back from me in a couple months lol jk jk Thank you for the informative info. Sounds like I have finally found that answers I was looking for in my thread.
@BigBlastin300win ”clearly you have no useful input” Ouch man, shots fired! Info on your three questions, turning arbors, ChargeMaster and inserts for same, and the Frankford Arsenal trimmer rig isn’t enough?
Tough crowd
Tough crowd
