Power trimmer vs Annealer vs Powder Scale

[ChristianMelendez99]

I am in the market to upgrade my reloading bench. Currently my bench has a manual trimmer, handheld chamfer/deburr tool, a charge master supreme but no annealer. I am looking at the amp annealer, autotrickler, and the Henderson power trimmer.

Would it be more wise to purchase the annealer first or the auto trickler and power trimmer since they are about the same price together?

 

[simonp]

What is your volume of brass? If you can keep manually trimming for awhile then there is your answer.

Well the real answer is you need to buy all three really.

 

[ChristianMelendez99]

Right now I have about 800 pieces of 6GT, 200 of 308 and 200 of 6.5 Creed. I'm just a fan of making the process as simple as possible, so knocking trimming, chamfering, and deburring all in one go is very enticing. The annealer probably does make the most sense though.

 

[Hoser]

Scale, trimmer and then annealer.

 

[bmash]

Of course we don’t know what volume you are shooting or your use (hunting or competing or whatever), but personally:
Trimmer and auto trickler - I got sick and tired of trimming and chamfering brass, so that was first for me. I used a RCBS scale for years and then upgraded to a A&D scale with auto trickler and thrower. It saves me a lot of time when loading hundreds of rounds for prairie dog hunts.
Then Annealer - I shot 308 brass in 600 yd competitions for at least 8 times without annealing and was still shooting good groups. (Back before annealing became popular). Then l got an AMP annealer.

 

[simonp]

The trimmer and the scale will speed up the process and make your life immensely easier.

The Annealer just improves your loading and prolongs your brass, so if its about making life easier go for the other two first. But all three work hand in hand when trying to load precision.

 

[BobinNC]

I use a SINCLAIR LE Wilson CASE MOUTH DEBURRING TOOL WITH HOLDER.

It fits in my Dewalt Drill that I mount in my bench vice. Or I can use it manually

SINCLAIR CASE MOUTH DEBURRING TOOL WITH HOLDER

For trimming I use a Forster Classic Case Trimmer that I've used for the last 30 years. It works and is fast enough.

Classic Case Trimmer

And for powder charging I use an RCBS Competition Powder measure, and a Frankford Arsenal Powder Trickler. I can drop, weigh and trickle as fast as most of the RCBS Chargemasters, and I don't need a soda straw to make mine work properly

I don't bother with annealing as I'm happy with the case life I get from my brass at my load levels.

And if brown stuff impacts the fan blades, having reloading stuff that doesn't need power to function is a quality that can't be duplicated.

And yes, I use a powered scale (I have several), but I always have a Ohaus 10-10 as a back-up.

 

[Maurygold]

Giraud or Henderson first. The consistency from this will actually improve loads. I have an fx and it shrunk sd/es maybe 3-5% not really a meaningful number.

Amp won’t make better groups just keep brass for longer.

Seriously the giraud is the best tool on my bench and I love it

 

[Herb Stoner]

Depends on your priorities. I’d go with making my life easier and cases consistent with the Giraud and an AMP.

Besides, if you wait on the Trickler, there’s a cool new one coming out next year.

 

[DHDeal]

A very good scale would be #1, annealer #2, then if you want the convenience and really think you can't live without it the powdered trimmer.

There, solved it in an efficient manner!