Newb question on case trimmers

Busta Capp

Busta Capp

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I just ordered an RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme Master reloading kit, which does not include a case trimmer. When I was reading the Lyman manual it says that it is important with new brass to trim to a common length. So, how important is the case trimmer to begin with?

Also, is there a big enough advantage to the drill mounts/electric units, or is manually operating the trimmer fine to begin with for low volume .223 reloads? Thanks for any input.
 
It is vital to ensure that your case length is not above the listed maximum. Not much of an issue with pistol brass but it sure is with rifle brass. It helps to keep the case length uniform. Lee has a cheap hand-held case length gauge and a cutter that uses an electric hand-held drill. Without spending lots for a fancy cutter, this system works well and is quick. You still would need to chamfer the inside and outside of the case.

FYI - Case trimming is a PITA

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I load small volumes of .250 Sav, .257 Roberts, .280 Rem and .30-30, maybe 500 or so rounds per year. I always trim my cases, and I've never used anything but the Lee system. For my needs, it's perfect.
 
I've used the LEE trimmer for years and have never had a problem with it.

I hold an electric drill in a padded vise and chuck the trimmer in the drill. Works great!



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I had a Forester that I used for a lot of years and it worked well. When I acquired a .500 S&W, I upgraded to something that would handle the larger diameter and opted for a Lyman Universal. It's great. No complaints.
 
"...fine to begin with..." Yep.
"...how important is the case trimmer..." It's a good idea to measure and trim all your cases to the same length. Having the cases all the same length to start with makes a lot of bullet seating issues go away. If the cases are slightly different lengths, the OAL will also be slightly different too. That can give you all kinds of headaches that are easily fixed by preparing the cases correctly.
Remember that you will have to chamfer the inside of the case mouth and deburr the outside every time you trim. Relax, you don't need to trim withe very reload. There are machines you can buy(not cheap) for chamfering/deburring or just use the hand tool from RCBS(inexpensive. Didn't want to say 'cheap'. They're well made. Mine is about 30 years old and works just fine).
 
The goal for accurate reloads is to make everything consistant. Case length is one of those details. Not only having the case the same length, but having a nice square end on it so the bullet is held true to the bore.

Trimming the brass helps with all this, but your question was how important is it? The important thing is having a method to measure the brass to ensure none is over the maximum trim length, or you may get the end of the brass being pinched into the bullet at the end of the chamber. This can cause dangerous pressure levels.

The lee unit measures and trims at the same time, and is very simple to use. It can be done by hand or in your drill, whichever suits your needs. It is also very cheap for the peace of mind it brings.
 
sunray said:
If the cases are slightly different lengths, the OAL will also be slightly different too.
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Different length cases will have nothing to do with the OAL.

Cartridge OAL is set by the seating die only. Once the die is properly set up the OAL is the same regardless of any variables in the case length.

Overlength cases cause problems when they are too long and crimp the bullets when forced into the shorter chamber. This crimping causes undo higher pressures and loss of accuracy.


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Griffoneur said:
Rifle loads get trimmed. Handgun loads do not.
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While straight wall handgun type cases don't require anywhere near the case length attention of a bottle neck rifle case, I find they still have to be 'touched up' once in a while. In particular, where heavy loads and a strong crimp are used.
 
martinbns said:
I love the Lee system, simplicity at it's best. I also have a Lyman Universal trimmer for a couple of calibre's I can't get Lee's for.
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Another fan of the Lee case trimmer system. You can get custom trimmers made from Lee for about $20 US as long as they make a shell holder to fit the case head.
 
telesquirt said:
So if I'm loading for 3 different calibres, say .257 Bob, .303 British and .300 Wby I will have to buy a case length gauge and trimmer for each calibre?
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Yes .......... they are only $5-$6 ea.



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SuperCub said:
Yes .......... they are only $5-$6 ea.



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Just to clarify, you only "need" to buy the case length guage (which includes the shellholder) for each caliber, which as SC said is only $5-$6. The end of the guage portion is threaded and screws into the trimmer, so you can use one trimmer for all your calibers.

Some people find that they prefer to keep a trimmer for each caliber to avoid having to unscrew one guage and replace it with another when switching calibers.
 
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