308 case trimmer

[CPD7119]

All I'm looking for some input on which case trimmer to get. I've got a ton of brass sitting around and figured I'd start processing it. What is everyone using these days. I already have a dillon rt1200 set up for 223. I am looking for a more precise option.

Thanks in advance

[andrewst359]

I like the Lyman Eze trimmer 

[RiggerJJ]

I don't think the RT is imprecise, that's all I use...

Get a 308 trim die and try it out, don't think you will be disappointed.

[chevrofreak]

I gave up a bit of precision for speed when I went with a Little Crow Worlds Finest Trimmer for .223, and I am considering buying one for 6.5 and .308, but I dont think it is that much of a sacrifice.  I have since switched do a Dillon RT1500 for .223 and it seems quite precise to me. 

 

The WFT indexes off of the shoulder of the case, so if the case is properly sized the trim it does will be uniforming the neck length which is the most important factor. 

[Overscore]

Are you looking to hand trim or spend more for a power trimmer?  If the latter, here's the data that I collected as I struggle with my decision on what to get.

 

Name                                     OAL or Neck           Chamf+Debur      Price (~)      Notes
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Giraud                                   Neck                  Yes              500            Seems to have best reputation.  Possibly the loudest one.
Frankford Arsenal Platinum...Center      Neck                  No               150            Friend has one and it seems perfectly useful
RCBS Trim Pro Case Trimmer               OAL                   No               300            Like that it's OAL without being a PITA to load and unload cases
Hornady LnL Case Prep Center             OAL                   No               500            Chuck system seems annoying.  Overpriced.
Gracey Power Brass Trimmer               Neck                  Yes              350            Horizontal mount only?  If selected, get carbide cutter from Giraud
Dillon RT1500                            N/A - do not want press mounted trimmer
Little Crow Creek                        N/A - do not want drill-based trimmer
Pacific Case Trimmer                     No longer exists, whatever it was?  Maybe?

 

[Jakobi]

I have a Gen 1 Henderson Precision Tri-trim for .223 and a Forster trimmer for everything else.

[Xfive]

The RT is the way to go. Get yourself the 308 trim die and have at it. Everything else is a downgrade

[electricjet]

Hello .. went through the same motions and just got the L.E.Wilson - Sinclair stainless steel trimmer with micrometer.



Might want to look at the Forster trimmer also [emoji6]


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[Old3GNR]

If doing thousands, Giraud.  I use one machine with two different cutters for .223 and.308.  It's so quick and easy that I run all of my .233 brass through it whether they need trim or not.  Way faster then measuring length.

[RiggerJJ]

Your RT is the way to go. Run it on the processing head and you don't have to handle each case individually. Use lots of lube so the resizing is consistent, then the trim will be.

No way would I run thousands of cases individually thru a pencil sharpener type, or a lathe type...just too slow and the pencil sharpener is too painful on the fingers.

[CPD7119]

On 3/18/2019 at 9:04 PM, RiggerJJ said:

Your RT is the way to go. Run it on the processing head and you don't have to handle each case individually. Use lots of lube so the resizing is consistent, then the trim will be.

No way would I run thousands of cases individually thru a pencil sharpener type, or a lathe type...just too slow and the pencil sharpener is too painful on the fingers.

I'm leaning more toward sticking with what I have. Not really wanting to spend hours trimming and I'm not shooting any matches or anything with it. Thanks for the input gents I truly appreciate it.

[Sigguy552]

If you're reloading rifle on a progressive, I'd get a giraud triway for $100 and call it a day. I use it for 223 in my AR and 308 in my FAL and it's fast and efficient. The triway trims, chamfers and deburs all in one step which saves a ton of time. The only downside is you have to buy one for each caliber but I hand trim for all other calibers I have so it doesn't matter. 

[RiggerJJ]

Chamfering and deburing are not necessary, especially for burner 3gun ammo. After processing, tumble to remove the lube, and it will also knock the burrs off. Then just use a good mouth expander (chamfer) and a slight taper crimp will remove the outer burr.

Again, the RT is the way to go. You don't have to handle the brass in between (except for swaging) and everything is consistent.

Edited April 16, 2019 by RiggerJJ

[Sigguy552]

3 hours ago, RiggerJJ said:

Chamfering and deburing are not necessary, especially for burner 3gun ammo. 

You're probably not far off but with the triway, it does it all in one step so why not? 

[RiggerJJ]

Because you need to handle each case by hand instead of just running it thru the progressive loader with a trimmer on it. Way too much fussing around.

[427Cobra]

Trimming is not an accuracy step but a safety step, I don’t trim 308 brass until it reaches 2.025, my targets and chronograph can’t tell the difference in trim length, I use a Giraud Trimmer. 

[Chills1994]

On 4/16/2019 at 1:27 PM, RiggerJJ said:

Because you need to handle each case by hand instead of just running it thru the progressive loader with a trimmer on it. Way too much fussing around.

It was from a mid 90's edition of the "A, B, C's of Reloading" that I learned of the term "therblig" .

 

It is kind of an anagram of the researcher's surname, Gilberth.

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Therblig

 

Long story short, the Gilberth's defined motion in the work place.  And called a particular motion while doing work a "therblig".

 

So stepping up from a Dillon 550 to a 650 eliminates one "therblig" ...the movement of your right hand off the handle to pick up a case and feed it into the 550's shellplate.

 

If you have a bullet feeder on your casefed 650, that eliminates the therblig of your left hand setting a bullet on a freshly charged case.  

 

Sooo...having an RT1500 trimmer on a casefed 650 or 1050 eliminates all the associated therbligs of shoving a rifle case into a pencil sharpener like trimmer like the Gracy, the Giraud, the WFT, and the Possum Hollow Cutter...or all the associated therbligs of the lathe type trimmers...and the therbligs of chamfering and deburring too.

 

I'm also using a Swage-It tool in concert with my prep toolhead to get rid of the primer crimps.  Again, eliminating the therbligs associated with using the Dillon stand alone swaging tool.

 

I tumble my brass...either way wet or dry...(wet with SS pins or dry with crushed walnut) to deburr the RT1500'ed cases.

 

Then on the actual loading toolhead, I have a Lyman M die in station #1 and it opens up the case mouth ever so slightly.  That means no separate chamfering step

 

 

 

 

 

 

[m700]

The dillon is pretty precise as long as the shell plate is snug and balanced. I like it on the press i have to size it anyway it doesnt add time to my process so i trim everytime.

[nikdanja]

I have a Wilson Sinclair trimmer for my 308 and 3006. This is incredibly consistent because it has a Micrometer adjustment built into the trimmer. It’s a little pricy but check out what others have reviewed it at. Perfect for precision shooting.