Overscore Posted January 7, 2019 Share Posted January 7, 2019 (edited) Hi everybody, Winter time is when I sit down and load 223 ammo for the year, about 5,000 rounds. This year, I will no longer be using a hand trimmer (retiring my L.E. Wilson). I'm trying to select a trimmer that fits my desires, and I've put together the list below. I'd appreciate any comments, be they pros, cons, gotchas, trimmers that I didn't consider, etc. The only brass I intend to trim with this is .223, which I use in 3-gun, not any super precision type of shooting. I'm looking only at trimmers that fit these parameters: IS a power trimmer NOT integrated into my press NOT something that's a bit attachment for a drill Having additional bits for other operations is NOT a requirement, and perhaps a little bit of a deterrent, although not a deal breaker. Price is irrelevant, although it must at least feel priced appropriately. (I'm looking at you, overpriced Hornady.) With that, here are the ones I'm looking at, including some ruled out ones just to make it clear that I deliberately left it off my list. 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? I'd appreciate any shared experiences. Edited January 7, 2019 by Overscore Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jakobi Posted January 7, 2019 Share Posted January 7, 2019 (edited) Henderson Precision Tri-trim now has a powered option. Uses Forster collets and cutting heads. https://www.hendersonprecision.com/product-page/gen-2-powered-case-trimmer Edited January 7, 2019 by Jakobi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AHI Posted January 7, 2019 Share Posted January 7, 2019 I have used a Gracey did not like it . You use it like a pencil sharpener.The Giraud is the same. After about 30 min my hands hurt and cramp up. The Giraud is a better unit. I sold my Gracy and bought a Dillon 1500 and set up a tool head to process 223 brass. It sizes and trims at the same time . All other units require you to size then trim. Have never seen the Hornady in person.So size clean lube off (cases slip in your hand you get incostant length etc) then trim vs lube run threw press clean load. Non press mounted Giraud is considered the best If you can try before you buy . Don't just do a hand full but several 100 to really get a feel for how it works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiggerJJ Posted January 7, 2019 Share Posted January 7, 2019 Dillon trimmer is the only way to go for bulk processing. Don't need to chamfer/deburr after trimming if you use a Mdie to expand and a crimp die after seating. jmho... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caspian guy Posted January 7, 2019 Share Posted January 7, 2019 5 hours ago, AHI said: I have used a Gracey did not like it . You use it like a pencil sharpener.The Giraud is the same. After about 30 min my hands hurt and cramp up. The Giraud is a better unit. I sold my Gracy and bought a Dillon 1500 and set up a tool head to process 223 brass. It sizes and trims at the same time . All other units require you to size then trim. Have never seen the Hornady in person.So size clean lube off (cases slip in your hand you get incostant length etc) then trim vs lube run threw press clean load. Non press mounted Giraud is considered the best If you can try before you buy . Don't just do a hand full but several 100 to really get a feel for how it works. Yep I like the Giraud for how well it works but more than 20 mins of trimming leaves me with sore hands. If I need more than that, it gets done on the 1050 with the press mounted Dillon trimmer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Overscore Posted January 8, 2019 Author Share Posted January 8, 2019 The sore hands for the "pencil sharpener" style trimming is something for me to consider. I've reached the point in life where my hand gets sore pretty easily by doing something as operating a paintbrush for a few minutes, something about gripping things in that fashion. The same is likely to be true for these solutions that would have me holding the cases. I'm leaning toward the RCBS for this reason. Thanks for the feedback, y'all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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