Going to make the investment into a Trimming Setup - What should I be aware of

[Laxman2809]

Buying a trimmer setup and would like to know the differences between the Carbide 223 and the steel dies. Is the upgrade in $$$ worth it performance wise?

Edited January 20, 2019 by Laxman2809

[CPD7119]

My two cents, the steel are for your standard reloader. The carbide dies are for commercial reloaders. So if you're going to be processing large numbers of brass go carbide. I have the steel and have been happy. I process maybe 10k-25k a year.

[mcracco]

Conventional wisdom says CPD is correct but for me I always buy carbide, never had a problem and never said wished I bought steel. Carbide cost more but not hundreds more.

[wseago2]

Last year I bought an RT1500, 300blk carbide trim die, and a 223 steel trim die. I'm not sure they offer a 300Blk steel trim die...I don't remember seeing it offered, but the trim die allows you to size as well as cut down 223/556 cases to 300blk, so I figured carbide was certainly in order in that case.

 

I'd love to share my thoughts on the differences between the two, but I have not used either yet for more than a few cuts to setup tool heads. Most of my brass is in a ready to load state at the moment, and I have not been to the range nearly as much as I would like over the last few months.

 

As far as what to be aware of...if running 300blk you will need the special toolhead for it to provide clearance. It's a very short die.

 

If using 2 separate head setups (one process, one load...which is the preferred way) you won't need a carbide 3 die rifle set for bottlenecks. The trim die does the sizing, and you won't want to resize again in the loading head, so the resize die won't get used. Most folks recommend using an M die after trimming to prepare the necks, and a Universal decapping die in station 1 of the reloading head to make sure no tumbler media remains in the case.

 

I will say that in the small amount of use mine has seen, I believe it will do a great job, and I am happy with the purchase.

 

I trim my 308 / 6.5 brass by hand with a LE Wilson trim lathe, but I also load those by hand with LE Wilson neck/seater dies on an arbor press.

 

Hope that helps.

 

Wes