Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Which Case Trimmer

What case trimmer do you guys use to get the most uniform case lengths? Are Forster trimmers good?

The one I use most is the inexpensive Lee system.

I do like the RCBS Trim Pro for the easy loading but only use it for odd cases where Lee doesn't make a Case Length Guage.

+1 to the Lee. Works great, as long as you can accept the length it gives you. No adjustment, unless you want it shorter.

I use a Wilson.

Lee

+ 1 on the wilson

Lee in a cordless drill.

Same here.

Lee - No Contest

I have a couple of Lee units for my 223 and 308. It works great, but is hard on the hands if you have more than a few cases to do.

I have a Hornady lathe-type that I use to shorten cases for wildcats, chucked to a variable speed drill. I've gone through two cutting heads on that one making 30 Herrett, 41 Special and 9mm Makarov cases. I dislike it enough that I very recently shopped for a different make.

I settled on the Redding 1400 for its universal collett and stationary pilot/cutter head, which is the reverse of most others. Bought one on ebay for a low price, only to learn that it was an older model without the titanium nitride cutter head. But it was hardly used, and it performs perfectly. So far, I MUCH prefer it over the Hornady.

What I like about the Wilson is no pilot rooting around in the case necks.

i have used a lot of diff ones and the one i still use is rcbs power trimmer and add a three way cutter makes life very nice

+2 on Wilson.

I use the Lee when I can. I chuck the cutter and pilot in a 1/2" Milwaukee and let her rip. I have an RCBS manual one that I use when I have to.

I use a Lyman and a Forster trimmer.
The Lyman uses a ball bearing in the primer pocket to center the case and the Forster has a universal collet.
You can get all the different spuds for the case necks as well as other little thingys to play with.

I have a Lyman, a Pacific, the Lee system with cordless drill, and the Possum Hollow. I only uses the Lyman or Pacific if I do not have a pilot for the Lee. The Possum Hollow is for bulk .223 brass. It headspaces on the shoulder of the case and is really efficient for volume trimming.

I took an old stubby screwdriver, heated the blade with a torch to get it out of the handle, then drilled out the handle and pressed in the cutter part of the Lee system. I chuck the lock stud part in the drill, and the handle on the pilot/cutter part make it great(keeps the damn thing from rolling away too!). Hit it quick after trimming with a combo ID/OD chamfer tool, then a 3/8 hex driver bit stuffed with 4/0 steel wool, and done.

That would help, but I think the Lee system is bassackwards. It's the cutter that ought to be powered. The current way, you fiddle with the lock stud to get a case in, run the motor, then have to stop it to get the case out, often having to turn the thing by hand to get the slot aligned to accept the next case. You have to put down and pick up everything using both hands, every time.

If the cutter were powered, you could turn it on and leave it on. With a decent handle on the lock stud, it would be much faster and easier to manipulate, and you could do all the manipulation with one hand.

+3 Wilson, nothing in the neck, very consistant lengths, plus the wilson will let you flip the case around and knock any burs off the case head so they will rest flat against the bolt face.