I need to get a case trimmer for my rifle cases. Is there a good inexpensive model for low volume reloading? Thanks.

The Lee trimmers are the least expensive and also take the most work to use unless you have an electric screw driver you can power them with.

For a bench style trimmer, I like the L.E. Wilson. It is about $35-$40 at Bruno Shooters Supply or Sinclair International. You additionally need a case holder for each case family at about $7. Sinclair makes a nice base for it as an option. They also have a micrometer setting version if you want that extra feature? The thing I like about that trimmer is it forces the case coaxial with the trimmer and no wobble is possible if the case holder is held firmly in place.

BIG +1 for Wilson! Simple, robust design that really works well. Power adapter is available, as are primer pocket reamers, neck reamers, and inside deburring tools, all from Wilson. Sinclair has some really nice accessories, some of which cost more than the trimmer itself.

I have both a Lee trimmer that I run on my cordless drill and a Forster bench mounted case trimmer, that I plan on getting the adapter so I can use the cordless drill to power it.

The Lee is real great for just a quick trim on cases.
The Forster is really nice as I have the ability to use neck turning tools with it.
The Lee gets the most use right now until I can afford to get the 243-06 / 6mm-06 that I want built, then the Forster will get a good workout turning a bunch of 06 cases in to new 243-06 / 6mm-06 cases.


Michael Grace

They work very well. Take care...
Oberndorf

I definitly like my Lee trimmers better than my RCBS. Dead-dumb simple and buffoon proof. If you don't want to do the cordless drill trick, buy the zip trim, and mount to the table top.

I use the Lee trimmers and deburrer. I use a DeWalt cordless drill to chuck the shellholder in.

I have found though that you can sure wear down the trimmer knives. I recently resized 50 .270 cases to 25-06, leaving about 1/8" that had to be trimmed off. I can;t imagine doing that without a motor like a cordless drill or something! I also ordered two more Lee trimmers for a tad less than $5 each. I tried to sharpen the knives on my old trimmer and I just can;t get it right.

I have a Forster that I used for 25 years or so, works very well, good quality ....I finally bought a RCBS motorized trimmer, as I do a bunch of brass up atta time, and got real tired of turning the crank..... and it speeded that up tremendously.... also good piece, now I can do a couple hunnert rounds an hour....altho way to spendy, they have an inflated idea of what the stuff is worth, but diesel is $2.64 a gallon here too.......*SIGH* ......

You just think RCBS charges too much because you haven't bought a Giraud yet. ;)

My Giraud finishes a case in about two to three seconds (depending on whether it's ever been trimmed before or not?), trimmed, deburred and chamfered all at once. Great when you are prepping all your brass for the match season in one session. Alas, it doesn't fall under the OP's original request for something inexpensive. A luxury item, to be sure.

I know what you mean Nick, I have the RCBS "Easy Trim" or whatever they call it for my trimmer too...... sure takes the pain outta it.... the one I have is for .22 caliber, they make them for other caliber's also, but I don't shoot enuff of the other stuff to warrant having one... I do shoot a heap of .22 tho....between the Hornet and the .223, I stay busy..... wouldn't be without it....

I do exactly what Stretch described. The Lee Trimmers are dirt simple to use and you can't screw it up.

Hi there. New to the forum, but ive been reading fo ra while. Seems to be a lot of good folks on here that know their stuff. I use Lee trimmers for everything, but have been wanting to get an adjustable case trimmer for a while so I can play around with different case lengths while tuning for a cast bullet load. Anyways, could someone explain how the "Q" type case holder works? I looked at the picture on the site but doesnt make sense to me. Maybe someone can enlighten me. Thank you for your time.

Who makes it?

Another vote for the Lee trimmer and a cordless drill.

Hi there. New to the forum, but ive been reading fo ra while. Seems to be a lot of good folks on here that know their stuff. I use Lee trimmers for everything, but have been wanting to get an adjustable case trimmer for a while so I can play around with different case lengths while tuning for a cast bullet load. Anyways, could someone explain how the "Q" type case holder works? I looked at the picture on the site but doesnt make sense to me. Maybe someone can enlighten me. Thank you for your time.


Sorry, I was talking about the wilson case trimmer.

The Wilson Q-type holder is a newer type of holder for straight wall, rimmed pistol brass only. You slide the brass into the holder from the rear, until it stops on the case rim, with the case mouth sticking out the front end of the holder. Then then you insert the tapered pin through the side of the holder, behind the case head. Tap it home to firmly hold the case rim against its seat in the holder. The hole is angled slightly to match the pin's taper, so that the rear side of the tapered pin is square to the holder. Adjust the trimmer stop to the back side of the pin. It sounds complicated, but it is really easy in practice (one of those things that is a whole lot harder to explain that it is to do).

With the older, straight wall pistol brass holders, you tapped the case into the holder (a lot of tapping), trimmed, and tapped it back out (a lot more tapping). Tapered rifle brass just has to be tapped a little to wedge the tapered brass in the tapered hole in the holder; not so with straight wall pistol brass.

Andy

My brother bought a set of Lee trimmers. We chucked up a couple 270's and it would not trim to minimum length.

So what length do the Lee's trim to? Is it possible he got a bad pilot?

It's possible your cases are too short to need trimming. I've had new cases in .308 that were made at the bottom edge of the tolerance range, which is -0.020" from maximum for most rounds. You need to apply the calipers to your cases and see what they measure? If they are not short, then check the trimmer. Trimmers are normally set for the average between maximum and minimum, so it should be 0.010" short of maximum, or 2.530" from the tip of the pin to the cutting edges for the .270 Win.

If the trimmer is 2.530" and your cases are longer than that, then you probably didn't get the pin to go down through the flash hole to bottom out on the shell holder, as it should.

We measured the cases and I don't recall the exact length but all were over minimum. Answers my question though that the trimmer is set between min and max.

If you need to you can shorten the pin on the Case Gauge shaft allowing it to cut shorter. I've done that in the past. Just be careful not to remove too much of the pin. I found the best way to do it is just drag it over some fine emroy paper and remove a little at a time until you get it where you want it.

Measure the cases again, just to be sure. You can then keep a record to watch how fast each reloading grows them toward maximum? Usually around five thousandths or so. That will tell you how many loads you can get before you have to trim again. I try to do them all after the same number of reloadings, so the first case in a group with the same load history to come out of the sizing die over the maximum signals the start of the trimming session for the group. You want to trim after whatever kind of sizing you are doing is completed because that is the condition in which the length matters. There is no point in trimming before you get to maximum unless you are crimping and want the lengths exactly even for that?

My brother lives 6 hours away. So it will be a some time before I revisit this one.

As a habit of mine, I trim all my new or once fired cases to minimum with my Lyman trimmer. I like it a lot because of the universal chuck.

My brother bought a set of Lee trimmers. We chucked up a couple 270's and it would not trim to minimum length.

So what length do the Lee's trim to? Is it possible he got a bad pilot?

.270 cases are minimum length of 2.540", I believe.

30-06 and 25-06 cases are to be a minimum of 2.484"



My Lee 30-06 trimmer trims cases to 2.485" and the Lee 25-06 trimmer trims cases to 2.488", for a total discrepancy between the two of .005".

I have no complaints. If I did, I would grind the pin down like Flashhole suggested.

I recently tried the Lee pilot trimmer and I am sold. I am unlikely to use my RCBS trimmer again.

Another vote for the Wilson trimmer. One advantage that others can't match is you can square the case head before trimming to OAL. The full range of useful accessories is just icing on the cake!

.270 cases are minimum length of 2.540", I believe. . .

Actually I have that as maximum. SAAMI specs put all case numbers as a maximum with a minus tolerance and all chamber dimensions as a minimum with a plus tolerance. That insures cases that fit in the chambers. I just realized I put the COL rather than the case length in my post before last and have gone back and corrected it. Must not have been fully awake when I posted it. We are looking at 2.520"-2.540" at the .270 tolerance range I believe, and I would expect the Lee trimmer to be 2.530" long.

My references for case measurements being the Lee and Lyman, I never thought to turn to the old Hornady book that ChiefRID sent to me. Now I see it. The trim to length for my 25- and 30-06 cases is 2.484. THe maximum case length is 2.494.

Of course you're right, Nick. Accordng to the Hornady manual, maximum case length for the .270 is 2.540. The Trim to length is 2.530. So there we have it.

Hey Bro ( Gyroboy01) found a case that was 2.537 and chucked it in the Lee trimmer and checked it. It trimmed to 2.534 right about in the middle of the spec. Found one in the batch that was
2.524 also, which is way shorter than spec. So if I decide to make it to minimum I'll just carefully
turn it down a few mils.

I use RCBS Trim Dies. I have used several rotary trimmers over the years and they were a pain to adjust, slow to use and made my hand sore. With a Trim Die, you just run the case into the die and anything that sticks out the top gets taken off with a swipe or two of a file. The die serves as a case length gauge...you never have to measure anything. Fast, simple and convenient. Of course, you do need a separate die for each cartridge.

Hey Bro ( Gyroboy01) found a case that was 2.537 and chucked it in the Lee trimmer and checked it. It trimmed to 2.534 right about in the middle of the spec. Found one in the batch that was
2.524 also, which is way shorter than spec. So if I decide to make it to minimum I'll just carefully
turn it down a few mils.


Mustang0 has the honor :p of being my older brother who also has the trimmer I spoke of early. I'm the modest one of the family:D. Fortunately we both have an obsession w/firearms.