[selmer]

What do you guys think is the best case trimmer for the money? My father has a Forster that I didn't think was too fancy but it worked good, then I tried a Lyman Universal and there's no comparison! The Lyman wouldn't hold a length setting and it wasn't nearly as smooth as the Forster, and it didn't hold the case mouths square to the trimmer. I didn't get the Lyman and now I'm buying a used Forster for $25, did I make the right choice...?
Selmer

 

[Marshall Stanton]

Can't say that there is a right or wrong choice here, but a matter of personal preference.

I like the Hornady case trimmer, have used one quite a bit when we had a loading bench set up in the gunstore, it was nice, and used conventional shell holders and came with a wide array of pilots. Seemed like a good piece of equipment for the price, at the time.

However, I'm still using the Forster Case Trimmer that I received from my Dad, Christmas of 1976! Still going strong, and see no reason to replace it. I've aquired all the pilots and collets I'll ever need in a lifetime, and it's a neat, compact package that still serves me admirably.

If you got a Forster for $25 then I'd say you're set for a lifetime of trimming for little cash! Congratulations.

God Bless,

Marshall

 

[Jack Monteith]

Hi, Selmer:
My Forster's older than Marshalls', just keeps going, but his likely did more work than mine. There's quite a few accessories for them too.
http://www.forsterproducts.com/Pages/orig_trimmers.htm

Bye
Jack

 

[WildBill]

I use three trimmers. The RCBS, Forster and Wilson. The RCBS and Forster both do a good job but if the necks are turned and or only used with a bushing die, the pilots may be too tight or too loose. Thats where I use the Wilson. The disadvantge of the Wilson, is you need the chamber type shell holders and can be hard to find for some wildcat brass. The advantage of the Wilson is I can square the case heads and made a primer pocket uniformer for it. But if I had to use only one it would be the Forster.

Bill

 

[twillis]

Ditto the Forester. Mine has been going since the late 70s. Still works great.

 

[Ed Harris]

Lee Trimmer is Best Bang for the Buck

I use the Lee case trimmers, running them in a drill press and bottoming the indexing pin on the drill press table. Fast, you can do 1000 an hour.

When you first assemble the indexing pin into the cutter, take a piece of No. 7-1/2 shot and flatten it slightly, to insert into the spline slot on the pin before you thread it into the cutter head. Hold the pin in a soft -jawed vise and turn it home, then secure with green #280 wicking Loc_tite.

Then when you first grab the cutter in the drill press, turn slowly by hand making adjustments with a light plastic hammer until it runs true.

If you must take off more than a few thousands trimming and can't hold the case in the fingers, use the Lee shell holder and lock stud, clamped in a small pair of Visegrip pliers.

I trim all of my case, every time they are reloaded, to ensure they are of uniform length and this makes it a snap.

 

[selmer]

I bought the Forster...

Well, I went ahead and bought the used Forster for the same price that I sold the Lyman Universal. ($30) It came in the mail the other day and it is in immaculate condition! No rust, no scrathes, nothing. It came with collet #1 and a .270 inside neck reamer, which I have no use for, maybe it's a good excuse to get a .270 caliber rifle, but I don't think the wife will buy that one. It also obviously came with the cutter and all the set screws. The one question I have is that it came with a dull nickel colored attachment that looks like a rotating length gauge of some sort and another milled piece of blued steel with set screws in it. I thought it might be part of the outside neck turning tool, but I don't think it is. Can someone enlighten me on this. I'm very happy with the trimmer, I can't wait to use it now. I need to bring my newly built bench from back home in SD before I can start reloadign seriously here in Iowa.
Selmer

 

[kdub]

Hmmmmmmmmmmm...........

If you previously used a Forster and are familiar with all the shell holder collets and such, I'm at a loss to identify the items that came extra. Checked my Forster Trimmer box that has just about anything you can get for the trimmer and have nothing matching your description. Maybe you should get back with the seller and find out what they're for.

 

[andy]

Does it look like this http://www.forsterproducts.com/Pages/hand_turner.htm


andy

 

[Alk8944]

Selmer,

If the odd thing you question has a large diameter ring which is knurled on its rim and has a cam cut in one side, then what you have is the outside neck turner attachment.

To address your original question, the absolute best for the money is the Lee case trimmer. Never has to be adjusted, always cuts to precisely the same length. If the pilot you get is too long, then the pin can be ground to adjust the cutting length and, again, you won't ever have to adjust it again!

All said about the Lee, I have a Forster, RCBS, and Pacific. Of all of these the most used (usualy only) is the Forster since it is the most consistent as it trims from the case head. The RCBS is affected by rim diameter and the Pacific trims from the front of the rim and uses standard shell holders and the lock pin tends to push the case out of alighment.

The great thing about the Lee is if you only need to do a few cases it is already to go without taking time to adjust it.