Case trimmers

[alucard0822]

I've been happy with a possum hollow trimmer and drill adapter, quick and easy. I also use a Lee trimmer with pilots, but use it "backwards", I chuck the cutter in my drill, not the shellholder. pop a case on the pilot gauge/cutter, hold it with my fingers, then spin the drill and push it flat against something solid, usually the side of my press or table, it spits some brass, and the case is trimmed just fine. Either method goes fairly fast, 10-20 cases a minute, so the worst part of reloading gets done pretty quick.

 

[Franklin]

i planned on converting my lyman universal to an electric drive. my plan is to find small pullies with set screw hub and size them to the trimmer shaft and a 1/32 hp single phase motor driven by belt. not really into the loud drill thing..

 

[byf43]

i planned on converting my lyman universal to an electric drive. my plan is to find small pullies with set screw hub and size them to the trimmer shaft and a 1/32 hp single phase motor driven by belt. not really into the loud drill thing..

Don't know about "loud drill thing".....

My drillpress is so quiet, you barely hear the motor running.
I've got two tabletop drillpresses.
One was a tool show find, for $35.00, and the other is a Sears Craftsman (about $150 IF memory serves me).
(I'll have to double-check the spindle speed, but, I THINK it's like 450 rpm on the slowest setting.)

Seriously..... IF your drillpress is making noise, something's not 'right'.

 

[Franklin]

Don't know about "loud drill thing".....

My drillpress is so quiet, you barely hear the motor running.
I've got two tabletop drillpresses.
One was a tool show find, for $35.00, and the other is a Sears Craftsman (about $150 IF memory serves me).
(I'll have to double-check the spindle speed, but, I THINK it's like 450 rpm on the slowest setting.)

Seriously..... IF your drillpress is making noise, something's not 'right'.

regular 1/2 inch drill on the shaft.

 

[byf43]

regular 1/2 inch drill on the shaft.

Yup!!!!

My old "Monkey Warts" (made by B&D) 1/2" drill makes one helluva noise!!!

 

[Pinecone]

$450 new.

Feeder disk is $20 (four sizes), Flat transfer plate is $10 (three sizes). So conversion, depending on what caliber what caliber can get $10, $20 or $30.

.308 to .30-06 would be $10.

.223 to .308 would be $20.

.308 to .338 Lapua would be $30.

http://www.giraudtool.com/annealer1.htm

 

[El_flasko]

I ended up going with the little crow WFT's in 223 & 308. Thanks for all the input everyone!!

 

[Bolts Rock]

It's been a while since I looked at the Giraud.

How much (ballpark) do they cost now??
How much (ballpark) do the caliber 'kits' cost???
How long to change set-up/calibers???


I've seen them used (Youtube).

With all of the calibers that I load, it may or may not be worth it.

I typically load 100 to 300 .223 and/or .308 at a time.
.243; 45-70 and .30-'06...not so much.

.223 and .308 are fairly fast to process before actually loading, the way I go about it.

$440 for the trimmer, case holder $30, cutter head w/blade $45. Swap time is supposed to be 15 minutes or so including adjusting. It's only worth it for large lots like 500+.

 

[Bolts Rock]

$450 new.

Feeder disk is $20 (four sizes), Flat transfer plate is $10 (three sizes). So conversion, depending on what caliber what caliber can get $10, $20 or $30.

.308 to .30-06 would be $10.

.223 to .308 would be $20.

.308 to .338 Lapua would be $30.

http://www.giraudtool.com/annealer1.htm

That's the annealer not the trimmer.

 

[byf43]

$440 for the trimmer, case holder $30, cutter head w/blade $45. Swap time is supposed to be 15 minutes or so including adjusting. It's only worth it for large lots like 500+.

I'm not loading 'that' many at a time. 100 to 300, normally.

I clicked on what Pinecone posted and saw the annealer. That's pretty 'trick', too.

 

[Bolts Rock]

I'm not loading 'that' many at a time. 100 to 300, normally.

I clicked on what Pinecone posted and saw the annealer. That's pretty 'trick', too.

I don't necessarily load that many at a time but I do process cases in batches that large.

 

[Pinecone]

That's the annealer not the trimmer.

Yeah it is.

 

[BenL]

I have the WFT in 223 and 308, and they're great. I'm about to order one in 300BLK once we get settled.

 

[Redd Byrd]

Yup!!!!

My old "Monkey Warts" (made by B&D) 1/2" drill makes one helluva noise!!!

You obviously don't have a radio/TV turned up loud enough while "working"

 

[vector03]

Has anyone burned the motor out on their hand drill running it that long?

 

[hylomar]

Has anyone burned the motor out on their hand drill running it that long?

Not sure what post you are referencing, but I use a corded power drill 30-45 minutes at a shot trimming and have done so for the past 2 years. I'm sure it will fail sometime, but I feel I have gotten my dollars worth.

On a side note....I just ordered from CTS Trimmer. Ever caliber is in stock except .338 lapua, .408 chey tac and .50 bmg. Up to .308 is $48.45 shipped and mine is going in the mail Monday. CTSTrimmer@yahoo.com. I'm not affiliated, just happy with the product and the customer service.

 

[byf43]

Has anyone burned the motor out on their hand drill running it that long?

Not trimming.

I burned out the 'brushes' in that MW (made by Black/Decker) running a 1-1/2" masonry bit, years ago.

$1.50 got it back into use.

Seriously...... look at a benchtop drillpress. They're typically a LOT more heavy-duty than a hand drill.

 

[Lunchbox]

This thread got me interested in the WFT so I ordered it in .223 and I'm super impressed! I'm still new to reloading, so all my case trimming has been non-motorized using the Hornady Cam Lock Trimmer. The WFT was easy to set up and worked great, all cases were within .003 just like they advertise. I blasted through a couple hundred cases of .223 in like 30-45 mins (not counting set up time)

I want one for every round now!

 

[Melnic]

My WFT came in
I uses my Amex points tied to my Amazon acct

 

[Melnic]

I'm impressed from the first trials. I trimmed up 20 freshly resized cases. All cut were +/- .001 of each other.