Don't you hate brass trimming

[TackDriver284]

Oh man, after annealing batches of 300 pieces of brass for 2 rifles, I tumbled, lube and full sizing, no problem and when its time to measure case length, I know what's coming and its trimming!!!! I hate trimming!!! I removed the handle on my RCBS case trimmer and hooked up a drill to it, it speeds it up, but I hate to measure each one to make sure on right length after the trim and deburrs case mouths.

I want to upgrade. how about a Giraud? Anyone use the Giraud, not sure about the Little Crow Gunworks World's Finest Trimmer, or any trimmer that trims fast and deburrs case mouths automatically? Any pro and cons? Any trimmers I should stay away from?

 

[billkieger]

Oh man, after annealing batches of 300 pieces of brass for 2 rifles, I tumbled, lube and full sizing, no problem and when its time to measure case length, I know what's coming and its trimming!!!! I hate trimming!!! I removed the handle on my RCBS case trimmer and hooked up a drill to it, it speeds it up, but I hate to measure each one to make sure on right length after the trim and deburrs case mouths.

I want to upgrade. how about a Giraud? Anyone use the Giraud, not sure about the Little Crow Gunworks World's Finest Trimmer, or any trimmer that trims fast and deburrs case mouths automatically? Any pro and cons? Any trimmers I should stay away from?

For Service Rifle competition(223) I had the World's Finest trimmer, but still had to chamfer and debur so sold it and bought the Giraud tri way trimmer when it came out for not much more $. Set it and forget it. I have an old Makita drill ziptied to my bench.
Does it do a good job? I can easily hold the X and ten ring at 600yrds if I do my part in holding and calling the wind.

All depends in if they make it for the caliber you're reloading. ...

Bill

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[Guy Miner]

I don't think anyone does more case prep than NRA High Power and CMP competitors...

With matches every weekend, requiring 60 - 100 rounds each day.. Each with match grade accuracy. Ya, that's a lot of case prep.

Honestly though, I don't really mind trimming brass. It's just part of the hobby of handloading and shooting.

Guy

 

[billkieger]

I don't think anyone does more case prep than NRA High Power and CMP competitors...

With matches every weekend, requiring 60 - 100 rounds each day.. Each with match grade accuracy. Ya, that's a lot of case prep.

Honestly though, I don't really mind trimming brass. It's just part of the hobby of handloading and shooting.

Guy

Yep, I go through 2-3K a year. Personally, case trimming is my favorite step in the brass prep process because it means I'm ready to prime and load!
But that's just me. ...

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[Elkman]

I hate load development and anything that goes with it including prepping the cases. My son in law was here for thanksgiving and took in interest in what I was doing. After I showed him all of the steps including the annealing, he had a far greater appreciation for the ammo I load for him and my grandson. I have been playing with a 280 this last couple of weeks. Its been in the safe for lots of years (around 20) and while I had lots of ammo, it had been fired in another rifle, and would not go into the 98 action. Each case had to have the bullet pulled, powder dumped, full length resized etc. I consulted my Nosler reloading guide and loaded some sighting rounds with RL-19 and 30 year old 150 grain Speer bullets, which I had pulled and weighed. . After a couple of sight in shots I was able to put 4 shots under 1.25 inches at 100 yardsl I think it will do a little better than that, with a little tweaking. Next up is my Model 1917 30:06 AI. I have some loads ready for it and when the rings arrive I will see how it does

 

[ethmoid1999]

I don't have a Giraud trimmer but have the Hornady Case Prep thing. It's motorized but very slow.

 

[FOTIS]

Not anymore!


Best investment ever!!!!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKKlaAOHZpk&t=1374s

 

[JD338]

It's the only part of the reloading process that I do not care for.

JD338

 

[Richracer1]

I hate trimming as well, but to help out, I use RCBS X sizing dies that are available in the calibers I have. Pretty much trim once and don't worry about it.

 

[pharmseller]

Neck size. It cuts out a ton of steps and doesn't stress the brass as much.



P

 

[TackDriver284]

Neck size. It cuts out a ton of steps and doesn't stress the brass as much.
P

After a few firings, you will feel the need to full size to bump the shoulders back .002" if you only neck size, you will feel a pretty snug chambering on some calibers especially the .308

 

[pharmseller]

Neck size. It cuts out a ton of steps and doesn't stress the brass as much.
P

After a few firings, you will feel the need to full size to bump the shoulders back .002" if you only neck size, you will feel a pretty snug chambering on some calibers especially the .308

Yeah, but I get a few firings out of neck sizing only. And there's nothing wrong with a snug bolt close.




P

 

[longrangehunter]

Mark, you should trim your cases before annealing them. Having them harder I seem to get better results with the cutter.

I use a WIlson case holder, and the Sinclair/Forster BR trimmer, it's slow, but I don't trim a lot it seems since in some of my guns the chambers were cut on the long side. I mostly neck size w/o the button pulling on the neck when going out of the die if I have no dents in the cases. Some of the softer brass the primmer pockets go before the case needs trimming in the first place.

Try trimming before you anneal and see if they're more consistent results for you?

 

[Polaris]

Strange phenomenon I'm experiencing. I've been gradually phasing over to Redding dies. I also switched to wire pulling lube/ethanol for case lube. Since these switches, I seldom, if ever need to trim brass. The lone exception is my .300 savage M99, a notorious brass stretching action.

Even my full house 5.56 service rifle loads go 4-5 firings before they grow enough to need a trim, and in that case they go to the recycle bin at that point anyway, as with the current batch of LC 13 I'm working on, that is where they start to develop the occasional neck split.

Wonder if anyone else has changed/refined something that has reduced their need to trim. I noted the X-die comment above.

 

[ShadeTree]

Wouldn't say I hate it, but it is the least favorite thing I do as it relates to reloading. I shoot regularly but don't compete and do all my shooting with bolt guns so I'm not a high volume shooter. If I went through rounds like some people do I would have to try to come up with a better way to trim brass and check length.

 

[TackDriver284]

Wouldn't say I hate it, but it is the least favorite thing I do as it relates to reloading. I shoot regularly but don't compete and do all my shooting with bolt guns so I'm not a high volume shooter. If I went through rounds like some people do I would have to try to come up with a better way to trim brass and check length.

I don't hate it, its just a way of saying it, meaning I don't like doing it. :mrgreen:

 

[DrMike]

Though necessary, it is the least enjoyable aspect of hand loading for me.

 

[greenheadcaller]

Oh man, after annealing batches of 300 pieces of brass for 2 rifles, I tumbled, lube and full sizing, no problem and when its time to measure case length, I know what's coming and its trimming!!!! I hate trimming!!! I removed the handle on my RCBS case trimmer and hooked up a drill to it, it speeds it up, but I hate to measure each one to make sure on right length after the trim and deburrs case mouths.

I want to upgrade. how about a Giraud? Anyone use the Giraud, not sure about the Little Crow Gunworks World's Finest Trimmer, or any trimmer that trims fast and deburrs case mouths automatically? Any pro and cons? Any trimmers I should stay away from?

Tack, I own World's Finest Trimmer (WFT) and then bought a Giraud (Giraud Tri Way). The WFT hasn't been used since.

For simply trimming, the WFT is certainly an upgrade compared to hand trimming, and faster. The con of the WFT is that is doesn't debur and chamfer......for me, this is a deal breaker now.

As to the Giraud, they offer a complete machine. I don't own one, but friends do....and they are nice. Another option is the Giraud Tri-Way. It uses the same blade/cutter as the complete machine, but you have to supply your own power (I used it chucked into a corded drill or drill press). The Giraud Tri-Way works great for me, and I have no problem recommending. Tip: This tool works the best running fast. Giraud says 1000 rpm to 3500 rpm (not to exceed). I run mine 2500 ish, 1000 is too slow. It is truly a 3 in 1 deal.....once in and done. Fast.

The only con I have with the Tri-way, and the WFT, and Gracey, etc....is the same con all trimmers that involve your hands have ..... hands get tired. You don't have to gorilla grip with the Tri-way....but hands do get sore if I over do it. 300-500 a session/day is about all my hands want (hour to an hour and a half), depending on how much trim they need.

After initial trim, you can rock and roll with the tri-way....you will (at least I do) find yourself simply running brass through it every time you reload for touch up...it's that fast and easy

Getting the Giraud set up the first time may take some patience .......but one heck of a lot less patience compared to setting up a gracey for example. After you do it a couple times, it becomes much easier. (Tip: keep a trimmed piece of brass that is the length you want and is deburred and chamfered the way you want it....Insert/use that piece of brass as a blade guide when setting/snugging set screws).

One you get set and rolling with the Giraud, you will quit measuring every one...because you will know they are spot on (equal to your headspace length variability, it is a shoulder indexed trimmer). Tip, and this is an important one imo...don't chase variable length too much with trimmer adjustments.....if your lengths are off, address/rule out the headspace variability. Or put less delicately: If trim lengths vary using a Giraud, it's not the trimmers fault, it's the headspace/sizers fault...the trimmer is that good. Don't cut/butcher necks chasing variable headspace (should this occur)...because you cant get that brass back after headspace variability is corrected.

I get windy, so will leave it at this....if you get one and have questions, let me know, I have lots of wind.

A shorter answer : Stop shopping, get the Giraud (complete or tri-way, your choice), you will enjoy it.

http://www.giraudtool.com/Tri%20Way%20Trimmer.htm

(another option if you want to avoid touching them altogether, is using a trimmer on a progressive press set up for case prep....something like the Dillon trimmer. There are pro's and cons there too though .... and the cons keep me on the Giraud for precision reloading)

Added: Here is my equally windy review of the Giraud after I bought it and ran the first 1000 through it.viewtopic.php?f=4&t=28637

 

[TackDriver284]

greenheadcaller, that is a great write up. You explained it real well. Talked my wife into getting myself an early Christmas present and she said that I just maxed myself out on Christmas presents if I buy it. :mrgreen: Ordered the Giraud machine and should be getting it next week. Thanks for the advises.

I should be able to do 100 cases in 10 minutes or less instead of two hours.

Side note, The Giraud Tri-Way is cool, but they do not come in 6.5mm, so I settled for the machine which has all calibers.

 

[Nimrod84]

Enjoy TackDriver, Enjoy!

Only thing I can contribute is that I've heard that running the blade backwards is a sure-fire way to damage it. Otherwise, happy loading days are here again!