How long does manual case trimming take you?

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How long does manual case trimming take you?

Post by franc » 01 Dec 2014, 2:16 pm

I've just started with the Lee trimming system and power drill.

Takes a good few rotation to trim the cases. To the guys doing it with manual trimmers, how long does it take you to trim your brass?

Seems like it would take all damn day doing it by hand?

Why do you persevere with the manual one being so slow?
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Re: How long does manual case trimming take you?

Post by Chronos » 01 Dec 2014, 3:09 pm

About 10 -15 seconds per case. Probably less than it takes you to put a case in the shell holder and put the trimmer pilot in the neck.

I use the Wilson micrometer trimmer.


http://youtu.be/81D3OEhCLbg

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Re: How long does manual case trimming take you?

Post by Baldrick314 » 01 Dec 2014, 6:22 pm

Less than 30 seconds per case including deburring the case mouth
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Re: How long does manual case trimming take you?

Post by bigfellascott » 01 Dec 2014, 6:55 pm

Here's my little setup, simple and efficient - takes around 10 sec per case to trim I guess, then a quick deburr and they are done.

Image

A piece of Allen Key used to connect the drill to the trimmer via where the handle would normally screw in
Image

Image
Last edited by bigfellascott on 01 Dec 2014, 7:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: How long does manual case trimming take you?

Post by Westy » 01 Dec 2014, 6:58 pm

That's pretty horne Chronos what does something like that run for????
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Re: How long does manual case trimming take you?

Post by Chronos » 01 Dec 2014, 7:37 pm

Yeah I forgot to add time for case mouth deburring so about 30 seconds sounds right.

By the time I get the trimmer out, set the length, trim and deburr then clean down the trimmer I'd say an hour for 100 cases.

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Re: How long does manual case trimming take you?

Post by Chronos » 01 Dec 2014, 7:55 pm

Westy wrote:That's pretty horne Chronos what does something like that run for????


Can't find the wilson trimmer on the new BRT website but j think the micrometer model with one shell holder is about $145 and additional shell holders for each cartridge are about $18 from memory. Will correct when I find pricing

You can also add a power adaptor similar to BFS's set up.

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Re: How long does manual case trimming take you?

Post by Westy » 01 Dec 2014, 9:02 pm

Will give Stuart a call tomorrow as their like 15 mins up the road from me!!!!!Check this out Chronos

https://brtshooterssupply.com.au/catego ... ory_id=690

Found it!!!!
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Re: How long does manual case trimming take you?

Post by Chronos » 01 Dec 2014, 9:24 pm

Westy wrote:Will give Stuart a call tomorrow as their like 15 mins up the road from me!!!!!Check this out Chronos

https://brtshooterssupply.com.au/catego ... ory_id=690

Found it!!!!


yeah that's the page i couldn't find on my phone, I can see it on the pc though. they're a nice piece of engineering but are priced accordingly .the thing is now i have it i have lee and lyman trimming systems sitting around useless :D

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Re: How long does manual case trimming take you?

Post by bigfellascott » 02 Dec 2014, 5:12 am

Chronos wrote:
Westy wrote:Will give Stuart a call tomorrow as their like 15 mins up the road from me!!!!!Check this out Chronos

https://brtshooterssupply.com.au/catego ... ory_id=690

Found it!!!!


yeah that's the page i couldn't find on my phone, I can see it on the pc though. they're a nice piece of engineering but are priced accordingly .the thing is now i have it i have lee and lyman trimming systems sitting around useless :D

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You should sell them Steve, I'm sure someone who's just starting out in reloading will find them useful. :D
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Re: How long does manual case trimming take you?

Post by Mich » 02 Dec 2014, 2:18 pm

It's not so much the time, I use powered one to save my arm.

Turning that little crank for 100 cases... Not for me.
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Re: How long does manual case trimming take you?

Post by Tiiger » 02 Dec 2014, 2:23 pm

franc wrote:Why do you persevere with the manual one being so slow?


If you just want to trim necks to spec, the Lee is fine. For hunting or non-serious targets it's fast and it does the job.

Some of the others will let you do more, like the Wilson trimmer you can square the case base with as well.

If you were doing match-level case prep you would want more than just trimming speedily.
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Re: How long does manual case trimming take you?

Post by Chronos » 02 Dec 2014, 2:28 pm

Mich wrote:It's not so much the time, I use powered one to save my arm.

Turning that little crank for 100 cases... Not for me.


I find the opposite, winding the handle by hand , and it only takes 2-3 turns is easier to me than holding the cordless drill in one hand

I guess it's a balance between how much you want to spend, what kind of accuracy you need and how fast you want to get it done.

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Re: How long does manual case trimming take you?

Post by bigfellascott » 02 Dec 2014, 2:52 pm

You could do what I did Steve, use the die box to lay the drill on, works a bloody treat. the drill doesn't separate from the trimmer either so its just a matter of inserting the case in the trimmer, sliding the drill etc, trim then slide it all back, I wasn't sure if it would be easy but since it all stays connected it really is quite efficient surprisingly, I know there are attachments to suit drills etc but after seeing this in action there's no need for me to waste money on one since it works the same anyway. :D

The Wilson ones look like good gear alright and if I didn't have this one I'd go one of them I'd reckon.
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Re: How long does manual case trimming take you?

Post by on_one_wheel » 02 Dec 2014, 3:36 pm

My case trimmer cuts the brass pretty quickly, only a few turns and its done... I certainly dnt feel the need to automate it with a power drill unless I was taking off loads of length.

De burning takes me much longer because im careful not to turn them into sharp hole punches.
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Re: How long does manual case trimming take you?

Post by Mich » 03 Dec 2014, 9:10 am

Chronos wrote:I find the opposite, winding the handle by hand , and it only takes 2-3 turns is easier to me than holding the cordless drill in one hand

I guess it's a balance between how much you want to spend, what kind of accuracy you need and how fast you want to get it done.


Yeah, whatever gets the job done.

The Wilson trimmer is a fine piece of kit, but overkill for many.

A trimmer like the Lee is fine for many but doesn't do what you need it to.

There's no 'right' or 'best' option.

Horses for courses. Horses for courses.
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Re: How long does manual case trimming take you?

Post by bigfellascott » 03 Dec 2014, 9:44 am

You can of course get cutters from RCBS that do the trimming and deburring/chamfering all in the one hit, not sure how good they are as haven't used one but might buy one when this cutter needs replacing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87XTJbaO764
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Re: How long does manual case trimming take you?

Post by bigfellascott » 03 Dec 2014, 9:54 am

This looks like a good quick little system too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87XTJbaO764

Video of it being used
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KNOLN0ByH8#t=11
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Re: How long does manual case trimming take you?

Post by Lorgar » 03 Dec 2014, 2:55 pm

bigfellascott wrote:You can of course get cutters from RCBS that do the trimming and deburring/chamfering all in the one hit


It would be handy if the Lee trimmers did that too...

Can't have everything though I suppose.
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Re: How long does manual case trimming take you?

Post by bigfellascott » 03 Dec 2014, 3:39 pm

Lorgar wrote:It would be handy if the Lee trimmers did that too...


Bloody oath mate, its a good little time saver hey - I'll definitely get one of those down the track for sure, especially when you take in consideration of what it costs to buy a new cutter then the deburring tool, might as well just buy that bugger hey. ;)
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Re: How long does manual case trimming take you?

Post by becks » 04 Dec 2014, 9:08 am

bigfellascott wrote:Video of it being used


That's quick as.
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