Dillon's Rapid Trim Case Trimmer OD Problem

[ZakAttackMan]

I Recently purchased a Dillon's Rapid Trim 1200B Case Trimmer to be used with my rcbs rock chucker and after doing a bit of research I found this statement in one of there forums.

I am loading 223. I recently set-up a 650XL tool head with the size/decap die in station 1 and the 1200 trim die in station 4. I thought I could kill two birds with one stone. I noticed that the 1200 trim die reduces the case neck even smaller than the size/decap die. It will reduce the OD from .248 down to .242.

I experience a lot of bullet damage when seating the bullets. It makes a distinct ring around the bullet from the force required to seat the bullet. If I use only the trim die I will have a deformed case. Even after resizing the case in the size/decap die again it is still noticeable.

That being said what is the best way to trim cases? Below is the best method I have used so far to eliminate the bullet damage.

For Example:

1. size/decap in seperate tooling head

2. trim afterwards using the same tooling head.

3. Resize case again in station 1 during the loading process.

or am I doing something wrong? This is now the third time I've used the trimmer and becoming a little frustrated.

Please hep.

Anyone got any ideas as to what would be the best way to use a trimmer like this on a single stage press.

Should I trim and then resize and if I do will the COL change due to the brass being resized?

Please Help

[sargenv]

Um, the die used to mount the trimmer is a sizing die. You could simply decap using a decap die and then size using the Dillon trim die and sizer. If you want to seat flat based bullets, you will need to chamfer the case mouth to be able to seat those flat based bullets. This is the reason most people use 55 fmj-bt's. No need to chamfer.

[ZakAttackMan]

I'm not to concerned with seating the bullets its more of getting a consistent COL out of every case that I trim. If I trim first and resize second will the COL Change?

And if it does I'm wondering if I can set the trim die higher or lower to compensate for the Full Length Resize after trimming.

I have tried trimming (w/o the Dillon) and not chamfering the inside and the bullet jackets did scrape enough to put a small shaving or two around the end of the case. I dont know if this matters or not but if I'm going to spend the time reloading I figure I should do everything to try and improve my reloads.

[ar15barrels]

As you have figured out, the dillon trimmer does not neck expand.
You need to do that as a separate step before you can load the brass.

I recommend a Lyman M die for this operation.
It's not necesary to run the case into another sizing die as that would be expanding the neck, then re-sizing the neck again and expanding the neck again.

Lyman M dies expand as the expander plug enters the case.
Regular dies expand the neck as the case is extracted from the die.
The M die does not change the length of the case.
Regular dies tend to stretch the overall length of the case while expanding the neck.

[ZakAttackMan]

What if I used my RCBS dies with the decaping die set all the way down and ran the case only far enough through the die to expand the neck. I dont want to have to by all new dies.

Now I really wish I would have bought a Giraud but I just couldnt wait.

[ar15barrels]

What if I used my RCBS dies with the decaping die set all the way down and ran the case only far enough through the die to expand the neck. I dont want to have to by all new dies.

Now I really wish I would have bought a Giraud but I just couldnt wait.

You can do that.

If you have an RCBS decapping die and an RCBS sizing die, take the decapping stem out of your sizing die and install it in the decapping die body.
This will give you a die that neck expands just like a Lyman M die, but without the extra sizing of a regular sizing die.

[ZakAttackMan]

Now I'm still wondering if I set the trim die to the power trimmer a little short to produce a shorter COL, and then resize it.

This would save me one less step.

[ZakAttackMan]

I would like to hear from someone who has one of these trimmers and there order of processing brass.

[ar15barrels]

I would like to hear from someone who has one of these trimmers and there order of processing brass.

Seek out my posts.
I have done extensive write-ups on how I utilize the Dillon trimmer to process brass.

[ar15barrels]

Now I'm still wondering if I set the trim die to the power trimmer a little short to produce a shorter COL, and then resize it.

This would save me one less step.

I don't think you really understand how to set up the trimmer.

[cdrxls]

Here's what randall is referring to:

The dillon trim die is basically a full length sizing die without a decapping pin or neck expanding bushing.
There is a cavity on top of the die though instead of a decapping stem.
The motor mounts on top of the die and a carbide cutter hangs down into that cavity.
The case slides up into the sizing die portion of the trim die and sticks out the top where the cutter is cutting off the excess brass.
There are two ports on the side of the die where brass trimmings escape the trimmer and get vacumed off when you attach a vacum.

The dillon trimmer sizes and trims in one operation.
It does NOT chamber or debur though.
I have not found chamfering and deburring to be necessary though as the cut is so clean that it just leaves a square end to the case.

It will be necessary to expand the case neck before seating bullets, but this can be handled in the first station of a progressive press, where a regular sizing die would normally live.


The girard trimmer works more like a pencil sharpener.
You have a cartridge specific adapter (die) that centers the case in the trimmer.
This adapter slides in and out and is spring loaded.
In use, you hold the case with your fingers, insert it into the adapter and rotate half a turn.
The excess brass gets trimmed off by the carbide cutter.
The cutter is shaped like a "V" so it cuts length and also chamfers inside and out.
The adapter is adjustable for trim length and has a positive stop against the case shoulder.
The cutter gets adjusted for different calibers.

The cases need to be sized before you run them through the girard.

Hope this helps
__________________

[freonr22]

Seek out my posts.
I have done extensive write-ups on how I utilize the Dillon trimmer to process brass.

just a thought... You Have 14,695 of them to go through

[ZakAttackMan]

So what would be the fastest way to fully prep a case using the dillon trimmer, RCBS FL resizing dies, Single stage press. Would it be to

1. Full length resize deprime

2. Trim Case with dillon trimmer

3. Use my RCBS dies with the decaping die set all the way down and run the case only far enough through the die to expand the neck.

4. Chamfer inside of case neck

Im trying to figure out the fastes way to prep the umpteen thousand cases I have.

[ar15barrels]

So what would be the fastest way to fully prep a case using the dillon trimmer, RCBS FL resizing dies, Single stage press. Im trying to figure out the fastes way to prep the umpteen thousand cases I have.

1. Full length resize and trim Case with dillon trimmer

2. Use your RCBS sizer die with the BODY pulled up 1/2" off the shellholder and the decapping STEM set all the way down and run the case only far enough through the die to expand the neck and decap the case.

Chamferring is not necessary as the dillon trimmer does not leave burrs.

[mvpatriot]

I guess I know now why the girraud is the way to go.