Trimmers

[divingin]

I have some "trimzits" but I'm not real fond of them. they are very fast but they index from the shoulder which is gives me different lengths depending on which gun they were fired from if the shoulder is further back than I have bumped the rest.

I like the RCBS because the length is indexed from the base of the head. It's big noisy and expensive but I think it gives the most consistent results.

You sort of have to look at *why* you're trimming.

If you assume that the case indexes off the shoulder when chambered, the measurement that really matters is from the shoulder to the case mouth (to prevent the mouth from hitting the start of the freebore.)

Any variation you get in OAL when using a trimmer that indexes off the shoulder will be due to inconsistencies in the case base to shoulder measurement (assuming the tool does what it's supposed to do.) A trimmer that trims using base to mouth as a datum will shift that (or at least split the difference) to the shoulder to mouth measurement.

You need to ask if you're shooting for (no pun intended) consistent OAL length measurements or consistent shoulder to mouth measurements. If you make sure you size all brass to have consistent base to shoulder lengths, then it doesn't matter which you use.

[the86d]

The sleeve bearing (well plastic buffer?) fell out of my Lyman, so I will never go that route again, and this was not something I want to deal with...

I used the lee manual lock-stud trimer with a drill for a few hundred trimmings, and had the lock stud tapped and drilled to add some posts I then wrapped paracord around to help the fingertips, but still a pita, but while looking for a backup, now I have the WFT by little crow I need to test out tonight...

[five.five-six]

You sort of have to look at *why* you're trimming.

If you assume that the case indexes off the shoulder when chambered, the measurement that really matters is from the shoulder to the case mouth (to prevent the mouth from hitting the start of the freebore.)

Any variation you get in OAL when using a trimmer that indexes off the shoulder will be due to inconsistencies in the case base to shoulder measurement (assuming the tool does what it's supposed to do.) A trimmer that trims using base to mouth as a datum will shift that (or at least split the difference) to the shoulder to mouth measurement.

You need to ask if you're shooting for (no pun intended) consistent OAL length measurements or consistent shoulder to mouth measurements. If you make sure you size all brass to have consistent base to shoulder lengths, then it doesn't matter which you use.

This is absolutely true.

I have decided I need to fireform a lot of brass to work with because my brass came from a LEO agency. it's all from the same pallet but was fired in several different guns.

The RCBS will trim to the correct length regardless of shoulder position. fireforming + sizing will correct smolder position for my gun

[five.five-six]

Am I on crack or are Wilson case gauges completely worthless? This is not my first .308 rifle that a case would drop right in the Wilson but not close the bolt. my previous .308, Randal reamed the chamber. This one is a POF.....

[divingin]

Wilson gauges come in 2 flavors per caliber (well, 2 for most popular calibers, anyway): SAAMI and fired.

The SAAMI gauge is made to the max SAAMI spec for a chamber. It's meant for new ammo or cases that have been sized to fall within SAAMI measurements.

The fired gauges are slightly larger in body dimensions, and are made for cases that have been fireformed and neck sized.

That said, a case gauge is just a hole, meant to approximate a "normal" chamber. The chamber on your rifle may be at SAAMI minimum or smaller, which would render the gauge useless. Or it could be larger than SAAMI maximum, which would, again, render the gauge largely useless.

The best gauge to use for checking your brass is in your rifle. Same for ammo, but for safety you should pull at least the firing pin (and preferably the ejector if it's in the bolthead.) If it fits in your rifle, then you're done.

A case that sits in the gauge with the headstamp surface between the machined cutout will not fit your rifle? Sounds like you need to mark up a case (sharpie, etc) and see what area is preventing your bolt from closing (work it in and out several times and see where the ink gets worn off.)

Bolt not closing is usually due to the lower case body expanding and not getting resized or the shoulder ending up too far forward. Need to see which it is and correct it.

[five.five-six]

Wilson gauges come in 2 flavors per caliber (well, 2 for most popular calibers, anyway): SAAMI and fired.

The SAAMI gauge is made to the max SAAMI spec for a chamber. It's meant for new ammo or cases that have been sized to fall within SAAMI measurements.

The fired gauges are slightly larger in body dimensions, and are made for cases that have been fireformed and neck sized.

That said, a case gauge is just a hole, meant to approximate a "normal" chamber. The chamber on your rifle may be at SAAMI minimum or smaller, which would render the gauge useless. Or it could be larger than SAAMI maximum, which would, again, render the gauge largely useless.

The best gauge to use for checking your brass is in your rifle. Same for ammo, but for safety you should pull at least the firing pin (and preferably the ejector if it's in the bolthead.) If it fits in your rifle, then you're done.

A case that sits in the gauge with the headstamp surface between the machined cutout will not fit your rifle? Sounds like you need to mark up a case (sharpie, etc) and see what area is preventing your bolt from closing (work it in and out several times and see where the ink gets worn off.)

Bolt not closing is usually due to the lower case body expanding and not getting resized or the shoulder ending up too far forward. Need to see which it is and correct it.

[baih777]

When you run I to this. You need to use the small base dies the first time you resize the brass. For me. Usually it's the 308 military brass that I bought.

[five.five-six]

When you run I to this. You need to use the small base dies the first time you resize the brass. For me. Usually it's the 308 military brass that I bought.

This is actually Hornday TAP.. But it's all crimped... and I don't have a swager.. I'm using a deburring tool 200 cases

[baih777]

This is actually Hornday TAP.. But it's all crimped... and I don't have a swager.. I'm using a deburring tool 200 cases

Small.base die is not for primer pocket.
Small.base die resizes the base of the brass a little smaller. If you have once fired brass shot from fully auto.

[five.five-six]

Funny thing about this brass, it would not get bright. 3 hrs wet tumble, then fresh water and soap and another 3 hrs and it remained dull

Really strange, 3 hours took the annealing color off the necks but it still has a rather flat look after 6 hrs. All 200 pieces I’m processing right now.

[baih777]

I use Palmolive antibacterial.
I use a lot.

[divingin]

Not in this instance, I ran a few through an overcammed body die and still no bananas. FL die got the bolt to close easy and pass the plunk test.

All that means is that your body die doesn't size the body the same as your FL die, which isn't really surprising. Dies are all made slightly differently, even the same brand and caliber.

Think about *why* the case won't fit your chamber. Because something stops it from going in - shoulder, body, whatever. Something you did changed whatever that was and allowed it to fit. So what do you think that was? (That's not rhetorical - you know the last thing you did before the brass became usable; I don't.)