case trimmer - San Diego

[L4D]

Was hoping to get started reloading tomorrow. Got everything I need, well almost everything. The Lee cutter & lock stud + 223 case length gauge and shell holder dont work. The shell holder doesn't have threads.

Anyone in San Diego got an old case trimmer they want to sell?

[TKM]

The shell holder is meant to go in the chuck of a drill.

[L4D]

The shell holder is meant to go in the chuck of a drill.

The lock stud goes into the drill. It has threads but the shell holder that came with the case length gauge does not have threads.

[TKM]

There are threadlike thingies in that pic.

[L4D]

There are threadlike thingies in that pic.

I know. But they're just machine marks. The threaded stud just falls right into the shell holder doesnt even make contact with the "thingies"

I'll go searching locally tomorrow for a trimmer.

[ar15barrels]

The lock stud goes into the drill. It has threads but the shell holder that came with the case length gauge does not have threads.

Lee Quality.
It was a good deal they said...

Lee customer service will send you a new one.
Ask them to make sure it's actually a good one before they ship it.

[L4D]

Lee Quality.
It was a good deal they said...

Lee customer service will send you a new one.
Ask them to make sure it's actually a good one before they ship it.

[pacrat]

L4D, Yep a typical QC "automatic screw machine" issue.

That's the luck of the draw. When a machine spits out thousands of parts an hour.

On the "It's Your Lucky Day" side of the coin.

I have a Lee Part # 90114 Case Length Gauge and shell holder. That's been collecting dust in a drawer for over 20 yrs.

YOURS FOR EXACTLY WHAT I PAID FOR IT. Which just happens to be the exceptionally low price of Zip, Nada, Nuffin.

PM me your address and I'll mail it to you. Or if you're in a big hurry. You can drive the 240 mile roundtrip and pick it up.

BTW, I checked, the SH has threads.

[mtenenhaus]

packrat, that's so awesome of you.

for the future, AM Precision as well as Fine Firearms both carry reloading supplies and are both in San Diego..it might be worth a call if your needs are urgent

[rice_man]

packrat, that's so awesome of you.

for the future, AM Precision as well as Fine Firearms both carry reloading supplies and are both in San Diego..it might be worth a call if your needs are urgent

Also, if you are nin East County La Mesa Collectibles (LMC Ammo) has a lot of in stock reloading supplies.

[L4D]

L4D, Yep a typical QC "automatic screw machine" issue.

That's the luck of the draw. When a machine spits out thousands of parts an hour.

On the "It's Your Lucky Day" side of the coin.

I have a Lee Part # 90114 Case Length Gauge and shell holder. That's been collecting dust in a drawer for over 20 yrs.

YOURS FOR EXACTLY WHAT I PAID FOR IT. Which just happens to be the exceptionally low price of Zip, Nada, Nuffin.

PM me your address and I'll mail it to you. Or if you're in a big hurry. You can drive the 240 mile roundtrip and pick it up.

BTW, I checked, the SH has threads.

That's much appreciated, Pacrat! Lee just replied early this morning and is sending a replacement shell (hope it has threads!).

For today i'm going to try manually using the cutter and pilot on 15 cases for first time load dev.

packrat, that's so awesome of you.

for the future, AM Precision as well as Fine Firearms both carry reloading supplies and are both in San Diego..it might be worth a call if your needs are urgent

Also, if you are nin East County La Mesa Collectibles (LMC Ammo) has a lot of in stock reloading supplies.

Thanks for the heads up. It's worth a trip to find another trimmer. Thanks guys!

[ar15barrels]

For today i'm going to try manually using the cutter and pilot on 15 cases for first time load dev.

Just measure through a bunch of cases and use the shorter ones.
They are probably well enough within spec that they do not need trimming.
You really can't trim with a lee trimmer without the shellholder since the length gauge stops against the piece that the shellholder threads on to.
Without the stop, you would have to trim and then measure and then trim and then measure until you get to the length you want.
It would be even more tedious than the lee trimmer is already.

[L4D]

Just measure through a bunch of cases and use the shorter ones.
They are probably well enough within spec that they do not need trimming.
You really can't trim with a lee trimmer without the shellholder since the length gauge stops against the piece that the shellholder threads on to.
Without the stop, you would have to trim and then measure and then trim and then measure until you get to the length you want.
It would be even more tedious than the lee trimmer is already.

Well. I did that. LOL I trimmed and measured, trimmed and measured. Then as you said. Didnt really need to at all on this (truly) once fired brass.

I got a new trimmer on the way. Literally just ordered it after this quick exercise.

[pacrat]

Just measure through a bunch of cases and use the shorter ones.
They are probably well enough within spec that they do not need trimming.
You really can't trim with a lee trimmer without the shellholder since the length gauge stops against the piece that the shellholder threads on to.
Without the stop, you would have to trim and then measure and then trim and then measure until you get to the length you want.
It would be even more tedious than the lee trimmer is already.

Well. I did that. LOL I trimmed and measured, trimmed and measured. Then as you said. Didnt really need to at all on this (truly) once fired brass.

I got a new trimmer on the way. Literally just ordered it after this quick exercise.

Actually cases can be trimmed using the cutter and length gauge without the SH/lock stud. Since the lock stud holds the extractor groove tight against the SH lip. And acts as a stop for the length gauge. Indexing off of the case base.

[1] ... Place the length gauge/cutter into a case.

[2] ... Tightly hold the case, base down, against a hard flat surface. [steel would be best]

[3] ... Gingerly turn the cutter until it stops cutting, and the gauge is bottomed out against the hard surface. [gingerly because the deeper the cut, the harder it is to hold]

Do-able but as already noted "tedious" and slow. But quicker than "trim-measure-rinse-repeat".

ANYBODY ELSE NEED A LEE TRIM GAGE/SH FOR 223?

Just post an ............................

[NoHeavyHitter]

FWIW, I've had good luck with Lee dies and shell holders. But that's it...

Back in the 1980's - I had a friend that bought a Lee progressive press and stopped by to take a look at it. When he demo'd it, the knob broke off the handle on like the third stroke.

Since then the few items I'd bought from Lee made nice "give-aways" to friends that wanted to get started cheap into reloading.

I say, check out their die sets - I like them and have had good luck using them, but look to other makers for the other stuff that you'll need.