good case trimmer/deburr/chamfer

[oops]

I have a lee turret press and am currently using their crappy hand tools to trim, chamfer, and deburr. Looking for a quicker way to get the process done that won't leave so many blisters. Lee system has worked for about 2000 rounds but it has become a real chore. What are you guys using and recommend?

[exercion]

I used the Lee trimmers for a long time (many thousands of rounds) but I chucked the case holder in a hand-held drill. Then it was spin the case, trim, chamfer/debur (can't remember if I had the Lee tool for that, mine looked more like a thimble than anything). However, I since moved up to a Giraud, which is the Cadillac of trimmers. It's so fast and smooth, does trim, debur, and chamfer in one step. Makes case prep more like a hobby than a chore.

Eric

[oops]

I used the Lee trimmers for a long time (many thousands of rounds) but I chucked the case holder in a hand-held drill. Then it was spin the case, trim, chamfer/debur (can't remember if I had the Lee tool for that, mine looked more like a thimble than anything). However, I since moved up to a Giraud, which is the Cadillac of trimmers. It's so fast and smooth, does trim, debur, and chamfer in one step. Makes case prep more like a hobby than a chore.

Eric

ouch!!! little out of my pay grade but it looks great. Is it loud? I live in an apartment.

[CSACANNONEER]

Quicker? Get a Guirad. Less expensive than a Guirad? Look at Posum Hollow and K&M trimmers.

[ar15barrels]

ouch!!! little out of my pay grade but it looks great. Is it loud? I live in an apartment.

You only cry once, when you shell out the money.
You will smile every time you use it though.
It's quiet enough that someone sleeping in the next room would not be disturbed.

[Pthfndr]

You only cry once, when you shell out the money.
You will smile every time you use it though.
It's quiet enough that someone sleeping in the next room would not be disturbed.

+1

If you are going to reload a lot of rifle brass the Giraud is the way to go. It's like buying quality glass for your rifle. Buy once, cry once, enjoy using it forever.

[Bedlam]

I use the lee trimmers in a hand drill which works pretty well. I am sure there are faster ways but hey it gets the job done.

[mstlaurent]

I will probably buy a Giraud or a Dillon trimmer in the future, but a Possum Hollow chucked up in a drill press is hard to beat for the price.

[Ugly Dwarf]

That about sums it up for me too.

I will probably buy a Giraud or a Dillon trimmer in the future, but a Possum Hollow chucked up in a drill press is hard to beat for the price.

[krzgoat]

+1 on the Giraud.

Cried once when I coughed up that much money but every time I run through 10+ cases in a minute I know it was worth it for my time and for my fingers.

[C.G.]

Girauds are great and I make get one one of these days, but they do not work on straight wall brass, only bottleneck. Since I also needed to trim straight wall (i.e. .50 Beowulf) I got the Hornady Prep Center:

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=314017

I also bought RCBS three-way cutter for .223, .308, 6.5 Grendel and .338 LM so that it trims, chamfers and deburs at the same time for those calibers. For other calibers I have to chamfer and debur seperately:

http://www.midwayusa.com/browse/BrowseProducts.aspx?pageNum=1&tabId=1&categoryId=19913&categoryString=9315***731***695***8935***&brandId=1458

I also bought the Hornady reamers, which remove military crimps.

http://www.midwayusa.com/Search/#hornady%20reamer____-_1-2-4_8-16-32

The Giraud is faster, but the Hornady Prep Center is more versatile with reasonable speed.

[ar15barrels]

Girauds are great and I make get one one of these days, but they do not work on straight wall brass, only bottleneck.

Straight walled cases should not need to be trimmed.
Doing so will most likely cause headspace problems.

[C.G.]

Straight walled cases should not need to be trimmed.
Doing so will most likely cause headspace problems.

Some of my Beowulf brass is over max length. Are you suggesting I should reload and fire it even if it is over max?

[ar15barrels]

Some of my Beowulf brass is over max length. Are you suggesting I should reload and fire it even if it is over max?

Check your gun's headspace using a dummy cartridge as a gauge.
If it chambers easily, it's fine.

Size a case, then seat a bullet as a dummy cartridge.
Remove the ejector from the bolt.
Snap the dummy case rim under the extractor and put the carrier into the reciever.
If the bolt will lockup with light pressure by just one finger, then you are fine on headspace.
If it's tight with the dummy, but it locks freely with no cartridge in the chamber, then your case is too long and could cause pressure problems.

[Spyduh]

+1 Giraud. You will thank yourself after you did your first 1000 trims. Every trim after that you'll have a big smile on your face.