rcbs trim mate

[yoitsbruce]

thinking about picking the trim mate up. i seen it on cabelas for $104 free shipping in the bargain cave section. my reasoning is that the lyman hand tools set cost about $65. might as well get the trim mate and chech brass an clean them out for just $35 more bucks. im planning on loading .40sw,9mm,.45 and the primer pockets look clean enough and i hear that most never clean out the primer pockets. i was just wondering if this is gonna be useful or just an extra i dont really need? a case trimmer i know i will need down the line. but is the trim mate that important to my reloading set up. all inputs and opinions will be greatly appreciated

[BigBronco]

I have one and I like it a lot. Way better than doing it by hand. I also use it for trimming rifle brass to lenght.

[LGB Loader]

I like it, I use it.

LGB

[Southpaw45]

I got one too and like it alot. I use it for primer pocket cleaning and inside and outside chamfering. I dont know why they call it a "Trim Mate" when its not used for trimming. Its not designed for trimming..

[BigBronco]

I use mine to trim 30-06 and 223. It trims quite well In fact these videos helped me decide on getting one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-710xkyKNU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlLp1s0dJRA&feature=related

I was able to drill and tap the Lee cutter It is case hardened and required a carbide center to break through the hard surface then it was easily drilled and tapped

[ireload]

One thing I found about the Lee cutter is that it does not cut as "square" as like my RCBS manual trimmer. I know it's apple and orange comparison but I did found a technique that comes close to cutting it square by rotating the brass at the same time while trimming.

I've been kicking idea of getting the Trim Mate Prep Center but since I'm a low volume reloader not much of a priority at this time.

[TEX1966]

I have one and love it. Use it to chamfer and debur, clean and uniform primer pockets. Do 1000 - 2000 rds by hand and then try the trim mate and you will never go back. You can also do several other operations on it. I've let several of my friends try it and they have one now. Some of the best $ I've spent.

[Southpaw45]

I use mine to trim 30-06 and 223. It trims quite well In fact these videos helped me decide on getting one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-710xkyKNU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlLp1s0dJRA&feature=related

I was able to drill and tap the Lee cutter It is case hardened and required a carbide center to break through the hard surface then it was easily drilled and tapped

First of all I dont want to criticize anybody. Please dont feel offended. Like I said, the Trim Mate was not designed to be a trimmer. No were in the owners manual does it say it is. First video. What a wobbly piece of junk. Is that the best modification that guy can do? Anybody who owns one knows that the shafts wobble a little to start with. Second video. obviously this guy isnt serious with making precision reloads. He trims and chamfers without even checking the case lenght. I dont get it. Mabe im just too much of a stickler on making precise reloads. How are you suppose to get a square precision cut by holding the brass with your hands? If you have to jerry rig something on a Trim Mate to trim brass, then its just that. A jerry rig....A true trimmer. >>>> http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct...tnumber=481398

[BigBronco]

Friend you have obviously jumped to a wrong conclusion here. Just because it was not made to trim does not mean that good old Yankee innovation does not work. Yes the first video is a wobbly piece of shoddy work. Most likely drilled and tapped with a drill press. Mine was done on a lathe and centered therefore it does not wobble so severe. As for measuring the case length I have and it is fine and consistent. The Lee trimming system, if you can call it a system uses a cutter that has a removable length and centering guide that is a just under the size of the bullet. There is a pin at the end that goes through the flash hole and bottoms out on the shell holder to limit the cutting and achieve the proper length. One of these is needed for each caliber. So it keeps the brass in straight alignment with the cutter in two points the case neck and the flash hole. The final trim length is fixed so after measuring 20 or so cases with a dial caliper, (not with a ruler) I see no need to measure each and every case. I do not compete and I do not shoot so much rifle that I wish to invest in a high dollar trimmer. I do have a Forster case trimmer and it is much slower than this method on the trim mate. If it were not for some berdan primed cases (7.5 Swiss) I would probably sell it. Over all I am quite pleased with this method of case prep and I feel it is a great tool for the cost. I have been loading for over 30 years and still have all my fingers too. So I hope I have a slight clue as to what works and does not.

PS. No offense taken

[bubbapug1]

totally not needed for pistol calibers....not only would it be a waste of money, it would be a HUGE waste of time. you dont need to trim, bevel, and chamfer pistol brass

Its ok for rifle but its very slow as a trimmer. I'd buy a gracey or, if you want the best...a girard or a dillon.