Wilson Case Trimmer?

[Justintoxicated]

Hey guys, I'm looking for a case trimmer. Right now the only brass I should need to trim is 223.

Is this a decent case trimmer? I'm a little confused on what exactly I need to order with it to be able to trim 223. I was planning to mount it using a vise.

I was also looking at a Hornady case trimmer, it looks like it comes with a bunch of stuff that the Wilson does not? I don't have my reloading equipment or book yet (it's on the way) so any help or suggestions in the matter is appreciated.

[Stoopy]

Forster case trimmer works for me.

[gunboat]

Wilson trimmer is good but requires a holder for each different cartridge. There may be a few cases that share holders.
Forster, and others like. it require a collet to hold the base of the cartridge and a pilot for the case mouth. Usually two or three collets come with the trimmer that will hold most cases. Pilots can be bought singly or sometimes as a set of 8 to 12ea.
Both are hand cranked and can be tiresome after the first few hundred cases.
There are also individual file type trimmers that work by : putting the case in the hardened die on a flat surface and filing off the bit that protrudes above the die, the other type fits into your press and you run the case into it like a sizing die and file off the bit that protrudes above.
These work well for someone only loading one or two calibers, but slow. -

[msand951]

Check out http://www.possumhollowproducts.com/...-trimmers.html
If you have a lot .223 you might like this. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i42nDelSKf8

[LGB Loader]

Wilson Trimmer is my favorite trimmer. but for 223 REM, I would recommend the Possum Hollow or spend big and get a Giroud or Dillon.

LGB

[damndave]

I use the Forster Original with the 3 in 1 attachment. Trims, chamfers and deburrs all in 1 step.

[Justintoxicated]

Wilson Trimmer is my favorite trimmer. but for 223 REM, I would recommend the Possum Hollow or spend big and get a Giroud or Dillon.

LGB

Any reason why you would recommend the Possum hollow over it for 223? Is it simply easier and faster? What deburring tool do I need to get with it?

Isn't there an adapter to motorize the wilson trimmer later too?

How does the Forester compare to the Hornady? I'll already have the shell holders.

I have only a single stage press on the way so I doubt I will be doing a 1000 rounds at a time. Just looking for a good quality hand trimmer right now, but the ability to motorize it or chuck it into my drill press is a definite plus! My only rifle brass I'll be reloading right now is 223, most likely other rounds later once I get my Garand or 1903.

Keep the advise coming, I'm sure I'll understand more once I actually get my hands on reloading.

[Whiterabbit]

Hey guys, I'm looking for a case trimmer.



I don't have my reloading equipment or book yet (it's on the way) so any help or suggestions in the matter is appreciated.

I suggest you have at it with your reloading gear when it arrives and forget the case trimmer for now. Keep in the back of the mind, but it's not 100% critical you buy one right away.

my suggestion is to jump in with the investment you've made already and load a bunch. See where it gets you. Inspect your seats and crimps, inspect your brass lengths and see how much it really affects the crimp/operation.

It'll tell you for sure when you really need to be spending the cash on the trimmer.

[Justintoxicated]

I suggest you have at it with your reloading gear when it arrives and forget the case trimmer for now. Keep in the back of the mind, but it's not 100% critical you buy one right away.

my suggestion is to jump in with the investment you've made already and load a bunch. See where it gets you. Inspect your seats and crimps, inspect your brass lengths and see how much it really affects the crimp/operation.

It'll tell you for sure when you really need to be spending the cash on the trimmer.

Yea I'll probably head over to my friends and use his Lyman trimmer when the time comes, but the Gas to get down there will cover the cost of a trimmer pretty quick. The Wilson was one of the cheapest at only about $36, course that does not include the case holder. I'll hold off for now but I know it is the next thing I want to buy so I'm just trying to collect information.

[popeye4]

What rifle are you loading for? If it's a gas gun, you'll probably need to trim every time you resize.

A hand cranked case trimmer is a good thing to have, like a single stage press. Very versatile, even if not much fun to do large volume work. I have an older RCBS trimmer that I bought the motor unit for, then I got to the point where I bought a Giraud for the .308 (and then the .223); the Giraud is WONDERFUL but not very versatile if you have several different rounds you load. I still use the RCBS for small lots of not .308/.223.

[Justintoxicated]

What rifle are you loading for? If it's a gas gun, you'll probably need to trim every time you resize.

A hand cranked case trimmer is a good thing to have, like a single stage press. Very versatile, even if not much fun to do large volume work. I have an older RCBS trimmer that I bought the motor unit for, then I got to the point where I bought a Giraud for the .308 (and then the .223); the Giraud is WONDERFUL but not very versatile if you have several different rounds you load. I still use the RCBS for small lots of not .308/.223.

Just a couple AR-15's Bushmaster and BCM.

I'd love to get a target barrel one of these days.

[LGB Loader]

Any reason why you would recommend the Possum hollow over it for 223? Is it simply easier and faster? What deburring tool do I need to get with it?

Isn't there an adapter to motorize the wilson trimmer later too?

How does the Forester compare to the Hornady? I'll already have the shell holders.

I have only a single stage press on the way so I doubt I will be doing a 1000 rounds at a time. Just looking for a good quality hand trimmer right now, but the ability to motorize it or chuck it into my drill press is a definite plus! My only rifle brass I'll be reloading right now is 223, most likely other rounds later once I get my Garand or 1903.

Keep the advise coming, I'm sure I'll understand more once I actually get my hands on reloading.

I dont know how much you shoot but when me and Mrs LGB go out and shoot our black rifles... it's on. We can easily burn up 500 rounds or even 1000 if we are in the desert. With that type of shooting, you want something that will crank out the trimming fast.
For cheap, I recommend the Possom Hollow and hand drill adapter ($25-$30 bucks)or even Lee chucked in a drill press.

For Mid cheap, RCBS and the drill adapter is also quick.

For luxary and speed, Giraud or Dillon or even the Gracie Although I like the Giraud or Dillon better.

I have my old Wilson trimmer and to me, I like it better than my Redding 2400 or the RCBS I gave my brother Joe. I find it trims more uniform plus I have had it for quite some time and have grown fond of it. I use the hand crank and it is alot slower than the above faster methods.

If you are going single stage, you can easily do 100 in a night or if you batch it, no problem doing 500 in a week.

Example of how to break the work down on 500 rounds in a week.

1. Sunday Late afternoon or early evening- Tumble brass in 2 x 250 lots / 2 hrs each lot.
2. Monday - Inspect, Lube & Resize in lots of 50 working from left to right and retumble to remove lube. Tumble brass in 2 x 250 lots / 30 minutes each lot.
3. Tuesday - case prep: Trim to uniform length, champfer, deburr, clean primer pockets in batches of 50, working from left to right.
4. Wednesday - Thoroughly Inspect and prime (hand primer) working in batches of 100 (100 primers per box)
5. Thursday - Powder charge case and seat bullets to your OAL in batches of 50, again working from left to right.
6. Friday - Final round inspection and storage.
7. Saturday and/or sunay - Send 'em down range.
* working in smaller batches of 50 allows for streching of legs, potty breaks and a drink of coffe or water. Save that beer for when you are cleaning up the bench. It also allow the mind to stay sharp by the break. You do not want to start day dreaming. Stay focused

Before I bought my 550b that I use for loading my 223 REM/5.56 for the black rifles, this is how I used to do it.
There were alot of weeks that I said "no, we are shooting the bolt guns or lever guns" cause I didn't want to have to do the brass prep. I still don't like doing 223 REM for the black rifles but with the progressive, it does make the job alot easier.

You can do your 223 REM one week and your pistol rounds the next and rotate every other week if you shoot alot. I did this for years...

You can also invest in the X-Sizer die from RCBS and cut down on the brass prep. I have used a small lot of 200 and am now on the 4th load and so far, it is doing what they said it would do.

There are many right ways to get to the same final destination. This is just one of them.

LGB

[Justintoxicated]

So the possom hollow chucked into a drill press would work just as well as a wilson?

I don't tend to blow through 500 or 1000 rounds anymore since I don't know of any areas to shoot since they shut down both jacumba and orosco. other than the 100 yard range. I'm lucky to shoot 100 rounds over a couple hours. I take my time with the AR even though its a semi automatic and not a bolt gun.

[LGB Loader]

So the possom hollow chucked into a drill press would work just as well as a wilson?

No...I think the Wilson is great especially for the bench rest crew but if you want to trim 100 cases fast, the Possom hollow chucked into a hand drill or drill press will get the job done very quick.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4_QaEusPFg

or

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHm13PF6o-o

or

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i42nDelSKf8

Hope this helps.

LGB

[Justintoxicated]

No...I think the Wilson is great especially for the bench rest crew but if you want to trim 100 cases fast, the Possom hollow chucked into a hand drill or drill press will get the job done very quick.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4_QaEusPFg

or

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHm13PF6o-o

or

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i42nDelSKf8

Hope this helps.

LGB

I typically shoot the AR from a Bench :P

Now I really can't decide between the two. The only additional thing needed for the wilson are some case holders? I'm a little confused about which one to get.