Lyman or RCBS Case prep tool

Highland Lofts said:

I am thinking about buying a case prep center.
The Lyman and the RCBS are only $10 apart.
Which one do you guys like better.
I am getting tired of the hand pocket tool and the hand neck chamfer tool.

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So I'm in the camp of using my cordless drill and drill press. They have so much more utility that I have always had and used them. I know I did not choose a choice but dont know if you considered them as an option

I have an RCBS Trim Mate, and it beats a drill and drill press mainly because it's sitting on the bench ready to go anytime you want. I like the convenience. Some think it turns too slow....whatever....for me its plenty fast enough to make case prep a breeze. There was no Lyman when I bought mine.....there was no RCBS Brass Boss either, RCBS's new model. Problem today is getting a Brass Boss at all....It's an upgrade, because it has a speed dial....so you can speed it up if you want.

The Lyman's only negative for me is the big footprint.....my bench is crowded enough, but right now it's the cheapest on Amazon! ....and the big footprint hold every tool you can find for it. Below is an amazing price....it used to be more money than the RCBS Trim Mate.

ttps://www.amazon.com/Lyman-Case-Prep-Xpress-7810220/dp/B004TABTWU/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=Lyman+case+prep&qid=1585887516&s=sporting-goods&sr=1-2

You won't be sorry buying either.....it really removes the bottle neck of case prep......now add a swager to it, and a three-way cutter for your trimmer!

Think I'd go rcbs just for the name rcbs maybe better in the long run of you need anything replaced. it is smaller and not as far of a reach then the Lyman. I know the rcbs has metal gears but not sure on the Lyman.

I bought the Lyman case prep express a couple of months ago. I had a lot of .223 to prep. Has worked well for reaming out the military crimp, as well as chamfer and de-burring. It's the only prep center I have had so I can't really compare it to any others.

I have a 20 something year old RCBS Trim Mate that has processed many thousand cases over its life and while it may make some weird noises, has since new, it still turns. Every once in a while I would like another station or two as well as a little faster speed to uniform primer pocket and wonder if the RCBS Brass Boss would be the ticket but I just can't see spending the money on one when the old Trim Mate is still cranking along. Don't think you can go wrong with either RCBS unit, as for the others I've never used them.

I have an RCBS Trim Mate which I have owned for about 5 years and it has worked flawlessly. As I do not have a semiauto rifle it works fine for me.

troy fairweather said:

Think I'd go rcbs just for the name rcbs maybe better in the long run of you need anything replaced. it is smaller and not as far of a reach then the Lyman. I know the rcbs has metal gears but not sure on the Lyman.

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I don't own either, but would get the RCBS just because of reputation. If your Lyman breaks after the 1 year warranty they will try and sell you a replacement for 1/2 MSRP which won't be much less than you paid in the first place. I figure you'll have better luck with RCBS if it breaks.

I have a Frankford Arsenal that isn't as versatile but does everything that I need.

Highland Lofts said:

I did buy a Dillion pocket swagger. Money well spent.
The RCBS pocket swager die set is retired, if the case prep center will swage the pockets the Dillipn will be put away as well.

Thank you guys for your input.

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It won't swage pockets, but you can buy the two "military pocket reamers" to use in the Trim Mate that will ream them. They work great and the design is such that reaming takes place without wallering the holes......but some purists don't like taking metal off period....I seriously doubt it makes much of a difference. I would like to see real evidence from anyone that it does.

I went with the RCBS Trim Mate, largely because of the smaller footprint. The Lyman does look like a well designed unit, though. I think you should shop around, those prices you mentioned are a bit high. Check Midway.

Yes, they have as fairly new unit with a variable speed motor called the Brass Boss.

https://www.rcbs.com/case-prep/16-90390.html
It costs more than the Trim Mate.

I have the Lyman. Works well.