There has to be a better way!

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mugsie

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Well, it's so cold outside I thought I'd spend some time getting my brass piles ready for shooting this summer. I have lots of range pick ups, so, I grabbed one pile, several hundred 223 cases. Over the last couple of days, I tumbled them clean. Now on to sizing. I've sized 200 at a time, from there, trimming on the RCBS trim pro, by hand. Now it's getting tiring. After the 200 are finally trimmed it's manually debut ring, inside and out. What a chore!

There has to be an easier method. I realize the new RCBS trimmer will do the chamfer inside and out, but because of different head stamps, and different wall thickness, it won't always work.

There had to be a better method!
 
Simple, if you have enough cash just buy new brass and load it each time. Otherwise them's the perils of range brass use.:D I just grin, grit my teeth and process it as needed. YMMV
 
There has to be an easier method. I realize the new RCBS trimmer will do the chamfer inside and out, but because of different head stamps, and different wall thickness, it won't always work.

I never tell my trimmer what it's trimming. Different headstamps dont bother anything.
 
Almost bad enough to make you consider straight walled ammo in a rifle. Maybe a 45-70. I too wish there was a better way to reload those bottles.
 
mugsie said:
There had to be a better method!
Click to expand...

I try to never let un-preppared cases build up. I process cases shortly after I shoot them or scrounge them.

Small batches are less objectionable and process goes pretty quick.

Then, I store cases prepared and ready to load.

As far as case trimming goes, a Giraud or Gracey are the cats mewo but a heavy drain on the wallet.

The Little Crow WFT trimmer is a good alternative.
 
Evertime I get back to loading 45 or 444 Marlin, I feel like I have forgotten several steps in the process. I load more 223 than anything else and the brass prep is by far the worst part.
 
I use a Forester case trimmer. Two deckades ago I welded up this little adapter that threads on in place of the hand crank. I have used a cordless drill but currently use a corded drill to turn my case cutter.
 
I have several Little Crow WFT trimmers and like them. They index off the shoulder and are consistent with their trims.

They have replaced the Lee trimmers that I have, which is one of the better products Lee offers. It has not replaced my L.E. Wilson/Sinclair trimmer which I still use for cases that the WFT does not offer units for or for specialized tasks.

I have not tried the Version II trimmer with the replaceable indexing inserts. These would help minimize the cost of multiple trimmer costs but it requires a 1/2" drill chuck to operate.
 
hey, Lyman ripped off, I mean reverse engineered the lee system. going by their demo video I like the lyman better I think though. I've always thought the way the lee system grabs the case is a lot hard on the fingers if you are doing several hundred. Looks better made too.

If I had money I would be using the little crow trimmer though. those just look great.
 
I also use the WFT... works sweet... Most dont need de-burred after using it.... So I set up the WFT in my Corded Drill and my Chamfer Bit in another... and Trim and Chamfer and Trim and Chamfer...

Works real fast... hand does get a bit tired.... But can do a lot of cases real Fast...
 
That WFT looks just like the possum hollow trimmer. Problem is, neither type will inside and outside chamfer (or will they?).
 
They dont Inside Chamfer... but my WFT does a pretty clean job and Most Brass dont need de-burred.... So does save some steps


I also find I dont need to Trim my Brass but maybe once every 4 or 5 loads.... So that also makes prepping .223 much easier..
 
Giraud's rock. I'd sell a gun to get one if I needed another - they're just that cool.
 
If you rotate the case while the WFT is trimming, the flash is minimized. Many do not chamfer or deburr.

I still chamfer anyway as I like to break the sharp edge inside the case mouth.
 
greyling22 said:
do the rcbs x-dies work? they claim to prevent growth so your cases don't need trimming. (once you have correctly trimmed brass.)

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/78...223-remington-small-base?cm_vc=ProductFinding
Click to expand...
Yes, once brass is properly prepped and the die setup according to their instructions. Don't be fooled though, on hotter loads your brass will still "flow" forward and gets thinner near the case head. The dies just keep the extra brass from making the case length longer.
 
I bought a couple boxes of .223 brass, about 3000 pieces, I split up the sizing between a couple of weekends then I trimmed about 100 on the Hornady cam lock trimmer. I was tired of trimming so I headed down to work and set up the Bridgeport with a few pieces from the Hornady trimmer.
First step was batch everything out on what needed trimmed
68D02EEB-351E-410E-9CF6-ECF67E07CB29_zpszyunxve2.jpg
Then the long cases got trimmed on the mill.
7AC59174-E9C4-4D36-ABF8-7780B594AEE4_zpsgwd1pelk.jpg
8D64EB9D-1AEA-48F3-9ADE-288B9AFED523_zpsxwxnnnnf.jpg
Then I bought a Lyman case prep deal
84BC1B0D-32AB-4BB6-A95F-019CD039664B_zpswu4ajavd.jpg

I haven't had more than 200 pieces of brass at a time to prep since then.
 
2nd the WFT. (Worlds finest trimmer) I really like mine and it is much faster than my Hornady cam lock trimmer. If you give the case about a 1/2 turn they come out pretty clean.
I use to approach trimming as a chore and now with the WFT I no longer consider loading .223 a pain.
 
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