Case Prep Stations

BigBL87

BigBL87

Member
Joined
Jan 16, 2014
Messages
1,915
Location
Tonica, IL
I'm rounding out the last few things I'll need before starting to reload. The last major purchase, before I move onto dies and components for the caliber I start out with (38 Special, as was recommended here), looks to be a case prep center. I'm already set up with a wet tumbler for cleaning and trimming is covered (mostly for when I move on to rifle calibers obviously but wanted to get it now).

The two I'm looking at the most are the Frankford Arsenal Case Prep Center which I can get for $75 or so and the RCBS Brass Boss which will run me about $150. The Brass Boss has adjustable speeds for the bits and two more stations as the main perks, just not sure if it's worth double the price when what I save with the FA could pay for a die set. Just looking for opinions, or other options in a similar price range if I've missed them. I do have a hand chamfer and deburring tool, but I know myself and that would get old fast and I'd want a powered unit sooner than later.
 
I have the Frankford with trimmer and I think 3 stations for chamfer, debur.

Heavy and seems well built. I am of no use on trimmer though as I haven't used it yet.

I'd get a trimmer too as that is another task I dread on rifle.
 
BigBL87 said:
I'm rounding out the last few things I'll need before starting to reload. The last major purchase, before I move onto dies and components for the caliber I start out with (38 Special, as was recommended here), looks to be a case prep center. I'm already set up with a wet tumbler for cleaning and trimming is covered (mostly for when I move on to rifle calibers obviously but wanted to get it now).

The two I'm looking at the most are the Frankford Arsenal Case Prep Center which I can get for $75 or so and the RCBS Brass Boss which will run me about $150. The Brass Boss has adjustable speeds for the bits and two more stations as the main perks, just not sure if it's worth double the price when what I save with the FA could pay for a die set. Just looking for opinions, or other options in a similar price range if I've missed them. I do have a hand chamfer and deburring tool, but I know myself and that would get old fast and I'd want a powered unit sooner than later.
Click to expand...
Being the skunk at your garden party, loading 38spl you don’t need a prep center. Save your dough. Buy dies instead. There’s always time to waste your money later.

Ask THR this basic question first…how many of you have a prep station?

I know, you know you, but you don’t know reloading. Why not get started and see if you really know you? You say you’ll move on to rifle later. Predicting the future is always fun, when you’re right.
 
CQB is correct... you probably won't need a prep station until you start reloading... and trimming... rifle brass. The only place I can see where you would need it for pistol cartridges would be the primer pocket uniformer and/or cleaner.

Personally, I have the Lyman Case Prep Center. I kick myself on a daily basis for not getting one years ago. It has 5 stations, and the bits that come with it also include a primer pocket reamer... to remove the crimp from military primer pockets, primer pocket uniformers, primer pocket cleaners, and both inner and outer chamfer bits. It's about $150, too, but is absolutely money well spent.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1064211733?pid=211733

ETA: It looks like the price went up, at least at Midway. I bought mine on sale for about $140... I don't remember where... but I've also seen them at Cabelas (which has it for $179) and other places cheaper.
 
CQB45ACP said:
Being the skunk at your garden party, loading 38spl you don’t need a prep center. Save your dough. Buy dies instead. There’s always time to waste your money later.

Ask THR this basic question first…how many of you have a prep station?

I know, you know you, but you don’t know reloading. Why not get started and see if you really know you? You say you’ll move on to rifle later. Predicting the future is always fun, when you’re right.
Click to expand...


You beat me to it!

For the OP have you actually loaded any 38 special?
You do not need a "case prep" for the 38 special. Even if you do trim them, it is one time deal. You can use your hand deburring tool and "prep" 100 or more watching TV, Once it's done!
 
Rule3 said:
You beat me to it!

For the OP have you actually loaded any 38 special?
You do not need a "case prep" for the 38 special. Even if you do trim them, it is one time deal. You can use your hand deburring tool and "prep" 100 or more watching TV, Once it's done!
Click to expand...

I have not, as of yet. I actually don't shoot 38 all that often so it wasn't my first choice to start loading BUT I was told it is very forgiving for beginners to reloading to learn on. And I do have a couple revolvers I can use it in, so seems like a good idea. I plan to move onto 9mm and 223 once I get more comfortable, as those are the calibers I shoot the most by far.
 
BigBL87 said:
I have not, as of yet. I actually don't shoot 38 all that often so it wasn't my first choice to start loading BUT I was told it is very forgiving for beginners to reloading to learn on. And I do have a couple revolvers I can use it in, so seems like a good idea. I plan to move onto 9mm and 223 once I get more comfortable, as those are the calibers I shoot the most by far.
Click to expand...
FWIW—I started with 9mm—was like falling off a log easy. Still is. Load what you shoot.
 
A case prep center falls in the "nice to have" category. It isn't required at all but is great to have around, especially for rifle brass. I recommend the lyman with a lee trim adapter attached. You can trim, chamfer, deburr, decrimp, and clean the primer pockets and only touch the brass one time. My only regret is not buying one sooner.
Screenshot_20230315_101109_Chrome.jpg Screenshot_20230315_100937_Chrome.jpg
 
The spinning brush on my RCBS prep center is pretty cool, other than that prep centers are kind of a waste of money vs assembling one’s own collection of prep tools on an individual basis of how well each perform.
 
The hand tools you already have are plenty to start with. I’ve only recently gotten the Frankfort Arsenal case prep center with the trimmer. It’s great, but I got it used for about 50% of retail. Otherwise I would likely have never bothered.
If your case where you don’t want the trimmer I think it’s all the more unnecessary
 
Docendo Discimus said:
A case prep center falls in the "nice to have" category. It isn't required at all but is great to have around, especially for rifle brass.
Click to expand...

Those of us who shoot a fair amount of rifle brass out of autoloaders... and who have... uh... not so nimble hands these days... a case prep center has moved from the 'nice to have' to 'must have.' It really depends on your volume of use. If all I was doing was prepping brass from my bolt gun... meh, I could get by without it... but loading for an M1a, 5 AR-15's, a Garand, 3 6.5CM's (including an AR-10, ) and a .348WCF with it's thick brass... well... I gots to have it.

In the OP's case, it doesn't sound like he needs a case prep center just yet... but it will depend on what he shoots in .223. If that's the limit of what he shoots, he could easily get by with a Giraud TriWay, and use hand tools for the rest.


Docendo Discimus said:
I recommend the lyman with a lee trim adapter attached.
Click to expand...

Help me out here... how exactly does that Lee adapter work? I'm not familiar with it.
 
Charlie98 said:
Help me out here... how exactly does that Lee adapter work? I'm not familiar with it.
Click to expand...

It’s just a different cutter head which has 8-32 thread shank on the tail, so it can mount to a powered prep center, then the same standard Lee Case Length Gauge spindles are used, and bottom against the case holder anvil, just like when using the handheld cutter.
 
Personally, I trim my revolver and pistol brass, the same as I do bottleneck rifle brass.

I have a few different case prep tools, and make use of most of them. I also absolutely abhor hand tools for case prep, and don’t even really care much for hand-holding cases for prep steps with powered tools. For most of my bottleneck rifle brass, I use a Giraud trimmer with an AMP Amp-Mate case feeder and a Dillon rifle case collator - fully automated process which trims, deburrs, and chamfers in one step. I also keep a power-converted RCBS Trim-Pro2 for the rest of my trimming work, with RCBS 3 way cutters for most of my rifle calibers. I have a Hornady Trio motor prep station as well for powered turning of debur, chamfer, primer pocket brush, and pocket uniforming tools. I have a Forster trimming lathe which I’ve converted with their neck turning head for neck turning, but I rarely ever do so any more.

If my powered kits burned up, I’d take up mowing lawns for extra money to replace them before I’d ever process brass again with handheld and hand powered tools.
 
Docendo Discimus said:
A case prep center falls in the "nice to have" category. It isn't required at all but is great to have around, especially for rifle brass. I recommend the lyman with a lee trim adapter attached. You can trim, chamfer, deburr, decrimp, and clean the primer pockets and only touch the brass one time. My only regret is not buying one sooner.
View attachment 1140130View attachment 1140132
Click to expand...
Charlie98 said:
CQB is correct... you probably won't need a prep station until you start reloading... and trimming... rifle brass. The only place I can see where you would need it for pistol cartridges would be the primer pocket uniformer and/or cleaner.

Personally, I have the Lyman Case Prep Center. I kick myself on a daily basis for not getting one years ago. It has 5 stations, and the bits that come with it also include a primer pocket reamer... to remove the crimp from military primer pockets, primer pocket uniformers, primer pocket cleaners, and both inner and outer chamfer bits. It's about $150, too, but is absolutely money well spent.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1064211733?pid=211733

ETA: It looks like the price went up, at least at Midway. I bought mine on sale for about $140... I don't remember where... but I've also seen them at Cabelas (which has it for $179) and other places cheaper.
Click to expand...

I love mine. Works great!
 
Varminterror said:
Personally, I wouldn’t. Knowing how they work isn’t the same thing as a recommendation. I’d recommend almost any other trimming tool over these.
Click to expand...

Just looking for something easier than my old Pacific hand crank... I've got a (5.56mm) Giraud TriWay, not that real wild about it. I'll admit... trying to hold on to those little frikkin' cases is almost harder than just chucking them in the Pacific and giving it a few turns.
 
I borrowed a FA Case Prep Center from a friend once, used it a couple of days, returned it and never needed it again...it is really bulky and not very user friendly...but that's just me and I only reload for handguns.

What I ended up with was the Hornady Case Prep Trio...got it for half off during a Clearance sale. I use it to chamfer and bevel case mouths, clean and/or uniform primer pockets; 5 tool switching between the 3 stations...I also use the primer pocket cleaners to separate LPP and SPP .45ACP cases (Federal and Blazer have both)
 
Oh and don’t forget the LNL Case prep center…
When I started with .38 I just sorted cases according to lengths and loaded. Didn’t clean a pocket or trim a thing. I did get an RCBS case trimmer which helped but that was about it. .38 is very forgiving.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

D
  • Locked
Case Prep Station
Replies
0
Views
406
Dave Bone
D
V
  • Locked
Case Prep Center Recommendation
2
Replies
28
Views
6K
tcoz
tcoz
SC_Dave
  • Locked
Brass prep stations
Replies
9
Views
991
abijohn
A
GHinNH
  • Locked
Case prep station thoughts please.
Replies
21
Views
955
deadeye30215
deadeye30215
GarySTL
  • Locked
Case Prep Center Recommendations
2 3
Replies
57
Views
4K
silicosys4
S
Back
Top