Neck sizing die and Dillon trim die question

[jason280]

Are neck sizing dies specific for the cartridge?  I'm looking for a 7mm TCU neck sizing die, and a friend has a Hornady die marked Hornady die "7mm NS SHRT".  He says he thinks it came with a TCU die set, but I want to make sure.  Is this a neck sizing die, and will it work for the TCU?  

Also, I have a Dillon .223 trim die that I picked up from a friend.  I know this is a foolish question, but what do you use this die for and how does it work?

 

Thanks!

[Catfish]

I have 1 neck size die that I use for .222, .223 and .222 mag. I also have one for a .256 Win. mag. that I use to size a .25 cal. wildcat on the .221 fireball case. It should work, give it a try and the most damage you can do is to ruin a case or 2. As for the trim die it is to be used to trim your cases back to the correct lenth. I personally prefer the Layman or RCBS case trimmers as they are alot faster and just as accurate after you get used to useing them. BUT then, I trim alot of brass at a time and I load for alot of wildcat.

[jason280]

Thanks for the info.  I'm going to give the Hornady neck die a chance, and see how it works.

As far as te trim die, how does it actually trim?  Do you simply seat it in the press, or does it require something else to trim the case?

[flabbydan]

:-) Use a file to trim off the excess brass that is protruding through the top of the die.  I assume the folks at Dillon would gladly send you instructions if you contact them.
Dan

[Gavinator]

Hi Jason, Dillon makes an electric trimmer that mounts to that die. It's intended to be used in high production volumes, it even has a port for a vacuum hose to clear the chips. They make very nice reloading equipment.

[haroldclark]

I have the Dillon Electric Trimmer and it is great.  But, they make the trim dies for the machine and they don't make it in 7mm TCU.  You can't use other trim dies with the Dillon.  The Dillon trim die you have for 223 is made to work only with the Dillon Trim system.  The case neck will not protrude through the top of the die.  The trimmer fits inside of the die at the top.  The trimming takes place where the view hole is on the die.  All the trimmings are spit out by the fast spinning cutter.  A vacuum is used to catch the trimmings.

I have used a Hornady neck sizing die for the 7mm TCU.  You have to be ver careful setting the neck sizing die up.  If you are not careful and set the die down too far on the neck, you will push the shoulder down and it will "roll", so to speak.  Then the case will not fit in the chamber.

The 7mm TCU case is one of the easiest to work with that I have ever loaded.  In the past 6 years, I have loaded 8,648 rounds of 7mm TCU.  I load all my cartridges on a Dillon machine.  In order to avoid the expander ball drag in the NS or FL sizer, I add a Lyman M-Die in 7mm caliber to a station behind the powder measure.  I turn down the expander ball  or replace it with a smaller caliber so it doesn't touch the neck.  It only decaps.  The M-die expands the neck on a down stroke and works just great.

Lee also, makes hand trimmers for the multitude of cartridges.  It is much faster than the "Trim Die" and the file.  Lee makes a cutter, shell holder and a pilot.  The shell holder will fit in a drill and spin with the case in it.  You insert the pilot with the cutter into the decapped case and it trims to length.

Harold Clark