Case Trimmers

[lakota]

I'm looking for recommendations for a case trimmer. I recently got a .204 Ruger. Before that I always used Lee case trimmers, but they don't make them for the .204. The .204 is the only bottle neck cartridge I load for. All of the other calibers I load are straight wall pistol cartridges and I limit about 98% of those loads to mild loads and have never had any appreciable case growth for those, so this trimmer would mainly be for the .204. I would like to keep cost low.

I see that Redding makes a die that allows cases to be filed down to length and best of all it is fairly cheap. Anyone have any experience with using a file to trim cases? How do you like it?

If I have to go to a rotary style trimmer which brands are good? I read a few negative reviews on Midway's web page about Lymans having trouble with consistency.

Thanks for reading this long winded post and thanks in advance for your advice!

Scott

[quickdtoo]

I turned down a Lee 22-250 case length gage to .204 in my drill press with a file, do half at a time, then trim the pilot end to proper trim length with a dremel cutoff tool, used with a .223 shellholder it works great.

Tim

[davem270win]

The Forster is a good trimmer, I've had one for years, and would recommend it.
But I now mostly use a Wilson with the Sinclair Micrometer attachment. The Wilson, with all the case holders and the Micrometer, is not cheap, but it's easy to get the exact length you want, and very consistent.
Another option is the Redding micrometer trimmer, which I have no real experience with. I did have an older Redding trimmer that was OK, I sold it after I bought the Wilson.
The trimmers without a micrometer can be a little tricky to set for length. Keep one empty case sized to the right length to set up the trimmer.

[Hairtrigger]

I am not sure if all brands offer it but I use the 3 way cutter on my RCBS. In one step it trims to length, and tapers the inside and deburs the outside.

[calvon]

Ditto on the Wilson. I've had one for over forty years, bought it from L.E. Wilson himself in Cashmere, WA.

The only negative is that the little button on the end of the crank handle wore a blister in the palm of my hand. I have a little hobbyist metal lathe and made a bigger button. No more blisters.

[njanear]

You just missed the Wilson trimmer on sale at Midway - it was $30 (right now it is $35.99).  Mine got here Friday, along with my case holder for .223 and... .204  .  I haven't sat down with my .204 brass to start on it, but tried it on some .223 that I had just trimmed using the Lee trimmer.  While I didn't get much brass dust (the Lee did a pretty good job), I did note that the case mouths LOOKED more squared than they did with the Lee (could have just been my imagination too  ).

[lakota]

You just missed the Wilson trimmer on sale at Midway - it was $30 (right now it is $35.99).  Mine got here Friday, along with my case holder for .223 and... .204  .  I haven't sat down with my .204 brass to start on it, but tried it on some .223 that I had just trimmed using the Lee trimmer.  While I didn't get much brass dust (the Lee did a pretty good job), I did note that the case mouths LOOKED more squared than they did with the Lee (could have just been my imagination too  ).

njanear, have you seen much case growth with your .204? I am going on 3-4 firings with some of my brass and havent seen any stretch yet but I want to be ready!


Quickdtoo, I like your suggestion. I am going to try it, even if I decide to go with a rotary trimmer.

Thanks guys,
Scott

[quickdtoo]

Once you get it filed down to the correct diameter, use some 600 or finer wet dry sandpaper and oil to polish the part of the gage where the case neck touches.

Tim

[njanear]

You just missed the Wilson trimmer on sale at Midway - it was $30 (right now it is $35.99).  Mine got here Friday, along with my case holder for .223 and... .204  .  I haven't sat down with my .204 brass to start on it, but tried it on some .223 that I had just trimmed using the Lee trimmer.  While I didn't get much brass dust (the Lee did a pretty good job), I did note that the case mouths LOOKED more squared than they did with the Lee (could have just been my imagination too  ).

njanear, have you seen much case growth with your .204? I am going on 3-4 firings with some of my brass and havent seen any stretch yet but I want to be ready!


Quickdtoo, I like your suggestion. I am going to try it, even if I decide to go with a rotary trimmer.

Thanks guys,
Scott

Ashamedly enough, I am new to actually reloading my first rounds  - I have been preparing for years though (have bunches of cases, thousands of bullets, several die sets, two presses (hand and single stage), tumbler, etc. - just started stocking up on powders and primers in the last year or so  ).  I 'wasted' my money on buying guns and ammo for years, with little actual range time (the closest 'free' range is 35 miles away and time has been tight) - most of my shooting consists of sighting in once a year and then going hunting.    Now that my son is old enough to go shooting, I need to make sure we get more shooting in.

My .204 is a NEF and only has a few boxes of factory stuff down the tube - but since I haven't been set to reload it (i.e. no trimmer until I ordered my Wilson), I haven't even punched the primers or sized those cases.  Therefore, I can't speak to their stretching, especially since they are only once-fired.  I do have 500 bagged Winchester .204 cases that I am going to start prepping though, since I have a boatload of Midsouth and Nosler bullets to load up, and now have a new trimmer for those cases   .  I just have to figure out what I am going to use this caliber on here in GA, since I can't use it on the National Forest land (which is where I hunt) and I don't know of anyone with large fields with varmint or predator problems.     If I don't shoot it enough, I'll never have enough empty brass to reload and see how it stretches.