Need help deciding on an electric trimmer.

[teddy12b]

Hey Everyone,
     I've got a Wilson manual trimmer and I just don't have the time it would take to trim all the brass that I have with that thing.  Mostly I want to trim 30-06, and 30-30 brass.  I've been thinking about the RCBS electric model, but I also reload on a Dillon 550B and was thinking about their trimmer.  What do you all think is the better way to go to trim brass and not spend a lifetime doing it?

[Graybeard]

All of the electric trimmers I've seen except two are really only manual trimmers that have a means to power the crank by electricity rather than hand.

The RCBS Trim Pro I have is a HUGE piece of equipment that takes up over 2' of bench space but is not a manual turned by electric power it's a fully automated piece of equipment that you can quickly insert and remove cases from. Then just let it do the work while you do something else. It's really huge did I mention that?  and is not something you want to be taking on and off your bench so be darn sure you have room for it if that's the one you are going for.

If it's not then really I just don't think any of them have any real value over the others. I do however kinda like the way the Hornady works and if I were buying a new manual with electric power that's likely the one I'd get. I used my Forster for many years using a cordless screwdriver as power and it works OK but the insertion and removal of cases is a real pain to me.

[teddy12b]

Part of my problem is that I got lazy with my cases.  I used to use a piece of brass 3-5 times and then pitch it.  Now brass isn't exactly cheap and on top of that I've been using some lapua brass for some long range shooting.  I'll look into that hornady trimmer too.  Does your Trim Pro also do the chamfer & deburring?  I was reading about one of the RCBS trimmers that does that too.  My wilson manual one just takes so much time and like you said getting the cases in and out is a real pain after a while.

[Graybeard]

No I have a separate RCBS tool that deburrs, chamfers, cleans primer pockets, reams primer pockets with power and has a station to run a case over a brush to clean the inside of case. I think RCBS makes a trimmer head that supposedly trims, chamfers and deburrs in one operation but personally I don't trust it to do it all correctly and prefer to do that separately on my power tool for those jobs.

[corbanzo]

The fastest way I have found to trim is the lee trimmer hooked up to an 18V drill. 

[12Bravo]

The fastest way I have found to trim is the lee trimmer hooked up to an 18V drill. 

That is how I trim my rifle brass too. I am sure that if I started reloading more rifle ammo then I would look at doing it differently.

[woodchukhntr]

I picked up the RCBS Trim Pro and love it.  I screw it down on my bench when I need it (using an electric screwdriver) and take it off when I am finished.  It is very fast to load/unload, and does a great job.  Keep a trimmed case available for set-up and it takes only a few minutes to get going.

[teddy12b]

Woodchukhur,
     Do you have your trim pro setup to chamfer & debur?  They sound like a good investment, but I'm still on the fence about the whole thing.  Part of me just keeping saying suck it up and trim the empties with the old trimmer.

[quickdtoo]

I've always liked the Lee trimmers and am now using a hybridized Lee/RCBS system like Dave's....

Tim

http://www.marlinowners.com/forums/index.php/topic,27212.0.html

[woodchukhntr]

Woodchukhur,
     Do you have your trim pro setup to chamfer & debur?  They sound like a good investment, but I'm still on the fence about the whole thing.  Part of me just keeping saying suck it up and trim the empties with the old trimmer.

I have the setup that Greybeard shows in his post, separate machines.