Trim, Chamfer, & DeBurr Questions

[Phil3]

I have just about completed my shopping list for reloading equipment (I am new to reloading), but am unsure on how to proceed with regards to trimming, chamfer, and deburr work. There are many choices, and it is confusing.

I will probably be preparing a total of 500 rounds a month, made up of 223, 308, and 6mmBR. I would want these rounds to be quite accurate. From all I can learn, the Wilson Micrometer Ultimate Case Trimmer w/Shark Fin is the way to go. Although I wonder about using a drill press and the Forster case holder to do the same thing. Perhaps not as consistent on trim length?

I can buy a simple handheld tool to deburr and chamfer to using a Giraud for everything, or some combination of using power to drive small tools. How these fit together, with or without shellholders, how the setup would work, is quite confusing to me.

I keep wondering why not the drill press to trim, chamfer, and deburr? Seems easier than powered screwdrivers, etc. What am I missing here?

Any suggestions for my needs? I have not reloaded with any of this stuff, so I ask responses be in terms that a newbie can understand.

Thank you.

- Phil

 

[mike in co]

just buy a couple of wilson's, leave them set up for each caliber( skip the micometer adjust, use your calipers), a hand debur tool and dont look back.


mike in co

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Just remember to keep it simple. All those gadgets are a waste of cash. Buy the best one time. A basic wilson trimmer and wilson deburrer are all you need for those 2 operations. I use a lathe for deburring if i have a lot to do with the tool chucked up in the collet but you can do all you need to do by hand very quickly

 

[abintx]

Phil ...

I have just about completed my shopping list for reloading equipment (I am new to reloading), but am unsure on how to proceed with regards to trimming, chamfer, and deburr work. There are many choices, and it is confusing.

I will probably be preparing a total of 500 rounds a month, made up of 223, 308, and 6mmBR. I would want these rounds to be quite accurate.

Any suggestions for my needs? I have not reloaded with any of this stuff, so I ask responses be in terms that a newbie can understand.

Thank you.

- Phil

Pictures are usually easy to understand. Buy one each of RCBS items #1 and #2, and ensure you acquire a pilot, #3, for the 223, 308 and 6mmBR (one usually comes with the cutter). Read the instructions for each, and you're good to go for the monthly volume you've described. Scan the internet through Google for the best prices. Life can be simple!

 

[Boyd Allen]

As far as accuracy goes the most important things that relate to processing your cases and seating bullets are the dies. Trimming is trimming. I think that any of them can work. The reason that I like the Wilson is that it does not require a pilot be inserted into the case neck.

Back in the day, as the saying goes when all I had was a trimmer that used a pilot, I noticed that some of the brass chips would end up between the pilot and the ID of the case neck, which would scratch it a little bit. Who knows it that mattered. Given what I was shooting at the time, and the dies, I doubt it.

Today, faced with your problem, I would probably mount a Wilson trimmer (without the fancy micrometer) on a home made bracket that would allow it to be clamped vertically on a drill press table, centered under the chuck. I have a power drive adapter. The only original aspect would be that I would fit an electromagnet to to what would normally be the underside of the trimmer base, and set up a switch so that the magnet would be turned on as the quill was lowered, and turned off when a light return spring returned it to its starting position. Beyond that, I would need a block of wood to tap case necks on to tighten and untighten them in the case holders.

 

[amamnn]

I use the Forster tools. I have one set up for case neck turning and one for trimmiing. I threw out the trim pilots and us only the turning mandrels with appropriate lubrication. Some cases I ream using the reamers that Forster makes to fit the tool. Since all my BR chambers are now the larger "no turn required" type I don't to much reaming anymore.

 

[crb]

I have some of the Lee stuff, an RCBS manual trimmer and the Wilson which is what I use for the BR cartridges. I use the handheld Wilson deburr tool. One thing I have started doing is twisting the case by hand while holding the mouth on a piece of Scotchbright laying on the bench for a little extra deburr and radius.

 

[dantiff2]

For deburring, chamfering and primer pocket cleanup I absolutly love my rcbs prep center. I even have a flash hole debur tool on it.

 

[John Kielly]

I just got a Wilson VLD inside neck chamfering cutter for my Wilson last week. Man, it has to be the cleanest, cutest way to get a smoth concentric chamfer on a case.