Brass trimming...

[juniustaylor]

This evening I was trimming down a small batch of 50 9mm Luger brass to make 9x18 Mak brass. I currently have the Lee case gages and they are a decent design. However, I have noticed that the cutter itself appears to be getting duller and when using the lock stud in a drill, there is a tendency for the case to start to wobble, it comes out of the lock stud, then your knuckle on the trimmer hand whacks the lock stud while the drill is still spinning. Not very pleasant and it was starting to tick me off. I normally use the Lee setup by hand when doing regular brass that you may only have to trim down a couple thousandths. However, trimming about 1mm off isn't pleasant by hand and the drill is easier to use when you're not banging up the knuckles.

Anyway, I placed an order on Saturday through Midsouth Shooter Supply for a Lyman Universal Power Trimmer setup. Best deal that I could find. For just the Lyman trimmer through Cabela's it was about $78 after tax and shipping. However, through Midsouth, it was $92 to get the power trimmer kit which made the power trimmer shaft only $13. To buy it separate it's about $20 before tax/shipping. So, I figured that was the better buy. It will be in this week. I have read a lot of bad reviews of the Lyman Universal on Midway, however, there are a lot of good reviews that basically say that the 1 and 2 start raters are morons. I have used a Lyman Universal before and thought it was pretty decent. I will like the power trimmer so I can hook my drill up to it and zip the Luger brass down faster.

$92 seems like a lot of money to throw out on a reloading component but I think it will be worth it in the end. To keep trimming new calibers with the Lee setup, I have to keep buying more case gages and I currently have about 10 sets and it seems like too many when you have to store them away. The Lyman (or any other lathe type trimmer) will be good since I can set it to the side, it has all the pilots I need, and you can adjust it for virtually any caliber and anything in-between.

Any others using the Lyman... share your likes or dislikes about it. I'd like to hear about them.

[normsutton]

Jun

been using mine for years

the only thing I use the lee trimmer for is to trim one case, then I use that one case to setup my Lyman trimmer




NORM

[juniustaylor]

Good idea Norm. Thank you.

[The Only Sarge]

Norm...chuck that Lee up in a drill press and run on slow. Why have multiple tools for one job?

[normsutton]

The Only Sarge

the lee is to slow, and the cutter's wear out, and I've been doing this way for 30 years ,

NORM

[juniustaylor]

Loaded those 50 cases up. Used some sort of cast bullets. I'd have to ask fknipfer1 what brand they are as I got them from him. They are 94 grain. I loaded them with 3.7 grains of Unique with a WSP primer. May be a light load, I don't know. However, I don't care much for a whole lot of recoil at the sake of a few extra FPS. So, if they're light, they'll do alright with me. Just tin can popping rounds anyway. I usually load Berry plated bullets but had these sitting on my shelf for a long time. Not sure if they'll do well in my CZ, but I'm not worried about it, I'll shoot them in the '64 and leave the CZ-82 for factory/berry plated bullets. Seated them at 0.975".

[juniustaylor]

Norm, I'm not sure how much difference there is in the older and newer model Universals. Do you have any problems with your chuck? I had read that some folks have a problem with trimming .223 with the new ones. I don't shoot .223, but my dad does and it's only a matter of time before I'll be reloading his brass. I guess they complained that the chuck didn't hold them tight enough and they would sometimes spin with the cutter. Didn't know if you've run into any problems with yours.

[normsutton]

Jun

not a problem with mine ,the chuck in the new one should be the same as the old one ,every once in awhile , shoot some WD40 or some brake clean to keep clean , I have done thousands of 223's,& 30/06's. 30/30's , 6mm's , 7mm's and I bought mine used,

NORM

[juniustaylor]

Jun

not a problem with mine ,the chuck in the new one should be the same as the old one ,every once in awhile , shoot some WD40 or some brake clean to keep clean , I have done thousands of 223's,& 30/06's. 30/30's , 6mm's , 7mm's and I bought mine used,

NORM

Thanks Norm, appreciate the reply.

[The Only Sarge]

The Only Sarge

the lee is to slow, and the cutter's wear out, and I've been doing this way for 30 years ,

NORM

Now Norm after 30 years I would think it would be you that was slow and dull.
LOL...just kidding....heck I bet I am probably older than you anyway

[The Only Sarge]

I have a LE Wislon case trimmer and I just ordered a 9MM case holder ...I am gonna cut a few on it....see how that works hooked up to my cordless drill....thing is dead accurate and repeatable with my larger caliber rifle cases.....the LEE stuff cuts the 9mm Luger cases pretty dog gone short...they work fine and all...but I would like a few thousandths more than .702-.703....well see how the LE Wilson works.

[juniustaylor]

I noticed the Lee one on mine was cutting the 9x18 to 0.7" which seemed more short than I wanted it to be. When I finally get to run some through the Lyman, I may trim 1 of each caliber I shoot and set it off to the side as a setup piece. I kind of don't like the idea of that, I don't have anything better to do with my time anyway, so resetting up the cutter wouldn't be that big of a deal. Something I'll think about.

[juniustaylor]

MONEY WELL SPENT!!! I got my Lyman in today. After Wed. night bible study I got to use it. Ran some Luger brass through it to cut down to 9x18mm. Took minimal time to run each case through. By far faster than using the Lee gages, even if you did chuck them in a drill. The universal chuck on the Lyman makes it quick and effortless. I am very glad I bought that trimmer. I did run some .223 brass through it and didn't have any problems, the jaws held them good. I also ran some .270 brass through and it did them good as well. Results were very consistent. If it was off, it was maybe by 0.0005 - 0.001" of an inch. That's pretty dang good IMO. Didn't notice any real slop or wobble in it. I was using the hand crank for now as I was just piddling with it. The adjustments are very predictable. The fine adjustment knob has hash marks on it that equate to about 0.001" increments. Keyword, "about". I could measure a piece of brass, find the difference that it needed to be trimmed. Butt the cutter up to the case mouth, butt the stop up to the trimmer body, tighten it down. Then use the fine adjustment knob and count the hash marks and tighten. I'd usually be within 0.001" or dead on. Very predictable. I am real happy about my purchase and will definitely make case prep seem not so bad. I kind of hated using the Lee gages since my knuckle would hit the drill because the case would fling out or if using it by hand, it just took so long and you had to take frequent breaks to let the fingers and hands rest. So glad I bought the Lyman. I think Lyman did a fine job, obviously this line of trimmer has been around for decades.

[juniustaylor]

I had read on some MidwayUSA reviews of the Lyman that folks got ticked off about the pilot holes getting brass shavings in the empty one(s). They would be the same people ticked off if Lyman hadn't made convenient holes for their pilots to go into so they're at hand. RCBS has the same thing on theirs also. At least the old ones. My solution to it and it took me a couple cases to figure it out. Q-tip. Those things are so useful for everything. Cut a bit off it to leave a nubby handle and stick the head of it into the open slot. It's cheap and works. My next deal is to mount a small magnet to the trimmer so I can stick the allen key to it so it's within reach. Still need to mount it down too.

[The Only Sarge]

HHmmmmm.....thanks for the review.....sounds very promising.