Equipment - Case Prep

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  • VERT

    Grandmaster
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    23   0   0
    Jan 4, 2009
    9,801
    113
    Seymour
    Setting up to start reloading .223 & .308. I have not yet purchased any tools for Trimming/Chamfering or Swagging/Reaming primer pockets. Looking for suggestions to get setup correctly keeping in mind price and handling time. For example I don’t think I will spend $400 on a Dillon trimmer.

    Space on my bench is limited but available.

    Press: Dillon 550b
    * I do have a couple nice drills that I can devote to the task if that is part of the solution.

    1) Frankford Arsenal Platinum case prep center. Looks like it will trim cases. Also takes other tools so I should be able to us FA or Lyman bits to ream primer pockets.

    2) I see a swagger that replaces the primer feed on the 550 press. Gets good reviews but will void the Dillon warranty. Basically I can size or universal deprime then swag in station 1. Which leads to 3:

    3) Lee trim die and trimmer in a drill. It should fit in station 3 on the press. My concern is the mess it will leave on the shell plate. I can not find any feed back on people using this with a 550. I am not against purchasing a small Lee C press if this is the way to go.

    4) some type of Lyman or Hornady trimmer.

    4) Lyman hand tools to prep the primer pockets and chamfer. That I use with a trim option.
     

    d.kaufman

    Still Here
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    128   0   0
    Mar 9, 2013
    14,718
    149
    Hobart
    For trimming I use the lee case length gauge and a drill. I can trim to length, debut, and chamfered all in 1step. I do want to make a rig that holds my drill secure however. Just haven't gotten around to that yet. I tend to only reload in the winter but do my trimming in the summer while sitting out on the patio. I just use old shirts/towels to catch the trimmings while I do it. Works well enough for me. I probably only shoot 2k 223 and maybe 500 rounds of 308 a year so this may not be the most efficient way if you're looking to resize any more than that per year

    Primer pockets I just do by hand with a lee primer pocket tool.
     

    bocefus78

    Master
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    39   0   0
    Apr 9, 2014
    2,023
    63
    Hamilton Co.
    I resize and deprime in the reloading room. Then I clamp my drill in a vice and use a worlds finest trimmer. I Do this in the garage as it flings brass shavings. Get in the groove and you can trim 1k in a little over an hour.

    Chamfer and such on a lyman case prep machine if needed.
     

    red_zr24x4

    UA#190
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    4   0   0
    Mar 14, 2009
    28,795
    113
    Walkerton
    I size and deprime on a RCBS Rockchucker
    Then I trim and do the chamfers.
    Posting from my phone, so its difficult to link but search in this section for the poor mans Girdaul trimmer, I copied his idea and it works great
     

    VERT

    Grandmaster
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    23   0   0
    Jan 4, 2009
    9,801
    113
    Seymour
    I will second JHB's recommendation for the Little Crow Worlds Finest Trimmer in .223. Good stuff.

    I have heard the Little Crow trimmer is good. But at $75 a pop that could get expensive if I add a third cartridge. Not out of the question, but dang.

    I have been eyeballing the Dillon swagger.
     

    sugarcreekbrass

    Expert
    Industry Partner
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    26   0   0
    Mar 29, 2015
    938
    43
    West central
    I have the RCBS pocket swager that I use on my Rock Chucker. I also use that press to resize. I use the FA platinum prep center to trim, chamfer, and deburr. Yes, you can swap out tools and ream and clean primer pockets with FA or Lyman inserts.
     

    Sniper 79

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    19   0   0
    Oct 7, 2012
    2,939
    48
    I use a WFT and a RCBS case prep center.

    I going for more volume get a Giraud. Buy once cry once.

    I scrap military brass eliminating the need to swage.
     

    BiscuitsandGravy

    Future 'shootered'
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    10   0   0
    Nov 8, 2016
    3,900
    113
    At the Ranch.
    We started with hand case prep tools years ago and I'm too tight to pickup a complete station new... Watch the classifieds for someone getting out of reloading. We found a Lyman case prep station about a year ago in the classy's. Came with both small and large assortment of bits. Since it had standard threads, the hand bits we had worked great. One of our standard practices is to chamfer the flash hole. It was nice to set a station on the Lyman for this as part of the process.

    :ingo:
     

    VERT

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    23   0   0
    Jan 4, 2009
    9,801
    113
    Seymour
    I have the Frankford Arsenal Platinum case prep center.
    Works great.


    This one peaks my interest. Looks like I can replace the primer pocket cleaner with an RCBS or Lyman reamer which would allow me to trim, chamfer and take care of crimped primers on one machine. I like the idea of the machine being portable so I can move it out of the way and cleanup. But I am open to all ideas.
     

    GSPBirdDog

    Sharpshooter
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    55   0   0
    Mar 21, 2010
    565
    43
    Henryville
    I have a Frankford Arsenal Platinum Case prep center and love it! One thing is doing 500 to 1,000 pcs of brass takes time and is hard on the hands. I also have a Dillon 650 with RT1500 trimmer and a Armanov Swager. So for high volume, I run everything through the Dillon. I can deprime, swage, size, and trim 1,000 pcs in a little over an hour! I live right down the road from you and will send you a PM.
     
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