Frankford Case Trimmer
- Thread starter Joe R
- Start date
I use mine on everything but my 50 BMG (wish it would handle the 50 too). It gives extremely consistent trims, as well as has stations for putting a Flash Hole tool, Chamfer Tool, and Debur Tool. Or you can put just about any tool with 8-32 threads (I'm not at my bench but I believe the 8/32 is standard.
I've got one and like it much more than doing the chamfering/deburring/primer pocket stuff by hand. Trimming to length is a bit confusing to set up as the collets provided are not labeled/numbered in any form or fashion. You just go on "what looks" right based on the picture in the instruction manual, and as long as the case does not move from side to side but slides in and out easily.
Unit does do all the functions/steps nicely, but makes a mess with all the shavings, as there is no catch pan. Probably need to find something in the kitchen that the unit will sit in and catch most of the shaving.
Unit does do all the functions/steps nicely, but makes a mess with all the shavings, as there is no catch pan. Probably need to find something in the kitchen that the unit will sit in and catch most of the shaving.
KMart
Gold $$ Contributor
Set it in a cookie sheet or set the unit on a cup/hand towel and shake it out after using the unit.
I had a couple pieces of legal size paper under it but didn't work, found a cake pan with low sides in the kitchen cabinet this morning
, works like a charm.
USMCDOC
Silver $$ Contributor
i was watching a vid on youtube earlier today about it.. the claimed that his brass was coming out right at 1.750 for each pc.
Yes, they use a bushing that rides on the shoulder to keep you from going too far. I made bushings for my Lyman trimmer so all I have to do is slide a bushing in place and trim away. When I change to a different caliber I just swap the bushings an I'm good to go. It eliminates all the extra time to adjust the trimmer when changing cartridges and also makes all the trimmed cases the same length no matter how long since I trimmed that case.
Define accurate and what you will use it for. Me; I'm using it to process brass for Pdog/Ghog/yote rifles, so I want/desire/prefer accurate ammo but I'm also not shooting competition. Comp shooters seem to be more OCD/anal about lots of things, more so than me.
I am prepping new 204R brass, and while it's a tedious/boring task (I think watching paint dry is better as you can have a beer while watching paint dry
), once the trim length is set to the desired length, it didn't move for me for 400 cases, and I have only 100 cases to go. 
You can get "slightly" different lengths by varying the amount of pressure when pushing the case into the trimmer/stopping the trim function, which is ok for me and my intended purpose but may not be for the comp shooters.I had it set to trim to 1.845", I set my calipers to this length, and measured/sorted a couple hundred cases to find the cases longer than 1.845", it trimmed all of those w/o issue, and those cases measured < 1.845" it did not trim. I stopped "finding" the long cases with the calipers, and just let the trimmer find 'em and trim 'em going forward.
It takes a few minutes to set the length up, but it's not difficult, the hardest part is converting counterclockwise/clockwise adjustments to longer or shorter trim length.
The chamfering/beveling functions are straight forward, and appear to be consistent if you're consistent in the amount of pressure applied, primer pocket cleaning is good but it seems like you have to "wiggle" or roll the case around on the primer pocket tool to get the majority of the soot out and clean the majority of the pocket.
Overall I like it, it has saved me from a tremendous amount of hand cramps.
I just picked one of these up 2 weeks ago to speed up the trimming process. Before this I was during the Lee quick trim system in a cordless drill. No more chucking cases, no more changing from cutter to chamfer/ de-bur tool, much faster processes. I did find some inconsistency in trim length based on how I insert the case into the trimmer. If I push it in and rotate the case back and for while it is trimming it usually come out 2-3 thou short. Now I just put it straight in let it cut, pull the case out slightly and rotate 90 degrees and reinsert. Cases came out +/- .001 after I switched to doing it this way. Mostly spot on or + .001. On in all I think it's a worth while investment, even if I just use it for AR brass. I do plan on trying some of my lapua 308 brass in it to see how consistent it cuts it. This brass is much more meticulously prepped than my 223 brass for my ARs.
In my experiences with it, +/- 0.002 For what I use it for, (semi-auto plinking) its "Good 'nuff"
boltman13
Gold $$ Contributor
I have had mine well over 1 year, have trimmed a few thousand cases and love it. Set up moving from case to case does require attention to detail but once you have don it a few times it gets easier. I have a shop vac close to my reloading bench and keep brass trimmings under control with it. Case length trim is very consistent for me as well, never more than +/- 0.001 with my dial calipers, which is good enough for me.
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