Hornady Power Case Trimmer

[searcher]

mine will be here today, I was going to buy a Giraud but, after 4 phone calls and no return call. edit: I have since learned that he passed away. I looked at the Henderson and don't like the cutter head setup or the need to buy a different cutter head for every case or an extra belt?? I called Hornady and a live person picked up the phone and answered my questions, said call back if i needed any help. In my opinion, they are not that close in design. horizontal case trimmers using collets to hold the case have been around for a long time. just because they are both red doesn't make them the same. I am in the process of making 1000 20 vartargs and will be trimming in the next day or two, I will report on how much I like it or not then.

On the Henderson, you don't need to buy an extra cutter head for each caliber, though you do need the correct diameter pilot and will need to install it and readjust the cutter head each time a caliber change is done. Like readjusting a lot of the neck turning tools. For those who want (the ease of) repeatability when returning to a particular cartridge, having multiple cutter heads really simplifies things. As for the "extra belt", those do not appear to be a typical belt you will find at the auto parts store - and a lot of folks want to buy (or get with the purchase of the machine) what may be wearable/consumable part. The selling of the belt does not spell premature belt wear. I always order an extra belt on any such machine - and not long ago had to chase down a belt through RCBS for a sidewinder tumbler. Was a bit of a hassle and would have been nice to have had one on hand.

I don't know the backstory of whether the Henderson folks had weak (or no) patents - or whether they actually receive a royalty from Hornady for what appears to be a pretty obvious copy of the Henderson design. If I knew - it might influence who I buy products from (or from whom I don't).