Lee Case Trimmer question,Newbie...)

[revenant]

Wow, how to phrase this question without sounding like an idiot...

OK, I recently bought a Lee Case Trimmer guide,for .223)- which seems to simply screw into the Lee Case Cutter. Now here's the question- If I use it to trim as directed with my drill,where I attach the Case chuck and screw on the shell holder on my drill), then lock the case down and use the guide, I get a certain length,because the guide does not go all the way through the primer pocket before being stopped by the shell holder and chuck).

If I simply trim by hand,holding the brass with one hand and inserting the guide and cutter all the way through), obviously the guide goes all the way through the primer cutter hole, which gives me a different,and shorter) total case length after trimming.

Which way is the correct way? Sorry for the dumb question.

 

[chuckw2]

Which one gives you a 1.750" trim to length? Thats the one you want.

 

[rayjay]

You always use the shell holder assy, whether turning by hand or with the shell holder chucked in a drill. The Lee setup indexes off the bottom of the case, ie against the shell holder.

 

[revenant]

I used to use one of those... believe you need the chuck to limit the trimming to the standard "trim to" length. You could verify with a quick measurement of the trimmed cases.

That would make sense, wouldn't it? D'oh!

Again, sorry for the dumb question, but I guess it is better to ask twice and listen than to not ask and blow your face up.

Thanks, y'all!

 

[Winchester69]

You always use the shell holder assy, whether turning by hand or with the shell holder chucked in a drill. The Lee setup indexes off the bottom of the case, ie, against the shell holder.

This one makes more sense.

 

[revenant]

You always use the shell holder assy, whether turning by hand or with the shell holder chucked in a drill. The Lee setup indexes off the bottom of the case, ie, against the shell holder.

This one makes more sense.

You are correct, I meant to say that I could have answered my own question by measuring... sorry.

For the record, when I measured with the shell holder I still wasn't trimming brass that was 1.762" in length... I went back in by hand,no shell holder ) and slowly trimmed till I hit 1.750"...,which defeats the purpose of the guide in my opinion). is there some special trick to screwing it into the Lee case trimmer? I simply screwed the guide in until I simply could not screw it in further by hand- I'm wondering if I somehow did not get it all the way screwed in or something? I tried to redo it a few times,adding a bit of lube to see if maybe that was an issue), same result...

 

[revenant]

yessir, I am.

 

[rayjay]

If you are sure your measuring tool is zeroed properly then you can either call Lee and have them send you another or carefully grind off the tip of the tool that is intended to bear against the shell holder. Just go slow if you do this. I actually took a 243 WSSM tool and ground down the pin to make a 6mmBR tool.