Uneven trim

[cujimmy]

Hi Guys as you know just starting to reload had a go at trimming the other day both with the Lee delux quick trim and die for .223 and the lee trimmer (shaft type) both seem to give me an uneven neck size IE when I twist the cartridge in the calipers I get a higher reading and ideas or suggestions most welcome tks

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Either your base isnt square or lee equipment has bitten again

 

[Ggmac]

The Lee case trim is usually foolproof. It's set shaft and case holder can't bend or trim to anything other than its set length .
Are you using the 2 pieces that screw together on the base ? I had one guy just pushing without using the bottom . He let the trimmer shaft bottom out on the primer flash hole ( inside )

 

[cujimmy]

using both these guys and two different digital calipers

 

[dcali]

Don't rule out a bad tool. With Lee, you never know. They make some neat, very good stuff, but unfortunately they do not invest much in finish or quality control. I wish they'd make a more expensive line that corrects these problems. It's an odd combination of well designed, poorly made stuff, which is a shame. Some is great, some, not so much.

 

[Rsadams]

My Lee trimmer does the same thing and always has , I even changed the shaft , cutters etc... I only use it for trimming pistol brass now... I did 100 9mm last night and every single one I thought about how much I hate it and I should just throw it away....

Bought a Forester trimmer for rifle brass and the problem went away useing the same calipers etc... Definitely the trimmer... I bought the Lee when I first started also years ago , thinking a trimmer is a trimmer and it was cheap.... But as we know things normally cost more for a reason... I hate that orange thing it also takes the skin off my fingers with the sharp knurled handle , what's it going to get away bolted to the bench.. hate it...

 

[cujimmy]

well at least I know its not me doing something wrong lol tks for the input guys much obliged

 

[dickn52]

Well, maybe it was me, but that first item with the black handled knob....lasted about 30 minutes in the house then tossed. Nasty nasty. Went straight to the Little Crow Gunworks worlds finest trimmer...in my drill press and have never looked back.

 

[Richard Coody]

Well, maybe it was me, but that first item with the black handled knob....lasted about 30 minutes in the house then tossed. Nasty nasty. Went straight to the Little Crow Gunworks worlds finest trimmer...in my drill press and have never looked back.

yep. hate trimming brass. don't do it till i have to. started with a forsters hand trimmer. bought 2 of the geraud triways, much like wft, and that was much better, now i use the pma micro-adjust. if i had to go back to hand trimming i wouldn't do much reloading. of course i find that you really don't have to trim very often.

 

[cujimmy]

Yes its the black handled one that is the problem, there is a little play from side to side in the die , but not sure if its the chamfering cutters that are causing it but defo a high and low measurement on the neck , maybe the use of a caliper anvil might help when measuring tks

 

[jepp2]

both seem to give me an uneven neck size IE when I twist the cartridge in the calipers I get a higher reading

How much higher?

 

[cujimmy]

could be as much as 3 to 4 thou