Higher quality trimmers worth it?

rdinak · Nov 4, 2024

The first time I used my Giraud, my reaction was wow why did I wait so long to do this. Years later it is still a joy to use.

Most of us can tell you fifty widgets we tried that didn’t work.

The Giraud exceeds expectations

markl323 · Nov 5, 2024

CK1.0 said:
A lot of this has to do with one's usage scenario: if you're into trimming every firing, yeah, pony up for a Henderson/Giraud, no doubt. But if you're just a guy looking to trim and normalize all your cases now and then... IMHO fuck it, the drill-mount WFT or FA options will do it, maybe use the cash on a new/next barrel.

some people may like the Henderson so much that they just have to trim after every firing now.
I have been using it for a few weeks and it's my favorite part of the whole reloading process

.

I hope someone will make a device that will wipe the cases with alcohol. that's my longest, most boring phase right now.

straightshooter1 · Nov 5, 2024

markl323 said:
I hope someone will make a device that will wipe the cases with alcohol. that's my longest, most boring phase right now.

Vibrator Tumbler!

markl323 · Nov 5, 2024

straightshooter1 said:
Vibrator Tumbler!

that's a good idea. what material is best to remove the Imperial Sizing Wax?

Rob01 · Nov 5, 2024

I throw my prepped cases in my standard corn media with a little polish for a half hour or so.

Halfnutz · Nov 5, 2024

markl323 said:
that's a good idea. what material is best to remove the Imperial Sizing Wax?

Corn cob works just fine.

VandelayIndustries · Nov 5, 2024

Just got the Henderson gen3. Setting it up now. Why are the adjustment screws (the ones with the lock nut) different lengths? Go to different calibers?

straightshooter1 · Nov 5, 2024

markl323 said:
that's a good idea. what material is best to remove the Imperial Sizing Wax?

I highly recommend rice . . . medium grain rice, not long grain rice. It does a great job for me in removing Imperial Sizing Die Wax and I never have an issue with dust that other media often presents as an issue.

markl323 · Nov 5, 2024

does dry tumbling remove the carbon from the inside of the neck? I plan to only brush it lightly with a nylon brush.

straightshooter1 · Nov 5, 2024

markl323 said:
does dry tumbling remove the carbon from the inside of the neck? I plan to only brush it lightly with a nylon brush.

No, the dry tumbling does not remove the carbon from the inside of the neck and I find no need to brush the inside of the neck after tumbling when using rice.

Rob01 · Nov 5, 2024

No need to brush it with corn media either. It does the same thing.

375fan · Nov 5, 2024

VandelayIndustries said:
Just got the Henderson gen3. Setting it up now. Why are the adjustment screws (the ones with the lock nut) different lengths? Go to different calibers?

Different cartridge lengths. Can't use the short screw with a long cartridge and no need to use the really long one with short cartridges.

Wangdangler · Nov 8, 2024

I broke down and bought a Henderson a few months ago--it has been life changing. It's so quick and consistent. What used to require 3 processes on my Wilson trimmer (trim, internal reaming, external reaming), involving 3 separate attachments, is not accomplished in one very quick step. I actually look forward to using it and now trim my brass after each firing. Using it for .223/5.56, .308, 6.5CM, 30-06, 7mm Rem Mag, 300 WM, and soon to be 300 PRC.

Gentleman4561 · Friday at 5:06 PM

Any idea when the Hornadys will start shipping? I back ordered at a few places.

OzzyO20 · Friday at 6:07 PM

I was talking with a buddy the other day about power trimmers. Getting back into loading after a few years away. I have a question for folks that have used the Giraud, and then the Henderson.

My buddy said he’s had occasions where the Giraud wouldn’t quite go all the way to just perform the chamfer and de-burr process if the brass hadn’t grown enough to need the trimming as well.

I read through a good bit of this thread, and I want to confirm what I’m assuming. Is this a non issue with the Henderson since it pushes from the rear of the case, vs the Giraud going off the shoulder?

I’ve had a few chambers do what my buddy’s dasher did and the brass essentially quit growing after a few firings and didn’t need trimmed. Just want to make sure the Henderson will still chamfer and deburr regardless unlike the Giraud.

Thanks guys.

Rob01 · Friday at 6:38 PM

OzzyO20 said:
I was talking with a buddy the other day about power trimmers. Getting back into loading after a few years away. I have a question for folks that have used the Giraud, and then the Henderson.

My buddy said he’s had occasions where the Giraud wouldn’t quite go all the way to just perform the chamfer and de-burr process if the brass hadn’t grown enough to need the trimming as well.

I read through a good bit of this thread, and I want to confirm what I’m assuming. Is this a non issue with the Henderson since it pushes from the rear of the case, vs the Giraud going off the shoulder?

I’ve had a few chambers do what my buddy’s dasher did and the brass essentially quit growing after a few firings and didn’t need trimmed. Just want to make sure the Henderson will still chamfer and deburr regardless unlike the Giraud.

Thanks guys.

Sounds like your buddy doesn’t know how to use his Giraud trimmer as it will trim down to almost the shoulder if you adjust it down that far. Lol He needs to learn how to adjust it.

spife7980 · Friday at 6:41 PM

Rob01 said:
Sounds like your buddy doesn’t know how to use his Giraud trimmer as it will trim down to almost the shoulder if you adjust it down that far. Lol He needs to learn how to adjust it.

He means with out adjusting it. Neck doesn’t grow enough and so you get just a partial chamfer. I’ve definitely noticed it, I’ve never been able to tell that it has mattered. Mainly in old brass.
But like you say, adjust it a thou or two lower and you’ll get the full thing.

Rob01 · Friday at 6:46 PM

spife7980 said:
He means with out adjusting it. Neck doesn’t grow enough and so you get just a partial chamfer. I’ve definitely noticed it, I’ve never been able to tell that it has mattered. Mainly in old brass.
But like you say, adjust it a thou or two lower and you’ll get the full thing.

Yeah if you set it for new brass then fire it and the shoulder blows out and the neck shortens some then of course you have to adjust it down a little to reach it. That’s just common sense.

45-90 · Friday at 7:16 PM

High quality trimmer, or the trimmer that makes it easier, is a good thing.
I use machine tools for jobs that require 1/4" to 1/2" or more of case trimming, in a Bridgeport mill, for serious trimming jobs.
Plunge cut that 1/2" in about a second.
Along with some serious neck turning, and annealing, here is 800 pcs of the 900 completed .510 Whisper.
Power tools for large quantities just makes sense...plus the quick and accuracy aspect many provide.
The Bridgeport set up works great for 50BMG shooters and wildcatting as well.

vh20 · Friday at 7:20 PM

Once you’ve gotten the initial inside/outside chamfer established from an earlier trimming, does it even matter if it doesn’t quite reach to re-chamfer if the case hasn’t grown enough (assuming you don’t wet tumble and peen the case mouths)? I know people who establish the intial chamfers and then don’t trim or re-chamfer until they see their case mouths are nearly touching the end of the chamber. It doesn’t seem to keep them from getting low SDs.

Herb Stoner · Friday at 7:45 PM

vh20 said:
Once you’ve gotten the initial inside/outside chamfer established from an earlier trimming, does it even matter if it doesn’t quite reach to re-chamfer if the case hasn’t grown enough (assuming you don’t wet tumble and peen the case mouths)? I know people who establish the intial chamfers and then don’t trim or re-chamfer until they see their case mouths are nearly touching the end of the chamber. It doesn’t seem to keep them from getting low SDs.

I don't trim every time and any diminished chamfer, if any, is insignificant. I wet tumble and still don't have issues but I don't tumble with any pins, chips, or other media and only for about 15-20 minutes max. Hot water, dawn, and a pinch of citric acid and they are cleaner than I need them to be.

If you just want to hit it for a bit of chamfer the Giraud will adjust and do a great job as other pointed out above.

Im2bent · Friday at 7:48 PM

45-90 said:
High quality trimmer, or the trimmer that makes it easier, is a good thing.
I use machine tools for jobs that require 1/4" to 1/2" or more of case trimming, in a Bridgeport mill, for serious trimming jobs.
Plunge cut that 1/2" in about a second.
Along with some serious neck turning, and annealing, here is 800 pcs of the 900 completed .510 Whisper.
Power tools for large quantities just makes sense...plus the quick and accuracy aspect many provide.
The Bridgeport set up works great for 50BMG shooters and wildcatting as well.

Jesus you have to trim 1/2 an inch off your brass? After how many firings or is this part of the forming process?

45-90 · Friday at 9:21 PM

Im2bent said:
Jesus you have to trim 1/2 an inch off your brass? After how many firings or is this part of the forming process?

It's forming, depending on the parent case as to how much must be timmed off.
Example the parent case is 2.5" to 1.675".

spife7980 · Friday at 9:57 PM

vh20 said:
Once you’ve gotten the initial inside/outside chamfer established from an earlier trimming, does it even matter if it doesn’t quite reach to re-chamfer if the case hasn’t grown enough (assuming you don’t wet tumble and peen the case mouths)? I know people who establish the intial chamfers and then don’t trim or re-chamfer until they see their case mouths are nearly touching the end of the chamber. It doesn’t seem to keep them from getting low SDs.

Not that I’ve discovered. Dasher brass formed from lapua starts short, I try to let it grow a bit. I’ll size it and trim it to where it only maybe goes back a thou on some of the longer pieces. Others from the short side of the spec don’t change. Basically all I do is knock down any high spots. Once my brass has gotten a few firings on it and stretched it’s not uncommon for half the neck to be sooty looking still with half scraped clean after a trim as it’s stopped growing. Everything that stands proud and touches a bullet or the chamber is cut nice and even and the rest… is.

memilanuk · Friday at 11:25 PM

If I'm running through a batch of brass and have the odd one that, for whatever reason, didn't grow as much as the rest... I keep my Sinclair VLD chamfer tool on the bench next to the Giraud for the session. It takes a few seconds to grab the chamfer tool, give it a couple light twists in the offending case mouth, and toss it in the bin with the rest and move on.

It's not a big deal.

Baron23 · Friday at 11:39 PM

OzzyO20 said:
I was talking with a buddy the other day about power trimmers. Getting back into loading after a few years away. I have a question for folks that have used the Giraud, and then the Henderson.

My buddy said he’s had occasions where the Giraud wouldn’t quite go all the way to just perform the chamfer and de-burr process if the brass hadn’t grown enough to need the trimming as well.

I read through a good bit of this thread, and I want to confirm what I’m assuming. Is this a non issue with the Henderson since it pushes from the rear of the case, vs the Giraud going off the shoulder?

I’ve had a few chambers do what my buddy’s dasher did and the brass essentially quit growing after a few firings and didn’t need trimmed. Just want to make sure the Henderson will still chamfer and deburr regardless unlike the Giraud.

Thanks guys.

Both the Giraud and the Henderson have a way to set a stop which is how you adjust for case length. So, if brass being cut by either (I believe) is shorter than what the trimmer is set then you will indeed not be in the cutter incl chamfer.

I have a Giraud and as pointed out by Rob and Spife, it’s a non-issue as a practical matter and, of course, both are easily adjusted.

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