Advice wanted: High-end equipment upgrade priorities

[Chesapeake]

I currently reload on a Rockchucker, throw powder on a chargemaster, use Whidden dies and I’m getting good results. I don’t currently anneal but I’m leaning heavily towards starting to.

I’ve been practicing more and have realized that I spend too much time per round and want to become more efficient while maintaining quality control with my reloading process.

I am planning on upgrading my equipment to the following:
Dillon 550c maybe with
Whidden floating toolheads - are they worth it?

Autotrickler V3

AMP MK2

Giraud Power trimmer

I don’t have the cash flow right now to upgrade all at once so- in what order should I purchase these? Which ones will have the biggest impact on my accuracy - on my efficiency?

Currently reload 6.5 Creedmoor and .308. Will start reloading 6 Dasher and .223 soon as well.

If you think any of the above choices are wrong please feel free to give constructive input.

 

[ditter]

I have a rockchucker, but never really considered going to a progressive. But the slowest part of the reloading process for me is the chargemaster. Waiting 30 seconds per charge is brutal. If you are okay with the chargemaster, get another one and have two running at the same time.
The Frankford Arsenal Case prep center is a timesaver also. Trim, debur, chamfer and clean primer pocket in 15 seconds.

 

[Cascade Hemi]

How much brass are you planning on loading? I'd start with the V3 regardless, it's a game changer.

 

[kriller134]

If I were in your position I’d get the auto trickled first. Charging takes the longest for me using a chargemaster lite.

 

[MikeMcCasland]

I've got a Giraud, AMP MK2, and Auto Trickler. I also use an RC Supreme press.

If you were going to upgrade for speeding up the process, I'd go Auto Trickler>>Giraud>>AMP.

For accuracy benefits I'd go Auto Trickler>>AMP>>Giraud.

The AT will speed up your time at the bench significantly over even a tuned CM1500 or Lite. The weighing of powder will still be the limiting factor in your loading timelines, but it's so fast that it'll probably dump a charge as fast (or faster) than you can seat a bullet.

The Giruads are awesome, and I wouldn't trim without one. You're not going to use it every time you reload though, thus why it didn't rank as high on 'speeding up the process'. Still, it makes trimming an absolute breeze.

 

[Torchy]

The powder drop is the single longest stage in the process. I’d vote AT and after ya got all the stuff you need, get 2. It’s even faster.

 

[Pilotscrappy]

Honestly for me trimming brass by hand was one of the areas that took me forever with brass prep. Do yourself a favor and get the giraud. You will not regret it.
The auto trickler would be my next upgrade.

Also stick with single stage for what your doing,

 

[LawnMM]

Giraud first, makes brass prep super fast, then the auto trickler. I'd skip the progressive. Not that much faster.

 

[Chesapeake]

How much brass are you planning on loading? I'd start with the V3 regardless, it's a game changer.

I currently reload in batches of about 50-150 per session right now and sometimes less if I’m splitting my attention. If I’m prepping for a match I’ll do about 250 rounds of the same load but broken up because of how long it takes.

The powder drop is the single longest stage in the process. I’d vote AT and after ya got all the stuff you need, get 2. It’s even faster.

Thank you. I was leaning towards that being my first upgrade. The Chargemaster and I have a love-hate relationship. It has the straw mod, is reprogrammed and has the slick Area 419 upgrades. Some days I’ll over/underthrow about 12% of the charges and others it’s closer to 30% which adds a ton of time.

I think I’ll be going Autotrickler-> Giraud->AMP -> Dillon if I still feel the need

Thanks guys

 

[Chesapeake]

Just pre-ordered the autotrickler v3.

 

[Dthomas3523]

If I had a basic setup and upgrading here is the order I would go:

Fx120 V3

21st century mandrels

Giraud Trimmer

Forster Co-Ax

AMP mk2 (you can get away with not annealing, people used to do it all the time)

21st century hydropress

After that, it’s up to you how crazy you want to go.

 

[Ryridesmotox]

I too am looking at the giraud trimmer, but I think I'm leaning toward a trim-it2. Being able to change the bushing when changing cartridge families. Otherwise, you're buying whole trimmers. I dont mind adjusting the cutter a bit.

 

[MarinePMI]

I too am looking at the giraud trimmer, but I think I'm leaning toward a trim-it2. Being able to change the bushing when changing cartridge families. Otherwise, you're buying whole trimmers. I dont mind adjusting the cutter a bit.

Yeah, but the trim-it doesn't chamfer IIRC. You'd still need to do that after trimming. The Giraud does it all at once. As to dies, the Giraud is the same. Some dies work for multiple cases, based on the shoulder diameter/angle.

 

[Ryridesmotox]

Yeah, but the trim-it doesn't chamfer IIRC. You'd still need to do that after trimming. The Giraud does it all at once. As to dies, the Giraud is the same. Some dies work for multiple cases, based on the shoulder diameter/angle.

The 2 has a 3 way cutter head, per their website.

I reload 223 and 308 mostly, so the giraud would be more expensive. I'd just chuck it in my drill press either way.

I dont have either setup yet. Just commenting to bring up another option

TRIM-IT II | blackwidow

This mircrometer adjustable 3-way case trimmer features interchangeable dies and an adjustable cutter, allowing you to trim, chamfer and deburr virtually any caliber with unmatched speed and accuracy. Caliber Dies Must Be Purchased Separately.

www.blackwidowshooters.com

 

[spife7980]

Yeah, but the trim-it doesn't chamfer IIRC. You'd still need to do that after trimming. The Giraud does it all at once. As to dies, the Giraud is the same. Some dies work for multiple cases, based on the shoulder diameter/angle.

It does a three way, youre thinking of the similar worlds finest that is trim only.

I too am looking at the giraud trimmer, but I think I'm leaning toward a trim-it2. Being able to change the bushing when changing cartridge families. Otherwise, you're buying whole trimmers. I dont mind adjusting the cutter a bit.

When you change a bushing you still have to adjust it to the correct length with the trimit2 by the rough adjustment and then the finer micrometer once youre close.
And youll need to adjust the cutter blade if your new bushing isnt for a chambering of the same caliber. You only have to adjust the cuttter blade when you change calibers, different chamberings of the same caliber would not require adjusting the blade and only the bushing.

The same thing applies to the giraud sort of, you could use different triway bodies instead of the bushing on the same cutter with all the same caveats have each having to be adjusted to the correct length.

The trimit2 and the triway are basically the same thing, the trim it2 just one has the body adjust with a seperate bushing where the triway has the body act as the bushing. And if you change something there really isnt a quick reference to get back with out having to redo the whole set up, especially if you change the caliber the cutter is set for.


The giraud benchtop is a different beast. It has the case holder bushings but with a lock ring it can be reinstalled into exactly the same position with no adjustment. Then you can get individual cutter blades that you can swap calibers quickly with out having to adjust. Once the benchtop set up is set it can switch and swap and never have to adjust anything for repeatable results.

You can get dedicated bodies, bushings, cutters for the trimit2 and the triway in an attempt to replicate but by the time you do and invest in all that youre better off just buying the giraud benchtop.

 

[MarinePMI]

The 2 has a 3 way cutter head, per their website.

I reload 223 and 308 mostly, so the giraud would be more expensive. I'd just chuck it in my drill press either way.

I dont have either setup yet. Just commenting to bring up another option

TRIM-IT II | blackwidow

This mircrometer adjustable 3-way case trimmer features interchangeable dies and an adjustable cutter, allowing you to trim, chamfer and deburr virtually any caliber with unmatched speed and accuracy. Caliber Dies Must Be Purchased Separately.

www.blackwidowshooters.com

I see. (I just watched the review of the Trim-it II). So, if you're only shooting one, maybe two cartridges, I could see that being useful. Where the Giraud shines however, is the entire cutter head can be swapped out, so you don't have to constantly adjust your cutter between different calibers (consistent repeatability). With the Giraud, you can have multiple cutter heads set up for different calibers that can swapped out when the case dies are swapped out.

For example, in my case (no pun intended) I have a .22 caliber cutter head, but have .223, .224 Valkyrie and .221 Fireball trim dies. Same with 6.5mm (grendel, 6.5x55mm, Creedmoor dies) and .308 (.308Win, 300BO dies). When I swap, I get the exact same trim and chamfer I had the last time I had that die/cutter combo inserted.

I see Spife beat me to the punch/post....

 

[Stavey]

Giraud and don’t look back.
Time is valuable. If you want Precision without tinkering or wasting time, get the Giraud. If you don’t mind tinkering get the trim it or any of the other drill attachments
Takes me maybe 2 minutes to switch calibers chamfers deburs and cuts precise.

 

[Dthomas3523]

Giraud and don’t look back.
Time is valuable. If you want Precision without tinkering or wasting time, get the Giraud. If you don’t mind tinkering get the trim it or any of the other drill attachments
Takes me maybe 2 minutes to switch calibers chamfers deburs and cuts precise.

Yep. Semi- annoying to get the initial position for the cutter, but after that, it’s easy.

I put lock rings on all my pilots and have a cutter head for each casing.

 

[MarinePMI]

I put lock rings on all my pilots and have a cutter head for each casing.

This ^^^^^^

 

[Ryridesmotox]

That's a fair point. So basically, skip the triway and go straight for the bench top. I'll definitely check deeper into this before I make a final decision.

 

[Torchy]

I currently reload in batches of about 50-150 per session right now and sometimes less if I’m splitting my attention. If I’m prepping for a match I’ll do about 250 rounds of the same load but broken up because of how long it takes.



Thank you. I was leaning towards that being my first upgrade. The Chargemaster and I have a love-hate relationship. It has the straw mod, is reprogrammed and has the slick Area 419 upgrades. Some days I’ll over/underthrow about 12% of the charges and others it’s closer to 30% which adds a ton of time.

I think I’ll be going Autotrickler-> Giraud->AMP -> Dillon if I still feel the need

Thanks guys

Well yeah true the other guys are right. Trim chamfer and deburr can actually be the longest step if you count them all in one. I use the Franklin Case Prep Center. It legit works great and see only .001 veriance. I'm maybe 10 seconds per.

GL to ya.

 

[Dthomas3523]

That's a fair point. So basically, skip the triway and go straight for the bench top. I'll definitely check deeper into this before I make a final decision.

Once it’s trimmed initially and fired, I can do 100 pcs in 5 min or less for the chamfer/debur

 

[wpgk58]

Start where it will have the most effect...
V3 Autotrickler and Autoloader... The precision of the powder charge will have a significant result. And it is significantly faster than Chargemaster. I can reload 50 rounds from primers to in the box in 40 minutes.
Then...
AMP annealer… The name of the game is consistency. As you fire brass it hardens at different rates, so after a few reloading the brass will have considerable variation. The AMP will consistently produce the results. And it is fast at about 4-6 seconds per round, so a box of 50 in less than 5 minutes.
Then...
Trimmer... I run the Giraud trimmer and is very consistent and fast. Also deburs and chamfers the mouth at the same time. 3-4 minutes to do 50 cases.
Then...
Redding T7 Press... You set up the tool head with your dies and never remove them. You can change tool heads in under 2 minutes and be ready to reload another caliber. It is consistent at producing .0005" runout when used with Redding Competition or Whidden dies.
Then...
Go have fun at the range plinking at the 1000 yard steel...