L.E Wilson trimmer WOW

nfngun

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Oct 26, 2011
246
12
NY
I posted a while back about getting a LE trimmer i cant find the original thread so i decided to start a new. Im new to reloading so i have no basis of comparision or bias for that matter.

With that said this trimmer is incredible. Its very fast ansd easy to use and the cuts are dead on, concentric and xtremely clean. I opted for the stainless version with a micrometer adjust, the micrometer may be a bit over kill but if you like to be precise it does offer quick and easy adjustment. I may pick up the stand but honestly the way it aligns the caseing allowy me to just hold it in my hand and crank away.
 
Re: L.E Wilson trimmer WOW

I've had mine for years and it has worked great. I wish the stainless version was out when I bought mine. I wipe mine with some light oil to keep the rust away.
 
Re: L.E Wilson trimmer WOW

My Wilson trimmer is great, if a bit slow compared to a Giraud or similar powered setup. Still it produces excellent results. Of course, I may be biased as they are made pretty much in my backyard...
 
Re: L.E Wilson trimmer WOW

I have the sinclair micrometer/stand/sharkfin version and love it. Not as fast as a powered trimmer, but it is so boringly precise that I don't even measure trimmed cases any more, I know they will be just right.
 
Re: L.E Wilson trimmer WOW

I love mine, if you can love a trimmer and trimming.

I wish the stainless option was available when I got mine. It rusts easy.

One of these days I am going to get the mic attatchment.

I have the drill addapter on mine, and that speeds things up.
 
Re: L.E Wilson trimmer WOW

The L.W. Wilson trimmer is the best manual trimmer that I've tried (in my limited experience)... It had come highly recommended by a couple guys I know that have been reloading for decades... I didn't get the micrometer, but Im wishing I did... will have to add that on later!
 
Re: L.E Wilson trimmer WOW

I have three trimmers, an old Forster collet style, the RCBS trimmer and the L.E Wilson/Sinclair stainless micrometer shark fin stand version. I love the L.E Wilson/SInclair for rifle brass. I also bought the Sinclair platform for it (for $30, I think that it is a worthwhile upgrade) and the carbide cutter and find that it is easy, consistant, and accurate. For pistol brass, I do not like it as well. The case holders are not easy to use as the rifle ones are. My only complaint is the case holders do tend to rust up rather easily, but some oil sprayed on them after use takes care of that.
If you are starting out in reloading, then you might as well spend the money on the L.E. Wilson micrometer one from the start unless you are going to pony up the cash for something like a Girard from the start, even then I would still suggest having one on hand for brass that you do in small batches.
 
Re: L.E Wilson trimmer WOW

"Im new to reloading so i have no basis of comparision or bias for that matter. With that said this trimmer is incredible."

With that said, I wonder what you think other trimmers would do much differently. ??
 
Re: L.E Wilson trimmer WOW

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Fuzzball</div><div class="ubbcode-body">"Im new to reloading so i have no basis of comparision or bias for that matter. With that said this trimmer is incredible."

With that said, I wonder what you think other trimmers would do much differently. ?? </div></div>

Based on the design alone cut the case in relation to angle of the head and not concentric to the body ...
 
Re: L.E Wilson trimmer WOW

"Based on the design alone cut the case in relation to angle of the head and not concentric to the body ..."

Not sure what you're trying to say but, on a guess, you think a square cut case mouth is both neccessary and unique to the Wilson trimmer?
 
Re: L.E Wilson trimmer WOW

Since where only guesing then i would guess you dont think a square cut case is neccessay in which case my thread may not have the answers for which you seek. Yes the Wilson is very unique and not only capable of squareing a case mouth but a head aswell if one where so inclined to do so.

If ones goal was to hit the side of a barn then i would highly suggest saveing the money and and trim there cases useing a rock from the back yard along with a bit of elbow grease and time one could acheive the desired case lenght they where looking for with out concern on how square the neck was. They could then load said case with powder piss on it, load the bullet and throw the entire cartrage at said barn and effectively hit there target.

I on the other hand expect my bullet to go exactly where I want it every time I fire my rifle in which case i would use my Wilson trimmer and recommend said trimmer to anyone whose looking for a well made product. If one had there hearts set on useing another trimmer i would not urge them to buy said trimmer as i could not possibly attest to the trimmers performance and quality.

Sorry to the long winded reply i hope i was able to answer your question this time around, So what are your opinion of the Wilson trimmer do you like it?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Fuzzball</div><div class="ubbcode-body">"Based on the design alone cut the case in relation to angle of the head and not concentric to the body ..."

Not sure what you're trying to say but, on a guess, you think a square cut case mouth is both neccessary and unique to the Wilson trimmer? </div></div>
 
Re: L.E Wilson trimmer WOW

There are maybe 3 or 4 people on Snipers Hide that could shoot the difference of +/- .005 trim length, I have never understood peoples hang up with exact trim numbers, I have a Wilson Trimmer, used it on thousands of cases, it is most definitely the best hand cranking case trimmer a reloader can buy, but it would be a cold day in HELL to give my Giraud Trimmer up.
 
Re: L.E Wilson trimmer WOW

<span style="font-style: italic">"If ones goal was to hit the side of a barn then i would highly suggest saveing the money and and trim there cases useing a rock from the back yard along with a bit of elbow grease and time one could acheive the desired case lenght they where looking for with out concern on how square the neck was. They could then load said case with powder piss on it, load the bullet and throw the entire cartrage at said barn and effectively hit there target."</span>

Your snarky analogy is childish and silly.

You seem to presume I don't have good case trimmers or have any knowledge of them. Nor do you understand why I don't understand the vast knowledge of the functions, features and uses of other trimmers you've garnered from looking at photos. Wilson's trimmer IS excellant ... but so are others. And, truth is, you gonna need a lot of years of experience with your new Wilson, and others too, before you've cut and reloaded as many cases as I - and a lot of other guys on this board - have.

What I've been trying to understand is how you, with your self stated <span style="text-decoration: underline">total</span> lack of experience with any other case trimmer (except looking at catalog photos of them?), can be so certain your nice Wilson will automatically produce better accuracy than trimmers you really know nothing of; if that's actually your position, you are incorrect. And, if I understand your understandably vague description of how you think other trimmers work, your apprasal of the effects of other trimmer's on mouth squareness AND on targets is also incorrect.

But, now that you have a 'good' case trimmer, I wonder just how much MOA reduction in your groups you expect to see? I will guess it actually won't be measureable and <span style="text-decoration: underline">that</span> comes from experience, not guessing!
laugh.gif


IF you want to pass out 'web expert' reloading equipment evaluations you should consider lying and say you have at least some kind of significant experience, then hope your total lack of it won't show. But, a lack of reloading experience usually shows no matter what some web posters may say; that leaves them both liers AND wrong!
blush.gif



 
Re: L.E Wilson trimmer WOW

Your right I did make a presumption, long time loader who asked a loaded question to illicit a response. The response being a very direct answer to the question he asked, knowing full well a second loaded question would be asked. So i took your loaded question and returned a loaded response, sarcastic most definitely, childish you opinion. I on the other hand found it quit funny and entertaining to write.

Finally getting the response i was looking for, That those without the same amount of experience are incapable of making an educated purchase based on a photo (which is worth a thousand words) reading a product description or online review to choose the product they feel will serve them well, then post how much they liked there purchase.

I think my initial post was pretty self-explanatory and everyone else who responded took it for what it was and posted in the same respects.

"And, truth is, you gonna need a lot of years of <span style="font-weight: bold">experience</span>"
"But, a lack of reloading <span style="font-weight: bold">experience</span> usually shows"
"self stated total lack of <span style="font-weight: bold">experience</span>"
" say you have at least some kind of significant <span style="font-weight: bold">experience</span>"

Not to deflate your ego but the real truth is loading isn't all that difficult and the internet has cut that learning curve to being nearly none existent, Anyone willing to read and ask questions has the ability to pick things up quickly and can be extremely effective in a short time and is more then capable of offering there opinion on the products they use and if they like said products and the steps they took to achieve their results.

You clearly equate experience/time with being effective which couldn't be further from the truth.

I'm sure with all your experience you could write a book and i in my short time loading write a page .. Do you think the end results of the reader would be any different?

Believe me i'm not writing this to be a prick there is nothing i enjoy more then a good debate.


<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Fuzzball</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><span style="font-style: italic">"If ones goal was to hit the side of a barn then i would highly suggest saving the money and and trim there cases using a rock from the back yard along with a bit of elbow grease and time one could achieve the desired case length they where looking for with out concern on how square the neck was. They could then load said case with powder piss on it, load the bullet and throw the entire cartridge at said barn and effectively hit there target."</span>

Your snarky analogy is childish and silly.

You seem to presume I don't have good case trimmers or have any knowledge of them. Nor do you understand why I don't understand the vast knowledge of the functions, features and uses of other trimmers you've garnered from looking at photos. Wilson's trimmer IS excellant ... but so are others. And, truth is, you gonna need a lot of years of experience with your new Wilson, and others too, before you've cut and reloaded as many cases as I - and a lot of other guys on this board - have.

What I've been trying to understand is how you, with your self stated <span style="text-decoration: underline">total</span> lack of experience with any other case trimmer (except looking at catalog photos of them?), can be so certain your nice Wilson will automatically produce better accuracy than trimmers you really know nothing of; if that's actually your position, you are incorrect. And, if I understand your understandably vague description of how you think other trimmers work, your apprasal of the effects of other trimmer's on mouth squareness AND on targets is also incorrect.

But, now that you have a 'good' case trimmer, I wonder just how much MOA reduction in your groups you expect to see? I will guess it actually won't be measureable and <span style="text-decoration: underline">that</span> comes from experience, not guessing!
laugh.gif


IF you want to pass out 'web expert' reloading equipment evaluations you should consider lying and say you have at least some kind of significant experience, then hope your total lack of it won't show. But, a lack of reloading experience usually shows no matter what some web posters may say; that leaves them both liers AND wrong!
blush.gif



</div></div>
 
Re: L.E Wilson trimmer WOW

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: nfngun</div><div class="ubbcode-body">loading isn't all that difficult and the internet has cut that learning curve to being nearly none existent, Anyone willing to read and ask questions has the ability to pick things up quickly and can be extremely effective</div></div>depends on you what you consider "extremely effective" , there is a big difference between effecective at 100y, 500y, and 1000y. There are allot of people on the hide who never shoot past 200y. What appears effective at 200y , will spread 3ft at 1000y.

i dont think reloading is as simple as your making it out to be.
 
Re: L.E Wilson trimmer WOW

Eternal. The newbie versus the veteran.

There is nothing wrong with posting an opinion, as long as you leave out the absolutes and stick to what you know. That should keep you from eventually looking stupid. Just about anything made by Wilson is an excellent product and I congratulate you on a fine choice. BB
 
Re: L.E Wilson trimmer WOW

"<span style="font-style: italic">Not to deflate your ego but the real truth is loading isn't all that difficult </span>"

Not to jar your own inflated ego but simple loading - just cramming bullets, powder and primers in a case - is so easy I've taught 14 year old Boy Scouts to do it safely! But they really weren't up to making highly accurate ammo. THAT is where careful and thoughtful experience and understanding of the tools of the trade comes in and there are no shortcuts.

You can read all the books and web posts you can find and look at all the cool tool pictures you wish but it won't impute serious loading skills if you don't have enough experiece to understand or apply what you're reading or looking at. Some people have twenty years of experience while others have one year of experience they've repeated twenty times without gaining another thing.

Good luck!
wink.gif
 
Re: L.E Wilson trimmer WOW

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Clark</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Randy Ketchum of Lynnwood Guns uses the Wilson trimmer backwards to square the case head. </div></div>
Thanks man... just what i needed, another damn step.
Yep was trimming cases tonight when I thought of this thread and unsquare heads. sure enough cked a um few and alot are unsquare. Good thing I figured out how to sharpen the cutter.
Time to return to
"OCD Precision Reloaders Anonymous"
I will not add another step to my reloading process.
I will not.....

carry on.
 
Re: L.E Wilson trimmer WOW

Whiskey, some OCD loaders have squared case heads and found mixed results. It did nothing for me but it might have been my declining shootin' skills and eyes. Seems it MIGHT help some guys ... a little bit ... sometimes ... but it can't hurt. Anyway, Wilson's case trimmers are the only ones that make it possible.
 
Re: L.E Wilson trimmer WOW

It's an interesting idea, but considering the kinds of small groups people are shooting without squaring their case heads, I think I'll skip that step, personally. If I can ever see the difference in my own shooting between squared and unsquared case heads, I'll be a happy man.
smile.gif
 
Re: L.E Wilson trimmer WOW

Don't worry about it. I suspect every time a case with a "squared head" is fired, the bolt face would remedy the situation to it's liking. A solution who's time has not come, if I ever heard one. BB
 
Re: L.E Wilson trimmer WOW

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Conqueror</div><div class="ubbcode-body">It's an interesting idea, but considering the kinds of small groups people are shooting without squaring their case heads, I think I'll skip that step, personally. If I can ever see the difference in my own shooting between squared and unsquared case heads, I'll be a happy man.
smile.gif
</div></div>

Bart Bobbitt has been competing at Camp Perry for a very long time.

He seems to be obsessed with squaring bolt faces with respect to the chamber for long distance accuracy.

So if you start out with new brass and a rifle that had the bolt face squared, the brass is already square.
 
Re: L.E Wilson trimmer WOW

Right now if i ever found a head to be that far off id just toss it but down the road whos to say what i may want too do ...

Im no boy scout, my loads are accurate the only thing i can do now is play and make them more accurate. The whole point of a hobby is to keep the mind busy.


<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Clark</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Conqueror</div><div class="ubbcode-body">It's an interesting idea, but considering the kinds of small groups people are shooting without squaring their case heads, I think I'll skip that step, personally. If I can ever see the difference in my own shooting between squared and unsquared case heads, I'll be a happy man.
smile.gif
</div></div>

Bart Bobbitt has been competing at Camp Perry for a very long time.

He seems to be obsessed with squaring bolt faces with respect to the chamber for long distance accuracy.

So if you start out with new brass and a rifle that had the bolt face squared, the brass is already square. </div></div>