RCBS 3 Way Trimmer

[PistonPete]

has any one here used one of these 3 way trimmers ?

i ordered one from Midway, it will be here Friday, i'll give it a good work out over the weekend then give y'll a report, i have about 30,000 5.56mm cases to be trimmed, they all have over 10 reloadings, they measure 1.794".., way too long and another 10,000 est. with 5 reloadings each, the OAL measure is 1.768", i trim to 1.750"

 

[bdh308]

Re: RCBS 3 Way Trimmer

They work ok. I still had to do some extra chamfering.

 

[TN-MadDog]

Re: RCBS 3 Way Trimmer

Man, 40,000 cases that need trimming? I would have to find the money for a Giraud.

 

[bdh308]

Re: RCBS 3 Way Trimmer

Concure with MD. If your goin to reload that many I would definitely opt for Giruad or you can just work on your forearm strength.

 

[PistonPete]

Re: RCBS 3 Way Trimmer

ya know i think i put one too many "0" ZEROS on both, i have apprx. 4,000- 5,000 total to be trimmed, just checked my supply of "ready to reload" cases, there is a total of 2,375, i am retired and have nothing else to do for about 4-5 hours a day so i spend it reloading, trimming and sorting brass. each once a week range session i burn up 200-500 rnds. i kinda slacked off on my trimming duties, now after each range session i put the brass in my Dillon case polisher, clean them for about 4 hours, they really are "pretty" after 4 hrs., then sit, inspect the brass for cracks, "ringing" or blown primers then trim if they pass inspection.

 

[SCOTTx88]

Re: RCBS 3 Way Trimmer

I really like the 3-Way trimmer,use it for all my calibers I load for.

 

[nhm16]

Re: RCBS 3 Way Trimmer

I was not satisfied with the RCBS trimmer because it doesn't trim square... I know it doesn't matter but it bothered me. The 3 way cutter head was OK, it saves a bit of work but is fiddly to set up. I would save up the coin for a Giraud if I was going to trim that much. Right now I'm using a Wilson/Sinclair trimmer with a power drill, which makes a perfectly square cut... the extra chamfer/debur steps are a pain, but I'm trimming hundreds, not thousands, of cases so I deal.

 

[PistonPete]

Re: RCBS 3 Way Trimmer

this is what i mean by "ringed", look at the base of the cases and the one actually split off.

 

[bellerophon]

Re: RCBS 3 Way Trimmer

looks like a headspace problem ?!
got the same thing on my enfields, which is quite normal for them.

 

[Short Round]

Re: RCBS 3 Way Trimmer

I got tired of my dull cutter on my RCBS trim pro so I ordered 2 complete 3 way cutter heads. One for .22 cal and the other in .30 cal.

I like them. I wouldn't mind a Giraud but I'm not quite there yet. Lots of things more important to handle at the moment.

The 3 way cuts faster too due to the bevels cut by seperate blades. Should make the head last longer than the straight cutter.

Funny that someone mentioned Trim pro not cutting square. My original cutter head didn't cut square but the 3 way does. Go figure. I don't know what the difference is. I always thought the alignment issue was on the case holder side. Perhaps it's the case holders themselves.

 

[ChrisGarrett]

Re: RCBS 3 Way Trimmer

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: bellerophon</div><div class="ubbcode-body">looks like a headspace problem ?!
got the same thing on my enfields, which is quite normal for them. </div></div>

Ya think?

Somebody needs to buy some headspace gages from Hornady and/or retire some of their brass cases.

And what's with those dents? I've seen hydraulic dents from too much lube, but not that badly dented in.

Multiple malfunctions in that picture, there.

Chris

 

[Dogtown]

Re: RCBS 3 Way Trimmer

This was covered in the Analyze This Brass thread. It was some very weird results from most likely out of spec EDM stamped .408 brass.

 

[bellerophon]

Re: RCBS 3 Way Trimmer

Chris,
thanks for comments at first !
dents :
i´ve got no idea how those huge "canyons" come into these cases !
ringing:
i´d really think it is a headspace problem, because i encountered this only on my .303 brass where it is known to be
just that.
and that´s why enfields from no.4 on, have different bolt head
sizes to partly remedy the problem.

i agree with you, that it´s time for someone to change the lot !

 

[GSPKurt]

Re: RCBS 3 Way Trimmer

I am very pleased with my 3-way cutter(s). It's the price that hurt.

 

[heydavemd]

Re: RCBS 3 Way Trimmer

I like my 3 way cutter. use it for 308, 220 Swift and 22-250. Saves a lot of time. we're not all retired.

 

[PistonPete]

Re: RCBS 3 Way Trimmer

got my three way trimmer Thursday, gave it a work out on Friday and today, Friday i done about 750, 5.56mm brass, in about 3 hours, today i done about 1,000 in just a little over 4 hours, with some small interruptions, after getting it adjusted to trim to 1.750", it held that length all thru the process, i am getting 4 done in the time it took me to do 1 the "old way".

 

[Enios]

Re: RCBS 3 Way Trimmer

They are fun to set up but do fine after that. Got 4 one for every caliber I load.