Lee "Quick Trim"

Welcome to the Leverguns.Com Forum. This is a high-class place so act respectable. We discuss most anything here ... politely.

Moderators: AmBraCol, Hobie

Forum rules
Welcome to the Leverguns.Com General Discussions Forum. This is a high-class place so act respectable. We discuss most anything here other than politics... politely.

Please post political post in the new Politics forum.
Post Reply
User avatar
earlmck
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 3423
Joined: Tue Nov 30, 2010 12:10 am
Location: pert-neer middle of Oregon

Lee "Quick Trim"

Post by earlmck »

Anybody else a fan of this handy little thing?
QuickTrim9342.jpg
QuickTrim9343.jpg
Trimming is my least-favorite reloading task. The Lyman trimmer for the drill press takes care of the "trim" portion of the task in short order but doesn't speed up the inside/outside champfer part, which is where the boring time consumption seems to be. So a while back, faced with the need to once again trim my 30/30 stash totaling somewhere in the 1k vicinity, I thought I'd give the "quick trim" a try. Yeah, the trim part is a little slower than with the Lyman/drill press, but when you have the trim done you also have the inside/outside champfer done. I like it!

The downside for the old Scotsman is that you need a new die to trim a different case. The mild upside to this is that you just need the die for the largest case in a given reasonably close family, so my 30/30 trim die also works for 30 Remington and 25 Remington (and would work for 25/35 I'd assume, though I don't have one of those). The .308 die will also work to trim 7-08, 260 Rem, 243 Win. (I do not know that Lee would recommend this practice if asked) My latest acquisition was the trim die for .223, of which I have somewhere close to a jillion range pick up cases. One brand that must make up half of my stash is Chinese stuff that must have been dirt cheap back in the early 90's because I picked up bushels of it at the Carson City Nevada range back in those "good old days". I gave away most of it but still have a gob and it is good enough brass that it has lasted until most of those old Chinese CJ 92 cases have grown too dang long. The "Quick Trim" has been earning its keep on those!

Unfortunately Lee doesn't have a real complete lineup of dies -- they are missing the 300 Savage. How could they miss that one? I have bunches of 300 Savage cases, some of which are getting toward the "long" side. Guess I'll have to do those the old-fashioned way.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
The greatest patriot...
is he who heals the most gullies.
Patrick Henry
M. M. Wright
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 4296
Joined: Wed Sep 15, 2010 12:57 pm
Location: Vinita, I.T.

Re: Lee "Quick Trim"

Post by M. M. Wright »

Earl, a resourceful guy like you should be able t trim the post inside a Lee trimmer to make it work on the 300 Savage.
M. M. Wright, Sheriff, Green county Arkansas (1860)
Currently living my eternal life.
NRA Life
SASS
ITSASS
Chuck 100 yd
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 6972
Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2007 8:52 pm
Location: Ridgefield WA. USA

Re: Lee "Quick Trim"

Post by Chuck 100 yd »

Yes, trimming is the least enjoyable part of reloading for me. I trimmed 1,000 .223/5.56 brass the other day. I did it in my RCBS Trim Pro and did half of them in each of two days. I do drive the Trim pro with my cordless drill . That does go pretty quick.
I have thought of getting a setup for the drill press.
Bill in Oregon
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 8849
Joined: Sun Jun 29, 2008 10:05 am
Location: Sweetwater, TX

Re: Lee "Quick Trim"

Post by Bill in Oregon »

Been meaning to try one of these, Earl. Agree that case trimming is the pits.
ywaltzucanrknrl
Levergunner 2.0
Posts: 196
Joined: Thu Jun 15, 2017 3:58 pm

Re: Lee "Quick Trim"

Post by ywaltzucanrknrl »

I like the quick trim and use it for some rifles I don't shoot as much. About ten years ago, I bought a Gracey and set it up for 223 only. It trims and chamfers both at the same time. I can easily do 300 to 500 cases in an hour. Downside is it's hard to adjust and change cartridges on. So, last year I bought a Giraud---very nice, trims and chamfers at the same time, fairly easy to adjust and change cartridges---I really like it. For father's day my wife bought me a Frankford trimmer--so far it is promising for ease of changing cartridges but trimming, inside chamfering and outside chamfering are different steps.
So, if trimming is just not your deal, and you can justify spending the $, check out a Gracey or Giraud. It hurt me to spend the $'s, but the time savings has been great.
Giraud makes bushings/holders for a bunch of cartridges---I'm pretty sure I've the 300 Savage listed.
User avatar
J Miller
Member Emeritus
Posts: 14880
Joined: Sat Mar 31, 2007 7:46 pm
Location: Not in IL no more ... :)

Re: Lee "Quick Trim"

Post by J Miller »

Earl,

Never used one of those, but I'm interested. How does the die hold adjustments? Can you take it in and out o the press without having to readjust it?
I'm currently using and old Forster trimmer and it's great, until I have to readjust it after changing cartridges.

If I could set it and forget it I might just buy one.

Joe
***Be sneaky, get closer, bust the cap on him when you can put the ball where it counts ;) .***
User avatar
AJMD429
Posting leader...
Posts: 31933
Joined: Sun Sep 09, 2007 10:03 am
Location: Hoosierland
Contact:

Re: Lee "Quick Trim"

Post by AJMD429 »

I use the little Lee 'handheld' ones. They sell a 'drill chuck' for the case-holder, but I turned down the actual cutter so IT would chuck in a drill, leaving the rotating cutter and cartridge-specific length-gauge on the drill. Then I can VERY QUICKLY grab cases out of a bin, slip them in the 'case-holder' portion of the tool, push them down on the cutter, remove them, and loosen the holder enough to dump the case in the 'done' bin. Takes less time to do than to type.

PHOTOSUCKIT ate the photos of how I modified the tool.... :roll:
Doctors for Sensible Gun Laws
"first do no harm" - gun control LAWS lead to far more deaths than 'easy access' ever could.


Want REAL change? . . . . . "Boortz/Nugent in 2012 . . . ! "
User avatar
earlmck
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 3423
Joined: Tue Nov 30, 2010 12:10 am
Location: pert-neer middle of Oregon

Re: Lee "Quick Trim"

Post by earlmck »

J Miller wrote: Tue Aug 15, 2017 1:07 pm Never used one of those, but I'm interested. How does the die hold adjustments? Can you take it in and out o the press without having to readjust it?
I'm currently using and old Forster trimmer and it's great, until I have to readjust it after changing cartridges.

If I could set it and forget it I might just buy one.

Joe
Joe, you screw the die down to meet the shell holder, just like you would a full-length size die. There is a little bit of adjustment in the cutter, but the die pretty much sets the length. Thus requiring different dies for different lengths/types of cases.
The greatest patriot...
is he who heals the most gullies.
Patrick Henry
User avatar
J Miller
Member Emeritus
Posts: 14880
Joined: Sat Mar 31, 2007 7:46 pm
Location: Not in IL no more ... :)

Re: Lee "Quick Trim"

Post by J Miller »

earlmck wrote: Wed Aug 16, 2017 12:30 am
J Miller wrote: Tue Aug 15, 2017 1:07 pm Never used one of those, but I'm interested. How does the die hold adjustments? Can you take it in and out o the press without having to readjust it?
I'm currently using and old Forster trimmer and it's great, until I have to readjust it after changing cartridges.

If I could set it and forget it I might just buy one.

Joe
Joe, you screw the die down to meet the shell holder, just like you would a full-length size die. There is a little bit of adjustment in the cutter, but the die pretty much sets the length. Thus requiring different dies for different lengths/types of cases.
Does the die lock ring have an o-ring like some of the other ones do?

Just looked at the LEE site and it looks as if you have to buy the die body and the cutter separately, am I seeing that right?
That site has me a bit confused this morning.


Joe
***Be sneaky, get closer, bust the cap on him when you can put the ball where it counts ;) .***
User avatar
earlmck
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 3423
Joined: Tue Nov 30, 2010 12:10 am
Location: pert-neer middle of Oregon

Re: Lee "Quick Trim"

Post by earlmck »

J Miller wrote: Wed Aug 16, 2017 9:31 am
Does the die lock ring have an o-ring like some of the other ones do?

Just looked at the LEE site and it looks as if you have to buy the die body and the cutter separately, am I seeing that right?
That site has me a bit confused this morning.

Joe
You've got it figured Joe: Yes to both -- o-ring in the die lock ring, and you do buy one cutter and then dies for the different cartridges. If you are not a fan of the o-ring rings you do what I do and get packages of the nice Hornady lock rings and replace all the stoopid rings the other die makers have pawned off on us for the past many decades.
The greatest patriot...
is he who heals the most gullies.
Patrick Henry
User avatar
J Miller
Member Emeritus
Posts: 14880
Joined: Sat Mar 31, 2007 7:46 pm
Location: Not in IL no more ... :)

Re: Lee "Quick Trim"

Post by J Miller »

Earl,

Thanks. If / when I get my reloading stuff set up again I think that's one tool I'll pick up.

Joe
***Be sneaky, get closer, bust the cap on him when you can put the ball where it counts ;) .***
User avatar
fordwannabe
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 3369
Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2009 8:52 am
Location: Womelsdorf PA

Re: Lee "Quick Trim"

Post by fordwannabe »

I just flip the lee ringbl upside down and use the flat part against the press and the o-ring holds it in place on the die body.
a Pennsylvanian who has been accused of clinging to my religion and my guns......Good assessment skills.
User avatar
J Miller
Member Emeritus
Posts: 14880
Joined: Sat Mar 31, 2007 7:46 pm
Location: Not in IL no more ... :)

Re: Lee "Quick Trim"

Post by J Miller »

fordwannabe wrote: Wed Aug 16, 2017 9:00 pm I just flip the lee ringbl upside down and use the flat part against the press and the o-ring holds it in place on the die body.
That will do it.

Joe
***Be sneaky, get closer, bust the cap on him when you can put the ball where it counts ;) .***
User avatar
earlmck
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 3423
Joined: Tue Nov 30, 2010 12:10 am
Location: pert-neer middle of Oregon

Re: Lee "Quick Trim"

Post by earlmck »

Coupla' notes. I was wrong about 300 Savage not being made: I just had to go to the Lee web site to buy it. Which I did and trimmed a bunch of 300 Savage brass yesterday. And it does take a little experience using the thing to get the "feel" of when it is done. Lubing the cutter shaft for smoother turning allows you to better feel the cutting.
The greatest patriot...
is he who heals the most gullies.
Patrick Henry
41 Redhawk
Levergunner 2.0
Posts: 366
Joined: Fri Sep 14, 2007 12:05 pm
Location: Danville, Va

Re: Lee "Quick Trim"

Post by 41 Redhawk »

J Miller wrote: Tue Aug 15, 2017 1:07 pm Earl,

Never used one of those, but I'm interested. How does the die hold adjustments? Can you take it in and out o the press without having to readjust it?
I'm currently using and old Forster trimmer and it's great, until I have to readjust it after changing cartridges.

If I could set it and forget it I might just buy one.

Joe
Hey Joe, I use the Forster too. I have made a dummy case for each one I reload. When I change calibers I just lock my dummy in and push the cutter to the case and then push the stop in to the frame and lock it down. Perfect every time.
The Lord Bless You

Terry
User avatar
vancelw
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 3926
Joined: Mon Sep 28, 2009 1:56 pm
Location: 90% NE Texas and 10% SE Montana

Re: Lee "Quick Trim"

Post by vancelw »

earlmck wrote: Thu Aug 10, 2017 12:05 am Anybody else a fan of this handy little thing? QuickTrim9342.jpg
QuickTrim9343.jpg


The downside for the old Scotsman is that you need a new die to trim a different case.
My latest acquisition was the trim die for .223, of which I have somewhere close to a jillion range pick up cases.
Which poor grandkid did you con into counting those? :lol:

I have considered trying those. Sure would beat setting a rotary cutting trimmer.
"Make yourself an honest man, and then you may be sure that there is one less scoundrel in the world." - Thomas Carlyle
Post Reply