Sincliar case trimmer
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SidecarFlip
Well-Known Member
IMO, all of them are only as accurate (length cut and concentricity) as you are in your application of cutting force.
I used a Redding simply because the chuck takes all dfifferent sizes (though you have to get the corresponding pilot or turn your own if you have a lathe).
The innacuracy comes about from the manufacturing tolerances between the rotating chuck and the stationary body so it becomes an issue of how well you can feed the cartridge into the cutter without forcing the chuck off center due to the force you apply during cutting.
Also, the Rerdding has the most substantial base casting. that, in itself, goes a long way toward making the collet/spindle run true in relationship to the cutter but it's still possible to deflect the collet/spindle with too much application of force.
I used a Redding simply because the chuck takes all dfifferent sizes (though you have to get the corresponding pilot or turn your own if you have a lathe).
The innacuracy comes about from the manufacturing tolerances between the rotating chuck and the stationary body so it becomes an issue of how well you can feed the cartridge into the cutter without forcing the chuck off center due to the force you apply during cutting.
Also, the Rerdding has the most substantial base casting. that, in itself, goes a long way toward making the collet/spindle run true in relationship to the cutter but it's still possible to deflect the collet/spindle with too much application of force.
I have owned the Sinclair/Wilson case trimmer for a several years and found it to be very fast, and substantially better at getting consistent case lengths. Unlike the Redding/ RCBS designs, it does not produce variations in length with variations in pressure on the crank. While it is more costly due to the need for bushings, the same bushing can be used for common case bodies like 308, 260, 243; 300WM, 7mmMag, etc. The micrometer is also very exact. When switching cases the micrometer setting is within .001-.002" when using a recorded setting. No chatter on the case mouth surface either. Overall, it is very well made. IMO.
SidecarFlip
Well-Known Member
I aqgree 100% on the Redding and deflection variance with the crank mechanism. Lots of 'feel' involved but you can get proficient with it and the chuck is the saving grace for me.
Having said that, I might get a Giraud or WFT in the future. Both are radical departures from the mainstream style of case trimmer but are caliber specific and powered and both index on the shoulder of the cartridge so straightwalled brass cannot be trimmed.
I especially like the Giraud. It eliminates all the operator input but it's a true production machine and is priced appropriately. Something to ponder if your wallet can take the hit....
Having said that, I might get a Giraud or WFT in the future. Both are radical departures from the mainstream style of case trimmer but are caliber specific and powered and both index on the shoulder of the cartridge so straightwalled brass cannot be trimmed.
I especially like the Giraud. It eliminates all the operator input but it's a true production machine and is priced appropriately. Something to ponder if your wallet can take the hit....
Trickymissfit
Well-Known Member
I've had one for a long time now, and can't see me switching back to the others anytime too soon. I did rebuild mine about eight or ten years back, and that was an easy process. The bore the cutter goes thru was starting to loosen up, and the rails the case hole sets on were showing wear. (It's done a lot of cases). I simply bushed the cutter head with a hard steel bushing (an inner race for a needle bearing), and then hones it for a light slip fit on the cutter. The rails were simply replaced with either Thompson Rod or drill rod (I'd have to go have a look see). I got a guy to resharpen the cutter head, and he said it was ground wrong from the get go. It now cuts like the brass were butter with very little burrs to remove. If you have the cutter resharpend, be sure to tell the guy your cutting brass with it. I have a micrometer head on the other end of mine (long before Sinclair did them), but use a standard 1" micrometer head that I took off a junk micrometer I found in the trash. I then made a Delrin head to fit on the stem. Nice thing about the longer travel micrometer head is that it covers a lot more area. Down side is that it can be a little awkward to use at times. The Square Peg clamp setup is the best, but also easy to build your own. He uses nothing but a simple Destaco fixture clamp you cab buy right out of the catalog. I built a riser out of some aluminum plate I cabbaged onto at the junk yard, but one made of ten gauge steel would be easier to do and work just as well
You used to see the Wilson setup on Ebay for less than $30 all the time, and you can rebuild it for about $15 and a little elbow grease
gary
You used to see the Wilson setup on Ebay for less than $30 all the time, and you can rebuild it for about $15 and a little elbow grease
gary
varmintH8R
Well-Known Member
I like my Wilson trimmer a lot. It cuts very accurately and square. Make sure to build a good base for it.
I recently converted to a Wilson /Sinclair after 20+ years with an RCBS and love the Wison.
The Wilon is an extremely well made tool. I opted for the stainless model with the micrometer adjustment. It is much more accurate than the RCBS. Only downside is having to buy multiple shell holders, but as posted earlier, some are interchangeable between similar case bodies.
The Wilon is an extremely well made tool. I opted for the stainless model with the micrometer adjustment. It is much more accurate than the RCBS. Only downside is having to buy multiple shell holders, but as posted earlier, some are interchangeable between similar case bodies.
SidecarFlip
Well-Known Member
Being a machinist at heart and appreciating a radical departure from the norm, I just ordered one of Little Crow Gunworks WFT-2 ttrimmers. It's like the Giraud but powered with either a drill motor or in my case, a lathe with a collet.
Same basic design as the Giraud where the case indexes on the shoulder and the shoulder determines the cut length but unlike the Giraud, the WFT-2 has interchangaeable chamber reamed inserts for almost any bottleneck cartridge ( or you can ream your own as Little Crow supplied sized blanks if you want to machine an odd cartridge size) whereas the the Giraud is a production machine and changeout entails changing the entire cutting unit.
There is no pilot whatsoever as with most spindle type cutters and the case remains stationary while the entire head and HSS cutter revolves. Note I said HSS, not Tin coated Tungsten Carbide as with most trimmers plus the Little Crow outside chamfers and inside chamfers the case in the trim operation. I'll still VLD ther inside chamfer. I'm sold on the low drag insertion, especially for flat base projectiles.
They are special, made to order. When it comes, I'll have to do a review for the forum.
According to the information I've been able to obtain, 0.0005 (5 tenths) variation between cartridge length is the norm. Way better than the Redding does without careful manipulation and it's easily capable of 20 cases per minute (according to the website). Cutter life is claimed at 5,000 cases and the cutter is an off the sheldf end mill.
Little Crow also makes a dedicated, one caliber trimmer, the WFT, but I can't see only having the capability of trimming one caliber.
Cost is very commensurate with the Redding micrometer head trimmer
Same basic design as the Giraud where the case indexes on the shoulder and the shoulder determines the cut length but unlike the Giraud, the WFT-2 has interchangaeable chamber reamed inserts for almost any bottleneck cartridge ( or you can ream your own as Little Crow supplied sized blanks if you want to machine an odd cartridge size) whereas the the Giraud is a production machine and changeout entails changing the entire cutting unit.
There is no pilot whatsoever as with most spindle type cutters and the case remains stationary while the entire head and HSS cutter revolves. Note I said HSS, not Tin coated Tungsten Carbide as with most trimmers plus the Little Crow outside chamfers and inside chamfers the case in the trim operation. I'll still VLD ther inside chamfer. I'm sold on the low drag insertion, especially for flat base projectiles.
They are special, made to order. When it comes, I'll have to do a review for the forum.
According to the information I've been able to obtain, 0.0005 (5 tenths) variation between cartridge length is the norm. Way better than the Redding does without careful manipulation and it's easily capable of 20 cases per minute (according to the website). Cutter life is claimed at 5,000 cases and the cutter is an off the sheldf end mill.
Little Crow also makes a dedicated, one caliber trimmer, the WFT, but I can't see only having the capability of trimming one caliber.
Cost is very commensurate with the Redding micrometer head trimmer
