Mass trimming....

[mattsbox99]

So, I want to trim some .38 special cases down to .38 Short Colt length for competition use. I'm trying to figure out how to do this quickly since spending hours with the trimmer is not on my list of favorite things to do.

I'm thinking making a jig to hold the case and using a band saw would be the fastest way.

 

[Rick Courtright]

Hi,

If Lee makes a trimmer for that cartridge, you can chuck things up in an electric drill and make short work of trimming a pretty fair amount of brass off the length. Don't ask how I know this but if you can visualize forgetting to switch from the shorter trimmer to the longer one when going from .38 Spl to .357 Mag you'll be close enough...

Rick C

 

[Cholo]

What RC said. I had several hundred new brass that needed to be trimmed to min. length. I used a Lee trimmer and a drill. I believe LEE will make you a trimmer if they don't have one they normally carry. I need to contact them about a .32 mag. trimmer...

 

[mattsbox99]

I have one of the Lee trimmers, but its about 4 minutes a case that way.

 

[Cholo]

Press harder with a drill? Just kidding...kinda.

 

[eric conrad]

How about Midway? Starline $18.79 per 100 #941317504 :wink:
Eric

 

[mattsbox99]

I did buy some 38 Short Colt cases from Starline, but I already have 6k 38 special cases I can modify.

 

[Rick Courtright]

Press harder with a drill? Just kidding...kinda.

Hi,

Or use a drill press?

4 minutes seems like enough time to do several judging by how quickly I learned MY "lesson."

Rick C

 

[HerrMesser]

I'm with RC on the drill press only I chuck up the cutter. Had to trim some 8mm mauser and only took a few minutes to do a 100.

Rad

 

[wixedmords]

You could make up a jig and use an oversized drill bit in a drill press to get rid of most of the material Matt. Then you could use one of the known trimmers to finish the job. A drill press will have the stop you can set to get close to let a trimmer take over the finishing.

I think it would be a two part process, getting rid of most of the material, then trimming to length.

You are going to beat up a trimmer if you go too fast and take off too much material. Of course, some of the trimmers aren't expensive, but as you are flying along I wonder how quickly you will dull one, getting the trimmer to the point of where it "isn't working as well as it was".

You might try a thousand and then sell the rest of the .38 special cases off if it proves too time involving.

edited for spelling and dumped a sentence.

 

[Dan in MI]

Didn't Forster make a drill press trimmer jig or fixture?

 

[mattsbox99]

I suppose the drill press would work. I was thinking about drilling a bunch of holes in some stock and lining up 10 cases at a time with the bandsaw.

It sounds good but I don't have a band saw or drill press. I have to chew off a little more than .350" from the 38 special cases with the Lee trimmer so it takes a long time since it cuts so slowly.

 

[pyth0n]

Could you use a tubing cutter, for a rough cut, then finishing with a trimmer?

 

[Dan in MI]

Drill press mount

http://www.sinclairintl.com/.aspx/pid=36956/avs%7CManufacturer_1=FORSTER/Product/Forster_Power_Case_Trimmer

I have chucked up a regular electric drill to the base model.

http://www.sinclairintl.com/.aspx/pid=37504/avs%7CManufacturer_1=FORSTER/Product/Forster_Classic_Case_Trimmer

 

[Lee Martin]

You know anyone with a lathe? Seriously, that's the fastest way to do bulk trimming.

 

[anachronism]

Do you already have a case trimmer at all?

 

[mattsbox99]

Yes, I have the RCBS manual trimmer and a few of the Lee cartridge specific trimmers.

I did try the bandsaw idea out with a friend's bandsaw. I drilled a few holes in some wood trimmed to just a tad longer than I needed the cases to be. I have to say it is ridiculously fast to do them this way. I still need to go .020" to get to Short Colt length, but my gun is a .357 Mag and all I want is a shorter case for faster reloads. I can load the Short Colt to about 9mmx19 levels to make USPSA Minor PF.