Case prep recommendations

[pjcalla]

Well, after taking Andrew's reloading class, it has come to my attention that I need an automated case prep machine so I can prep .223 brass quickly and efficiently. I found two "prep centers" from the catalogs that Andrew sent home.

Lyman Products Your Primary Source for Reloading Equipment

https://shop.rcbs.com/WebConnect/Ma...creenlabel=index&productId=3170&route=C11J037

Do any of you have experience with either of these? Which on would you buy? Are there any others out there that are comparable in price, performance, etc.?

Thanks in advance

 

[Litlratt]

I wouldn't buy either one.
A corded, variable speed hand drill can be mounted to or on your bench. A foot pedal can be used to determine speed.
Any of the attachments can be chucked up and used.

 

[DRob]

RCBS

My "automated case prep machine" doesn't do brass. She says there was nothing about it in the wedding vows! So........I use the RCBS Case Prep Center to chamfer and deburr trimmed cases and to clean primer pockets. Trimming, etc. is a part of the process I consider drudgery but it is a necessary evil now and then. The RCBS will do the job very well and it's much better than using some manual tool! A reloader's gotta' do what a reloader's gotta' do!

 

[Leo]

I have used several different systems, some motorized, some hand crank. Like Lilrat, I keep coming back to a slow speed power drill and an electric screwdriver. Even my RCBS pro trimmer with the optional 3 angle cutters got turned buy a slow turning drill motor.

 

[billybob44]

Andrew has got a Hornady Prep Center.

I saw Andrew's Hornady Prep Center when I was at His "Office". It is SLICK, and to me, the thing that makes it better than the two that you linked to, is that the cases are held up to the tool at a horizontal position--NOT vertical.. This lets the brass chips fall down to collect easier+not back into the machine drive. I do not use much Hornady tooling, but I may get one of their prep centers?? Bill.

 

[WLW]

I'm quite happy with my RCBS Trimmate. It chugs right along...

 

[slow1911s]

From ar15barrels.com

>It looks like I would have to trim a lot of brass to make some of your cartridges, is there an easier way?

If you want a way to trim a LOT of 223 brass fast, get a 1/2" center cutting endmill from a machine tool store. Get a cheap drill press vise and bore a 3/8" diameter pocket about 3/8" deep centered in the jaws. Put the endmill in the drill press (or bridgeport if you have one) and center the drill press vise under the cutter. Put a piece of brass in the vise and trim to length. Set your quill (depth) stop and have fun... With a sharp cutter and solid clamping, you will not need to deburr the cases as the edges are usually perfectly square.

 

[Aszerigan]

+1 for the Hornady Case Prep Center. It's an investment, but it's worth every penny.

 

[top hat 45]

love my rcbs. had it several years without any issues.....daryll

 

[Broom_jm]

I have the RCBS case prep station and it does the job. For trimming, I've tried many of the tools out there, but the one I keep going back to is the plain old Lee case length gauge/cutter. It's way faster than any of the manual trimmers, like my Forster, and you do NOT have to worry about over-trimming anything, which is critical with straight-walled cases that headspace on the mouth, like the 30 Carbine. I find the Lee cutter, chucked in a slow-speed hand drill, to be an easy way to trim a lot of brass. Plus, it's fairly inexpensive, until you start reloading for a lot of different rounds. The RCBS case prep station cleans 'em up after the trimming is done.

 

[brian_a_mcmillen]

Here's how I do all of my rifle brass. I first size my cases in a RCBS full length die, then I trim them with the Dillon power trimmer. I then use a wire brush type of thing to knock the carbon out of the primer pocket...dosen't take much actually, just once around. I don't have to worry about swaging the primer pocket since I have a Dillon 1050 that does that for me but I used to use Dillon's super swager to remove the primer crimp and to true up the primer hole on all my 5.56 brass. Then I wash all of the case lube off using automatic dishwasher soap and hot water. From there, I put the brass on a cookie sheet and toss them in the oven at 200 degrees for about 20 minutes (just to get them dry). From there, it's into the tumbler for about 2 hours. This process makes the brass look brand new! I usually do 5 to 10,000 over a week or so and bag them for future loading. I suppose if I actually took the amount of time I spend doing this into consideration, it might be cheaper to just buy brass. It turns out that I really love doing it so it doesn't matter.