Trimming some 30-30 brass, got too short

O

okiefarmer

New member
I haven't loaded for the 30-30 before. Picked up a Win 94 at a show a few years ago, and then a batch of brass off the gunbroker site, or maybe is was the othe egay site when they still did it. Tumbled all brass, some still a bit dark, but shootable. Micced all brass (about 750) last night to avoid trimming if not necessary. About 1/3 needed it. Got out the old LEE trimmer, I chuck my cutter and pin in a Milwaukee 1/2 drill and just hold onto the brass. Holy cow, it just kept cutting on down, took at least another 1/8" off of what max coal should be. Most of what micced good was 2.037 and below, I chose to trim the rest to bring all into same range. After trimming the first one, it looks almost like a .308 round(short neck) with a rim on the bottom. I gots a notion to go out and see just how much farther it will cut it down.

Why isn't my flach hole stop doing it's job. Are some cases made differently in the flash hole where it would let the guaging pin go down farther? I've never seen this before.

HEP me Mr. Wizard
 
J

JR_Roosa

New member
The lee trimmer shouldn't allow you to cut too short. The stud goes though the flash hole and bottoms out on the case holder that should be screwed to the bottom of the case. It isn't supposed to index off the flash hole.

The reason you are over trimming is that you're holding the case with your hand and the pin is just dropping out into space. Get the other half of the lee trimmer that holds the case and you should be all set.

-J.
 
O

okiefarmer

New member
Thanks, I haven't trimmed any rifle brass on the LEE trimmer before. Have on old RCBS bench mount, but this seemed so much quicker. Drat on that idea. Since I had so much at one time, I was trying to cut corners.
 
P

PawPaw

New member
It sounds like you're only using half the tool. The length gage screws into the cutter, goes through the flash hole and bottoms out against the lock stud. I've got one cutter, one lock stud and about fifteen length gages for different calibers. When you chuck the lock stud into a drill, it's very fast to trim a bunch of cases.
 
J

jimbob86

Moderator
"yUr doon it rong."

Chuck the lock stud/shell holder deallybobber in the drill ..... this will provide a stop for the pin on the end of the length guage...... if used correctly, then it is not possible to trim the brass incorrectly.
 
O

okiefarmer

New member
I accumulated the LEE trimmer with a batch of loading equpment I got years ago, Noticed there was a length gyage for 30-30 in one drawer, and decided to try it- out. Things were still in their repective drawers from years ago, and I just didn't see the base unit, and was just imagining that it guaged off the pin that protruded through the flash hole.

I used JimBob's method with a slant. I chucked up the cutter in a half inch drill and used the shell holder in my hand. 120 volt drill coasting to a stop each time took too long to re-chuck cases. I could slide case on and off a spinning cutter, so I just locked the drill in a slow mode and let it rip. Got 250+/- done in no time.
 
N

Nick98338

New member
30-30 Brass Trimming

What FrankenMauser said... The Lee trimmer works well for trimming to "standard" case length. I recently decided to try the Hornady FTX bullets. Hornady recommends trimming cases to less than standard when using the 160gn FTX bullets. The Lee trimmer, as it is, cannot be used to trim to shorter than standard. So, I bought an additional Lee trimmer and shortened the pin end of the trimmer shaft,and rounded it off. Works just fine. A lot cheaper than buying one of those "precision" case trimmer things.
 
O

okiefarmer

New member
Nick,

On that note, I'll ask this. I did notice that the LEE trimmer trims to nominal length, which is right at 2.039. When selectin brass that needed trimmed, I set my calipers at 2.037 and discarded above that. 3/4 of the 750 were at or below that threshhold. The LEE trimmer trims to right at 2.039, not leaving much for work stretching before it needs trimmed again. I was curious if one could not trim back just a tad over, if all were done consistantly, and avoid doint it so ofter?
 
O

okiefarmer

New member
It may well be, I just don't have a Lyman book that might say that. I need to find one, but LEE only lists maximum length, and this is almost exactly what the LEE trimmer trims to. I may file mine off to a 2.02 length then also. Before I do, I'll check minimum from several sources.

Thanks for that
 
D

dacaur

New member
30-30 Brass Trimming

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

What FrankenMauser said... The Lee trimmer works well for trimming to "standard" case length. I recently decided to try the Hornady FTX bullets. Hornady recommends trimming cases to less than standard when using the 160gn FTX bullets. The Lee trimmer, as it is, cannot be used to trim to shorter than standard. So, I bought an additional Lee trimmer and shortened the pin end of the trimmer shaft,and rounded it off. Works just fine. A lot cheaper than buying one of those "precision" case trimmer things.
Click to expand...

Hornady does recomend shorter case trimming for some of its FTX bullets, (like the 45 colt), but not the 30-30. They have the cannelure set up on the 160gr 30-30 FTX bullet to use standard lenght brass.
 
J

JR_Roosa

New member
Glad you figured it out.

I got sick of the Lee trimmer, so I got the RCBS trimmer with the 3 way cutter and never looked back.

I don't even measure brass anymore, it's easier to just trim it all to minimum each time even for batches of 300.

-J.
 
N

Nick98338

New member
30-30 Brass Trimming

dacaur wrote... "Hornady does recomend shorter case trimming for some of its FTX bullets, (like the 45 colt), but not the 30-30. They have the cannelure set up on the 160gr 30-30 FTX bullet to use standard lenght brass."...

The Hornady .pdf that suggests data for 30-30 with 160gn FTX bullets shows a "Case Trim Length" of 2.029 I read that as a recommendation for shorter case trimming. Yes, the cannelure gives some wiggle room, maybe .010, or so. It may not be entirely necessary to trim down to 2.029, but I chose to, anyway. YMMV
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top