Lube case mouth when trimming

[mscampbell2734]

So I just started using a trimmer, Lyman Universal Carbide trimmer, and had issues with the pilot pulling out of the cutter head and getting stuck in the case mouth.

After the fourth time I stared using case lube, Hornady Unique, a paste wax lube that I normally only using when expanding/flaring bigger handgun cases, 44s and 45 Colt. I just touch the case mouth to the lube.

This seemed to really help. I just wondering does anyone else lube the case mouth as well?

 

[Engineer1911]

Grind a flat spot on the cutter pilot shaft where the set screw contacts the shaft. Pilot will not come out or turn in the case.

Plan B: Trim the brass before resizing, the trimmer pilot won't stick at all.

 

[mscampbell2734]

I like the flat spot idea.

Plan B is a no go. The instructions clearly state the cases have to be sized before trimming. The tight fit between the pilot and the case supports the case mouth and ensures a straight clean cut. Also the case holder, a sort of multicase collect system, usings a spring loaded ball that goes into the primer pocket to help stabilize the case.

 

[gregintenn]

I think Lee has the best solution for trimming brass, and I’ve never needed to size or lube a case mouth.

 

[SMSgt]

I like the flat spot idea.

Plan B is a no go. The instructions clearly state the cases have to be sized before trimming. The tight fit between the pilot and the case supports the case mouth and ensures a straight clean cut. Also the case holder, a sort of multicase collect system, usings a spring loaded ball that goes into the primer pocket to help stabilize the case.

I've never had a pilot so tight it spun in the case mouth unless I failed to tighten the set screw properly, not with multiple caliper pilot with different trimmer brands. Sounds like something is out of spec.

 

[J. R. WEEMS]

I like the flat spot idea.

Plan B is a no go. The instructions clearly state the cases have to be sized before trimming. The tight fit between the pilot and the case supports the case mouth and ensures a straight clean cut. Also the case holder, a sort of multicase collect system, usings a spring loaded ball that goes into the primer pocket to help stabilize the case.

I must concur. Use one for some time and had the problem now and then. That tiny set screw is a bugger to get tight. You can also drop in a single #12 shot that will help a bit. NEVER after I moved up, and it WAS a move up to Sinclairs version of the Wilson trimmer. Most pistol brass ( insert revolver) here as well only needs trimmed once, just for a better fit. 30 carbine brass is different, at least in my Ruger. Some will say they never trim at all, but whatever works for you fine. Even though all my dies that can be are carbide, of late I squirt a little one shot on them just because I can. It costs nothing and makes life a tad easier. JMHO

 

[Culina]

Well, I lube before sizing pistol brass but I have still run into the same issue. My solution was to bevel the back of the pilot, some are very hard so unless you have a high quality file, it won't make a scratch. The last time I had to do it, I chucked the pilot in a drill press, turned it on then beveled the back edge with an angle grinder, takes about 5 seconds. Thats not enough for me though, to satisfy my OCD, I polished it to a mirror shine with 2500 grit sand paper, you need to start off with 400, then 800, 1200-1500 then the 2500. After that I didn't have any more problems. I also used a similar method to turn a .270 pilot into a 6.5mm pilot, that took a few more minutes but it was better than waiting a week for a pilot in the middle of a pandemic.

 

[mckenney99]

I kind of go along with Kurac. I had one Forester pilot, I forget which one, that also tended to gall or get sticky with certain brass. I just chucked the pilot shaft into my drill press and just polished it nicely with progressively finer emery cloth and finished up with crocus cloth, problem went away.

 

[kraynky]

Try putting a small lead shot pellet in the screw hole before installing the set screw. Works well on die set screws as well. Might need a small # 12 shot for a screw that small. My Lyman case trimmer (very old) has never pulled a pilot out.

Oops, should have read all posts first, I see J.R. beat me to it.

 

[mscampbell2734]

Got it figured out. Like most issues it turned out to be operator malfuntion.

I was chucking up the case into the collect, tightening the collect and then running the ram, with the cutter and pilot, into the case mouth. If there was any misalignment the pilot would bind.

I found instead of tightening the collect all the way I could tighten the collect 75%, then run the ram out and start the pilot into the case mouth,THEN tighten the collect; This seems to ensure the case is perfectly straight and nothing binds.

 

[jimbo728]

I have dusted the .223 pilot ocasionally to prevent difficult removal of a case from trimmer pilot when inserting or withdrawing a case became difficult. lubed the pilot not the case.
Jim

 

[Greyman50]

I agree with mckenny99, polish the pilot with #600 cloth.

 

[243winxb]

Your feed rate is to high. Dont push as hard.

A tooth brush with Break Free CLP is used to clean/lube my steel Lyman cutter head , every 2nd case.

 

[gwpercle]

So I just started using a trimmer, Lyman Universal Carbide trimmer, and had issues with the pilot pulling out of the cutter head and getting stuck in the case mouth.

After the fourth time I stared using case lube, Hornady Unique, a paste wax lube that I normally only using when expanding/flaring bigger handgun cases, 44s and 45 Colt. I just touch the case mouth to the lube.

This seemed to really help. I just wondering does anyone else lube the case mouth as well?

Nearly 50 years ago I had the same problem ...
I solved it by .... trimming the cases " before" sizing them !
It was the only way I could easily get them to trim ...you know the problems trimming "after" sizing .
Guess what ...it works !
My advice ... trim fired cases ...before sizing ... I don't care what the book says ! It works just fine and dandy !!
Gary

 

[Nevada Ed]

Removing case brass is a good thing, if needed but.......

once the brass is removed from the inside or outside of the case neck
it will not come back....
so be sure that it is really needed.

When new at the game, I messed up a lot of 22-250 cases with a I/D blade, that let the bullets fall to the bottom of the case !!

Neck triming rifle cases is needd now and then with full loads but after
the 3rd trim job, the case might be getting near the end of its life.

Brass flow and pressures do weird things to a case, check them over, for your safety.

 

[BLUEDOT37]

Nearly 50 years ago I had the same problem ...
I solved it by .... trimming the cases " before" sizing them !
It was the only way I could easily get them to trim ...you know the problems trimming "after" sizing .
Guess what ...it works !
My advice ... trim fired cases ...before sizing ... I don't care what the book says ! It works just fine and dandy !!
Gary

I've found that the RCBS pilots, for all the calibers I've used my ancient RCBS trimmer with, are too fat to fit in sized cases too.

My remedy is to chuck the "fat" pilot in my power drill & using either some course sandpaper, or preferably an appropriately sized fine cut file, slowly remove some of the pilot's diameter while running the drill at a moderate speed.

Reduce it just enough so the pilot smoothly fits in your sized cases.

De-priming/sizing is my first step after shooting. I typically length check just before I prime them & if they're too long (& sizing does make them a thousandths longer) they go in a bag to be trimmed once I have enough to make the effort worthwhile.

.

 

[s&wchad]

I have a Forster Graphiter mounted to my bench. The graphite reduces expander ball and pilot drag and works well.

Trimming after resizing is important when full length sizing bottleneck cases, but probably not so much when loading straight wall cases. One of the guys at deer camp loaded some .300 Savage ammo for the property owner. Over half of the cartridges wouldn’t chamber in his Savage 99. When I questioned the guy about his loading technique, he told me he trimmed before resizing.

 

[2152hq]

I just trim the unsized case.
The trimmer isn't a 10K precision lathe. A close fit of pilot to case mouth is about all you're going to get.

Check the sized case for the ID of the case neck. Make sure the brass isn't too thick in the case mouth walls. Any extra will have been pushed to the inside dia during sizing and the trimmer pilot even if the correct dia usually won't fit right.

 

[9mmPatriot]

So my Ah-Ha moment with this problem came when I realized I needed to back out my crimp die when running my .223/5.56 brass through my press to de-cap before wet tumbling them. Duh......


Haven't had a single case get stuck since.