Case trimming - thoughts on tooling and technique please

[Magpie]

Doesn't look like they ship internationally though - have asked them to confirm

Easily overcome. Get a BundleBox address.

..

Thats interesting, didnt know about them, stuffs the shipping costs up some for one item though

I did hear back from them and they said they would do international if you contact them through gunbroker first

[Magpie]

The CTL is very accurate, all my 308 brass is FLS in the same die so shoulders are consistent.

did you get stuck with any customs charges for this ?? If so would you mind sharing roughly how much ??

[Blu]

Magpie,

I didn't want to full length size everytime either, looks like the xdie is a FLS die ?

Yes and no, The X-Die has a mandrel inside the die which the mouth of the case rests on, when the mouth of the case comes into contact with the mandrel it forcibly stops the case growing past the mandrel setting. Now then screw the mandrel right back of the case mouth and you have a normal FL sizing die. The one concern I did have have with this was case neck thickness, I thought that with the case neck being forcibly stopped from growing the case neck would thicken. Well after measuring a couple of dozen cases I found this not to be the case. Christ knows how it does it but it does.

Blu

[Blu]

This is what I use.

http://www.giraudtool.com/prod02.htm

Wonderful bit of kit aren't they. The only criticism I would have with it is the lock nut that comes with the case holders. I think he should have used something to lock the the nut in place on the case holder. Not a huge problem though, I just got a hold of some RCBS lock nuts and used them, works great.

000_0018.JPG

Blu

[Magpie]

Magpie,

I didn't want to full length size everytime either, looks like the xdie is a FLS die ?

Yes and no, The X-Die has a mandrel inside the die which the mouth of the case rests on, when the mouth of the case comes into contact with the mandrel it forcibly stops the case growing past the mandrel setting. Now then screw the mandrel right back of the case mouth and you have a normal FL sizing die. The one concern I did have have with this was case neck thickness, I thought that with the case neck being forcibly stopped from growing the case neck would thicken. Well after measuring a couple of dozen cases I found this not to be the case. Christ knows how it does it but it does.

Blu

Hi blu,
That's curious. So either it just stops the case growing or it must go somewhere else. Since it can't go outside I guess if it goes anywhere it must be inside. Does the case volume change do you know?

I assume the cases still thin down the web end ? In which case it does make where it goes a mystery. Maybe it thickens the case shoulder?

[Magpie]

This is what I use.

http://www.giraudtool.com/prod02.htm

Wonderful bit of kit aren't they. The only criticism I would have with it is the lock nut that comes with the case holders. I think he should have used something to lock the the nut in place on the case holder. Not a huge problem though, I just got a hold of some RCBS lock nuts and used them, works great.

000_0018.JPG

Blu

Hi blu,
So you have this fabulous machine and don't use it ? Hasn't the xdie made it obsolete

[Blu]

This is what I use.

http://www.giraudtool.com/prod02.htm

Wonderful bit of kit aren't they. The only criticism I would have with it is the lock nut that comes with the case holders. I think he should have used something to lock the the nut in place on the case holder. Not a huge problem though, I just got a hold of some RCBS lock nuts and used them, works great.

000_0018.JPG

Blu

Hi blu,
So you have this fabulous machine and don't use it ? Hasn't the xdie made it obsolete

Not at all mate, for one thing I can go to the range any Monday morning and pick up a couple of hundred once fired .223 cases along with a mix of other calibres which will all need FL sized before I use them. I must have a least a couple of thousand .223 cases here that will need FL sized and trimmed, that's were the old trimmer comes in handy.

Also with brand new brass, they need to be fired, then FL sized and trimmed back before using it in the X-Die.

Blu