RT 1200 Case length variance
Quote from Reloader on November 27, 2010, 12:14 amI am having a bit of trouble setting up the trimmer operation on my 550 press. I am loading 308 and I set up the trim die for proper headspace and I am getting consistent results using the headspace gauge. My trouble begins when I try to adjust the motor for trim length. I have run a few small batches of 5 once fired brass and the resulting case length varies from 2.002" to 2.013" and only 2 of 15 at the actual desired length of 2.005. I had much higher expectations of consistency and can't wait to begin pumping out quality ammo.
Can someone please help me get on the right track. I have checked both jam nuts on the trim die, as well as the shell plate for tightness. Also my press is only a few months old and has made me thousands of quality pistol rounds, so I am not too concerned with the press itself. However this is the second trimmer for me as the first one was defective from the start and I was unable to begin trimming cases at all.
Thanks, Joe
I am having a bit of trouble setting up the trimmer operation on my 550 press. I am loading 308 and I set up the trim die for proper headspace and I am getting consistent results using the headspace gauge. My trouble begins when I try to adjust the motor for trim length. I have run a few small batches of 5 once fired brass and the resulting case length varies from 2.002" to 2.013" and only 2 of 15 at the actual desired length of 2.005. I had much higher expectations of consistency and can't wait to begin pumping out quality ammo.
Can someone please help me get on the right track. I have checked both jam nuts on the trim die, as well as the shell plate for tightness. Also my press is only a few months old and has made me thousands of quality pistol rounds, so I am not too concerned with the press itself. However this is the second trimmer for me as the first one was defective from the start and I was unable to begin trimming cases at all.
Thanks, Joe
Quote from Reloader on November 27, 2010, 2:56 pmWhat other, if any, dies are in the toolhead with the trimmer? Did you measure the sample cases before trimming? If there are other dies in the toolhead, be sure to tighten the lock rings with cases in both dies, to ensure consistant upward pressure on the toolhead. The trimmer itself will have up to .002-.004" play in the shaft.
What other, if any, dies are in the toolhead with the trimmer? Did you measure the sample cases before trimming? If there are other dies in the toolhead, be sure to tighten the lock rings with cases in both dies, to ensure consistant upward pressure on the toolhead. The trimmer itself will have up to .002-.004" play in the shaft.
Quote from Reloader on November 28, 2010, 2:30 amOk First of all thank you for the reply. The only other "die" is a universal decapping die. The locknuts on both dies were only tightened when occupied just like I do when loading pistol rounds. I did in fact measure the cases before running them though the die, they all measured between 2.010" & 2.015" although I did not measure each one before and after individually I just ran them as a batch.
Thanks, Joe
Ok First of all thank you for the reply. The only other "die" is a universal decapping die. The locknuts on both dies were only tightened when occupied just like I do when loading pistol rounds. I did in fact measure the cases before running them though the die, they all measured between 2.010" & 2.015" although I did not measure each one before and after individually I just ran them as a batch.
Thanks, Joe
Quote from Reloader on December 18, 2010, 6:03 pmJust wanted to update my progress with using the rt 1200. I think that most of my worries about the trimmer itself have been resolved although it does have some limitations.
When I first started I was using once fired mixed brass from a variety of 308 bolt & 7.62 semi-auto firearms. I ran a large batch of brass through the trimmer and measured a variety of lengths. I then sorted the trimmed cases by headstamp & the firearm it was likely fired from ( I use mostly one type of ammo for each firearm). The cases from the sorted group had very little variance.
So if you want to run all your mixed brass together and get uniform results its not likely you will be happy. On the other hand you can sort you brass pre-trimming and adjust your dies for your different headstamp / firearm to get uniform results.
In the intrest of saving time I have backed of the die a little so no cases fall shorter than 2.005 or longer than 2.015. I then run all the cases together & cherry pick cases for the bolt gun. The rest are good enough for the semi-auto firearms.
Thanks, Joe
Just wanted to update my progress with using the rt 1200. I think that most of my worries about the trimmer itself have been resolved although it does have some limitations.
When I first started I was using once fired mixed brass from a variety of 308 bolt & 7.62 semi-auto firearms. I ran a large batch of brass through the trimmer and measured a variety of lengths. I then sorted the trimmed cases by headstamp & the firearm it was likely fired from ( I use mostly one type of ammo for each firearm). The cases from the sorted group had very little variance.
So if you want to run all your mixed brass together and get uniform results its not likely you will be happy. On the other hand you can sort you brass pre-trimming and adjust your dies for your different headstamp / firearm to get uniform results.
In the intrest of saving time I have backed of the die a little so no cases fall shorter than 2.005 or longer than 2.015. I then run all the cases together & cherry pick cases for the bolt gun. The rest are good enough for the semi-auto firearms.
Thanks, Joe