Dillon RT1500 Trimmer

[Old 454]

I just ordered the TR 1500 Trimmer from dillin along with trim dies in .223 ..30-06 and .308.

Is there cases you can buy that are perfectly trimmed to length to use when setting up the trimmer ?

This would help setting up the trimmer instead of messing around trying to get the trim to length with an untrimmed case

Thanks

[jmorris]

The trim die is actually the size die too.

I set a size/decap die backed off .005” or so in station 1 then let the trim die do the remaining. This is how it “holds” the case so the cutter can not spin it.

Once that part is set you lock the die ring and lower the motor/cutter onto it until you get to the case OAL you want and lock it in place.

If you are too low, your case will be short, if you are too high, it will be long.

[Unclenick]

Yes. And cases don't grow until you resize them, extruding extra brass up into the neck, so there's little value in trimming an un-resized case anyway.

To answer the original question, any new case will work. Just check it with a caliper first to be sure the manufacturer hasn't messed up, but I've never seen one that was out of specification. You need to keep in mind that case length has a tolerance. Trim-to lengths are normally just a number from the middle of that tolerance range, but you can cut them at maximum length if you are going to trim every time you resize, or you can go all the way down to minimum if you don't want to have to trim at every reloading cycle. I'll also point out the maximum is the only number that has risk associated with exceeding it. You can actually trim below minimum without harm in most instances, and some service rifle match shooters do that so they only have to trim once in the life of the brass, which the semi-auto military rifle shooters often hold to about 4 reloadings because their loose-to-feed-well chambers often stretch brass more than the average bolt gun. But this is your choice and I won't get into the pro's and cons on that added complication here.

The tolerances for your cartridges these are:

223 Rem
1.740" to 1.760" (pre-2015 standard) or 1.730" to 1.760" (post 2015 standard change)

308 Win
1.995" to 1.215"

30-06
2.474" to 2.494"

The nominal trim-to's usually given are:

223 Rem
1.750" (pre-2015) or 1.745" (post 2015)

308 Win
1.205"

30-06
2.484"

Military versions. The military uses a shorter 0.015" tolerance span, or at least, it did before the ATK changes in 2012. Under the original specs you would have:

5.56 NATO
1.745" to 1.760"

7.62 NATO
2.000" to 2.015"

30-06
2.479" to 2.494"

The regular military does not reload and has no trim-to length, but case average lengths, pre-2012, are:

5.56 NATO
1.7525"

7.62 NATO
2.0075"

30-06
2.4865"

There you have all the variety I am familiar with. You can see you have quite a bit of wiggle room. Any of those length ranges will load shoot just fine, as will some outside those ranges on the low side, so it just isn't critical. The main thing is you want to be consistent if you have some reason to be crimping.

[Old 454]

Awsome..

Yes I know that the trim dies also size... I also ordered a Dillon universal decaping die to use with the trimmer....
The trim die just resized the case and knocks the shoulder back. When I reload the cases I will use my regular resizing die with the ball expander for the case mouth

Or does it knock the shoulder back.... hmmm lolol

Thanks for all the info..you all rock