Trimming brass in the 204???

[Cephus91]

Stupid question - do y'all trim before or after re-sizing. I have read it both ways. Seems like trimming after resizing would yield more consistency.

[bow shot]

If you do the Lee cutter trick that Bayou mentioned, which I did, you will have to be aware of these things:

If the hole in your Lee cutter is just a TAD larger than the diameter of the case length gauge (the pin part), the neck of the case will find its way into the joint between the cutter blades and the pin. That happened to me and I ruined about 100 cases, OUCH!! This is the reason Lee doesn't make the system for 20 cal and under: that hole hovers +/- .001" or so around the mark, and that’s ok for every caliber in the world... except 20 cal and below, and they will not re-tool for such a limited range of product.

There are 2 ways to fix that that I know of:
1) Keep buying cutters until you get one that happens to have a smallish-sized hole. I had 3 on hand, and was lucky to have one that met that criteria. But what are the chances?

2) If you use HARD epoxy, you can put it in the cutter hole, screw in the case length gauge and then ever so carefully wipe off the epoxy that squirts out to be even with the top of the cutter blades. (I have done that too).

You should also be aware that you can go through several case length gauges (the pin part) before you get one just right. You'll have to carefully reduce the pin diameter to match your sized .204 case neck, and carefully reduce the length to get your target trim length.

I love the Lee system and think it is actually superior to the Forster and Wilson tools (yes I have both of them), but it is a drag that I would not want to experience again, trying to make it work for the .204. By the time I was through, I think I blew about $70 trying to get the $5 solution. Like I said, I prefer the Lee system for everything else for sure… � I could have gotten a used Forster for $50 on eBay.

Hope that helps

[bow shot]

I size first, then trim. The logic there (for me anyway) is that sizing often changes the length of the brass. If I trim after sizing, then I can trim all the brass to a uniform length, and expect no changes (in trim length) until after firing.

I've encountered these two scenarios:
1) I've had new brass that was all one length. After sizing the length varied.
2) I've trimmed brass to a uniform length after firing, and then found it to vary after sizing.

I should note that I've encountered the brass length changes when I've FULL LENGTH sized.

So far, I've not seen the brass length change after NECK sizing. I'm on the 4th firing on some brass, and I measure every case, I'm up to about 900 rounds fired so far.

[Cephus91]

Thanks, that answered my question - going to go with size then trim.

I size first, then trim. The logic there (for me anyway) is that sizing often changes the length of the brass. If I trim after sizing, then I can trim all the brass to a uniform length, and expect no changes (in trim length) until after firing.

I've encountered these two scenarios:
1) I've had new brass that was all one length. After sizing the length varied.
2) I've trimmed brass to a uniform length after firing, and then found it to vary after sizing.

I should note that I've encountered the brass length changes when I've FULL LENGTH sized.

So far, I've not seen the brass length change after NECK sizing. I'm on the 4th firing on some brass, and I measure every case, I'm up to about 900 rounds fired so far.

[bow shot]

cool.

[varmit_master]

For years I have been using the Lee length gauge and cutter to trim all my cases. Unfortunately they do not make one in 204 Ruger, not even a custom one.

Anyway what do you guys use? I am looking for the cheapest setup because I will only be using it for this caliber only. Thank you

Several years before the 204 Ruger landed, I was shooting a Tac 20 and no one made made a trimmer for 20 caliber. I made my own trimmer for the Tac 20 using a 223 Rem Lee Trimmer gauge and one of their standard cutters.

If you turn a .224" Lee trimmer gauge down to 20 caliber, it will thread into the Lee cutter and just barely clear the inside diameter of the cutter blades. I turned a 223 Rem gauge down to 20 caliber and screwed it into a cutter with epoxy on the threads. When I reached Tac 20 trim length, I let the epoxy set up and I had a permanent trimmer for 20 caliber Tac 20 cases.

When the 204 Ruger came along, I did the same thing using a 22-250 Rem Lee gauge. I machined it down to .204" diameter and screwed it into a cutter to 204 Ruger case trim length depth and let the epoxy on the threads hold it in place permanently.

I still use both of them if I'm not trimming a large number of cases...



-BCB

Hi I just got my new 204 I was looking for Lee to see if they made one. I see they don't is there anybody on here can make me one like this I will buy it off you. I don't have anyway to turn one down. I want somebody that has made one. I don't know if could make one right lol please help GREAT Forum.

[Nor Cal Mikie]

The main reason for trimming the case length is to keep it from crimping the neck to the bullet if the case is too long for the chamber length.
What needs to be done is know the "actual" measured length of the chamber. Once you know that measurement, you'll know if or when you need to trim your brass.
Sinclair makes case length plugs (gauges). They go in a modified case, the bolt is closed on the case and it tells you the "actual" case length. From there, you can decide if and when to trim your brass.
Full length resizing will lengthen the case length with every stroke. The expander ball pulls the neck longer. Bushing dies will control the growing of the case.
Measure "each" chamber, write down that measurement and use it to know when you want/need to trim. Check your length against your measurements, load and shoot. Most chambers are cut .010 to .020 longer than Max trim length.
I've got BR brass with 25 to 30 firings and havn't needed to trim. 2 or 3 times fired brass will be more consistant than new brass.
Best bet (for load consistancy) is to have all your brass the same length when building loads. I prefer longer necks so I have as much bullet contact in the neck as I can get. YMMV, Mike.

[Lead Lobber]

I have a drawer full of trimmers from Lee, a Lyman, RCBS, and have used about them all......They all collect dust now after I bought the "Worlds Finest Trimmer". It indexes off the shoulder like the Giraud and has been faster and far more consistent than the Lee cutters.

The only consistent way to trim is after the first firing and after a full length size. After the first firing and first trim, you can just neck size and help from over working the brass.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWyWz-tzJ10

[TwentyBore]

For years I have been using the Lee length gauge and cutter to trim all my cases. Unfortunately they do not make one in 204 Ruger, not even a custom one.
When the 204 Ruger came along, I did the same thing using a 22-250 Rem Lee gauge. I machined it down to .204" diameter and screwed it into a cutter to 204 Ruger case trim length depth and let the epoxy on the threads hold it in place permanently.

I did something pretty similar, took a .22-250 stud, and screwed it into a wasteblock on my wood lathe. Turned it down (with sandpaper), then went through the grits to 1200 and finally Flitz, to get it mirror-shiny. Then I took it down in length to get the correct trim length.

[247sniper]

Just get the .222Mag Lee case trimmer and get somone to turn it down to .20cal, I done that for my mate and it is great.

Steve.