The Lee Case Length Gauge and Cutter

[daboone]

Here's the question: How is it that brass can dull the cutter so fast? I've also noted that the Case length gauge's length will ware down (get shorter) though not nearly as fast as the cutter will dull. These items are NOT expensive so replacing them isn't a big deal but it surprises me that it happens as frequently as it does. The paragraph below is some back ground but not necessary reading.

I have a Wilson Sinclair case trimmer and I really do like it for most bottle neck cases . However I also use the Lee Case Length Gauge system when doing large quantities, 1000 to 2000 pieces, of brass for the M1 Carbine, 223R or 7.62x39 2 or 3 time a year. I've adapted the Case Length Gauge/Cutter to my RCBS Case Prep Center and in combination with the 3 Jaw Chuck. This makes the long tedious processing of large quantities of brass more manageable and less demanding on my old fingers.

[RBHarter]

I'll go with high speed steel and getting hot . The thin/narrow cutting area will heat much faster than the body because 1st that's where the work is done and 2nd it is where the heat is pulled to by cooling because that area gets rid of more heat because of its thinner but also greater area for cooling. The layman's over simplified version. Most trimmers are built for Joe to do 50 to 100 cases at a time manually or about the same with power for long enough that he can't remember how many he's done . Typically Joe has a 38, a 3006 and a 12 ga, unlike many of us that have 22,25,26,28,30,31,32,35/38,40,45 cal guns and in at least 2 cases of each, so the actual cutter cuts in completely different places for the mouth dia.,unlike us cutting overlapping areas. In practical truth we would likely be better off buying trimmer cutters with carbide blades and some means of keeping them cool. Then again it might be hard to sell your better half the $3-400 tool over the 10 or 12 $25 tools 1 by 1......

[Maximumbob54]

If you think that's bad, I've wore out a carbide cutter. Sure, it took a pile of .223 brass but I really feel silly now having thought it would last so much longer. And it cost way too much when I could have bought several good steel cutters.

[Ranch Dog]

Hmmm... may be it is me but I've loaded a huge amount of ammunition since I started using the Lee CLG&Cs and have never worn one out. I use them only when necessary and when I use them they are mounted on a ball stud and with the case stud on a battery powered drill. I use a slow speed cut.

I have rejected a couple, sent them back for a replacement, when the body is too tight against the case. Only had two of them like that in my lifetime. I do set them up to my spec prior to use. I've never seen one longer than the SAAMI trim spec but they are typically about .005" to .010" shorter. I'm also talking about owning more than a couple, I have 27 cartridge specific trimmers.

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Prior to use, I make sure that the threaded tongue is not compressed. I want friction to hold a set distance, typically with the body of the gauge off the cutter. I do not want a gauge that I can tread on the cutter with finger pressure and I've never not been able to adjust any loose gauges to my liking.

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I set the case overall length to my spec. That is always .005" under the SAAMI case length. It is real easy to establish with a caliper. If the tongue of the gauge is holding the trimmer in place, this length will not change. I use an old archery string nock plier to adjust the gauge. Because of the nock cutouts, it never mars the gauge.

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This gauge for the 7.62x39 was set and used yesterday to trim a batch of brass for my Savage 10 FCM. The gauge is considerably short, a length of 1.510, the SAAMI case length is 1.528. I thought the first trimmer I had was bad, Lee sent me another but it was the same length. In that I always check/adjust them, it really doesn't matter to me so I use the replacement.

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Cases in the lot that are not at a critical length and passed.

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In that I'm checking each case, each time the lot is cycled, those that do need trimming need only light trimming. About two years ago I started to anneal all my rifle cartridges every cycle and that really makes the trimming easy. I also have switched all my bolt action rifles to the Lee Collet dies and my case wear is nil. Typically, like with this lot of 50 7.62x39 cases, I see less than half of them needing to be trimmed and the debri from that trimming is not much.

I try to remember that these are hand tools and so I go easy on the electric drill speed and pressure.

[62chevy]

DUH!!! Never thought of using the dial caliper the way you did to measure the Lee case trimmer.

[Dan 444]

Great information, Michael!
Thanks,
Dan

[daboone]

RD once again Thank You for the photo tutorial. Once again you've proved to be helpful and informative! Checking to see that the threaded tongue is not compressed and that by doing this the trim length can be controlled is very VERY good to know. I may never need to use my Wilson Sinclair trimmer again.

I do not doubt that you have process more brass than I with the Lee Case length system. Before I got the RCBS Trim Mate case prep center I too was using a cordless screwdriver with the ball grip cutter. Even then I noted the cutters becoming dull. I have in my junk box 3 retired cutters. It's not that they stopped cutting but just as with any knife blade it became apparent that they were in need of sharpening.

When replaced with a new cutter the speed of the trims was faster and also the cuts were cleaner and sharper. By cleaner and sharper I mean there is a sharp clean flat cut with no curling edge protruding out. Here is a picture using an old dull cutter showing a curled edge.

Sorry it's blurry but my phone is the only camera I've have that is working.

Another thing that became apparent when using the Trim Mate case prep center. It is very easy to over chamfer both the inside outside chamfer cuts. With this method it is necessary to use only a slight amount of pressure to avoid over doing it. (Note I'm not talking about the Lee Chamfer tool in this application but the use of RCBS and or Lyman's chamfers which attach to the Trim Mate)

[Ranch Dog]

Thanks for the picture.

I bought that new Lyman Case Prep Center, set it up to prep a bunch of brass. I think after 5 cases I threw it over in the junk pile. Waste of bench space, slow, easy to over do things, noisy, etc.

[daboone]

I bought that new Lyman Case Prep Center, set it up to prep a bunch of brass. I think after 5 cases I threw it over in the junk pile. Waste of bench space, slow, easy to over do things, noisy, etc.

LOL RD as I recall you have 4 benches in a dedicated workshop which includes a bathroom. So I don't believe it took up to much bench space The rest I can believe you can justify as I know nothing about the Lymans model.

After getting the hang of using my Trim Mate case prep center I consider it as a real positive plus after I added the Lee Case Length Gauge to it for case prep convenience. I believe RBHarter pointed out why it dulls the cutter as fast as it does in his reply to my question. Even so I will keep buying replacement cutters rather than give this time saving gadget up. Replacement cutter aren't that expensive but the 3 time a year this case prep marathon get underway they would be worth it if they were.

[Ranch Dog]

It actually did take up a considerable amount of bench space especially when you consider my other case prep tools only take up the top of a Lee two die box. In light of everything I have going on in that room, I would have to add another bench to table it. I kind of did this for the Lyman 4500. I added a bench as a bunch of people kept telling me that I wasn't a real bullet caster until I was using lube-sizer. I used it for about 30 minutes, took it off my bench and threw it in storage along with all the sizing dies I had bought for it. That was about 33,000 bullets ago!