Case Preparation and Trimming: What You Need to Know
Frankford Arsenal's Case Prep & Trim System by Dr. Jim and Mary Clary
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The Process
One of the most important parts of the reloading process is case preparation. Preparing cases for reloading is time consuming and hard work. If it isn’t done properly, your cases could jam in the chamber of your firearm and cause damage. Essential steps in preparing your cases for reloading are:
- Resizing the case
- Trimming the case to length
- Deburring the outside of the case mouth
- Chamfering the inside of the case mouth
- Cleaning/uniforming the primer pocket
You can easily and quickly resize your casings with a good set of dies and your reloading press. Case trimming, on the other hand, requires more equipment, time, and patience to get right. From small hand tools to machinery there is a wide range of materials and prices available for this process. To save time, and money, you can invest in a power drill or mini-lathe which makes for a faster process, however you still have to mount tools separately for each step. For tools alone you could be spending anywhere from $100 to $400, not including the price of the power drill or mini-lathe.
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The Product
To save on money and time we suggest the Frankford Arsenal Case Prep and Trim System. Not only is it the most cost effective device on the market, it’s also a machine that makes case preparation easier and far less boring. The machine comes with collets and bushings to trim cases anywhere from .17 Remington up to the .460 Weatherby. The Deburr, Chamfer, and primer pocket tools all attach to the front of the device for simple and continuous access without having to switch back and forth between parts for different tasks.
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Once the case holder is adjusted to your specified caliber, all you have to do is insert the brass into the case holder as a collet aligns the case squarely with the hi-speed cutter. As the case mouth comes into contact with the cutter, it is trimmed until the case shoulder stops on an internal bushing. Remove the case, deburr the outside, chamfer the inside, and clean out the primer pocket. That’s it!
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The motor in this system is set at the perfect speed for case preparation and trimming; it is not too fast that you ruin your casings with one wrong move, and it is not so slow that you find yourself only making a small dent in your reloading to-do list. Speed is constant and reliable, providing consistent casings for your reloading process.