Trimming 50-70 brass

[Cotton Eye Joe]

Hey everyone,

I'm thinking someone's invented this wheel before, so here's my question. Can anybody tell me how they trim their 50-70 brass? I've reloaded 50-70 for a few years, but only as a plinker. No huge effort into making my ammo super premium and uniform. Yesterday I decided to try a little harder, and I quickly discovered my RCBS Trim Pro 2 won't fit the 50-70 brass.

I'm not looking to get an associates degree as a machinist, I'm not the guy who has a lathe or a CNC in my garage. Just hoping someone's used a different brand of trimmer that works with a 50-70 case. My understanding is that you don't have to trim 50-70 often, but I want to be able to.

Thanks if you've read this far!
-Joe
Tucson, AZ

[letfly]

Old School, Forester classic. Maybe slow but fits a lot of different cases.

[Jeff Michel]

I use a Lyman

[J.B.]

I've had the Lyman "universal" and suspect the RCBS may well be the same.. ie. " Up to 45/70" .. In fact my Lyman Universal wouldnt hold 45/70 so clearly 50/70 wasnt going to work. They may well have changed now but I am another vote for the Forster Classic. I've been using a Forster case trimmer since the early 80's and couldnt fault it. Its really not that much slower than the others and I believe there may even be a cordless adaptor made for them now. The Classic has a larger diameter cutter shaft and will likely come with the collet you need. Pilots may be extra ? Money well spent imho.
J.B.

[George Babits]

I use an RCBS file trim die. Hard to beat. Fortunately I got mine before they put the price through the ceiling.

George

[bobw]

I been using forster tools a long time so one day I stumbled into a Forster big fifty case trimmer on clearance sale bought it for fifty dollars. Works on my 50 3 1/4" and my 50 2.5". I suppose that it would work on 50 x 1.75" but that's allready short enough. I don't know about the classic model. Maybe you best Google foo Forster? Bobw

[Cotton Eye Joe]

Forster has definitely been google's choice, and I've heard about 10 recommendations to try it from folks in the last couple days. Kinda bummed my RCBS trimmer doesn't have an option, but I'll get what works. Probably call Forster tomorrow, since their website has a good cartridge-compatible search with 50-70 showing up as good to go.

I appreciate everyone weighing in. Now if Starline could just make the 50-70 brass I ordered last summer.....or my 32-20, or 45-70, or 40-65. Lots of irons in the fire!

[bobw]

Better get off your butt, Starline 45-70 has been availible most all fall. Factory direct.

[marlinman93]

I've used my Lyman case trimmer for everything until a year ago when I bought a Sharps in .50-140 and suddenly found out nothing I owned worked for it! My trimmer, and my press were both too small. Bought a RCBS Supreme press, and found a new old stock Lyman Universal drill press trimmer.



The Lyman is slick, and once set up on my drill press I can go through a few hundred cases quickly! I use it for anything that needs much trimming, and I don't want to spend a lot of time doing it.
I recently bought 200 pcs. of Starline .50-70 brass to chop down for my 1867 Rem. Navy Rolling Block pistol, and I use my Harbor Freight mini 2" chop saw to quickly chop the cases to 1", then the Lyman to finish trim to the exact length. Anybody who makes cases for cartridges that need massive shortening should have one of the HF mini chop saws. They work slick!

[Cotton Eye Joe]

Better get off your butt, Starline 45-70 has been availible most all fall. Factory direct.

No rush