Forster Case Trimmer

      I purchased my Forster case trimmer decades ago, and I still like it better than any other power case trimmer I've ever seen.   This trimmer requires a small drill press, but it's the ultimate setup.   The Forster case trimmer has the best quick-lock chuck you'll ever see, and it can firmly grip any rifle case in less than one second.   After setting the table height and cutter alignment, you're ready for high speed production.   The required drill press does make this setup a bit more expensive (compared to other power case trimmers), but I think this is the very best way to go.

      Some shooters might think that devoting a drill press to trimming cases is a bit overkill, but this setup does the job so quickly and effortlessly that you may find it to be a bargain.   It's especially quick if you add a foot pedal.   I picked one up at a local tool supplier for under $20. and it allows me to trim cases as fast as I can set them in the machine.

      The drill press I use is a 10" Craftsman (1/2 HP model).   You could use a smaller drill press, but it absolutely must have a 100% positive stop on the down stroke.   All of the smaller drill presses I've seen had rickety stop mechanisms, and they would give your press a spongy feeling when your cutter hits bottom.   That would cause your trimmer to produce varying case lengths.   This setup also requires a bit more bench space, but the actual footprint isn't that bad.

        If you like the idea of using a dedicated drill press for a brass trimmer, consider using a foot pedal.   This really speeds up your case trimming.   It's much easier to do any job when you use the best tools available, and when you use a setup this good, you can make one of the most tedious parts of reloading into a fun project.