Forster Classic Trimmer Q

[Wildwillalaska]

Any of you gents using a Forster Classic trimmer for 450/400 and larger rimmed cases? Collet housing is too small!

I picked one up to use for 450 3 1/4” and others, finally used it couple nights ago to trim about 100 cases and wanted to punch the beer fridge at how slow of a process.

On smaller cases you just slip the case in and snug the collet holder a half turn to hold the case. On these larger rimmed cases, they won’t fit through the opening in the collet housing and you have to screw the whole darn collet holder out, don’t let the collet fall out, feed case from the back of the housing and screw it all the way back in. Honestly hoping I somehow got a too-small collet housing like off an original or something. Curious if anyone here is using one and dealing with the same.

Can say I can’t live with it. If there isn’t a collet housing that allows inserting a case from the front as normal…which is what I expected given the cartridge compatibility list includes all these larger rimmed cases…which maybe I need to go back and re-read to see if there is an * indicating the classic is half-a**ed compatible. Lol

Ok, mid-Sunday melt-down, child-like rant over, I need to sort an options if this the is standard protocol. Can see the housing finding its way into a lathe to turn the front opening up to accommodate a rim of the 500NE. If that doesn’t leave enough surface for the collet to press against, then into the trash and some kind of nicer power trimmer is my answer.

Any thought, input, help, sarcastic comments….all appreciated today.

Cheers,
Will

 

[Rare Breed]

I bought one after trying two others. I quite frankly just gave up resizing brass by trimming. no matter what I did I could never get consistency so now I just end up buying new brass but at peace versus losing sleep

 

[Rare Breed]

By the way mine is stored and I will gladly sell to someone for half price plus shipping

 

[deewayne2003]

Any of you gents using a Forster Classic trimmer for 450/400 and larger rimmed cases? Collet housing is too small!

I picked one up to use for 450 3 1/4” and others, finally used it couple nights ago to trim about 100 cases and wanted to punch the beer fridge at how slow of a process.

On smaller cases you just slip the case in and snug the collet holder a half turn to hold the case. On these larger rimmed cases, they won’t fit through the opening in the collet housing and you have to screw the whole darn collet holder out, don’t let the collet fall out, feed case from the back of the housing and screw it all the way back in. Honestly hoping I somehow got a too-small collet housing like off an original or something. Curious if anyone here is using one and dealing with the same.

Can say I can’t live with it. If there isn’t a collet housing that allows inserting a case from the front as normal…which is what I expected given the cartridge compatibility list includes all these larger rimmed cases…which maybe I need to go back and re-read to see if there is an * indicating the classic is half-a**ed compatible. Lol

Ok, mid-Sunday melt-down, child-like rant over, I need to sort an options if this the is standard protocol. Can see the housing finding its way into a lathe to turn the front opening up to accommodate a rim of the 500NE. If that doesn’t leave enough surface for the collet to press against, then into the trash and some kind of nicer power trimmer is my answer.

Any thought, input, help, sarcastic comments….all appreciated today.

Cheers,
Will

Hornady brass?

I’ve had the same issue with .470ne Hornady brass the rim is just a couple thousandths too wide.

Jamison and Federal brass are no issues.

 

[MacJenkins]

I sent you a text. Think you might have the “Original” trimmer which is smaller. The “Classic” has a larger collet holder. No need to remove the collet to put the case in.

 

[Wildwillalaska]

Mac, thanks for the email brother. It is a Classic, I have an original as well I’ve used for years but is too short for larger African cartridges. Almost wonder if I didn’t get the wrong collet housing/holder. BUT…issue solved. Had a buddy turn it on his lathe out to 0.670, so am in business at least up through 500NE which the Norma and Kynoch stamped Bertram brass measure 0.650.

 

[Wildwillalaska]

Gents, if buying a Forster classic trimmer, check the collet housing. Mac was kind enough to cure my curiosity, since he wasn’t having the same issue. He put a mic to his and its 0.695”. Either they had some kind of switch or Rare Breed and I got ones with the wrong collet housing.

 

[Ray B]

I have both the Original and the Classic Forster trimmers. I noticed the same issue with larger cases in the Original. I talked with a lady at Forster and she told me that the older ones had a smaller hole and that if I sent it back to them they would machine out the hole to new diameter, free of charge. It turns out that the new Classic is big enough for the cases I'd trim (375 RUM, 404, 458, 470 NE) so I left the Original as is.

 

[Wildwillalaska]

If it will accommodate the 470, yours is proper size. My new classic must have just gotten one of the original holders. No worries now though. Works like a champ now that it’s opened up.