RCBS Trim Pro-2 Manual Case Trimmer Review

©2016 By Glenn Burroughs

My old case trimmer was made before micrometer adjustments were available, so each adjustment for case length was basically an educated guess… I just kept adjusting until the magical setting was hit. But after trimming several expensive cases too short I decided it might be time for an upgrade. The search was begun for a trimmer that was well made, easy to use, had a micrometer dial for case length adjustment, was reasonably priced and was made by a company that provided good customer service. After a few hours on the internet the RCBS Trim Pro-2 Manual Case Trimmer was chosen. To accompany the trimmer a RCBS 3-Way Cutter for 6mm cases was ordered.

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Photo from RCBS website.


Several features made the Trim Pro-2 stand out. First, the overall case length is set using a micrometer dial designed for .001-inch accuracy. It has both a coarse adjustment and a fine adjustment. The second feature is the spring-loaded universal case holder that will accommodate case head diameters from .250-inch to .625-inch, smaller than a 22 Hornet and up to something like a 338 Lapua Magnum. There is no need to purchase shell-holders or install a different one each time a cartridge with a different case head size is used. And an attachment was available that provided case trimming, beveling and de-burring in one pass.

RCBS Trim Pro-2 comes in two versions; the RCBS Trim Pro-2 (retail $119.45) and RCBS Trim Pro-2 Kit (retail $143.95), the only difference being the kit version contains nine case neck pilots. As expected, with a little shopping lower prices can be found; Sinclair International sells the Kit version for $114.99. The RCBS Trim Pro-2 Kit comes in a small box and includes the trimmer unit, case holder handle lever, lever pin and pilots for .22, .24, .25, .27, .28, .30, .35, .44 and .45 calibers. Other calibers can be purchased separately and I opted for the .17 and .20 caliber pilots.

The only preparation necessary for the Trim Pro-2 is to mount it on a bench or other solid base. With little room left on the reloading bench I decided to use an 8x14-inch oak flooring board with flat, rubber pads on the bottom… the same arrangement that was used for the old trimmer. This option allows cases to be trimmed at the bench or anywhere else that's handy. Only a couple of minutes were required to mount the trimmer. Then the case holder handle lever was installed with the lever pin. The unit was ready for its first task.

The instructions for the trimmer are well written and I had no trouble trimming my first cases. Here is a quick overview of how I use the Trim Pro. To start, the coarse and fine adjustment bushings need to be set so fine adjustments can be made later. To do this the set screw on the fine adjustment is loosened and backed off 5-7 turns from contact with the coarse adjustment bushing. This should provide an adequate adjustment range. Then the set screw on both bushings is loosened. The correct size pilot is installed in the cutter head and the set screw tightened.

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