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A bout a decade ago I bought a small table top Harbor Freight 2" chop saw to use in my reloading. Occasionally the donor brass I need takes far too much trimming to use my Lyman case trimmer for all of it, so the chop saw works amazingly fast to rough cut to length and then just a touch up with my trimmer.
I use .303 British for this job. I tried .30-40 Krag, but base diameters are about .003" larger, which is just enough to not work without turning cases down. For the .40-50 Sharps Straight I cut them from 2.21" down to 1.80" and then final clean up at 1.78" I made a vee block to clamp in the vise on the little chop saw, and I adjust it with my dial calipers so I can run the rims up against the edge of the block and quickly chop the brass off.
There must be a good use for all these ends, but haven't thought of one yet?
Once the cases are final trimmed they only require a .410" expander run into the necks and they're ready to prime, charge, and seat bullets in. One of the easiest obsolete cases I have to make brass for.
Do you notice the cases are out of square after the cut on the chop saw? I'd think having you Vee block at the rear of the case might push the case down as you are cutting. I know you final trim but do you notice it? Of course the case is tapered so it is a little out of square...
GunnyMack wrote: ↑Mon Mar 09, 2026 4:25 am
Do you notice the cases are out of square after the cut on the chop saw? I'd think having you Vee block at the rear of the case might push the case down as you are cutting. I know you final trim but do you notice it? Of course the case is tapered so it is a little out of square...
GROMMETS! Perfect use for the cut offs.
At first I did years ago, but now before I clamp the block tight to adjust the stop I tilt the block down at the rear a bit to adjust for the larger base. I don't use any measuring device, and just eyeball it, but I must be getting good at it because I can tell the mouths are pretty square when I final trim them.
Gotcha Val, I was just wondering if you went to the trouble of trying to get the case squared up or not.
I don't have any guns I have to make cases for so it's something I know little about.
GunnyMack wrote: ↑Mon Mar 09, 2026 5:07 pm
Gotcha Val, I was just wondering if you went to the trouble of trying to get the case squared up or not.
I don't have any guns I have to make cases for so it's something I know little about.
I have the opposite issue. Hardly any guns I don't have to make brass for!
This is kinda crazy in a good way!
Last week I contacted C&H4D dies to see what kind of backlog or completion time frame they had on their .40-50SS dies. I'd heard guys tell me it was a 2 year backlog on some die sets! I asked the nice lady at C&H and she told me they had dies going for heat treatment last week, and it could be 6-8 weeks, and I could give her my info and get on their backorder list! So I got on the list, and prepared for a shorter 2 month wait vs. 2 years!
This morning I got an email from C&H4D and it said my dies were ready to ship if I wanted to place my order! Of course I did place my order and looks like they'll ship within 72 hours. That's just crazy good service!
