How Does One Trim 56-50 Brass

[Backstrap Bill]

My RCBS case trimmer won't handle anything approaching 50 cal & RCBS does not list a shell holder for 56-50, 50-70, etc.  How have you Spencer experts solved this problem?

I am using the Starline brass, which has all been fired once in my carbine.

[Black River Smith]

The shellholder #'s that I have been lead to are:

Lyman - X-22 (same as used for 50-70) 

RCBS - #31  (this coming from a gun shop manual for the 50-70 ,after providing the info, the shop did not carry it stock)

Have not thought about the trimming yet.

Black River Smith

[French Jack]

I use a Lyman Universal Trimmer, which uses a collet to lock the case head in place, no shellholder.  They also make one that uses an ordinary shellholder to hold the case.  This allows you a lot of options.  The hard part is probably getting the pilot for the trimmer head.  Most of them stop at the 45 caliber range.  You may need to request a special order on one.

As far as trimming, I have fired mine several times, and I have not seen any evidence of them stretching.  With smokeless powder it might be a different story, but I use BP.

Hope this helps.

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[Hell-Er High Water]

Like French Jack, I use a Lyman Universal Case Trimmer for everything up to the 50-70 cases.  I also have not found a need to trim the 56-50 cases yet and I shoot both black and smokeless loads in them.

As for pilots, I have a lathe so I just make my own, patterened after the Lyman design.  Been doing this for years and they work out just great.

HHW

[Backstrap Bill]

I talked to the folks at RCBS about a 50 caliber conversion for my Trim Pro.  No dice, the tool just can't handle a rim size that large; neither can the Trip Pro 2 or the second model tool that uses collets to hold the cases.

But, there is good news.  Their original case trimmer, Model 09369, will work with the addtion of a conversion kit.

I found a RCBS 09369 on Ebay, got it for $37.  I'll order the conversion kit once the 09369 arrives.  Will let you know how it all turns out.

[Backstrap Bill]

I received the conversion kit for the RCBS 9369 case trimmer. 

The kit came in aRCBS plastic die box. It consists of a parts list for the trimmer, a collet large enough for the 56-50 rim, a 50 cal pilot, a new cutter big enough to handle anything up to about .60", and new screws to attach the collet holder to the trimmer base.

Works great!!

[Wagon Wheel]

Bill, do you have an RCBS part number or kit number and cost for the conversion kit?  Have you used the trimmer yet?

WW

[Backstrap Bill]

Wagon Wheel,

I have used the trimmer & it works great, very uniform case mouths.

RCBS part number is 57180.  I called RCBS & asked them for the 50-70 conversion kit for the 9369 case trimmer which is availabe in RCBS's "Legacy Series".

The kit was put together from separate parts & put into a die box.

I think the cost was around $60 including shipping.  Kinda pricey, but, hey, who wants to put a price on having fun with guns any way.