I’ve been reloading precision rifle ammunition for more than half my life now. I keep track of the ammo I load by the number of primer box tabs I have in a small pile in my junk bin and this year I hit 50 CCI 200 Large Rifle, among many, many others.
I’ve probably loaded somewhere in the ballpark of 150-200,000 rounds in my life in addition to the many thousands more that I’ve fired that were factory or military surplus. I’ve done over 20,000 rounds of .38 Special, about 10,000 9mm, 10,000 .45 ACP, and 1000+/- 10mm on the handgun side. I’ve always enjoyed loading for pistols, but I don’t actually reload that much handgun ammo compared to what I load for rifle.
My time reloading for rifle ammo is one of the great meditations of my life. I enjoy it and everything about it — except for the case trimming. I hate case trimming with a passion and thus I hate case prep. Or I did, until I was first introduced to Little Crow Gunworks and their spectacular World’s Finest Trimmer.
The specific model here is the WFT2, which is the same as the original WFT except that it has easily removable chambers (they run $24.95 per caliber) to switch between calibers.
Something to know right out the gate on this product is that it needs a ½” chuck to accept it. Most standard hand drills will need an adaptor for the shank. You’ll want to make sure you get that adaptor after you read the rest of this.
The WFT2 is essentially a rotating cutter that features a shroud and interchangeable chambers. The chamber unit rotates freely on its own, thus allowing the cutter to trim the case mouth. The chambers can be easily removed with a wooden dowel or similar soft punch.
The way the chambers are designed means that you must full-length size your brass before use. For most regular rifle shooters, that isn’t a big deal. If you neck-size only for a precision bolt action, you probably won’t be using this anyway.
Most shooters that shoot rifle in competition do so in great volume, myself included, and we full-length size for reliable feeding. When your gun is hot and dirty, neck-sized only brass, which has a case body that essentially fits the chamber exactly, can jam the rifle.
What you will need to do first is trim a master case. I take a case, size it in my full-length sizing die, and then measure it. I then take the WFT2 and adjust the cutter locking screws in the body the trimmer. I insert the case into the chamber and drop the cutter to touch the mouth of the brass.
Since there is no fine adjustment, I tighten the screws after moving the cutter just shy of my desired length. A little goes a long way here.
After trimming the case, I remove it and check length. I usually trim just below the listed spec by about .001-.003. This isn’t much at all, but for me it ensures reliable chambering in my CMP competition rifles like the 1903A3 Springfield when I’m shooting in matches, including at Camp Perry. Once a master case has been trimmed, you can simply set the cutter to it next time and you’re ready to go.
It used to take me about 1½ to 2 minutes a case to do it with a manual trimmer. I spent countless hours of my life slaving over a hand trimmer and those are hours I will never get back.
When I first set up the WFT2, I realized that I had wasted my life away looking at those little brass chips. My average was about 50 cases an hour with my old method and that was really moving. With the WFT2, I was able to do 50 cases in under five minutes. Let me say that again. Fifty cases in under five minutes. It’s literally as easy as inserting the case into the chamber and pushing forward.
The CMP matches and other competitions I shoot in have me firing .30-06, 6.5x55mm, 7.5x55mm, 5.56mm, .300 Blackout, and .308 Win. I have a WFT insert for each of these and I can accomplish hours worth of trimming in just one sitting. I was able to trim 500 pieces of .300 Blackout in about an hour with this amazing device.
A hidden benefit of the cutter is that it doesn’t leave much in the way of burrs. I found that, particularly on high volume ammo in commercial brass, I didn’t have to do much in the way of deburring. I was able to just trim and load. That’s more time saved.
If you’re a high-volume reloader or just want to make good decisions from the start, go and spend some money on the World’s Finest Trimmer. As a professional and avid reloader, this is a lifesaver and you will probably rethink your reloading practices upon getting one. I no longer have to commit the time and effort to hand trimming and I can instead spend my day at the range practicing.
Ratings (out of five stars):
Ease of use: * * * * *
Once you get it set up, it’s a breeze to use. It converts hours of work into minutes. I put it in my hand drill, tighten it into a vice, and let it spin. Trimming is as simple as pushing forward for a second and then putting the next one in.
Precision: * * * * *
I found that after lots of careful measuring, the cases were just as precise as those from a manual trimmer. The only ones to watch out for are cases like the .300 Blackout, which has a very small shoulder.
Value: * * * * *
At $69.95 for the housing and an additional $24.95 per chamber insert, the WFT2 isn’t exactly cheap, but it is well within the range of other options. And it’s hard to put a price on the hundreds of hours you’ll save by using the WFT2. Looking back at my life, I could have done so much more with all those hours spent trimming brass.
Overall: * * * * *
There was no way that I was going to give this thing anything less than five stars. It works beautifully, plain and simple, and it allows me work at speeds I never imagined possible. The ease and ability to trim piles of brass in a fraction of the time can’t be overstated.