Sitting on the couch this morning hand prepping some new Lapua brass. After 4 rounds my hands were hurting and after 8 I wanted to quit. I’ve had issues with my hands for years and they’re getting worse. This morning I considered a brass prep center then decided to go back to Nosler brass from now on. The Lapua really only needs serious attention when new so I’ll keep what I have. The Nosler is delivered perfect but doesn’t have the longevity of the Lapua. May change my mind again in an hour. I’m way too young to be short sighted. Maybe I do need a prep center.

The only prep to quality new brass I do is make sure neck is round by running thru die or mandrel and then champher inside and outside done.
I have a RCBS prep station but most of the time I hand chamfer

I have been reloading for over 40 years. I have had arthritis in my hands for about the last 15 to 18 years. Hand prepping brass was a killer for me, primer pocket cleaning/reaming, chamfer, debur, etc. About 5 years ago, I broke down and bought an RCBS Case Prep unit. It has made a world of difference in the pain and fatigue I was dealing with in my hands. It is one of the best purchases I ever made. I just wish I had done it 30 years ago. BTW, I also bought a drill adapter for my RCBS case trimmer and that has really helped fatigue in my wrists as well.

following

as my thumbs where they attach to the wrist have arthur or tendinitis. hurts when i push with thumbs

Guiard trimmer helps.

^^This is the answer.

My only regret was not buying it sooner. Getting dies set can be tedious, but with a Hornady lock ring, once they are set, it is over. Run new brass through the die, then run all the brass through the Giraud trimmer. Total of about 10 minutes. I dont have the arthritis problems YET, but I do have the lack of time problem. The trimmer is a major time saver. Trim/chamfer/debur in one single pass. 50 pieces of brass is 4 minutes, 30 seconds.

I wish I could settle on just ONE load/bullet per caliber !!!

I cant "set" any lock rings, cuz I'm always changing, re- measuring, etc.

Not really a biggie though.

Not that old and I almost got out of reloading due to the prep...not the best equipment out there but I got the frankfort aresenal prep/trim center and it has really helped with the pains of prep..

Why not just set it to bump shoulders at .002" and set lock rings?

What about the Lee power trimmer? Is that precise enough for your use?

I have yet to buy one, but I think it could save me a lot of time for 223 and 308

It works for trimming and I use one on some cartridges. Still have to debur and champher but that is what the RCBS prep center makes a lot easier. I tried a friends Lyman prep center and like it better than my RCBS

Trimming doesn’t bother me. I have a Lyman with a crank on it. Doesn’t bother me at all. It’s the deburring and chamfering that kills me. That and primer pockets.

I thought it was supposed to deburr and champher too?

The ones I have just leave a flat surface on the ends.