Lee Zip Trim Case Trimmer Universal 3 Jaw Chuck Case Holder

Product #: 352653
| Manufacturer #: 90608
Status: Available
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Made with 3 hardened steel jaws, this handy tool centers each piece of brass while the case spindle squares it up and locks in the case head. Accepts any case from 25 ACP to the largest belted magnums. For use with Lee Case Spinner Stud or Zip Trim (sold separately).

Application Charts & Information

Overall Rating:
3.6 out of 5
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5 stars
Craig Flanders of Lowell, IN
Date posted: 6/1/2007
Add this to the Zip Trim, and you have it made. This and the Zip trim, and the Ball grip are an unbeatable trio....
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5 stars
TIMOTHY SMITH II of TYLER, TX
Date posted: 6/9/2009
Ok, this product gets some bad reviews because of the minimal effort it takes to break it in... Seriously once you do a few hundred cases you will not even remember that you had to break it in you will love it. I think its comical how people are so fast to throw their hands up on a $12 part and automatically assume because its cheap it can never be a quality products. I am aware there could be defective ones, but with the amount of negative feedback this item has received I would say a large portion of the comments are unfounded due to a lack of a proper break in period. So do not be afraid to order this if you use the Zip Trim just be prepared to give it a good break in... Wait till you have a couple hundred cases to trim and I will assure you that it will work perfectly after so many cases.
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5 stars
Calin Brabandt of Portland, OR
Date posted: 1/19/2009
I'm giving this Lee Zip Trim option 5 stars because, although it takes more practice than the standard Lee case holders to use effectively, I think it's an improvement over the case holders that come with the Lee case length gages. This chuck is much easier to tighten sufficiently to keep the case from spinning loose and you don't have to align the case with a slot, like the regular holder. I've used it on cases from .223 to .50 Beowulf and it works great for trimming, cleaning, and polishing. I still think the Zip-Trim should have a knurled grip on the opposite end of the arbor shaft, however. A good grip on the opposite side would make it even easier to tighten and loosen either this chuck or the standard case holder.
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5 stars
STEVEN MILLER of KENT, WA
Date posted: 4/3/2009
I had a little trouble with it to start with. The little pawls kept coming disconnected and not opening and closing right. I had to pull the snap ring out of the back three different times to reset the pawls. I thought I was going to have to send it back. Then it stopped having problems and has worked great since. I guess something was probably keeping it from assembling tightly. I have trimmed back a bunch of 9mm Luger found at the range back a millimeter to use for reloading 9mm Makarov. I also had to grind back the part of the lee case gauge that inserts into the mouth of the case. I mounted the pointy end of the gauge in a drill and spun it while I dremeled back the part that inserts into the mouth until it fit inside a standard 9mm Luger case. I use the Lee trimmer with the wooden ball handle. It takes a little practice, but I can convert scrounged Luger 9mm to Makarov in just a few seconds now. I also use the lee chamfer tool. It all goes extremely quick once you get the hang of it. This really is quicker than the free shell holders that are included with every Lee case gauge. I was using an electric drill and the free shell holders to begin with, but the Lee Zip Trim gives much better control and turns out to be much quicker for me.
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5 stars
diggerdoc DJ of Jackson, MO
Date posted: 11/10/2009
You MUST get this if you're using the Zip Trim method of trimming. Once you get accustomed to this chuck...the trimming is much easier, therefore, saving more time. Thank you Mr Lee!
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5 stars
B Gallaher from WA
Date posted: 1/12/2010
I have many Lee products and have always found them to be well engineered and perform as advertised. And at a fraction of the cost of other brands I can spend my money on making ammo instead of buying tools. However, I was skeptical about the Zip Trim. Like other Lee products, this one delivers. Prior to purchasing the zip trim I purchased the RCBS case trimmer. I found that the RCBS trimmer was tedious to set up, but once setup it was okay to use. Running the cutter by hand was a small chore as you had to push and rotate the cutter into the case. I wanted something faster for both setup and cutting to use so I purchased the Lee case trimmer set. I tried putting both the cutter and lock stud into a portable drill to add power to the process. I even used epoxy to attach the original lock stud to a screw driver to make holding the case easy when the cutter was in the drill. This was fast to trim and chamfer, but the change between cases left something to be desired because the locking ring needed to be tight to get a good cut and was hard to get off afterwards. When I found I needed to trim several hundred 223 cases to length I decided to try the zip trim with the three jaw chuck. I am impressed. Case change out with the three jaw chuck is easier and faster compared to the normal Lee lock stud. The three jaw chuck does take some getting used but after some practice it is easy and fast to use. And, the zip trim provides more than enough power to trim the cases with an easy pull of the cord. It is surprising to see the brass flakes fly with so little energy expended on the users. Three pulls and the case is trimmed. A couple more pulls with the chamfer and the case is ready to come off. Getting the trim guide into the case is easier when the case is in the zip trim compared to my previous methods.
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5 stars
JEREMY FORTNER of Atlanta, GA
Date posted: 9/4/2009
This is so much faster and easier than using the shellholders that come with the Lee trim pilots. If you hold the drum still while tightening the chuck, you'll have no problems. I used this with my Zip Trim to trim 400 .45 ACP, 100 .303 British, 750 .223 Rem, and 400 .44 mag cases so far and can't imagine having to do without it. This chuck and the Zip Trim are 2 of Lee's best creations yet. Both are very affordable, and both are very effective. This speeds up my case prep greatly. I would strongly advise any reloader to buy the Zip Trim and the 3 jaw chuck instead of the expensive trimmers from other makers. The money saved will easily pay for bullet molds, die sets, etc. Great product. Make sure you oil the O-ring on the Zip Trim spindle prior to chuck installation, as per Lee's instructions. It takes a little effort to screw the chuck all the way onto the spindle and over the O-ring the first time, but it's not a problem. I will never go back to the caliber specific case trim shellholders. Definitely worth the money.
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5 stars
GEORGE MASKE of CARBONDALE, CO
Date posted: 1/16/2010
Once you get the hang of how to use it, it really does work great. Once you open the jaws to remove a shell you have to turn it an additional turn to allow for the spring in the jaws. Once you get that figured out and the motions to do it down it is really fast when combined with the Zip Trim. Been using it awhile now and love it!
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4 stars
Bruce Layne of Lexington, KY
Date posted: 12/21/2006
I liked the Zip Trim, and the universal chuck was a large part of that. It takes a little time to find a technique that's fast and works well. The exact technique will be different for different people, so experiment for 200 cases to see what works for you. In general, unscrew the knurled ring half a turn to open the jaws and insert the case. Turn the knurled ring clockwise to engage the jaws to the case rim and pull the case back against the spindle on the Zip Trim. My first inclination was to try to hold the case head against the Zip Trim spindle to keep it straight, but that's very awkward and usually results in the jaws engaging the case above the rim and slipping, causing wobbly off center brass. Let the jaws catch the rim, and once it does, stop touching the brass as the chuck is tightened. The other way to keep the universal chuck from working is to try to insert the brass when the chuck is not opened far enough to grab the rim. Immediately before inserting the brass, turn the knurled ring counterclockwise for half a turn. One of the reviewers claimed his universal chuck had a break-in period and then worked more smoothly. That was true of mine as well. I think this could be improved if the chuck was spring loaded so the knurled ring was turned to open the jaws and released to have them tighten and cam against the case automatically, but it works very well as is once the operator gets the hang of it. I trimmed 228 cases with the shell holder in an electric drill, and a couple of days later I trimmed 471 of the same type of case with the Zip trim and Universal Jaw Chuck. I think the Zip Trim and Universal Jaw Chuck is the way to go. It was faster and easier than the drill. There can be a little wobble, but if it wobbles too much to trim the case effectively, there is something wrong with the way the case was loaded, so try again. I actually hold the ball grip case length gauge and cutter in my right hand and the chamfer tool and a ScotchBrite pad in the left, and I pick up a case and load it while holding those tools, so I never need to pick tools up off the bench, which save a lot of time. Juggling the tools works well for me, but I have large hands. It's nice to be able to trim different sized cases without the hassle of swapping shell holders. The time to load a case, trim to length, chamfer inside and outside the neck, polish the case and inspect it is a little under 30 seconds. To see a video of the universal chuck in use, search YouTube.com for Lee Zip Trim.
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4 stars
Paul Feist of Eureka, CA
Date posted: 2/28/2007
Other reviewers note that "purpose built" shell holders are generally better. They're partly right. However, when you deal with a LOT of different cases, it quickly becomes prohibitive to own EVERY SINGLE ONE, if they're even made! Lee, unfortunately, does not make trim-shell holders in many less common calibers. I LOVE the universal 3 jaw chuck. Be aware that it is STIFF and will require breaking in before it is easy to use! It will be VERY frustrating trying to swap cases at first. Once it breaks in, and you get the hang of it, it works very well. I recommend the stud that allows you to put it in a drill chuck. You can go from trimming .223 to trimming 11.15x58R Werndl M77 instantly (and try even FINDING a shell holder for THAT one!). A good augment for any loading bench, even if you do use many sizes of standard lee trimmer shell holders also.
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4 stars
MARK Z of Watkinsville, GA
Date posted: 8/15/2009
This works way better than the shell holder. I am using this for .223 and the shell holder would not stay tight through trimming and chamfering. This is easier to tighten and untighten because of the increased diameter as well.
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4 stars
Terry Meyer of Issaquah, WA
Date posted: 2/6/2003
This device really improves the utility of the Zip Trim. It is far quicker to mount and trim cases with this than using the shellholders that come standard with the Lee Case Length Gauge. It takes a little practice to get the case centered and secured quickly. Also, the mechanism on mine was rough when I first got it but it broke in and began to work smoothly after some use.
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3 stars
M M of Manassas, VA
Date posted: 9/13/2003
Works OK but the shell holder for a specific caliber works better. Great if you don't have a particular shell holder or for odd size cases.
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5 did not
2 stars
James Manning of Port charlotte, FL
Date posted: 1/28/2009
I trimmed 50 cases with this tool and found it to be very clumsy and no real improvement over the specific shell holder. You need 3 hands to load and retrieve your casing. I feel it is a good idea but at present it is a waste of money.
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1 stars
Chris Shipman of Moore, OK
Date posted: 4/14/2003
Did not find it useful. Difficult to use on cases. Easier to use regular shell holder that came with sizer.
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1 stars
JD Kinman of Dallas, TX
Date posted: 3/13/2008
I suppose there were people who loved the Edsel and made the Edsel work for them. In my opinion, this is Lee's version of the Edsel. Those who love it will swear by it. Those who don't, will swear at it. I'm in the latter category. I love the Zip Trim, but I wasted my money on this thing. Stick with the shell case holders. They tighten up easier and faster, and case loading is much easier and faster.
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1 stars
STAN S of , PA
Date posted: 5/17/2009
Did not find it useful. Difficult to use on cases. Easier to use regular shell holder that came with sizer. I tried several times with different cases but could not get it to work.
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1 stars
ERIK D of Long Island, NY
Date posted: 5/10/2009
Couldn’t get it to close right, I’m gonna just stick with the regular shell holders they seems to work fine.
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