I own 2 L.E. Wilson case trimmers,non stainless and decided to purchase their new All Stainless trimmer CT-SSKIT and improved screw diameter and their micro-adjust barrel. Like many and over my 45 year reloading career rust has been a negative factor in machine tool steel. This new cutter is also a life time purchase. I use case trimmers daily in my reloading business and I own everything from a Lee hand trimmer to the Giraud super fast electric.

My older L.E. Wilson trimmers have accoutrements as made by Sinclair Int’l(now Brownell’s). One has Sinclair’s black anodized micrometer barrel graduated in exact .001″ delineations and 1/10 inch barrel scribe lines. The other Wilson-Sinclair trimmer of mine uses the Starrett 1″ micrometer fitted with a screw-on tip allowing precise 0-1″ adjustment with a broader surface tip.
Both of my older Wilson trimmers have the Sinclair proprietary 1″ stainless trimmer spacer their item # 749-002-094 or WX11 at $12.99 a definite investment as this allows you to cut cases that are nominally 1″ shorter than the Wilson trimmer or Sinclair version provides.

My learning of this new L.E. Wilson all stainless micro-adj trimmer was somewhat different from my direct-read micrometers discussed above. This newer tool uses as mentioned a larger stop screw which besides being a non-rust oxide finish, offers a better stop for the base of a case while trimming, a great improvement.
The micro-adjust on this new trimmer differs in that there is no direct dial-in for a desired case length trim length in my example a .243Win at 2.035″ trim-to length.
Wilson suggests setting up the barrel stop to a point about 2 scribe lines on the micro barrel then tighten the thump screw that keeps the micrometer barrel from turning. Wilson then suggests loosening the set screw on the barrel itself making sure the thumb screw is still tight and aligning the loosened barrel nut and setting it to “zero”. This is all done with an untrimmed case in the appropriate case holder. The cutter blade is then bottomed out on its stop nut resting on the right hand bearing, and the case holder with test case residing on this newly set micro adjusted micrometer. You are then instructed to make a trial cut and check the length,then loosen only the thumb screw and bring the large screw clock wise by increments of .001″ to attain correct case trim length. This new micrometer is only a reference number as the barrel has no direct micrometer read-out expressed in inches and decimals. This is only a point to start when doing one particular caliber (.243 in my case). If you set up for a .308 or other caliber, you cannot simply dial in the length, you have to make “trial cuts”again and establish a new micrometer reference setting.

I did the following to keep a micrometer as a micrometer as we know it. I took two Sinclair WX11 spacers back to back (now 2″ long exactly) and placed them in this new trimmer touching the cutter which is firmly against the right side bearing, and the other end of the spacers touching the advance screw stop. I then call this my 2″ reference. I then loosen the small set screw on the micro barrel and set the indicator at “ZERO” thus establishing zero as 2 ” exactly. A case length to be trimmed to 2.035″ in my .243 simply means turning the re-zeroed mike counter-clockwise only .035″ which now reads on the barrel the number .035″ which is only after turning my micrometer from my “Zero” setting of 2 inches.I I always return my micrometer to “0”, then I always know that 2.0″ exists between cutter bearing side to screw side and any case length longer means opening up the screw by how many thousands longer than 2.0 inches is required. Cases shorter that 2″ you can use one Sinclair spacer (1″) to narrow the zero gap to a minimum of 1.5″ which should be sufficient for all but a few small rifle or pistol trimmings. I suggest as well investing in the fine Sinclair-Brownell’s 749-003-706WB (054800) Trimmer Platform for a secure base with rubber feet and pre-drilled for the Wilson trimmer,screws included. The cost is $39.95.