Well, I am a beginning reloader, gathering equipment for my new hobby, and I came across a case tumbler made by Frankfort Arsenal. This is my first tumbler, and it caught my eye because I'm on a budget. (Not a budget that requires me to buy cheap things that will need replacing often, but a consciious one however) I had recently been considering the Lyman 1200 Turbo tumbler that I can get at Wal-Mart for $64.00, but this Frankfort Arsenal tumbler was at my local Sporstman's Warehouse for $40.00. So, the savings I would get can buy me a box of 100 bullets for my rifle which isn't much, but for an 18 year old kid like me, I'm thinkin it sounds pretty good. I would like to know if anyone has any experience with this product by FA, and whether or not they think it might break down on me too soon after normal usage. I would like to save the dough, but if you guys think I'm gonna have problems - let me know. I asked one of the guys that worked there what he thought, and he told me, "Never heard of 'em. Go for the Lyman." Thanks for any help you can give me.

DD55...

I have the Frankford Arsenal Tumbler (http://www.midwayusa.com/rewriteaproduct/317981) and at certain times it runs around the clock. This is a MidwayUSA brand and the link above will take you to that item on their web site. Under the picture is a link to customer reviews of the product.

I have had a Midway/Frankfort Arsenal tumbler for 15 yrs and it still runs fine. I have never had a problem with Midway in regard to guarantees or quality of their products. At times their prices give me fits but I am a satisfied customer of theirs and you could do worse.
I believe that Lyman makes Tumblers for Midway under license. The only real difference is the color of the plastic bowl and the mount of money in your pocket.

Take your savings and pick up a can of Hornady One-Shot case lube. It will make your reloading life considerably easier.

Best wishes

swede

Like I always say you get what you pay for. The frankfort was my first affordable at the time, still have it, heres what ended up happing with it, after a year stopped running one day, so being the person I am I took it apart, found a snapped wire,spliced it resoldered it and shrinkwraped it, ok for about a month, then it happen again, took it apart again, found another wire snapped, so this time replaced the three wires, Since then all is well, I think the shaking for some reason the wires were not in the right position,laying ageist the vibrator, so I resituated the wires away from the vibrator and all is well, its been over a year and I'm running that tumbler all the time, I use walnut media
seems to work well. Aim small hit small. RAMbo.

All tumblers whether they be vibratory or the actual tumbler type are made by only a couple different companies using different colored parts. My Thumblers tumbler is identical to the same unit sold by several brand names.....no doubt Frankfort is one of these. Might as well save the money......
You will find that digital scales are the same way........7-8 brand names but only a few that are actually different from each other.

Well, all of your imput really helped me out. Thanks for the incite. I think I'm gonna go ahead and go with the Midway tumbler, and I'll take the advice and grab the ONE SHOT lube... I've heard too much good stuff about it not to try it out.

I have never rolled a case on lube, I have always used RCBS spay lube,remember a little goes along way, if you do use to much, you might find dents on the shoulder of your bottleneck cases, those dents will come out after firing, I just spray accross the case from four side of the reloading block one squirt each side,let them sit for a few minuets and your ready resize. I also did not mention I put a dab of flitz in the media once in a while,helps polish up those cases as well. Good to go;) Aim small hit small. RAMbo.

DD55,

I tried to log on yesterday but without success simply to recommend "Imperial Sizing Die Wax" rather than Hornady One Shot or any other spray lubes. I have tried them all and nothing compares to "Imperial Sizing Die Wax".

A 2 oz. can cost $4.95. I have sized several thousand cases with it and have only used, maybe, an 1/8th of an ounce so far. Very clean to work with, far smoother than anything else I have used in the press, clean up of brass quick and easy.

I think Midway carries it if not I buy it from Russ Haydon's Shooter Supply, you can find him on the web.

My Frankford tumbler died after a few months of use, though at the time I used it probably once a week at most. I sent it back to them this month, and they fixed it under warrenty. I think it is a decent tumbler, but it makes alot of noise, and seems to be having another problem, it speeds up them drops to a constant speed.

Charles


Well, I am a beginning reloader, gathering equipment for my new hobby, and I came across a case tumbler made by Frankfort Arsenal. This is my first tumbler, and it caught my eye because I'm on a budget. (Not a budget that requires me to buy cheap things that will need replacing often, but a consciious one however) I had recently been considering the Lyman 1200 Turbo tumbler that I can get at Wal-Mart for $64.00, but this Frankfort Arsenal tumbler was at my local Sporstman's Warehouse for $40.00. So, the savings I would get can buy me a box of 100 bullets for my rifle which isn't much, but for an 18 year old kid like me, I'm thinkin it sounds pretty good. I would like to know if anyone has any experience with this product by FA, and whether or not they think it might break down on me too soon after normal usage. I would like to save the dough, but if you guys think I'm gonna have problems - let me know. I asked one of the guys that worked there what he thought, and he told me, "Never heard of 'em. Go for the Lyman." Thanks for any help you can give me.

I just got mine out of the box today and it ran for about 45 seconds then died.

My Lyman Turbo 1200 has run for years and has never missed a beat.

I got a lyman autoflo tumbler earlier this year, works great, the autoflo feature is nice if you are going to tumble large batches of the same brass, if you are going to do small batches together or just a few cases at a shot, get the lyman tumbler baggies, they keep all the shells together so you don't have to empty the tumbler or dig through the media

I had a Midway tumbler, made by Frankford Arsenal. It ran for a few years and then died. It was very noisy.

Because I purchase a lot of reloading stuff from Midway, I considered the FA, but fortunately purchased the Lyman 2200 Auto-flow tumbler instead. The Lyman tumbler is very quiet and the auto-flow feature has eliminated the need to sift thru the media with my hands. Go with the Lyman with the auto-flow feature.

On the Frankfort Arsenal that died, take it apart and check the wiring thats in the base, sometimes they have the wires leaning ageist the walls, in tern the wires will breakfree from vibration, I took the lugs off the connections and soldered them with shrink-wrap over the wires, made sure they are isolated from touching anything during vibration. I have had a Arsenal for four years now, with no troubles after doing my own eco work;) Aim small hit small. RAMbo.

On the Frankfort Arsenal that died, take it apart and check the wiring thats in the base, sometimes they have the wires leaning ageist the walls, in tern the wires will breakfree from vibration, I took the lugs off the connections and soldered them with shrink-wrap over the wires, made sure they are isolated from touching anything during vibration. I have had a Arsenal for four years now, with no troubles after doing my own eco work;) Aim small hit small. RAMbo.

I think this is just like anything everyone once in a while you get a Lemon just like with cars so you take your chances. I have had a no name vibrashine vortex for the past 6 years and not one hiccup, knock on wood. I reload 357mag, 40S&W, 44mag, 454casul, 500S&W, 45Colt and it tumbles all these very well and adding a little brass cleaner from Dillon to the media they come out looking better than brand new cases.