Frankford Arsenal Case Trim and Prep Center
For the second test I dug up some old 6.5 Creedmoor cases that I had recently retired after 15 firings. This brass had measured within .001" to the shoulder datum on the previous reload and I knew it could eliminate any inconsistencies due to differing head to shoulder lengths. Also, the CTPC cutter felt a little dull on my first test so I replaced it with the cutter out of my RCBS trimmer to see if that would help as well for the second test.
Setting up the machine for the Creedmoor cases took less than 5 minutes (including swapping out the cutter) and the initial trimming seemed easier with the new cutter installed and deburring was noticeably easier as well. Once my trim length was verified, I proceeded to trim 50 cases and measure them all at the end. The entire batch of cases varied by only .003" and 40 of them measured right on the money. Had this been my experience with my first test I would have been singing the praises of this machine from my rooftop for the whole neighborhood to hear. This second test provided everything I was hoping for when I received this machine for review-fast and accurate brass processing.
After my testing I looked up what people were saying about this unit on social media and web reviews at on online retailers. I found a mixed bag that basically mirrored my experience. Some users loved the trimmer and found it to be fast and consistent while others struggled to get accurate trim lengths and complained of dull cutters. I actually called Frankford Arsenal and had them send me a replacement cutter and the service was very fast but the second cutter wasn't a whole lot better than the first.
My advice to anyone who has this unit and is not happy with it, is to replace the cutting head with one from a different maker and see if it makes a difference. Also, full-length resize your brass to try and make all the shoulder measurements consistent and I imagine your problems will be solved and you'll be happy with the unit's performance.
My final verdict is this: if I were looking to buy a case prep center this would go to the top of my list because for just a little bit more money than other units, you get an included case trimmer for any of your bottleneck cartridges. If I were just looking for a trimmer I'm not sure I'd buy it at full retail but if I found a good sale on one I would highly consider it. Also, it is important to remember that while this trimmer proved to be very easy and fast to use for bottleneck cases, it will not work for straight walled cases. So if you plan on trimming pistol cases this unit would not be of much use to you as a trimmer. However, it would still be excellent at helping you deburr cases trimmed by another unit.
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About The Author:
Justin Hyer began reloading during high school and developed a passion for making precision shots that quickly blossomed into a love for long range shooting. He has spent his whole life living in the shadow of the Utah mountains and enjoys being minutes away from excellent shooting, hunting and fishing locations. He currently works as a product development engineer designing medical implants and instruments.
Setting up the machine for the Creedmoor cases took less than 5 minutes (including swapping out the cutter) and the initial trimming seemed easier with the new cutter installed and deburring was noticeably easier as well. Once my trim length was verified, I proceeded to trim 50 cases and measure them all at the end. The entire batch of cases varied by only .003" and 40 of them measured right on the money. Had this been my experience with my first test I would have been singing the praises of this machine from my rooftop for the whole neighborhood to hear. This second test provided everything I was hoping for when I received this machine for review-fast and accurate brass processing.
After my testing I looked up what people were saying about this unit on social media and web reviews at on online retailers. I found a mixed bag that basically mirrored my experience. Some users loved the trimmer and found it to be fast and consistent while others struggled to get accurate trim lengths and complained of dull cutters. I actually called Frankford Arsenal and had them send me a replacement cutter and the service was very fast but the second cutter wasn't a whole lot better than the first.
My advice to anyone who has this unit and is not happy with it, is to replace the cutting head with one from a different maker and see if it makes a difference. Also, full-length resize your brass to try and make all the shoulder measurements consistent and I imagine your problems will be solved and you'll be happy with the unit's performance.
My final verdict is this: if I were looking to buy a case prep center this would go to the top of my list because for just a little bit more money than other units, you get an included case trimmer for any of your bottleneck cartridges. If I were just looking for a trimmer I'm not sure I'd buy it at full retail but if I found a good sale on one I would highly consider it. Also, it is important to remember that while this trimmer proved to be very easy and fast to use for bottleneck cases, it will not work for straight walled cases. So if you plan on trimming pistol cases this unit would not be of much use to you as a trimmer. However, it would still be excellent at helping you deburr cases trimmed by another unit.
__________________________________________________________________
About The Author:
Justin Hyer began reloading during high school and developed a passion for making precision shots that quickly blossomed into a love for long range shooting. He has spent his whole life living in the shadow of the Utah mountains and enjoys being minutes away from excellent shooting, hunting and fishing locations. He currently works as a product development engineer designing medical implants and instruments.
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