Our friend Jim See of Elite Accuracy LLC recently tested the depth-adjustable hand priming tool from Frankford Arsenal. This product, called the Platinum Series Perfect Seat Hand Primer has some unique features. Primer seating depth can be adjusted with a handy wheel in the tool’s center handgrip. Each “click” of the wheel moves the primer post .001″ (one one-thousandth of an inch). Additionally, the design of the case-holder allows quick and easy removal of a primed case. The unit ships with a full set of shell-holders to match all types of cases. Like many other hand priming units, the primers are loaded into a flip tray that attaches to the head of the tool.
Here is Jim See’s quick review of the Frankford priming tool:
“The Frankford Arsenal perfect hand-priming tool is legit. The tool is built heavy and strong. The only plastic parts in it are the tray and lid. The [primer] seating depth adjustment… is simple and accurate. Easy to operate. I primed 1000 cases, averaging 23 per minute. I adjusted the depth of seating between two different lots of brass in seconds. The system seats primers easily with one hand operation. The cases slide out on their own after seating. Insert, seat, reach for a new case at the same time as you are operating the lever, case slides out and you are inserting the next piece.”
Overall, Jim was “Super impressed with the quality and the results. This thing is super smooth — way less pressure needed than my Lee or RCBS. It’s a lot faster too.” Jim add that one can switch from small to large primer posts in 10-15 seconds.
This Video Shows the Frankford Priming Tool in Operation:
Even with premium brass you may want to adjust your primer seating depth: “Every thing has a tolerance that is acceptable in manufacturing. If primer pocket depth has a .005″ tolerance and the primers themselves have a .002″ tolerance you can see why adjustments would be needed. In this case the two lots were manufactured on year apart. Could you expect them to be identical?”
At the request of our readers, we provide select “Deals of the Week”. Every Monday morning we offer our Best Bargain selections. Here are some of the best deals on firearms, hardware, reloading components, and shooting accessories. Be aware that sale prices are subject to change, and once clearance inventory is sold, it’s gone for good. You snooze you lose.
1. Aero Precision — Cerakote AR Upper and Lower Kit, $399.99
Thinking of putting together an accurate AR for the new PRS Gas Gun series (or 3-Gun matches)? Here’s a good place to start. Aero Precision now offers a kit with Upper and Lower Receivers and Handguard — all with a durable Cerokote finish. Just add barrel, buttstock, trigger, controls and your bolt carrier group. Note: This kit will work with the .223 Rem and similar-length, larger-caliber cartridges such as the 6mmAR and 6.5 Grendel. If you want to shoot a 6.5 Creedmoor, you’ll need an AR10 platform rifle.
2. Midsouth — Labradar Chronograph and Accessories
Midsouth Shooters Supply is now carrying the advanced Labradar chronograph. This unique unit allows you to measure your shots without having to set up a tripod and skyscreens downrange. When you start using a Labradar, you’ll never want to go back to old-style chronographs. You can also purchase the Labradar from Bruno Shooters Supply. Price is $559.95 from either vendor. NOTE: In a few months Labradar plans to offer Bluetooth functionality, allowing you to control the machine remotely with your mobile device. This functionality will come via new software — the Bluetooth transceiver is built-in to all current Labradar units, so you can buy one now and use Bluetooth later (when the software is released this spring).
3. EuroOptic.com — Tikka T3 Liquidation Sale, Huge Discounts
Looking for a great price on an excellent hunting rifle? Here is the Tikka Deal of the Decade. EuroOptic.com has received nearly 3,500 Tikka T3 rifles, which will be sold at deep discounts as part of an inventory clearance program by Beretta, Tikka’s parent company. The Tikka T3 is a good, stout rifle with a smooth action, crisp trigger, and quality barrel. Accuracy is typically well under 1 MOA (for three shots). T3 barreled actions also are a good “core” for a tactical build. The strong T3 action handles detachable magazines, and fits a variety of third-party stocks.
4. Natchez — RCBS ChargeMaster Dispenser, $259.99
Here’s a very good deal on the popular RCBS ChargeMaster combo scale/powder dispenser. This unit sells elsewhere for up to $389.00. You may want to act quickly as sale pricing changes frequently and many other vendors have recently raised their prices. Grafs.com sells this for $382.99 now while the current Amazon.com price is $296.99. You can save a lot through Natchez right now.
If you are serious about your precision firearms, you need one of these. We use the Lyman Electronic Trigger Pull Gauge to test the triggers on all our match and varmint rifles. The unit is precise and repeatable. Once you try one of these you won’t want to go back to crude spring trigger gauges. Amazon.com offers this unit for $51.95 with free shipping for Prime members. Walmart also has it for $51.95 with free shipping or free in-store pickup.
6. Sportsman’s Guide — Frankford Arsenal Case Tumbler Kit
For just $69.99, this Frankford Arsenal Kit provides everything you need to clean brass: Vibratory Tumbler, Rotary Media Separator, Bucket, Corn Cob Media (3 lbs.), and Brass Polish. The Case Tumbler holds up to 600 9mm cases or 350 .223 Rem cases. The separator system is generous, with a 3.5-gallon bucket. NOTE: Sportsman’s Guide Buyers Club members can purchase for $62.99.
7. Amazon — Tipton 12-pc Ultra-Jag Set, $16.99
Brass jags work well — with one hitch. Strong copper solvents can leech metal from the jag itself, leaving a tell-tale blue tint on your patches. This “false positive” can lead shooters to over-clean their barrels. No such problem with these nickel-plated Ultra Jags. For just $16.99 you can get 12 jags in a handy, clear-top fitted caddy. All Tipton nickel-plated jags have 8-32 thread, except for the .17 caliber jag which has a 5-40 thread.
8. Amazon — Neiko Digital Calipers, $16.45
Even if you have a good set of calipers, you may want to get one of these Neiko 01407A Digital Calipers. The #1 best-selling digital caliper on Amazon.com, this Neiko tool features a large LCD Screen and measures up to 6.0 inches. With over 2300 customer reviews, this product has earned an overall rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars. It’s hard to go wrong for $17.74, even if you just use these as a spare set for measuring group sizes and case trim lengths.
At the request of our readers, we provide select “Deals of the Week”. Every Monday morning we offer our Bargain selections. Here are some of the best deals on firearms, hardware, reloading components, and shooting accessories. Be aware that sale prices are subject to change, and once clearance inventory is sold, it’s gone for good. You snooze you lose.
1. Bullets.com — 6mm Dasher Brass from Norma
It’s finally here, ladies and gentlemen — factory-made Dasher brass. That means no more fireforming! This 6mm Dasher brass has been custom crafted by Norma exclusively for Bullets.com. A special blend of brass together with special treatment of the primer pockets has produced casings that will last for many firings under normal use. The necks have been specially lengthened and are .290″ from shoulder. Overall length is 1.598″ and neck walls are approximately .013″ thick. Available in packs of 100 ($109.95) or 500 ($529.95).
NOTE: This extra-sturdy brass has a thicker rim which may not work in your standard shell holder. Custom shell holder item BL12100 is designed to accommodate the heavy rim of these cases.
2. CDNN Sports — 1911-Type .22 LR Target Pistol
Everyone should have an accurate .22 LR target pistol. This German-made GSG 1911 22LR pistol shares the look, feel, and ergonomics of J.M. Browning’s classic model 1911 so it’s good for cross-training. We’ve tried this pistol and the trigger is pretty darn good — though don’t expect it be be as nice as a S&W Model 41. But consider that the GSG costs just $249.99. By contrast, MSRP on a new Model 41 is a steep $1369.00. For cross-training and target work the GSG is a very good value.
3. Monmouth Reloading — Sig Sauer Kilo 2000 LRF, $499.00
This excellent laser rangefinder rivals other premium LRFs selling for hundreds more. Head-to-head field tests with Leica, Zeiss, and Swarovski LRFs proved that the new Sig Sauer Kilo 2000 can play in that league, but at a much more affordable price point. Sig accomplishes that with tight beam divergence and state-of-the-art DSP technology which allows the Kilo 2000 to range faster (and more reliably) at longer distances. Optic magnification is 7X. The Kilo 2000 weighs 7.5 oz and measures 3″ x 4.2″ x 1.3″.
SAVE MORE: Right now you can save an additional $110 off every Rangefinder Monmouth Reloading sells, including the Sig Kilo 2000. To save an additional $110, use Coupon Code LRF 110. That will lower your cost to $389.00 for the Kilo 2000, which is a total steal. (Time-Limited Offer!)
4. Cabelas.com — Rock Chucker Supreme Reloading Kit
Everything you see above can be yours for just $225.00, after manufacturer’s rebate. Right now, Cabela’s is selling the Rock Chucker Supreme Master Reloading Kit for $300.00. That’s a good deal as this Reloading Kit sells elsewhere for up to $360.00. But he’s the real incentive — if you spend $300.00 on RCBS products in 2016, RCBS will send you a $75.00 rebate. With that REBATE, your net cost is just $225.00 for the entire Kit.
5. Amazon — Motorola Walkie Talkies, $42.56 per Pair
Walkie-Talkies are “must-have” items for long-range shooting. The 22-CH Motorola MH230R Two-Way Radio is Amazon’s #1 Best Seller in FRS/GMRS Handheld Radios. This under-$45.00 set offers 22 channels with a claimed range up to 23 miles (We’ve used them and they worked at 3 miles line of sight). The kit includes: 2 radios, 2 belt clips, 1 dual drop-in charger, 1 charging adapter, 2 NiMH rechargeable battery packs. Run-time is about 10 hours — plenty for a full day of shooting. There is also a newer version, the Motorola T260 for $59.00.
6. Amazon — Nikon 1-4x20mm M-223 Scope with BDC, $212.46
Under the CMP’s new Service Rifle Rules, you can use an optic with up to 4.5X magnification and 34mm objective. If you have money to burn, you could purchase the excellent new Nightforce 4.5x24mm SR scope for $1950.00. Or, if you would rather put your money into barrels, bullets, and brass, you can spend a whole lot less. This little Nikon 1-4x20mm M-223 can do the job and right now it’s on sale for under $215.00! You could buy NINE of these Nikons for the price of one Nightforce SR. That certainly makes you think about priorities.
7. Grafs.com — NEW Nikon Wind Meter for SmartPhones, $28.99
Here’s a great new gadget for under $30.00. Nikon’s new Spot On™ Ballistic Wind Meter plugs directly into the headphone port on most popular smart phones. The Spot On Wind Meter reads both wind speed and direction and inputs the data directly into Nikon’s free Spot On Ballistics Mobile App (available for iOS and Android). This allows you to quickly determine and calculate wind drift corrections without needing a separate, dedicated wind meter. When not in use, the Nikon device easily fits in a pocket.
8. Amazon – Frankford Arsenal Master Tumbler Kit, $56.65
This Master Tumbler Kit contains everything you need to tumble rifle or pistol brass. Now on sale for $56.65, this Kit contains: Vibratory Tumbler, Rotary Media Separator, Plastic Bucket, 3 lbs. Cleaning Media, and 4 oz. Brass Polish. This product has received excellent reviews from verified purchasers.
Looking for authentic U.S. Military Specification Standards (MIL-STD) for gun parts, safety products, or other hardware? Log on to EverySpec.com. This website provides FREE access to the complete archive of U.S. Government spec sheets and technical manuals. You can quickly access and download thousands of public domain U.S. Government documents. For example, we searched for “Picatinny” and came up with MIL-STD-1913 “Dimensioning of Accessory Mounting Rail for Small Arms Weapons”. With one click we downloaded the file as a PDF. Then a search for “M118″ yielded the engineering drawing for 7.62×51 M118 LR Match ammo. Pretty cool.
Using EverySpec.com is fast and easy. And everything you find and save is FREE. Search as often as you like — there are no limits on search requests or downloads. You can either search by keyword, or Federal Supply Class Code (FSC). CLICK HERE for a complete list of FSCs for all products.
Here are FSCs for a few common product types. Keep in mind that there are hundreds of other FSCs — for everything from Office Supplies (FSC 7510) to Nuclear Projectiles (FSC 1110).
1095 — Miscellaneous Weapons (incl. Knives) 1240 — Optical Sighting and Ranging Equipment 1395 — Miscellaneous Ammunition (incl. Small Arms) 3455 — Cutting Tools for Machine Tools 6140 — Batteries, Rechargeable 6230 — Electric Portable Lighting Equipment 7640 — Maps, Atlases, Charts and Globes 8340 — Tents and Tarpaulins 8405 — Outerwear, Mens
Credit Gunsmith Thomas ‘Speedy’ Gonzales for finding this resource. Thanks Speedy!
Note, this is a limited-time offer with Free Solution (August 2015).
So, what do you do with wet cartridge brass after ultrasonic cleaning or wet-tumbling with stainless media? Most of us just dump the brass into a plastic strainer or a colander, shake the casings a little to get the water out, then let the brass air-dry on a tray. We don’t recommend drying brass in a hot oven. If, by mistake, you leave your brass in the oven too long (or set the temp too high), you may slow-anneal your brass, which can end up weakening the brass.
If you can’t wait for your brass to air-dry naturally, there is another solution. Frankford Arsenel now offers a brass dryer that can dry up to 1000 pieces of .223 Rem brass or 2000 pieces of 9mm pistol brass. Yes, here’s yet another gadget for your man cave/reloading center. This unit employs forced air convection heating to dry brass quickly without water spots. This “Platinum Series” Brass Dryer features five (5) removable drying trays so you can dry different types of brass (without mixing) at the same time. Frankford says the max air temperature in the machine is about 160° F — that won’t over-cook your brass. And the “forced air flow” system distributes heat evenly.
Frankford Arsenal Brass Dryer Features
Specifically designed to dry brass after Rotary Wet-Tumbling or Ultrasonic cleaning.
Vented trays provide optimal airflow to minimize drying time.
Top-mounted fan, circulates up to 160°F air to quickly dry the brass inside and out.
Five (5) removable trays easily dry up to 1,000 pieces of .223 brass in less than 1 hour.
Free Cleaning Solution with Frankford Arsenal Brass Dryer
Currently, Grafs.com is offering a FREE 30-oz. bottle of Ultrasonic Brass Solution with every Brass Dryer unit sold. A $15.99 value, the solution goes a long way — you mix it at a 40:1 ratio with water. And, Frankford Arsenal claims: “Our Cleaning Solutions are so strong that they can be used for multiple cleaning cycles before having to mix new solution”.
More and more shooters are “wet-tumbling” their brass (in liquid) with reusable polishing media, rather than using dry media in a vibratory tumbler. The “wet-cleaning” method works best with a rotary tumbler fitted with a water-tight, horizontal drum to hold your brass, cleaning solution, and stainless, pin-type media. The rotary tumbler of choice has been the Thumler’s Tumbler Model B Heavy-Duty. That is a great, sturdy machine, but now you have a more affordable option.
Frankford Arsenal has introduced a “Platinum Series” rotary tumbler designed to clean cartridge brass with liquid and stainless media.The watertight, polymer drum rides on four rollers which rotate the drum around its horizontal axis. Two filters are provided so you can quickly separate your brass and media. A built-in timer allows you to set tumbling sessions up to three hours. Frankford Arsenal says its new product will clean up to 1000 cases of .223 Rem brass. That’s impressive capacity.
The Frankford Arsenal rotary tumbler is sold by major retailers including Grafs.com and Cabelas. You’ll find the best prices online.
Amazon Deal
Update 12/28/2015: The Amazon special has expired. As with all sales, timing is everything. Check the link at right for current pricing. You can also check with other vendors such as Midsouth Shooters Supply.
How to Wet-Clean Your Brass in a Rotary Tumbler On our main Accurateshooter.com website, you’ll find a comprehensive review of the STM system for cleaning cartridge brass with stainless media. To clean brass with stainless media, start with five pounds of small stainless pins sold by StainlessTumblingMedia.com. Place these along with a gallon of water, a little liquid cleaner, and two pounds of cartridge brass in a rotary tumbler, and run the machine for one to four hours. CLICK HERE for Brass Cleaning System Review
Forum Member Tests STM System
Our reviewer, Forum member Jason Koplin, purchased the STM media and a new Thumler’s Tumbler. He then tested the STM cleaning procedure on his own brass, including some extremely dirty and tarnished “range pick-up” brass. Jason was thoroughly impressed with how well the STM process worked — as you can see from the “before and after” photos below. Brass which looked like it was ready for the scrap heap was restored to “like-new” appearance. The process works equally well on both rifle brass and pistol brass. Jason observed that one surprise benefit of the STM cleaning procedure is a big reduction in noise. Jason said the water-filled rotary tumbler was much quieter than his vibratory tumblers.
Many shooters prefer to deprime their fired cartridge cases before other operations (such as neck-sizing and full-length sizing). In addition, when cleaning brass with an ultrasonic system, it’s not a bad idea to remove primers first. That way the primer pockets get cleaned during the ultrasonic process.
To deprime cases before sizing or cleaning you can use a Depriming Die (aka “decapping die”). This pushes out the spent primer without changing the neck or body of a case. Such decapping dies work fine, but they do require the use of a press.
New Handheld Primer Removal Tool From Frankford Arsenal
Here’s a new tool that allows you to deprime cartridge cases without a press. This new hand-tool from Frankford Arsenal will deprime (and capture primers) conveniently. You can deprime your cases while watching TV or relaxing in your favorite chair.
This handy depriming tool is very versatile. With a universal, cylinder-style cartridge-holder, the tool can deprime a wide variety of cartridge types from .20 caliber up to .338 caliber. Spent primers are captured in a removable spent primer catch tube. With die-cast metal construction, this tool should last through many thousands of depriming cycles. MSRP is $54.99.
Will This Tool Work with Small Flash Hole Brass?
This new depriming tool will be introduced at SHOT Show in January 2015. We have not been able to measure the decapping shaft diameter, so we do not know whether this hand tool will work with small flash-holes found on Lapua benchrest brass (such as 220 Russian and 6mmBR). We’ll try to answer that question at SHOT Show. This tool is so new the specs are not yet listed on Frankford Arsenal’s website.
Product find by EdLongrange. We welcome reader contributions.
Larry Potterfield, the founder of MidwayUSA, and other Potterfield family members have (collectively) sold the Potterfield family’s interest in Battenfeld Technologies Inc. (“Battenfeld”). Battenfeld produces a wide variety of products, under a collection of familiar brand names: Frankford Arsenal, Caldwell Shooting Supplies, Fajen Gunstocks, Wheeler Engineering, Tipton Gun Cleaning Supplies, PAST Recoil Protection and others. Most shooters are familiar with the green Caldwell front rests, the handy Tipton Gun Vises, and Frankford Arsenal tumblers and reloading accessories. These are all popular Battenfeld products, and most of them are marketed aggressively through MidwayUSA.
In a buy-out transaction, the entire Potterfield family ownership interest in Battenfeld Technologies, Inc. was sold to Clearview Capital (a private equity group) and to members of Battenfeld’s existing management team. In connection with the sale of ownership, current CEO Russell Potterfield will step down, and three current Battenfeld Vice Presidents will assume leadership, “working together in a joint effort”. Taking over the reigns at Battenfeld are: Jim Gianladis (current VP of Products and Marketing), Bob Zara (current VP of Sales), and Adam Birk (current VP of Engineering and Operations).
Gianladis stated “We are extremely excited about the future of Battenfeld; we have always been committed to designing high quality, innovative products and look forward to continuing that legacy. We are proud to be a part of the Clearview Capital family.”
“New ownership is going to be able to take Battenfeld in new and exciting directions, helping them to continue their proud heritage of innovation and market-leading new product introductions,” says Russell Potterfield, former Battenfeld CEO. “I’m hugely proud of what the Battenfeld team has been able to accomplish and what they will be able to accomplish as an entity outside of the Potterfield Group umbrella of companies.”
Battenfeld’s Production Facilities and Workforce Remain in Place
Battenfeld will continue to operate from its current facility and all contact information will stay the same. The workforce will remain unchanged. “There will be absolutely no disruption to customer service or shipping,” says current Sales VP, Bob Zara. Brandon Butler, Battenfeld Marketing Manager, added that: “Nothing’s really changed as far as Battenfeld’s future plans. We will continue to invent and develop new products and expand distribution to meet consumer demand.”
Battenfeld Will Expand Relationships with Multiple Retailers
Becoming an independent company should benefit Battenfeld in the long run. Butler explained: “The ownership change breaks down a lot of barriers with retailers other than MidwayUSA, so that our products can be more widely distributed. Over the years, as both MidwayUSA and Battenfeld Technologies grew, there became more and more perception of a potential conflict of interest between Battenfeld and our customers. It made sense that certain retailers were leery of supporting a company that indirectly supported their competition. The sale of Battenfeld to Clearview Capital removes that potential conflict,” said Butler. However, MidwayUSA will continue to distribute Battenfeld products, remaining a key retail partner.
On our main 
Larry Potterfield, the founder of 
