Looking for everything in one place? Frankford Arsenal’s new reloading and tumbler kits make this easy and affordable. Mike Lindsay, designer of the X-10, also shares some updates for 2023.
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Kits
Trent Rodgers from Frankford Arsenal took a few minutes to introduce us to their new reloading and tumbler kits.
Designed for new reloaders, the Frankford Arsenal Essentials Reloading Kit includes the new Frankford Arsenal F-1 Single Stage Press, Bench Top Powder Measure, Aluminum Powder Funnel Kit, Perfect Seat Hand Primer, Electronic Calipers, a DS-750 Powder Scale, Powder Trickler, and Universal Reloading Tray.
Three of these products are new for 2023 — the F-1 Single Stage Press, Bench Top Powder Measure, and Aluminum Powder Funnel Kit.
Guy Miner recently spent some time with the Perfect Seat Hand Primer included in this kit.
Kits provide an easy way for reloaders to get everything they need at once. Frankford Arsenal is also offering two Rotary Tumbler Lite kits this year, the Rotary Tumbler Lite Essentials Kit and the Rotary Tumbler Lite Professional Kit.
Both include the Frankford Arsenal Rotary Tumbler Lite, wet/dry media separator and 2 lbs. Of stainless steel media. The Professional kit also includes a brass dryer. Both of these kits have between $60 and $100 in savings versus buying the pieces individually.
The Rotary Tumbler Lite has been a staple of the Frankford Arsenal line for some time now. Here are our findings.
X-10 Updates
Late last year, Frankford Arsenal sent out 50 X-10 progressive presses to the public as part of their X-10 Pilot Program. Mike Lindsay, designer of the press, detailed that the program has been well-received and has provided a lot of good feedback, resulting in improvements to the X-10.
New progressive presses are never perfect right out of the box. It takes time and experimentation to find small idiosyncrasies. Frankford Arsenal’s pilot program expedites this process.
I’ve had hands-on time with a near-production model X-10 and have chronicled the experience here.
The X-10 is scheduled to be available to the general public very soon.
Also new for the X-10 are the pistol bullet collator and bullet feed caliber conversion kit. These are sold separately. There will be four versions of the caliber conversion kit available — for 9mm, .40 S&W, .45 ACP, and .38 Super. Lindsay explained this line may be expanded in the future, but these four calibers should cover most shooters.
The collator assembly has only a speed adjustment. All other adjustments are made to the collator plate which is included with the caliber conversion kit. The collator plate is a two piece system with five different numbered positions. As you rotate the plate, the plate rises which allows you to account for different length bullets. If you don’t want to change the plate adjustment and regularly load more than one bullet of the same caliber, you can purchase a separate plate and have one set up for each.
Aside from the plate, the other parts of the caliber conversion kit will remain with the X-10 toolhead. You can purchase additional toolheads and leave each set up for a specific caliber so you don’t have to change die adjustments. All you need to do when you swap out the toolhead is disconnect the spring from the feeder housing, unplug the switch connection from the feeder housing, swap out the other toolhead, and switch out the feeder plate.
Conclusion
I haven’t had the chance to personally work with the F-1 Single Stage Press or Bench Top Powder Measure yet — stay tuned!
Kits are a great way to get started in reloading and to have everything you need in one place. We’ve been working with the Rotary Tumbler Lite Professional Kit and especially appreciate having a brass dryer included.
I appreciate many features of the new X-10 as well as the pistol bullet collator. What are your thoughts and what would you like to know about this press?
Get the Gear
Frankford Arsenal Essentials Reloading Kit – Available Summer 2023
Rotary Tumbler Lite Essentials Kit – Available Spring 2023
Rotary Tumbler Lite Professional Kit – Available Spring 2023
X-10 Progressive Press with Case Feeder
X-10 Pistol Bullet Collator – Available Summer 2023
X-10 Conversion Kits: 9mm, .40 S&W, .45 ACP, .38 Super.
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Gavin Gear
