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Dillon Primer RF or Frankfort Vibra?


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BE looking for thoughts on the two choice for filling primers tubes. I have used both here and there at friends houses, but nothing long enough to have solid opinions on either machine.

Is the Dillon worth 200 more than the Frankfort in terms of function? I get the Dillon is made far better....

Thoughts, opinions, other?

Edited by Cundiff5535
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The Dillon RF 100 does not "full tubes". You dump a tray of primers into it, press the button and go back to loading. When you need another stack of 100 primers, it's ready for you to add them to the primer mag on the loader. Virtually no time is spent on the operators part preping primers.

Yea, it's well worth it!

jj

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They are totally different machines. I personally prefer the pal filler.

The Dillon loads a primer tube while you are loading ammo. This means stopping the reloading process to remove the tube, load the press, install the tube, add primers to eg and start it again.

Devices that let you load multiple tubes prior to a loading session help keep the process more fluid.

Another benefit to the pal filler/vibraprime type is you can see the primers going into the tube. This lets you inspect them and make sure they are all right side up. The RF can and does occasionally drop an upside down primer

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The RF drops upside down primers ONLY if it's not adjust properly.

And you have to stop to add primers every 100 pulls anyway. Using the RF is no more of an interuption. I use that pause to add powder, brass and bullets as well.

Edited by RiggerJJ
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I have two RL100's, One is setup for small primers the other for large. Yes, I know some may feel I'm lazy or have more money than I know what to do with. However I don't drink or smoke, and I figure the cost of either of these machines would be offset by a couple nights at a bar or a few weeks worth of cigarettes, and there's adverse effect on my liver or lungs. :roflol:

Having said that, why not try the vibra prime and see if you like it and if it suits your needs? It's not a major expense and you can always sell it and get back most of your money. :cheers:

Edited by Tom S.
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...

The Dillon loads a primer tube while you are loading ammo. This means stopping the reloading process to remove the tube, load the press, install the tube, add primers to eg and start it again....

As JJ indicated, the RF100 simply fills its own tube automatically while you continue to load. When your press gets low on primers, it takes but a moment to pull the now-filled tube from the RF100, discharge the primers into the presses primer magazine, then return the empty tube to the RF100, tip in another box of primers and set it going again. It does not get any easier.

RF100 is awesome.

THIS ^^^

Edited by StealthyBlagga
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...

The Dillon loads a primer tube while you are loading ammo. This means stopping the reloading process to remove the tube, load the press, install the tube, add primers to eg and start it again....

As JJ indicated, the RF100 simply fills its own tube automatically while you continue to load. When your press gets low on primers, it takes but a moment to pull the now-filled tube from the RF100, discharge the primers into the presses primer magazine, then return the empty tube to the RF100, tip in another box of primers and set it going again. It does not get any easier.

RF100 is awesome.

THIS ^^^

Of course it gets easier. 10 tubes loaded and standing by next to the press. Buzzer goes off, pull follower drop 100, replace follower, continue loading
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...

The Dillon loads a primer tube while you are loading ammo. This means stopping the reloading process to remove the tube, load the press, install the tube, add primers to eg and start it again....

As JJ indicated, the RF100 simply fills its own tube automatically while you continue to load. When your press gets low on primers, it takes but a moment to pull the now-filled tube from the RF100, discharge the primers into the presses primer magazine, then return the empty tube to the RF100, tip in another box of primers and set it going again. It does not get any easier.

RF100 is awesome.

THIS ^^^

Of course it gets easier. 10 tubes loaded and standing by next to the press. Buzzer goes off, pull follower drop 100, replace follower, continue loading

tqkenrj.jpg

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Is the Dillon worth 200 more than the Frankfort in terms of function?

That depends entirely on you. There are some folks that think priming on the press isn't worth it, most of them are people that think Dillon presses aren't worth the extra money over the progressive they bought that doesn't prime right.

Others thing buying a primer filler isn't worth it because they send pickup tubes with the press.

I like using mine because I can load around 20 rounds at the same time it is collating and filling a primer tube.

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Is the Dillon worth 200 more than the Frankfort in terms of function?

That depends entirely on you. There are some folks that think priming on the press isn't worth it, most of them are people that think Dillon presses aren't worth the extra money over the progressive they bought that doesn't prime right.

Others thing buying a primer filler isn't worth it because they send pickup tubes with the press.

I like using mine because I can load around 20 rounds at the same time it is collating and filling a primer tube.

Just a quick response. I had a RF-100 for about 5 years. It worked really great. On a rare occasion it would insert an upside down primer but that was not an issue since it was really RARE ! My problem was that I had a hard time not watching that thing sorting primers ! I could not take my eyes off of it while it was working. It ruined my reloading productivity - I just had to watch it all of the time.

I then sold it and bought one of those fine Franklin Arsenal Vibra-primes. After 5 months of using it, the motor died. I probably only used it 5 times in that 5 months since I was doing a lot of load development, which only requires a minimal # of primers.

I'm now using the std Dillon flip tray and picking each primer up individually !

I should of never sold my trusty RF-100 !

True Story :blush:

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Here's my comparison of the two;

After every 100 rounds with the Dillon RF100

Remove tube from RF100, position over the primer feed tube on your press, pull pin and drop primers, return tube to rf100, fill top of machine with primers, press button, go back to loading

*Nothing to do in between and once the process is started you will always have a full tube ready.

Vibra prime

Before you do any loading;

Fill the tray with primers, attach to a fill tube, run the vibra prime while you hold it at the right angle, when tube is full place the tube aside (repeat as neccesary)

After every 100 rounds with Vibra Prime

pickup a filled primer tube, position over the primer feed tube on your press, pull pin and drop primers, place empty tube aside, go back to loading

*after you've used your 'inventory' of full tubes you have to go back to loading them up.

RF100 isn't cheap but I love mine.

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BE looking for thoughts on the two choice for filling primers tubes. I have used both here and there at friends houses, but nothing long enough to have solid opinions on either machine.

Is the Dillon worth 200 more than the Frankfort in terms of function? I get the Dillon is made far better....

Thoughts, opinions, other?

It really all depends, is it worth it to me.... 100%.

I run fairly large batches of 9mm, usually 2-4K over two nights. I currently have mine configured for small primer. Before I load brass into the case feeder I start the RF100. It will usually load the tube before I'm done getting everything ready for the session. Once I remove the loaded primer tube from the RF100 assembly a dump into the primer feeder on the press I simply dump another package of primers on the RF100 and hit start, unit shuts off shortly after and I have my next 100 primers ready to rock well before they are needed. Rinse and repeat.

Prior to this I was loading 10 tubes manually at a time, this would take some time, and I'd often have to reload additional ones towards the end of the session..... overall I found this to be very time consuming, so I gave the RF100 a try.... I would never ever go back to loading primer tubes by hand unless I was doing very small runs.

Still use tubes for large primers, but don't reload enough of them to justify another RF100 or even converting my existing machines over.

My time is worth more than the $200 difference you referenced.

Hope this helps :devil:

~g

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