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Frankford Arsenal FX-10 progressive press


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$1200 MSRP isn't gonna be $1200 street. It also comes with their case feeder. It's basically XL750 money for something along the lines of an RL1100. It's a good proposition if it works in the long run, which is always the question with FA's stuff. They've got too much of a record of having good ideas without durability.

 

Even ignoring that, I am a little less enthusiastic about it after seeing that review. They have some clever ideas in terms of trying to cost-reduce by integrating the first decap and swage hold-down straight into the toolhead, and providing a mechanism for a second decap with early sizing to avoid ringers. The problem is that you pay for it by having priming in station 5 (vs station 4 on the Evo/Revo/Apex), which robs you of either a powder check or a bullet feeder if you're loading rifle with an M-die. The Loadmaster-style "let me place the bullet in front of the die and get pushed up by the case" is unreliable at best in my experience, and I'd be stunned if FA did it substantially better, especially with rifle bullets. I just don't think ringers are a big enough problem with good decappers to make the sacrifice of later priming.

 

(There was also a LOT of flex. Maybe that's a pre-production issue. I'm willing to hold my peace on that issue, at least for now.)

 

I'd be OK with one of these as a 9mm solution, though. I wouldn't need a separate expansion station, which would give me back my bullet feeder. And, yeah, 10 stations seems like overkill for 9mm, but I could see it working well:
1. Case feed

2. Integrated Decap

3. Size+Decap #2

4. Integrated Hold-down swage 

5. Prime (maybe with a priming support die?)

6. Powder + case mouth expansion

7. Powder Check

8. Bullet Feed

9. Bullet Seat

10. Crimp

 

 

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I wonder what they are doing for testing? I would think there has to be some out in the wild somewhere with a big hoss pulling the handle seeing what breaks first. Without testing and selling them letting the customer beta test is gonna be a potential mess.

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2 minutes ago, Chillywig said:

I wonder what they are doing for testing? I would think there has to be some out in the wild somewhere with a big hoss pulling the handle seeing what breaks first. Without testing and selling them letting the customer beta test is gonna be a potential mess.

probably giving one to gavintoobe for one of his glowing paid youtube reviews and "real world" testing

Edited by 18111811
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23 hours ago, Chillywig said:

I wonder what they are doing for testing? I would think there has to be some out in the wild somewhere with a big hoss pulling the handle seeing what breaks first. Without testing and selling them letting the customer beta test is gonna be a potential mess.

I get the impression that Gavin basically was looking at the first pre-production factory sample that actually worked correctly. If I make it to SHOT in January, I may see what I can do to get my hands on a review sample from them. I'm not a crazy high volume reloader, but I load enough that I'm gonna break a bad press pretty fast. (I also have a Mark7 to compare it to!)

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  • 4 weeks later...
On 10/4/2021 at 3:42 PM, erwos said:

$1200 MSRP isn't gonna be $1200 street. It also comes with their case feeder. It's basically XL750 money for something along the lines of an RL1100.

 

 

I disagree with this. From what I seen in the YouTube vid of gavintoob review it's not going to be a smooth running press. A lot of flex, and the not so smooth rotation of the shell plate is much worse then a rl1100. It looked to have a lot of extra movement in everything. Like things were machined with a lot of tolerance. 

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17 hours ago, Bakerjd said:

I disagree with this. From what I seen in the YouTube vid of gavintoob review it's not going to be a smooth running press. A lot of flex, and the not so smooth rotation of the shell plate is much worse then a rl1100. It looked to have a lot of extra movement in everything. Like things were machined with a lot of tolerance. 

It's a pre-production version of it. I'll hold judgement until I see the final version.

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 5 months later...
  • 5 months later...

I am gunna claim a lot of practice with evap-ro-ducts.

This one is not yet cleared the 5 year minimum to reach vapor status.

And, lets face it, there is a lost year in the time line.

 

Unlike most of the items I've been told are coming 'real soon now'

this one has a real example to view.

 

I believe they have made a classic error.

promising more at a lowlow price then they

are starting to appear to be able to deliver.

 

I am far less interested now because the press

no longer offers a clear and sharp bang for the bucks.

 

well who knows?  it may take the reloading world by storm.

 

miranda

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It’s sad as Frankfort Armory has many great products. Without primers being readily available how can these businesses stay in business. I don’t know how Dillons will keep a retail operation going. Dillons is local to me. 20 minutes and I can get almost anything I need. 

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 10/24/2022 at 6:31 PM, N7VY said:

It’s sad as Frankfort Armory has many great products. Without primers being readily available how can these businesses stay in business. I don’t know how Dillons will keep a retail operation going. Dillons is local to me. 20 minutes and I can get almost anything I need. 

Primers are readily available but they are no longer cheap/affordable.  So it's a valid point!  With pricing through the roof it has affected many competitive shooters and enthusiast.  

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Sure has.  

I used to shoot more .45 than 9mm, so when I splurged on a S1050 it was in .45; the 550 was good enough for 9mm and .38.

As I shifted over to more of the smallbore, I was thinking about either converting the S1050 to 9mm or buying a whole new dedicated machine.  But then Covid struck and the "supply chain" tangled and inflation built up, etc., etc. and I was shooting less, so I have just left the bench as was.  Good enough for present consumption.

Frex I was shooting at the Wednesday evening indoor USPSA with my .45 Buzzard in Limited-10 and scrambling after my brass. 

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thanks Sigcurious,

 

a pilot of 50 machines...  they did not need a pilot program.

that is friends and close family compared to what the market will be.

 

... hmmmm...

ok I do not know how many they think will sell.

hard to imagine they are expecting to sell only 2 to 5K...

 

well,  I think Lee's six holer may be a better value when compared to that price.

I also think a primer swage in the process may make up the deficiency.

 

miranda

Edited by Miranda
typoed an 'eye'
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2 hours ago, Miranda said:

thanks Sigcurious,

 

a pilot of 50 machines...  they did not need a pilot program.

that is friends and close family compared to what the market will be.

 

... hmmmm...

ok I do not know how many they think will sell.

hard to imagine they are expecting to sell only 2 to 5K...

 

well,  I think Lee's six holer may be a better value when compared to that price.

I also think a primer swage in the process may make up the deficiency.

 

miranda

 

 

Think of the Lee presses as the Harbor Freight of reloading presses, it will get the job done, but they are definitely not for the volume reloader.

 

Nolan

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