Antique Frankford depriming tools

[marlinman93]

I attended the Denver gun show last weekend, and ran into these old Frankford depriming tools, and case. Dirt cheap, and they appeared to actually be a collectable I could use!


They are two different diameter pins, and one seems to fit .32-40, while the other is .38-55 caliber cases. I tried them both, and they will quickly deprime cases for cleaning! A Google search brought up a new Frankford Arsenal tool, that appears to be a slightly modified version. I'm sure it's not the same company, as these two tools are dated to WWI era. I guess a great idea is destined to be copied.

[OS OK]

…Sexy!...

[tradbear55]

Nice looking tools.

[big bore 99]

Nice to carry out to the range for depriming, saving you that operation when you get back home. Especially if you neck size only, like I do.

[marlinman93]

Yes, I try to not size more than needed. I'm also starting to breech seat a little, and this will help that task a bunch! I have a couple Pope style re-decappers, but they aren't near as good at the task of depriming as these tools! I will use the Pope style to re-prime.
With the two tools, my breech seater tool, and my Harrel powder measure, I can shoot all day with one case if I breech seat my bullets as I shoot!

[Green Frog]

Gee, marlinman93, it looks like you are going full out schuetzen on us here! I've never had a chance to get one of the old Frankfort tools at anything like an affordable price but I'd love to have one for the collection. As for using it at the range, isn't it a bit of overkill if you already have the Pope-type tool? Unless a primer were crimped in (a whole other consideration) I've never noticed needing to exert undue effort using my Jake Simmons copy of the Pope to decap anything I've tried it on. I will admit, though, that you get extra "cool points" for the new tool at your bench. This plays into my longtime strategy of, "If you can't always look good on the target, you can make up for it by looking good on the bench!"

Best regards,
Froggie

[marlinman93]

Gee, marlinman93, it looks like you are going full out schuetzen on us here! I've never had a chance to get one of the old Frankfort tools at anything like an affordable price but I'd love to have one for the collection. As for using it at the range, isn't it a bit of overkill if you already have the Pope-type tool? Unless a primer were crimped in (a whole other consideration) I've never noticed needing to exert undue effort using my Jake Simmons copy of the Pope to decap anything I've tried it on. I will admit, though, that you get extra "cool points" for the new tool at your bench. This plays into my longtime strategy of, "If you can't always look good on the target, you can make up for it by looking good on the bench!"

Best regards,
Froggie

Charlie, the Pope tool, and my Meacham both hurt my hand from the little screwdriver type points on the ends of the handles for cleaning primer pockets. I usually slip a glove on to use them, as even light resistance ends up with a red mark on my palm after a short time. The Frankford is very ergonomic, and seems way ahead of it's WWI era design.
I've been extremely interested in schuetzen rifles, tools, etc. for many years! I picked up 3 schuetzen rifles at Denver last weekend. A Schoyen Ballard, Hepburn Match B, and #6 1/2 Rigby Ballard. It was a monumental show for me!

PS-The seller had a $35 tag on one tool. I tried talking him down $5, and he said he thought two tools and the case was a bargain at $35! Once I realized it was everything, I quickly paid his price and scurried away!

[Green Frog]

Charlie, the Pope tool, and my Meacham both hurt my hand from the little screwdriver type points on the ends of the handles for cleaning primer pockets. I usually slip a glove on to use them, as even light resistance ends up with a red mark on my palm after a short time. The Frankford is very ergonomic, and seems way ahead of it's WWI era design.
I've been extremely interested in schuetzen rifles, tools, etc. for many years! I picked up 3 schuetzen rifles at Denver last weekend. A Schoyen Ballard, Hepburn Match B, and #6 1/2 Rigby Ballard. It was a monumental show for me!

PS-The seller had a $35 tag on one tool. I tried talking him down $5, and he said he thought two tools and the case was a bargain at $35! Once I realized it was everything, I quickly paid his price and scurried away!

I thought that must be you, Vall. They've been buzzing over on the ASSRA forum about those latest finds you made in the gun department, so the reloading stuff got lost in the shuffle! I would have scurried away quickly too, for fear the seller would wake up and put at least 2-3 times the price on it. Ya done good, old friend.

Of the guns you got, I envy the #6 1/2 Ballard the most... that's one I've always lusted after. Of course the Schoyen is beyond my wildest dreams, and the Hepburn, well let's just say I'm more green than usual, this time due to envy.

BTW, I've seen folks put heavy wall rubber tubing on the handles of their Pope-style tools to avoid the problem you are experiencing. John (40Rod) Merz showed me that trick years ago and it works great. I've also used a neat unit Dave Arawinko made 10-15 years ago that is supposedly patterned after one from Schoyen or Petersen, but it was a fairly limited production item. It sort of reminds me of the earliest Lee hand primers, only made out of brass and stainless steel. They are very comfortable to use and both deprime and reprime without changing tools. Then again, if we have an excuse to have another tool on our bench to wow the tourists, that's a benefit, isn't it?

Your Phriend the Phrog

[marlinman93]

Yes, it's me Charlie! Well now I have to say, Duh! What a great idea on the rubber hose over the handles! Guess I'm not the sharpest tack in the box, as that's such a simple and easy fix to my problem! Thanks a lot!!-Vall