Frankford Arsenal Platinum Series Hand DePrimer Tool

[VHoward]

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/220617/frankford-arsenal-platinum-series-hand-deprimer-tool
I guess one should read descriptions of products more closely. For the longest time, from looking at pictures of this tool, it looks like a plastic molded tool. But then last week I finally read the description and discovered it is cast aluminum. I actually bought mine from Cabellas as they had a lower price and their shipping was less. I received mine today and it is a good solid build. Only 4 plastic parts in the whole thing. 3 collets and 1 spent primer catch cup. You select the collet closest to the size of the brass you want to deprime, screw the cap down until the case just slides in and out. That holds the case centered so when you pull the handle, it pushes the spent primer out and into the cup. Very easy to operate and the spent primer dirt doesn't get all over your press. I like it.

[GhostHawk]

Love mine, and my dies really love only working with squeeky clean citric acid washed cases. Every ones happy.
Reasonably decent price on it. I have only had one boxer primer that I just could not get out so I just scrapped that piece. Come back from the range, deprime brass, get it soaking in citric acid bath and hot water, agitate a few times, rinse twice. Some brass I will take the time to clean primer pockets with a brush.
Some I am just not that fussy.

My biggest one day batch was I think 100 rounds or more of 9mm, 50 of .40sw and 40 of .45acp.

Like all really good tools, it simply works. Keep the allen handy, those pivot screws will work loose on you over time.

[dannyd]

I like mine I can deprime and watch tv

[VHoward]

Love mine, and my dies really love only working with squeeky clean citric acid washed cases. Every ones happy.
Reasonably decent price on it. I have only had one boxer primer that I just could not get out so I just scrapped that piece. Come back from the range, deprime brass, get it soaking in citric acid bath and hot water, agitate a few times, rinse twice. Some brass I will take the time to clean primer pockets with a brush.
Some I am just not that fussy.

My biggest one day batch was I think 100 rounds or more of 9mm, 50 of .40sw and 40 of .45acp.

Like all really good tools, it simply works. Keep the allen handy, those pivot screws will work loose on you over time.
Have you considered putting a tiny amount of blue thread locker on the threads of those screws that keep loosening? The blue is medium strength and would allow you to remove them, but they would not work loose on their own.

[GhostHawk]

Yes I considered it but at this moment in time do not have any. It is not enough of a hassle that I want to risk not being able to take it apart.

[ulav8r]

Stick a short length of monofilament fishing line in the threaded hole and then install the set screw.

[gwpercle]

I dismissed the tool because the term " universal collet" , in my experience, actually means that it "doesn't fit anything well" . If this bad boy actually works , I think it would be worth the cost. I like sitting in my easy chair and priming , sitting and de-priming would be cool !
I reload 9mm luger , 38/357 , 41 mag , 45 acp , 30-30 , 7.5 Swiss , 30-06 and 303 British.
Anyone have problems decapping any of those ? Read most of the reviews on Midway site , looks good on hand gun cases .
I've got a few gift cards that need spending if this gizmo really works !

Gary

[VHoward]

I haven't had any trouble with .223, .357 mag, 9mm, 45acp or 300 winmag. This tool is well built and the only thing the collets do is hold the case centered so the decapping pin lines up. Easy to use.

[GhostHawk]

Mine eats .223, .357, 9mm, .40sw, .45acp, 7.62x54r, 7.62x39, .30-30, have not yet tried the big .444 marlin but I have no doubts it will eat that also.

Whats more it tells me when I am doing 9mm if a .380 has snuck in as they just don't fit the same.
Doing depriming watching TV after an hour at the range is a pure luxury.
And my dies love only working with clean citric acid washed brass.

[gwpercle]

Thanks for the reviews guys, sounds like they do work.....SWEET !
Gary

[ghh3rd]

Although it deprimes, don't you still have to run your brass through your decapper to resize it?

[ghh3rd]

Don't overheat your Teflon around your pet bird...

PTFE toxicity occurs when the nonstick cookware is overheated. The excessive heat creates a gas emission that is typically harmless to humans and other mammals. Birds, however, are particularly sensitive to the airborne gas emission—even in small dosages due to their high metabolic rate and unique anatomy (high levels of oxygen are emitted to their musculature system in order to fly).

[pugjunga123]

It's built well. Great if you are tumbling/polishing before sizing. Keeps your dies clean.

[jem102]

In this application (hand held) fingernail polish will hold as well as blue thread lock and most every household has a bottle around somewhere. Easy to break loose as well.

[.429]

Although it deprimes, don't you still have to run your brass through your decapper to resize it?

Usually, yes. The guys that wet tumble and sonic clean prefer to do so without the spent primer still in place.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Wayne Smith]

I dry tumble and prefer not to get the lead styphanate in my tumbling mix. I decap first.

[Don Fischer]

The power of advertising! Amazing how many tool's we can pick up that do the same exact job!

[daengmei]

Now all we need is someone to figure out what to use instead of those plastic collets. I've lost one already.

[Chris C]

Not sure I understand the advantage of this $40 hand tool when a Lee Universal Decapper for $14 does the same job. ?? I use the Lee tool in my Co-Ax press and it easily pops in to do the task. Of course, I don't carry my Co-Ax into the house so I can watch television while decapping.

[dverna]

Not sure I understand the advantage of this $40 hand tool when a Lee Universal Decapper for $14 does the same job. ?? I use the Lee tool in my Co-Ax press and it easily pops in to do the task. Of course, I don't carry my Co-Ax into the house so I can watch television while decapping.

Different strokes for different folks! Like you, I see no benefit to it, but I load in bulk and my girlfriend would not be pleased if I brought in a few hundred dirty cases into the family room. And I still need to put them through the sizing die so just wasted effort....but I feel that way about the Lee die as well. But I am old school and may be missing something. Which leads to....

Why decap as a separate operation? But I do not wish to hijack the thread and will start a new one.

Always willing to learn.

[jmort]

If I did not have a two Harvey Deprimers, I would get one or two. I like to buy things I like in twos. The Harvey Deprimers work great. This looks like a good tool as well.

[GhostHawk]

Lee deprime die needs a press. This can go anywhere. Now it is true you could use the lee hand press. But then it weighs more, takes more space, and if watching tv makes noise.

But that is the awesome thing about reloading tools.
Use what works for you. YMMV

[VHoward]

Some of us also deprime before cleaning the cases because we wet tumble with stainless steel pins and those will clean the primer pocket if there is not a spent primer in it.

[VHoward]

Now all we need is someone to figure out what to use instead of those plastic collets. I've lost one already.
Contact Frankford Arsenal. They are pretty good at replacing small parts.

[daboone]

I decided to order this Platinum Series Hand Deprimer. Got it on Oct 1th.

Cons:
The first thing that I noticed right out of the box was the Mag Collet was defective. The base ring was incomplete and thus would not securely stay fastened to the units body where it's supposed to be stored.

The second thing I noticed was during the initial use. While doing 800 crimped 223R cases about 1 in 10 primers were not being captured when holding the unit horizontally. The remedy was simply aiming it towards my feet.

Pros:
Later I called the Battenfield number I found online and talk to a very pleasant gentleman. He took my name and address and is shipping me replacement collets. He also ask me how I like it. I told him about the spent primer containment problem. He said he would notify product development. It was nice to talk to a CS agent who, like RCBS and Dillon didn't flinch but just wanted to replace the defect and took interest in my comments. I got all 3 collets 4 days later.


Final appraisal:
I really like it. While doing the 223R cases my 70 year old hand and fingers got tired. For me this hand deprimer is easier and faster to use than the Harvey but no less fatiguing. It also doesn't pinch my fingers which the Harver sometime does.

The collet retainer cap occasionally needed to be loosened or tightened. No big deal but something I noticed.

I ended up wrapping the handle and the "trigger" with some tennis racket tape which help smooth out the grip. This didn't reduce the fatigue but it just didn't feel as abrasive to my old arthritic hands which made it easier to pop out the spent primers.

[daengmei]

Contact Frankford Arsenal. They are pretty good at replacing small parts.

I did find that collet. It will not stay on, several more times I've had to pull it from the floor.

[JimB..]

I've been using one for a year or more. Discarded the little cup for spent primers and just point it into a bucket. Did bend the decapping pin trying like all heck to decap a berdan-primed case, but just bent it back. Have done over 1,000 at a sitting, enough to get blisters, and am well past 15,000 total.

Have only used it on pistol brass.

[Bayou52]

Sounds like a pretty decent tool that a lot of folks enjoy using..

For my part, when it comes to decapping from the couch, I've opted for a Lee hand-held press with a Lee Universal decapping die.

Basic, solid all metal tools.

Bayou52

[VHoward]

Where do the spent primers go in those?

[JimB..]

Where do the spent primers go in those?

There is a small plastic cup that is press fit onto the front. It works, but it is small. I took it off and just point it into a coffee can that collects the primers. It takes a little planning to get the spent brass, spent primer and deprived brass containers in the right spots to minimize unnecessary movement.

[VHoward]

I sorry. I should have specified that I was asking where the spent primers go in a Lee hand press. I have the Frankford Arsenal depriming tool.

[Bayou52]

I sorry. I should have specified that I was asking where the spent primers go in a Lee hand press. I have the Frankford Arsenal depriming tool.

Yes, in the Lee hand held press, the decapped primers fall into the ram itself which is hollowed out. You remove the shell holder and simply dump them out when the ram gets full.

Bayou52

[Moonie]

The only thing I don't like about this method is that if you don't catch it in time the spent primers will jam up the shell holder (using the Lee hand press)

[VHoward]

Yes, in the Lee hand held press, the decapped primers fall into the ram itself which is hollowed out. You remove the shell holder and simply dump them out when the ram gets full.

Bayou52
OK. Thanks. Was just curious.