Frankford Arsenal Universal Bullet Seating Die - tested

H

hounddawg

New member
https://www.amazon.com/Frankford-Arsenal-Universal-Bullet-Seating/dp/B084HLRHY8


I bought one of these last week on Amazon and got around to using it today. I have nice micrometer seating dies for all my cartridges except my 6.5 Grendel and my 30BW. I saw the Frankford on sale and thought for sixty bucks I would take a gamble. I plan to use it on the Grendel as well as the 30BW and it will also work great installed in my portable press for doing seating testing at the range.

So far I love it, it comes with 7 different sleeves and three seating stems. It can accommodate cartridges from .224 to .338 and the setup can be changed in less than 5 minutes. I found the adjustment to be precise and repeatable. Fit and finish were not up to the Forster or Redding quality but it is acceptable considering the price. Use is easy. I loved it for seating the little even with little .223 bullets. Today I seated fifty 69 gn bullets in .223 and checked ten afterwards. Target base to ogive was 1.901 inches.

I realize ten is not statistically significant but it is enough to see if further testing was warranted

Code: 
[CODE]         BTO		runout
	1.899		0.0010
	1.901		0.0005
	1.900		0.0010
	1.901		0.0020
	1.901		0.0020
	1.901		0.0015
	1.900		0.0020
	1.901		0.0015
	1.901		0.0025
	1.901		0.001
avg	1.9006		0.0015
sd	0.0007		0.0006
[/CODE]
 
I plan on loading some 6.5 140 gn Barnes Match Burners and Berger 6mm 105 gn Hybrids this week. I will bump this thread
 
I just ordered one of these. Any updates? is this working well. I am running a progressive with no case or bullet feeder for 223, 308, and 30-06. Am hoping being able drop the bullet in the top will be faster than trying to get it to sit on the case mouth. Also looking forward to having a micrometer adjustment to get close rather than just guessing.
 
Have a set and did some testing myself. Runout for 224 was consistent with Hounddawg's data, however, my Lee 224 Valkyrie dies had the same runout and consistency in OAL as the Frankfort; other than being able to use it in so many calibers, not sure it is worth it.
 
other than being able to use it in so many calibers, not sure it is worth it
Click to expand...

/Agree. I think it would be a great die for someone just getting into precision loading and does not have a drawer full of micrometer dies

I use mine on a cartridge I don't have a micrometer seating die for. My .30 Major needs custom made dies which cost $$$$$ so it saved me money in the long run. I just like the micrometer feature when dialing in seating depth. In my opinion it is the case prep that determines runout. My Lee's work as well as a Whidden except when dialing in seating depth
 
I started loading about 1966. From then to now I have never owned or felt the need for a micrometer die. Does sound like this new die will let you drop the bullet from the top? Is it the top of from the side like some match dies I've seen? I actually don't have a problem with seating bullet's with standard dies! But the price is interesting, now if they would make a set of sizing dies some hoe the same. For the price I'd sure try they. Imagine even $120 or whatever for one set of dies to do all those cartridges. That would be cool!
 
This helped me dial in Lee dies a lot; I keep it posted next to the bench. For Lee dies, a 90 degree turn = 0.014 thousands.
 

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Yep bullet drops in from side, I have some 68 gn 6mm flat base bullets that are finger pinchers when seating in a normal die. The Franklin makes it a painless ( pun intended) operation.

I like to dial in my seating depth by loading 50 or so rounds at home with whatever charge that gave me lowest ES/SD during my load workup then seat them at the maximum COL. Then I take a small press to the range clamp it to the bench and adjust seating depth in .003 increments to find the best depth for grouping. I use Tony Boyles advice and look for a depth that gives me a slight bit of vertical. Sure it can be done with any seating die but that Frankford sure makes life easier and the task faster.
 
Very helpful! I dont mind loading normally, but for my larger batches I am really looking forward to just dropping a bullet in rather than trying to set it on the case mouth.

The die turn for 90 degrees are very helpful! thank you, I will be using that. For my precision rifles though I am looking forward to having the micrometer adjustment. I am hoping to test in 0.003 increments and it will make things a lot simpler.

I have exactly 0 micrometer dies for any calibers. If I already had some this kit would have made less sense. As it stands , being able to use it for 3 calibers. I think will will be very beneficial.
 
I have exactly 0 micrometer dies for any calibers. If I already had some this kit would have made less sense. As it stands , being able to use it for 3 calibers. I think will will be very beneficial.
Click to expand...

https://www.natchezss.com/frankford-universal-rifle-bullet-seating-die-set.html
Natchez has them on sale for $75

I originally bought mine for loading .30 Major which is a necked up Grendel made for benchrest, a custom made die would have cost well over $100 and taken months to manufacture. Since I bought it I started shooting those small 6mm and found it useful for those as well with the side loading of the bullet
 
This helped me dial in Lee dies a lot; I keep it posted next to the bench. For Lee dies, a 90 degree turn = 0.014 thousands.
Click to expand...
The quickest way to dial in a Lee seating stem is to smash it with a hammer and throw the die away. That way, you reach the inevitable point of failure without going through the trouble of wandering settings and threads galling and stripping; so you can buy a properly designed die, constructed with proper materials, sooner.

I'll welcome you in advance for thanking me for this advice.
 
FrankenMauser said:
The quickest way to dial in a Lee seating stem is to smash it with a hammer and throw the die away. That way, you reach the inevitable point of failure without going through the trouble of wandering settings and threads galling and stripping; so you can buy a properly designed die, constructed with proper materials, sooner.

I'll welcome you in advance for thanking me for this advice.
Click to expand...
The harshness.... I have used lee dies with no real issues for a while. They are cheap, and definitely not intended for precision reloading, but they have never failed me. With that said o generally prefer hornady and rcbs dies. Although I must say the rcbs adjustment method of a nut with a flat head screwdriver slot is a major pita. Hence the frankford universal kit I ordered.
 
I have Lee pistol dies that are ?? years old and loaded well over ten thousand rounds of 9mm, and well into the 4 figures of 38, 357, and 45 ACP with no issues. The fit and finish may not be as nice as my Reddings, Forsters, and Whiddens but they do the job. Also have .223, .260 and .308 collet neck sizer dies that still function perfectly. Over the years I upgraded my sizing dies to bushing style dies and my seaters to micrometer styles but those old Lee dies earned their keep.

As far as precision goes I am using a Lee FL sizer with the depinner and expander ball removed along with a .240 expander mandrel for loading match rounds for my new 6mm ARC. All these dies are cut with a through reamer, other than external cosmetics one will work about as well as the other
 
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