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I am in need of a new case tumbler. I would normally just buy RCBS and be done with it. Hard to screw up with their lifetime warranty.
However, if you read the fine print, it says only a two year warranty on tumblers. In the mean time, Cabelas has a tumbler that looks just as good if not better, that seems more user friendly. See through lid, media strainer, included media, and brass polish, at a cheaper price.
Any opinions from you guys?
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Joined: Oct 2007
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Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
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Tubby Tumbler, 10 years and going strong. Watch it break tonight.
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Joined: Jun 2004
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
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I have both RCBS and Cabela's tumblers. The RCBS is fast the Cabela's is faster. The RCBS is loud, the Cabela's is very quiet. I had to put a spring between the cover and the wing nut on my RCBS to keep it from coming loose, the Cabela's comes with a big KNOB and is self locking. They both have on-off switches. The RCBS has a solid cover, the Cabela's is clear. The motor quit on my RCBS well after the 2 year warranty, they sent me a new motor free of charge.
They are both good units, much better than my POS Frankfort Arsenal, but I prefer the Cabela's.
Last edited by steve4102; 04/17/08.
Give a man a fish and he eats for a day. Give a man a welfare check, a forty ounce malt liquor, a crack pipe, an Obama phone, free health insurance. and some Air Jordan's and he votes Democrat for a lifetime.
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Joined: Mar 2006
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Steve, thats a great review!
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Joined: Feb 2001
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Thanks Steve, sounds like Cabelas is the ticket.
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Joined: Apr 2001
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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Battenfeld makes a good one as well for about half the price of the RCBS if I recall right.
Dober
"True respect starts with the way you treat others, and it is earned over a lifetime of demonstrating kindness, honor and dignity"....Tony Dungy
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Joined: May 2007
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I have the cabela's tumbler and its great. I had a used RCBS tumbler that took a dump on me. I can't say much about it really. I used it for about year after it was given to me and it worked great, it was old and used alot before it came to me. So I wasn't surprised it went out. I bought the cabelas tumbler and it has been great. Pretty quiet, and works great.
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Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 6,930
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
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Hmm, never had a problem with my Franklin Arsenal Tumbler. I've run it hard for 6 years now, usually leave it on while I sleep. First bad review I've ever seen on them.
Selmer
Selmer "Daddy, can you sometime maybe please go shoot a water buffalo so we can have that for supper? Please? And can I come along? Does it taste like deer?" - my 3-year old daughter 
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Joined: May 2003
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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I've got a Lyman Turbo 3200 that will clean a gallon icecream pail of brass at a whack. Had it for years . . . . still shake, rattle and a'rollin'. 
"Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life." (Prov 4:23)
Brother Keith
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Wouldn't be a bit surpriseed if most of the tumbers all came out of one building. They're all pretty much the same on the inside.
Dick
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I normally LOVE RCBS products� but their tumbler lasted just about as long as their warranty.
My Frankford Arsenal Tumbler lasted longer and my current Lyman is 3+ years and still seems like new.
Maybe I just had a bad one� and I did not call RCBS so maybe I should have given them a chance�
This is just one of their products I will not buy again.
That which does not kill us makes us stronger
Friedrich Nietzsche
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Joined: Jul 2005
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Great info....I just bought an RCBS and its been working great so far...my first tumbler.....
Sounds like the Cabelas one is a good ticket though.....hope the RCBS lasts a while....man having a tumbler sure is nice. Cant beleive I used to reload 'dirty' brass....it almost seems like blasphomey after loading nice shiney stuff!
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Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 6,749
Campfire Tracker
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I've worn out 4 Midway/Frankford Arsenal tumblers, I think I may have to try a Cabela's next. For the price of $40 or so I just have considered them an expendable item but maybe the Cabela's unit can last longer. Yes I tumble a LOT of brass......................................DJ
Remember this is all supposed to be for fun.......................
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Joined: Apr 2004
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 42,878 Likes: 8 |
Like Steve 4102's review, I have had a Frankford Arsenal ( actually in Midway guise).. it was noisy and I have fried a motor and also had the case crack on it...Midway was all ready to back it up and replace it.. no questions asked.. just send it in and they'd replace it ASAP... can't beat that...
Well actually, Yes you can...
I had decided at the time to pick up a second tumbler, so I wouldn't be without one... I noticed Cabelas in their catalog and it was the same price as the Midway and looked like it had a large opening in top for loading.. so I decided to get one of those instead...as a backup tumbler, while the Midway was getting replaced or repaired...
Well once the Cabelas came and it was unpacked, I was pretty darn impressed with it.. Loaded her up and was shocked on how quiet it ran, compared to the Midway....
A Doctor friend of mine was also looking at replacing a Frankford and was looking at an RCBS so he bought one.. he was over in my shop and after seeing my Cabelas, he went home and ordered one.. and never ended up using the RCBS one hardly at all...
As far as my Midway tumbler... well 5 years later, it is still sitting on the counter in the garage, ready to be shipped back to Midway for replacement.. under a lot of dust...
The Cabelas just keeps humming along.. sometimes it stays on for days trying to clean bad conditioned range brass... I usually tumble overnight all the time... it sees a lot of use, and in 5 years it hasn't let me down once.. needed no attention etc...
Even at twice the price I'd call it a bargain... ( don't let Cabelas know I said that!).. if ya had the luxury of seeing one run side by side with a lot of the other tumblers, you'd pick it....
my only regrets about mine, is that I have only ONE, instead of two.. but with it, I don't need the back up one that I thought I would need with the Midway...
a Cabelas tumbler is one the the cheapest most reliable investments you could have on your reload bench...It is built like a Mercedes or Lexus and runs like one, but at a Chevy price tag...
Last edited by Seafire; 04/22/08.
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