Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Frankford Arsenal tumbler problem.

I have a Midway case tumbler, made by Frankford Arsenal from what I can gather, that seems to have finally quit working. I've had the thing for about seven years, but there have been long stretches of many months at a time when I never used it. Once, about 4 years ago, it stopped working. I took the bottom plate off, looked at the motor, and discovered a wire had come loose. After I put the wire back where it should be, the tumbler worked fine again until this morning.

I'll contact Midway/FA on Monday to see if they can help me out, but I'm not holding out too much hope since I've had the item for so many years. If I can't get satisfaction there, does anyone know of where I can obtain a replacement motor? It looks to be a cinch to replace with common hand tools.

Thanks.
DAL357

I'd bet they'll likely help you out. If not, the replacement will likely not cost a whole lot.

Thanks for the positive response. Let's hope you're right. If I remember, I'll post the results here.
DAL357

I'm thinkin' the motor constitutes about 95% of the cost........

Midway offered to replace mine, when it went south.. as said above, the motor is 95% of the cost...


however, I did not want to have to wait and be without a tumbler, so I noticed at the time, the Cabelas named brand one was on sale for $40.00.. I thought having 2 tumblers might be a good idea, so I bought the Cabelas...

not only was I shocked on how much better it was made, and how much more convenient it is to load and unload the media in it, with its large lid, but once you turn it on.. I was really shocked...

my tumblers are set up in the garage... in the house, I can hear the Midway tumbler going...

in the garage, it is hard to hear the Cabelas one running... the Midway has to be 20 times more noiser than the Cabelas...

the Midway was replaced, then it crashed again.. and they offered to replace it again... but with all the conveniences, quietness and the dependability and durability.... I never got the Midway replaced... even when it was FREE....

get a Cabelas.. and forget about it.. and enjoy the silence!

I'd recommend the Berry tumbler that is American made by you friends and neighbors in Utah instead of the Frankford arsenal and cabelas Chinese made crap.
dave

Sorry dwado! But I have a new Cabela's tumbler and it is made and warrantied by Berry. It is extremely fast and quiet. I highly recomend the Cabela's (Berry) tumbler.

Get an RCBS...Lifetime Guarantee, no questions asked. Had mine since 1991, used it A LOT!!!! Never had any problems with it.

I stand corrected.
dave

Burned out my Midway, sent it back, they fixed it a year or so later it burned out again. It now sits in the shop. Got a Lyman seems OK. The Midway did see A LOT of use.

I called Midway yesterday and talked to a woman who said there since they no longer carry that item, and since it was purchased more than a year ago, there was nothing she could do to help me.

Not taking no for an answer, I e-mailed Midway's customer service and got a prompt reply telling me to send it back and they'd replace it with another model (E-Z something or other). I will take this approach and hope to get a couple/three years out of it before I purchase a better one.

One thing I noticed is that Berry's model has a three-year warranty and Dillon's a one-year warranty, but from the tone of the posts here, many companies will replace their units even after warranty expiration. I know Dillon has a no BS policy on their presses (my SDB is fantastic, BTW), so I am assuming they are not going to quibble on their tumblers, right?

Why the heck can't these things be made to LAST? This shouldn't even be an issue. What kind of cheap components are being put in these units? Cripe!

BTW, while looking on the 'Net, I found a tumbler called Thumbler that looks pretty sturdy. Anyone know anything about them?
DAL357

DAL..,

Thumbler's tumblers (at the 2 I have) were meant for tumbling rocks & gems - not brass. Bought them back in the day when no one made a brass tumbler. They are S L O W ! And they are fussy. They don't hold much. Don't know if they make a dedicated brass tumbler.

Most people in the firearms industry have been great in fixing or replacing their products at minimal or no cost, in my experience.

Dillon's no BS warranty is just that. RCBS is right there with them. Midway is very customer oriented. Lyman isn't bad but sometimes charges a small fee. Never had to send anything back to Redding.

I'd go with a well known name and stay after Midway. Can't believe they won't treat you right.