Bonanza co-ax

[overbore]

Gents, since the low upper works of the Co-Ax will not allow the Redding competition seater to fit under the structure of this quality press, is there a practical means to seat my rounds if I resize in the press? Not to throw reocks in the mirror, but how many of you are using the old blue Pacific HEAVY press?? Got it new in '67 or so---. Mine is about like my 200# anvil- not much to look at but produces good results.. Many thanks, Overbore

 

[Travelor]

What caliber are you loading?

My Co-Ax press works jsut fine with my Redding dies for 223 and 308. The only problems I ahve had with Redding dies and this press are that I cannot get the body die to do it's job due to the unique shell holder not allowing the die to be adjsuted downward enough. I use a RCBS Rock Chucker for this step.

Also, the Hornady New Deminsion dies with the micrometer stems are too long to use with this press.

 

[overbore]

Many thanks for your response. I am reloading 300wsm's plus a new wildcat 375/416. Overbore

 

[Bobs243Ackley]

There are some things that you can do to make the Co-Ax work for you. When you have a body die, or form & trim die, that are to short to work with the shell holder plates, you can use the Forster AP1000 Shell Holder Adapter Plate in place of the shell holder jaws, which retail for around $12.00. This plate will allow you to use any standard shell holder from the folks at RCBS, or Redding. It will sit up higher and will generally address this situation quite nicely. The other problem is a little more difficult to deal with, but it can be done. I had a customer tell me what he did to his Co-Ax to make it work with the taller Comp. dies from Redding. He marked on the inside of the yoke where it hit the top of the die when it was adjusted out to the working height. He then took a high speed die grinder and made clearance notches on the inside of the yoke handle until it cleared. When he was satisfied, he then painted it to match the paint and to protect the bare metal from rusting. By the way, the color you would use is Allis Chalmer Red tractor paint! In commenting further, I would think, as a word of caution, that you would want to make sure that you still had enough metal left to make sure that you would not bend the yoke off! I would imagine that you could build up the area with braze, or weld, to maintain strength, and then paint it to protect it.

Cordially,
Bob Blaine

 

[DickG]

I just use the Forster competition seater. I guess the Redding is taller.

 

[StephenPerry]

Buy a Rock Chucker it will take any die and is a better press. I know where you can buy a Co-ax press today 11/21 for $199 take off the 25% for the store discount and you have another good cast iron press.
Stephen Perry

 

[JeffT]

I use my co-axe with Redding comp. dies and have no issues with 6br-6.5x284

 

[JHardy]

FWIW, I have a C0-AX that is somewhere around 35 years old. I also have about a dozen presses from other sources, including several custom one-off "bench rest" presses.

Of these presses, the C0-AX is the best. If I had only one, that would be it, as it is quick, great primer collection, and loads competition rounds as true as my Wilson dies -- and that is saying a lot. As David Tooley says: "If it is not perfectly true and square, it better float." I also love my Redding Ultra Mag and consider it the best of the heavy presses in the Redding/RCBS line -- also good primer collection.

BTW, I have never seen a loading press,non commercial) as strong as my Corbin. And, except for my C0-AX, the Corbin turns out the best competition rounds on my 1000 yd bench guns. It is simply built square and true from the beginning -- just like a custom press and there is no "real world" flex when dial indicated. Just not as user friendly as the C0-AX and Ultra Mag.

As to the longer competition Redding dies, if the shorter Bonanza competition seaters work, use them -- they are at least as good and much cheaper.

My $.02,
Jim

 

[memilanuk]

I have to say... I'm getting kind of tempted to pick up a Forster Co-Ax. I've always heard *extremely* good things about them,other than some of the taller Redding Competition dies not clearing), including people claiming as above that they have loaded some of their best ammo on them, they preferred it above other conventional presses, easier to operate, etc. Thing is I started out w/ a Redding M25 six-hole turret press, and early on got 'addicted' to the Redding Competition shell holder sets for setting F/L size case headspace... easy as pie. I shied away from the Co-Ax because of it's different type of shellholder... until now: finding out that they make an adapter to allow the use of my sets of competition shell holders in the Co-Ax... mmmmmm-mmmm! Might have to set some money aside and get one after all!