Bonanza press dies

[Remshooter]

Hi all, I just joined the forum -I reloaded rifle and pistol some 20 years ago when work interfered, but now I am retired and ready to burn some powder. I have an old Bonanza press and would like to load .243 Win. Are dies still available or will standard RCBS, Redding dies work?? I only bought Bonanza dies before and don't remember much about why. I also have a RCBS Rockchucker, but I would prefer using the Bonanza.

Getting ready to order a Remington .243 (slightly modified by Red Hawk Rifles) for varmint hunting and want to work up some good loads for it.

Thanks to all for the excellent information provided on this forum.

 

[bheadboy]

if your bonaza press is 7/8x14 dies, any will work, however in my experience the RCBS press you have is very good, thus i would use it.

the only reason to upgrade from this level would be if you go into compitetion,.

i load all my pd stuff on rcbs and have thousands dead ones to their credit.

Bob

 

[jonbearman]

The original bonanza dies became forester dies. They will work in either press fine. I am not aware that bonanza ever made a press that took non standard die's. The rcbs press is troger and wont flex as much as the c-type bonanza.I hope this helps clarify your question.

 

[Remshooter]

Thanks for the info-will get some good dies for .243 and just use the RCBS rock chucker. I always liked how the Bonanza locked the brass in place with the sliding shell holder, but I can see how that could cause some alignment issues. As the ole sayin' goes-don't fix what ain't broke.

 

[Kenny474]

Remshooter, is this Bonanza press an older model of the Forster Co-Ax?

(link to Co-Ax picture: http://www.6mmbr.com/catalog/item/1433308/5323843.htm)

If this is the press you have, than it's the press you want to use! The Forster/Bonanza Co-Ax press is probably the absolute best press that money can buy as far as standard thread-in-die presses are concerned. About the only "better" option would be a quality arbor press with a set of Wilson hand dies.

So if the Bonanza press is a Co-Ax, than forget about the RockChucker, as it's is inferior when compared to the Co-Ax. The RockChucker is a good press, and extremely strong, but the Co-Ax is designed in such a way that it will help produce very low run-out on loaded ammo, partly because of the "floating" shell-holder, and also because of the way the linkage is designed, as the shell-holder will travel straight up and down with no rocking (simply due to clearance between the ram and the bearing surface it rides in, the handle linkage in O-Frame presses will actually "push" and "pull" the ram as the handle moves through travel) as can happen with a standard O-Frame press.

If you read the review in the link above about the Forster/Bonanza Co-Ax, you will see how it is clearly superior in many ways to the RockChucker. But, it's always good to have a second press, especially one a strong as the RockChucker, as you can do many things with it.

Good luck
Kenny

 

[Chuckhunter]

Remshooter, Kenny is spot on about the Co-Ax Press. My straightest ammo always comes from my Co-Ax and I also have a Rock Chucker which is a very strong press but has been relegated to case forming. You can use the dies of your choosing, the only thing required is to change the hex nut on some dies like RCBS and install a cross bolt lock ring which can be purchased through Forster or Sinclair. You have the Cadillac, why drive the chevy. http://www.forsterproducts.com/catalog.asp?prodid=627330

 

[Remshooter]

Kenny-yes, my Bonanza was purchased around 1980, it is even more massive than the Forester and has the floating shell holder. I used to load rifle on this one and pistol on the Rockchucker. I remember getting fairly accurate reloads in 222 when we used to punch paper back in the 80s. It ought to do the job-it looks like a mini punch press!!