Forrester press

[Lesloan]

Yep #7

That's a lotta yeps! How about some reasons?

Cuz they're worth it

They're worth it 'cuz they're worth it? I can't wait to get my money out!!

There are a million threads on the quality of the Forster Co-ax. A simple search will reveal endless reviews. Its a great press, but just about everything that can possibly be said about it has already been said in threads hundreds of times over.

Go to the top of the forum page and type "Forster Coax" in the search bar.

Are you tellin' me that this whole thread was unnecessary? ;D

 

[Raythemanroe]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEzVZe7f6G0



Ray

 

[Dusty Stevens]

I find a lot of dies wont work when you use the sliding plate shellholder. Definitely not a SB die. Then i spent half my time pushing the die back into the dovetail and modifying many of my lock rings to even try it. Then the handle wont go over a lot of dies even short ones with micrometers on em. The primer catcher is very nice. So if youre gonna get one be sure to have a regular press as well that youll wind up using more than the coax. But as was said earlier- great resale value. Came in handy for me and the 2 guys after me. Lost track of it then.

 

[hepburn45110]

I have a Forester Coax press. It's in the bottom of a storage cabinet. It's the worst that I have. It's too hard to control shoulder length. When you size brass it never comes out straight. When seating bullets they are never precisely the right length (measured case head to ogive). It's not my dies. I use only Redding 'S' or custom bushing style dies. It's a frustrating piece of equipment.

 

[mjtripper]

I find a lot of dies wont work when you use the sliding plate shellholder. Definitely not a SB die. Then i spent half my time pushing the die back into the dovetail and modifying many of my lock rings to even try it. Then the handle wont go over a lot of dies even short ones with micrometers on em. The primer catcher is very nice. So if youre gonna get one be sure to have a regular press as well that youll wind up using more than the coax. But as was said earlier- great resale value. Came in handy for me and the 2 guys after me. Lost track of it then.

The newest version has a longer yoke on the handle for larger dies. I'm not sure on the other issue, haven't seen that on mine.

 

[logger3006]

I have never had a problem with my CO-AX. Run out is kept to .002 or less, one thing i have noticed though, is if you tighten the lock screw that locks the die in the press, then it will cause run out. Also the shell holder plates that is used on the primer have to be loose as well, it will bind slightly and cause run out. If you keep the shell universal shell holder lubed, and everything loose so it can float, it will be a precision loading tool.

 

[savagedasher]

I have a Forester Coax press. It's in the bottom of a storage cabinet. It's the worst that I have. It's too hard to control shoulder length. When you size brass it never comes out straight. When seating bullets they are never precisely the right length (measured case head to ogive). It's not my dies. I use only Redding 'S' or custom bushing style dies. It's a frustrating piece of equipment.

I buy junk give a price. ;D ;D ;D ;D

 

[Ledd Slinger]

I have a Forester Coax press. It's in the bottom of a storage cabinet. It's the worst that I have. It's too hard to control shoulder length. When you size brass it never comes out straight. When seating bullets they are never precisely the right length (measured case head to ogive). It's not my dies. I use only Redding 'S' or custom bushing style dies. It's a frustrating piece of equipment.

Inaccurate shoulders can be caused by many things other than a press or dies. Cases that are not regularly annealed "properly" can have badly varying headspace. Bullet seating accuracy of the press would have to be determined by sorting your bullets by base to ogive measurement before seating them in cases because your bullet seating die stem may be a different diameter than your bullet ogive measuring tool. Not saying that the press is not faulty, but there are other possibilities for your inconsistencies.

I only use my Forster for decapping, priming, and bullet seating. For sizing, I always use my Rock Chucker just because it has produced awesome ammo for me throughout the years

 

[JRS]

Are they worth it ??

Which cartridges are you loading? The reason I ask, is: if loading for 308 Winchester or shorter cartridges, the Crawford (Hood) press for a few dollars more, is the creme de la creme

 

[loneranger04]

I've got a coax, Redding Big Boss, Dillon 550B and an old Pacific single stage. The pacific is laying on the floor with damaged threads and the rest are bolted to my bench and are all used weekly. I could get by with any one of them however I like each one for different reasons. I use the Dillon for all pistol, .223 and for priming all rifle brass. The priming system is the best I've ever used. I like the coax because of the quick change of dies and the leverage. I do all my rifle brass sizing on it. My bullet seating die stays in the Redding. I absolutely hate depriming on the Redding press and the coax has the greatest decapping system ever.

As far as reloading tools go presses are fairly cheap. I've thought about selling the redding but for what it would bring I might as well keep it.

 

[Ledd Slinger]

I love having multiple presses as well. Would recommend it to anyone. I recently picked up a Redding T7 turret press to add on the bench. Figure that with the T7, the Forster Coax, and my RockChucker all in a row, I ought to be able to make some nice ammo in a hurry. Especially when charges are being thrown by my ChargeMaster.

For hand gun rounds, I use my LEE Classic turret press and leave the dies in the turrets for quick change out. Having multiple presses is one of the best decisions I have ever made for reloading. Sure makes life easier at the bench

 

[davefxrc]

Thanks to everyone for their opinions.

 

[willymakit]

How timely! I just purchased a co-ax press to swedge 30 cal necks to 6mm, I like the idea of floating the die for self alignment. I have an old RCBS Jr. for depriming, and Wilson hand dies for seating. So far (100 pieces of brass) the co-ax has been fine. Only my .02 worth
willy

 

[Clark]

I have two co-ax presses in the reloading room.

I really like them. I have designed and built and sold custom parts for them over the years.

But for reloading next to my desk or in my vehicle, I use two RCBS Partner presses.

Yesterday I did go into the reloading room to convert (100) 257 Roberts pieces of brass into 6mmRem brass. The leverage and precision of shoulder set back drove me to a co-ax.

But I can seat bullets on the RCBS Partner presses right here by my desk and watch TV shows stored on the computer or shows on youtube.

When I hunt and target practice 900 miles from home, I have boxes of brass that has been prepared on the co-ax presses, but i can seat bullets just fine with an RCBS Partner press.

And the RCBS Partner presses are tiny Aluminum alloy castings, while the co-ax presses are heavy cast iron, and can stay home.