Forster co-ax? ....I am NOT happy.....

[lrgoodger]

After reading all sorts of stuff on presses when my Lee broke, I caved to all the hype about the Forster co-ax being the best and bought one. I admit, the mechanical advantage is nice and makes reloading faster and easier, but after spending a couple of hours trying to figure out where the newly introduced runout was coming from on my Lapua 6BR brass, I traced it to the press. I've been using the Lee collet die on that brass with almost zero runout until my Lee press broke. So, I adjusted the lock ring on the die and put it in the Forster and loaded up about 40 rounds. I always check runout, and when I checked it this time, I had 2 - 4 thou on every cartridge!

I grabbed a couple of fired cases that had not been reloaded yet and checked neck runout on the cases. They were perfect. I stuck one in the coax and neck sized it with the collet die and checked it again. 4 thou!!! This can't be! The coax is the best! I pulled the die and put it back in the Lee press and sized the other case. Runout was still perfect, just barely wiggling the needle.

I have not had time to figure out what is happening, but it looks like the coax is tipping the die sideways as I come up with the ram and bending the neck on the case. I hope it doesn't cause me to lose the match later today. I don't have time to reload another set or to figure it out right now because I gotta get some sleep. I'll tackle the why later this evening. Hopefully there is a simple solution and I can continue to use the coax.

 

[savageshooter86]

did you make sure the die is floating properly? Did you set the Collet die up properly on the new press?

I'm thinking there is no way it is the press causing this???? I'm interested to hear what you find out

Good luck at your match

 

[BigDMT]

Funny how you are complaining about the Forster in the same post where you mention your LEE press "breaking". The Forster will not break

But jokes aside, you either have it set up wrong or you are not using the a Forster lock ring on your die, or both. If using a LEE lock ring, that oring is probably messing up the way the die sits in the jaws.and if it is the press, which I doubt, they have a lifetime warranty and Forster would be more than happy to correct the problem for free. So no need to worry sir, they will take care of you...for life

 

[savageshooter86]

surely he is using a lock ring on the dies in his CoAx right? ???........... They provide 2 with the press

 

[brian427cobra]

IMHO the new press is not the cause of your runout, its the new user of the press, adjust your technique, I went thru a similar issue when I bought a RCBS Partner Press for loading at the range, all of sudden my runout went from nothing to .005 or more, after adjusting my technique with the PP and Oring trick on the dies runout returned to .0015 or less

 

[stubbicatt]

FWIW, in the early 90s I had a Co-Ax and found that I had a lot of runout too, even using Forster dies. I ended up selling it and glad to be shed of it.

 

[Tnslim]

, they have a lifetime warranty and Forster would be more than happy to correct the problem for free. So no need to worry sir, they will take care of you...for life
[/quote]


I paid over $37.00 for Forester to fix a set of 6BR dies that I felt should have been done for free. New dies left bad scrape marks on case necks and seater die left a ring around bullet tip. After they (so called) fixed the dies I still had to polish the neck die to keep the case necks from scratching. I'm not impressed with Forester.

 

[Lazydays]

try this:

Get your hands on a Lyman steel lock ring. It's about .005" thinner, and allows the die to float better. My slot on mine is really on the bottom side of the machining tallorance and is very tight. Secondly set the sliding plate a little on the loose side. But to take the jaws a step further, remove them and take an India stone to the bottom surface they set on. You may have a burr or a hicky built up under the jaws. Even a raised area around the screw threads might cause you some grief.

I tried the Lee collet dies in my Co-Ax and they just wouldn't work for me. But I had some other issues. As for squareness, I checked mine with a certified cylinder square that was accurate to within .00015" in six inches of length. It was way less than .0005" with the error of the square taken out.
gary

 

[BoydAllen]

A friend has a couple of Coax presses that I have used to help him load for load development and for hunting trips. Runout was not an issue, except for one situation where I tried using one for expanding up .220 Russian brass to 6mm. For that, it is not the press to use. It produced inferior results (with the correct lock ring) compared to my other presses, the Harrell's Combo being the best of the lot. The other thing that I did not like was trying to precisely set shoulder bump. I find it much easier with any press of the more usual turn the die to adjust bump configuration.

 

[A j shooter]

Get you a ROCk CHUCKER. 😜😜😜😜

 

[jonbearman]

I cant hardly believe that the coax is so problematic.I know friends who have had them for decades with no problems.If he still cant figure it out ,I would send the press and the die in question and some brass and let them fix it.They have been very helpful in the past and I think they will fix it,no questions asked.One poster had a die that scratched and what I have found is slight brass from not enough lube leaving drag marks(streaks of brass) and until it is all polished out you will end up with bad scratches.It is not the dies fault usually.We have probably all done this forgetting to lube one case will cause this if you use the wax or whatever sparingly.Just food for thought.

 

[gotcha]

Regarding the Forster lock rings: The last time I used one it was made of aluminum & would not make flat contact, skewing the die in the press threads. It also used an archaic slotted screw head. I switched to a steel Hornady lock ring with a hex screw. R/O problem solved on my Rock chucker. If your lock ring is skewed like a lock washer this might be your problem.

 

[savageshooter86]

I am using the Hornady lock rings in my CoAx. Read an article online somewhere that they work better in the CoAx

 

[amamnn]

I have to ask the OP what Forster told him about the problem BEFORE he put it on an internet forum.................. 8)

 

[M-61]

I have to ask the OP what Forster told him about the problem BEFORE he put it on an internet forum.................. 8)

+1 to that......I had a problem with a K&N neck turning tool......called K&N first. The problem was ME not their product. I'd always give the manufacturer the call 1st.

 

[lrgoodger]

A friend has a couple of Coax presses that I have used to help him load for load development and for hunting trips. Runout was not an issue, except for one situation where I tried using one for expanding up .220 Russian brass to 6mm. For that, it is not the press to use. It produced inferior results (with the correct lock ring) compared to my other presses, the Harrell's Combo being the best of the lot. The other thing that I did not like was trying to precisely set shoulder bump. I find it much easier with any press of the more usual turn the die to adjust bump configuration.

Setting shoulder bump with the coax was a tedious and meticulous endeavor in setting the lock ring at exactly the right positition. The Lee collet die problem may turn out to be similar once I have a chance to analyze it. The first thing I've got to do is make a new washer (my old one is too big) to drop down over the case (with a precise OD = .840 / ID = .490, thickness .050). That's the method I was using to partial neck size with the collet die. Doing that may solve the problem all by itself (I hope).

I posted here first because it was Sunday (still is) and I can't call Forster. I figured the wealth of experience out there might reveal the answer in short order. There are some suggestions already. Note the subject line says I am not happy, but I never said I was not happy with the coax. As a matter of fact, I said, "Hopefully there is a simple solution and I can continue to use the coax." I am optimistic that will be the case.

 

[lrgoodger]

Re: Forster co-ax? problem solved

I made the washer and partial neck sizing with it takes the sizing stress away from the sensitive neck/shoulder junction. Adjusting the die so that there is just enough cam over to size the neck results in a case neck with one thousandth or less runout (presuming you started with that or less.) At any rate it is no longer creating more runout than it had before.

I figured it was a simple case of taking time to get everything adjusted correctly to avoid putting un-necessary pressure in the wrong places. I'm happy now.

Thanks for everyone's input.

 

[savageshooter86]

Do you have photo of the washer and Collet die?

Interested to see as I have coax and Collet die. I have not used Collet die yet in this press. How many turns past touch did you use in setting die up? Lee states 1 full turn and for presses that cam over 2 full turns I believe

 

[BigDMT]

, they have a lifetime warranty and Forster would be more than happy to correct the problem for free. So no need to worry sir, they will take care of you...for life


I paid over $37.00 for Forester to fix a set of 6BR dies that I felt should have been done for free. New dies left bad scrape marks on case necks and seater die left a ring around bullet tip. After they (so called) fixed the dies I still had to polish the neck die to keep the case necks from scratching. I'm not impressed with Forester.

Talking about the Co-ax press, not their dies. Apples and oranges.

But I personally have had very good luck with their dies, so no complaints there either

 

[sailhertoo]

I bet its the Lee collet die causing the problem. The dies as you know "float" in the Forrester press. A neck sizing bushing would probably solve the problem I bet. A collet die will not squeeze things concentrically if its floating.