Forster CO Ax press

[chkunz]

How many drugs have you seen passed by the FDA after millions of dollars have been spent testing them for safety - only to have them be pulled from the market after they were found to be unsafe when used by thousands of patients in real life instead of the 100 test subjects employed by the FDA research? It happens all the time. I am a scientist with two doctorates and am totally ingrained with the advantages of controlled research. That said - there is NO substitute for real life experience. Dump as much technology as you can into a rifle and it's load development - it's only as good as what it does on the range. IMO no one has done valid comparative testing on the presses we use and citing data from a poorly controlled test is worse then no test at all - it's misleading. I have five presses that I've operated over the last fifteen years. The CO-AX is my go to press and that seems to be the opinion of most of the folks who have experience with it.

Jerry

The "poorly controlled test" that you refer to presented data that showed that between the three presses that there was no significant difference in run out. The run out came from other factors of the reloading process and the data simply quantified how much run out came from these different factors. The results were generally well know from data published by others and what I did was quantify what was generally already known by most folks. My point in my reply to this thread was simply that the CO-AX is a different design from most other presses and has advantages and disadvantages but improved run out is not one of the advantages. You have two PHDs and I stayed at a Holiday Inn once.

 

[savagedasher]

My ram presses have as much as .020 run out from the ram to the bore in the die holder. Can that make a difference? With a CO. AX the dies float to find center. I stayed at Holliday INN also. Larry

 

[LHSmith]

^^^^^Simple, cheap fix.....float the die and S/H on your presses with o-rings.

 

[savagedasher]

As soon as the dies get the threads loaded with pressure the return to the same miss alignment.
Larry

 

[LHSmith]

^^^^^ If you tighten the bejeebers out of the die you're defeating the purpose of the o-ring under the die. My die moves.

 

[nosualc]

If you put an O-Ring under the die, do you have to adjust it every time?

Seems that if you tighten it down (but not too tight), you'll mostly certainly be off by a little bit each time you install the die, requiring adjustment. Correct?

-nosualc

 

[bigedp51]

The Forster's main claim to fame is its floating die arangement.

On my Rockchucker press the case floats in the shell holder and if a o-ring is installed under the lock ring the die is free to self center in the threads of the press. Also if Redding competition shell holders are used and making hard contact with the die (cam over) any slop in the press is removed from the sizing equation.

The main object here is to not lock the die down off center and cocked at a angle when sizing the case.

When using Forster full length dies with the floating expander spindle you do not pull the necks off center on the down stroke of the ram.

With a standard off the shelf factory rifle and larger neck diameter chamber and using bushing dies you may need to size the neck in two operations to prevent distorting the necks and inducing runout.

Bottom line, much of the discussion of presses and dies depends on your chamber, your brass and neck uniformity and your results will vary.

Many times I wish I had a Co-Ax press, "BUT" I'm still getting good results with my 42 year old Rockchucker press and it would be hard to justify spending $300.00 just to say I own a Lexus instead of a Ford.

 

[bigedp51]

If you put an O-Ring under the die, do you have to adjust it every time?

Seems that if you tighten it down (but not too tight), you'll mostly certainly be off by a little bit each time you install the die, requiring adjustment. Correct?

-nosualc

Not if you are use Redding competition shell holders (press cam over) and put a index mark on the die and press. I have no problem using Lee lockrings with their built in o-ring and die movement. The only down side is the shell holders come in .002 increments and you "might" have more or less shoulder bump than what you want when full length resizing. You will also have variations with the type brass you are sizing and springback rate of the brass.

 

[NevadaZielmeister]

As soon as the dies get the threads loaded with pressure the return to the same miss alignment.
Larry

This.

I cannot believe that taking an o-ring will turn your press into the same technology as a Forster Co-Ax. I just cannot see it, sorry.

 

[Ares]

I've owned Rockchukers, a partner, Big boss, Lee classic cast, a couple of Harrells.
And of course the CO-Ax.

I've moved on from them all and sold them except for a modified Harrells turret i use to decap.

The only presses that i will allow to size my own cases, expand, tip etc, anymore is my Praezipresses.
And John Hydro bullet seater for seating.

Nothing else comes close in terms of concentricity and consistency of headspace. Aligned within 0.0003" through the whole stroke length, even under heavy lateral loads, and zero flex.A very solid repeatable dead stop at the top of the stroke.
And the shell holder holders is repeatably centered with through hardened, pre-loaded spring-loaded ball pin.

No need to use an O ring at all, with a press that's built and machined right from the start.

 

[CatShooter]

As soon as the dies get the threads loaded with pressure the return to the same miss alignment.
Larry

Then buy a better press... there are many good presses.

 

[savagedasher]

As soon as the dies get the threads loaded with pressure the return to the same miss alignment.
Larry

Then buy a better press... there are many good presses.

I have two CO AX I stopped the problem of miss alignment their in the shed. Larry

 

[bigedp51]

I'm going to break out my Lee Loader, my plastic hammer and powder scoops and move to the Alaskan bush country way off the grid. That way I will only have to argue with myself and what few reloading manuals I take with me.

But I would also take my Lee Breech Lock Hand Press, some o-rings and all my full length dies and use the Lee loader as a duck call.

 

[savagedasher]

The hammer will kill deer fly's and mosquitoes also. ;D ;D ;D Larry

 

[ericbc7]

My only 2 complaints about the forester is that it is a pain to use my rcbs bullet puller with it and it's mech advantage makes it hard to use my "perfect crimp" torque wrench at the low numbers. Otherwise it is a dream and its spent primer handling is second to none.