Joe,
Someone already makes the modified shellholder jaws if you don't want to make them:
Danny
Forster Co-Ax Press
- Thread starter kapt
- Start date
Joe,
Someone already makes the modified shellholder jaws if you don't want to make them:
Danny
Cryhavoc
Silver $$ Contributor
My Forster Co-Ax has been my workhorse press for rifle rounds until I switched over the RCBS Summit...I actually get "slightly" better concentricity or runout with the Summit.....I might be transitioning to an arbor press after using a friends on our last reloading session....all my pistol rounds are churned out on my Dillon...
All my reloads are either 6Dasher or 30BR. My dies are all set and locked in place. The Co-Ax works great using one stroke that covers decapping, resizing the body, shoulder and neck.
Prefer to just use a small single stage press for final bullet seating that gives a me good consistant seating feel. My thin neck cases are annealed after the 3rd firing. Is there a better press for what I do with both my loads being .308 case based?
Ben
Prefer to just use a small single stage press for final bullet seating that gives a me good consistant seating feel. My thin neck cases are annealed after the 3rd firing. Is there a better press for what I do with both my loads being .308 case based?
Ben
You may want to read the reviews on the press at MidwayUSA's website: www.midwayusa.com
Ledd Slinger
Silver $$ Contributor
Most likely you need to anneal your brass and perhaps use a better lubricant. The force needed to extract a case from a FL sizing die should never be so hard that it can break the S jaws. I started annealing my brass every 2 or 3 firings and since then, I've never had a hard extraction when sizing.
Ledd Slinger
Silver $$ Contributor
Not sure what some folks are talking about with changing shell holders on the Coax unless they are using the shell holder adapter and not the S jaws???
I have the standard shell holder adapter, but I've never had a reason to use it.
My S jaws have remained untouched since i bought the press years ago and they work on everything from my 20 Ackley Hornet on up to cases with .532" Magnum rims and everything between (PPC rims, .473" rims, .378" rims, etc...)
I have the standard shell holder adapter, but I've never had a reason to use it.
My S jaws have remained untouched since i bought the press years ago and they work on everything from my 20 Ackley Hornet on up to cases with .532" Magnum rims and everything between (PPC rims, .473" rims, .378" rims, etc...)
Last year for Christmas, my wife and kids bought me a Co-Ax because I'd been drooling over one for a long time...
I've had presses from every major manufacturer (Hornady, Lyman, RCBS, Lee...you name it.) I would stumble onto one, throw it into the lineup...and give 'em a workout for a year or two. I finally stuck with two Rockchuckers and a Dillon 550, although I've continued to toy with Wilson dies and Arbor presses to see what the hubub was all about. I have found that I can load as accurate with my rockchuckers as with anything else I've tried.
I really like the Co-Ax for seating, and for the quick change out of the dies. In fact, I retired my newest Rockchucker and replaced it with the Co-Ax.
I believe that it is a more refined press, and while I was surprised how well my Rockchuckers worked, I don't know that the Co-Ax does it measurably better, but it is easier to handle multiple calibers, which is of benefit to me, as I reload for about a dozen different rifles of different calibers.
I still love my Rockchucker for heavy forming, and would not be without it, however the convienance of swapping dies in and out of the Co-Ax makes setup very simple. I've had no issues with the Co-Ax "shell holder" and find that it works very well with everything from my 20vt through 30-06.
MQ1
I've had presses from every major manufacturer (Hornady, Lyman, RCBS, Lee...you name it.) I would stumble onto one, throw it into the lineup...and give 'em a workout for a year or two. I finally stuck with two Rockchuckers and a Dillon 550, although I've continued to toy with Wilson dies and Arbor presses to see what the hubub was all about. I have found that I can load as accurate with my rockchuckers as with anything else I've tried.
I really like the Co-Ax for seating, and for the quick change out of the dies. In fact, I retired my newest Rockchucker and replaced it with the Co-Ax.
I believe that it is a more refined press, and while I was surprised how well my Rockchuckers worked, I don't know that the Co-Ax does it measurably better, but it is easier to handle multiple calibers, which is of benefit to me, as I reload for about a dozen different rifles of different calibers.
I still love my Rockchucker for heavy forming, and would not be without it, however the convienance of swapping dies in and out of the Co-Ax makes setup very simple. I've had no issues with the Co-Ax "shell holder" and find that it works very well with everything from my 20vt through 30-06.
MQ1
Love my Co-Ax, will buy another one today
I like the spent primer catch feature as well. No more picking up those pesky things that seen to fine themselves into the smallest of places.
I de-prime and size on the co-ax, seat with arbor dies.
Works for me,
Lloyd
Ledd Slinger
Silver $$ Contributor
I couldn't live without a RockChucker either. They are extremely tough and make great ammo. No forming is too much for the old RC. It will handle any job I throw at it.
On another note, I bought a LEE Classic Breech Lock press for my father in law for Christmas so he would have an extra press. I don't own that particular LEE press myself, but I was pretty impressed with how they developed their quick changing breech lock die system using collets. It's nearly as fast as the Coax. And to me, the LEE looks like it would nearly rival the strength of my RC. Plus the handle angle is adjustable. Seemed like a heck of a lot of press, especially considering the price point. Don't see how they make money on it when they sell at only a little over $100 ??? I may have to try one out someday. If RCBS implemented the LEE breech lock system into the RC, that would be a game changer for me.
On another note, I bought a LEE Classic Breech Lock press for my father in law for Christmas so he would have an extra press. I don't own that particular LEE press myself, but I was pretty impressed with how they developed their quick changing breech lock die system using collets. It's nearly as fast as the Coax. And to me, the LEE looks like it would nearly rival the strength of my RC. Plus the handle angle is adjustable. Seemed like a heck of a lot of press, especially considering the price point. Don't see how they make money on it when they sell at only a little over $100 ??? I may have to try one out someday. If RCBS implemented the LEE breech lock system into the RC, that would be a game changer for me.
Mulligan
Silver $$ Contributor
^^^^^^^^exactly my experience ^^^^^^^^^^^
CW
Just be aware of all these features for the sole purpose of "convenience" could create tolerance stack-up issues that are not present in the standard single stage press set-up. While it may be true the product was designed to address these issues, as we all know quite well what is shipped by the manufacturer these days is often not 100% with-in design specs.
I currently own and load for 10 different rifles that require different dies, load for 8 others and I can't just figure out the major inconvenience of threading and unthreading dies from a press.....even when using a threaded seating die. I always measure shoulder set-back and run the sized cases through the action (minus FP assembly) anyways to ensure 100% function. Reloading is not a race.
Mulligan
Silver $$ Contributor
The real advantage of the "quick -change" die, is it allows the die to float. With the shell holder design working in tandem with the floating die, run-out is reduced. The primer catching is fully contained, no muss no fuss.
I own several presses, the only one I would not be without is the CO-AX.
CW
I own several presses, the only one I would not be without is the CO-AX.
CW
I own a CoAx press, bought it used from a buds dad for $50 when he quit loading. I don't use the priming system, priming instead with a hand primer. I don't use the spring loaded jaws for case holding, think it's a horrible system. Replaced it with the plate that allows the use of standard shellholders. Still allows the shellholder to 'float', if you will, and allows changing from .378 to .473 in about 2 seconds. i like the press, but I would never spend the $$$ for a new one. I mainly use it for FLS-ing, using inline seating dies and an arbor press for seating duties.
There's no cult following here, it's just a press.
There's no cult following here, it's just a press.
Ledd Slinger
Silver $$ Contributor
Good point. It definitely could introduce more inconsistencies.
Tho if you load tons of rounds for a lot of different varmint rifles to shoot ground squirrels it can become very inconvenient with only one single stage press. This is where my T7 shines. I can have 3 different die sets and a powder measure with charging die all set up on one turret. The auto primer tube attachment takes care of the priming as well. Size, prime, charge, seat, done.
With big game hunting rounds, my seater die usually sits in the Coax waiting on the sizing to be completed on my RC as my RCBS Chargemaster is throwing the charge.
In either case, I go from empty unprimed brass to completed round. No more sizing em all, then charging them all, then changing dies and seating all the bullets like I used to years ago when I only had the RC. Dont even really use my brass trays anymore. I grab a fired brass from a bucket, complete it and it goes in the ammo case.
If I was competition shooting, I would definitely slow it down and take great care. I built a competition rifle a while back, but its never seen a match. Just takes up too much time to be competitive these days. Id rather spend that time fishing, hunting, camping or any of my other hobbies. But all of my hunting and varmint rifles shoot well under 1/2 MOA with my speed loading methods so that's good enough for their purpose.
My buddy uses the Hornady lock system in his press. He changes dies quickly. It has to be accurate because he shot the smallest 6 and 10 match group aggregate in the history of Williamsport 1000 yard 17 pound class. Matt
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