Reloading press advice

[BigDMT]

But probably my favorite advantage of the Forster is how quickly I can change dies out. Slide one out and slide in the next one in a matter of seconds.

I agree, but as my previous post above, how do you bump your shoulders with the Co-Ax? I try to stay around .001, one thousandths.

I will buy it in a minute once someone shows me how to do this, and how easy it is.

Dennis

Simple. Use a micrometer seating die.
Kind of a must have to tune precision ammo anyhow. Shims are not reliable and a pain to deal with. So is adjusting lock nuts. Life is a lot easier with a micrometer seater.

I like the Forster Ultra Micrometer dies. Good price (around$60), excellent quality, and already have the proper lock ring to use in the coax.

 

[Phil3]

One thing I do with my Forster locking rings is replace the Phillips head with a hex cap screw. Way easier to loosen then.

The Forster lock rings now come with a socket screw (Allen). Much better than the Phillips head to be sure!

Phil

 

[ljhsniper1]

One thing I do with my Forster locking rings is replace the Phillips head with a hex cap screw. Way easier to loosen then.

The Forster lock rings now come with a socket screw (Allen). Much better than the Phillips head to be sure!

Phil

I'll be ordering about a dozen then. I never liked the phillips head. This will make the press as near perfect as can be for me. .....SEMPER FI!

 

[BigDMT]

There's nothing wrong with the phillips head on the old rings if you use the proper size screwdriver. That's all I've ever had and I've never stripped one out. And they don't need to be tightened to 120+ lbs

 

[savageshooter86]

so how consistent does the CoAx bump shoulders back when resizing? I know others say that the die must make firm contact to shellholder to get consistent sizing results. Just curious about this.

 

[BigDMT]

Very consistent as long as annealing on brass is fairly current.

They make a shell holder adapter for it as well if that would put you at ease, but there's no need for it. I have adapter cuz it came with it, but I've never put it on.

 

[DennisH]

Simple. Use a micrometer seating die.
Kind of a must have to tune precision ammo anyhow. Shims are not reliable and a pain to deal with. So is adjusting lock nuts. Life is a lot easier with a micrometer seater.

I like the Forster Ultra Micrometer dies. Good price (around$60), excellent quality, and already have the proper lock ring to use in the coax.

No problem with the seating die.

I am referring to FL sizing and only bumping your shoulder back maybe a .001 and being consistent with FL sizing and the Co-Ax.

Dennis

 

[spclark]

I started with a Rockchucker kit years ago, the press is the only thing in it I still use besides the 'spaceship' neck deburring tool - just the fin end though.

Bought a 2nd one used to speed things up a tad, then a Harrell's 4-hole turret when I expanded my cartridge range.

One tip: use sonething you don't care about much for decapping cases. I like the Wilson punch & base items as it gives me a chance to "feel up" cases that may be suffering from primer pocket stretch.

Just this year bought a used LnL to mess with, mostly for 45ACP & 40S&W until I'm satisfied my skills in setting it up are up to the task for reloading my short line XTC match ammo.

Long range stuff'll still get done on the Harrell's.

 

[BigDMT]

Simple. Use a micrometer seating die.
Kind of a must have to tune precision ammo anyhow. Shims are not reliable and a pain to deal with. So is adjusting lock nuts. Life is a lot easier with a micrometer seater.

I like the Forster Ultra Micrometer dies. Good price (around$60), excellent quality, and already have the proper lock ring to use in the coax.

No problem with the seating die.

I am referring to FL sizing and only bumping your shoulder back maybe a .001 and being consistent with FL sizing and the Co-Ax.

Dennis

Oh I see. I misunderstood.

With the Forster coax, I suppose shims wouldn't work. I was thinking maybe the shims may work by placing them on the top side of the lock ring, but then the die probably wouldn't fit in the slot. So adjusting your lock ring may be the only option with the coax.

 

[ridgeway]

Yep, pretty much. IMO, die shims are PITA.

 

[Shynloco]

There's nothing wrong with the phillips head on the old rings if you use the proper size screwdriver. That's all I've ever had and I've never stripped one out. And they don't need to be tightened to 120+ lbs

+1. I'm not in the least bit fond of the Allen wrench lock rings...never have been! Once again a matter of personal preference and not facts.

Alex

 

[LHSmith]

I'm still trying to figure out why shims are unreliable. Guess I'm lucky that I always got shims that never changed dimensions when I wasn't looking. I'll mention this at the Super Shoot :

 

[ridgeway]

Yep, hex cap heads and shims are plain personal preference.

 

[savageshooter86]

Ok back on topic for others that may be needing advice.......

Any other input on the CoAx?

Anyone done a side by side comparison on the ammo it produces?

 

[BigDMT]

Ok back on topic for others that may be needing advice.......

Any other input on the CoAx?

It's awesome.... 8)

 

[BigDMT]

Think of it this way. If you are trying to compare the RockChucker to the coax, it's like comparing a calculator to a desk top computer. The calculator will do math calculations just like the computer, but the computer can do way more things and do them more efficiently because it has way more technology built in.

There really is NO comparison between the RC and the coax. And like I said before, I own both presses and use them often. They are even mounted side by side on my reloading bench.

 

[ridgeway]

A side by side test of ammo quality might not be a productive test. The reason I say that is, there are so many other presses that are equal in precision.

Here is what I like about the CO-AX...

I like how smooth and positive when you run a case up in a sizer die. The cam over locks in so stern, it just feels good.

I like the die lock system.

I like the shell holder system. Not sure if anyone is aware, Forster makes a conversion plate that will allow you to use a standard shellholder.

The deprime system is nice although I deprime separate on another press.

Lets face it, everyone needs multiple presses, so a CO-AX will add to you decor. Its only money, can't take it with ya, lol.

 

[Phil3]

My Co-Ax feels like it might be camming over, but wanted to know for sure. So set up a test indicator using a magnetic base attached to the press body. The indicator tip rested on the shell plate holder. I used a Redding FL die on a fired 223 Remington case, giving it .004" shoulder setback (AR-15). The indicator shows the plate continually rising, although very little toward the ends of arm travel, but the indicator never goes back the other way (plate descending). I think what we feel is the ease of effort to move the handle for very little shell plate movement at the end of travel vs that during mid-stroke. I repeated the measurement without a case, and my results were the same. A bigger case, greater resizing, may change the results.

Phil

 

[Blaster-37]

Hollywood set the bar too high for the rest long ago. They all try to emulate the perfection of the Hollywood Press. No you won't find one at walmart. I have tried most and still have two on my benches and sold the others. If you have never used the best and don't expect perfection, you can probably find what you need locally. Rock on big groups.
Greg

 

[Chuckhunter]

I have been handloading a long time and have had several presses over the years. Lyman, Herters, Rock Chucker, etc. I currently have a Bonanza Co-Ax, yeah it's that old. I just love the speed at which I can change dies, the universal jaws and primer discharge. With that being said, I wouldn't feel handicapped with any of the Large Presses like the Rock Chucker, Redding, Hornady, etc. Most runout comes from the sizing die especially if the wrong size expander ball is used. When the case is backed out of the sizer, to much tension on the expander ball will pull the case out of alignment. Some guys take the expander ball completely out of play, while I personally like to get a proper fitting expander that will just lightly drag through the case neck (and I do mean lightly), so I can tell if one drags more or less, indicating different neck tension. I can then re-check nk. wall thickness, anneal, or sort out completely. When I load at the range I use a little inexpensive RCBS Partner press with an O-ring under the die and the retainer clip for the shell holder removed and replaced with an O-ring, theoretically giving me the same condition as a Co-Ax. Both presses make very straight ammo, so to sum up my personal opinion, if you have the coin, go with the Co-Ax, if not get the best you can afford and payy more attention to setting up your sizer and a proper fitting expander ball and your ammo will turn out just fine.