bonanza co-ax

[MT Chambers]

The Co-ax is like no other, I have a rockchucker and a co-ax, I rarely use the RC. I see no need for a turret press if you have a co-ax and I do believe that you can load more accurate ammo on the Co-ax...

[rbuck351]

I haven't had my coax very long and I do load for the hornet. I bought the LS shell holder plate which works well but I also load 223 and the large side won't work with the 223 as they won't remove the case from the die. The small side works but is a tad small. Is the standard double ended shell holder supposed to work with 223?

[41cal]

The standard shellholder (small ends) will work for .223.

[rbuck351]

41cal
Thanks for the info. It looks like someone has been messing with my standard shell holder as there is no small end. Looks like it has been ground on or filed.

[Three44s]

For quite some time I have have wanted a Co Ax press but they keep aluding me at a reasonable price. But loaded cartridge run out depends on many factors.

In my opinion unless you get a poorly bored press, the concentricity of the case, the quality of the die (not what it cost) and TECHNIQUE trump the brand of the press.

The issue of technique should include how you lock down or do not lock your dies but for this post let’s just consider the action of seating the bullet in a loading press. Let’s rule out the special inline seater dies as well. Just focus on traditional dies of reasonable to good quality.

I have found that loaded cartridge runout is significantly affected by how you “stuff” your bullet into the case. Years ago Rick Jameson wrote a regular feature in ST (I believe) about reloading. One month he focused on bullet seating technique in regular presses using traditional loading dies.

What he shared 40 years ago has stuck with me ever since.

The point of the article was that he found that loaded runout was greatly influenced by how one treated the initial start of the bullet as it entered the case mouth.

His technique was simple. Instead of trying to set a speed record for bullet seating he took a little bit of extra care and would just barely start the bullet, relax the press handle slightly, rotate the case say 60 degrees, seat the bullet ever so slightly, relax, rotate, etc.

The point and I have confirmed this with a spinning tool with a dial indicator, is that you do not push the case very far with each subsequent push. Doing so would defeat the whole point because the deeper you initially seat the bullet, the less you can reduce bullet nose canting with the next subsequent push.

I personally call them “mini-pushes”.

I probably average three pushes, rotating the case in between each stroke. All I want to do is move the bullet a few thou each stroke between case rotations.

For those hung up on the “color” of the press I am using it is a Redding Boss but if my press was pink with polka dots I would do the same, if it was a Co Ax, yes, ditto again! For decades all I used was my little RCBS Junior that I bought to start hand loading and yes, did this trick there as well.

You ask what do I shoot? Well, I am mostly working with varmint calibers shooting at varmints at varmint ranges. Even if is a cheap rifle I expect head shot accuracy out of them and strive for it even when it is a stretch.

If you were looking for a ringing endorsement of one brand of press over another you can give up on me because I am like “Jesus”, I love’m all.

If I ever “go Blue” I will mount it right along side my red LNL progressive and set up my Lee Classic Cast Turret in the cluster and take a picture spread and plaster it here on the forum and set up a pop corn stand to fund my retirement .... just because!

Best regards

Three44s

[JimKirk]

For you guys that use the CoAx to load pistol/revolver cartridges.... I came up with a solution that will "shorten" the stroke of the CoAx press. As the users know the shell holder/jaws have to be opened by the tapered spear shaped bolt in the bottom half of the press. Now it is easy to change where the jaws open by putting a longer "bolt"(5/16"NF) in place of the factory one. I used a grade 5 bolt and ground it to match the factory taper best I could(drill and grinder) ...also heat treated it so would not wear ...

Now the problem is the base that holds the jaws need something to stop it in the correct spot.... I had a length of heavy wall aluminum tube ...it had a 1/4" hole in it but I drilled it to allow it to slip over the 5 /16" bolt with the spear point. This gives you a " stop" and you can still adjust the jaw opening by screwing the bolt up/down like the factory bolt.

In this photo you see (L-R) The original factory "bolt", New longer bolt with ground taper, the aluminium tube that acts as a stop, and the 5/16" grade 5 I used to make the tapered bolt. I didn't cut the head off, but ground it into the point.



Here is the way it looks on the CoAx....



Here it all in place ....



The bolt is a 3" bolt . ..that was as long of 5/16" NF bolt they had at the hardware store. ...You can use a longer one, but you would need a longer piece of tube to match. I put the bolt about "middleways" into the base to allow adjustments up and down to adjust how wide the jaws open...

Owned my CoAx since 1970s ..... It is the best operating press I ever owned ..... I have owned 8-10 different presses since I started reloading in 1965....

[digid]

I have a Dillon 550, a CoAx and 2 Lee presses. Pistol rounds get done on the Dillon 550, Rifle on the Coax, and the Lee Classic turret and Breech lock for some case prep, because I have them and they are setup ready to go. I really like my CoAx, the only thing I do not like about the CoAx is its priming system. For rifle in the past I primed on the Lee. My son gave me a RCBS bench prime for Christmas. I have not done any rifle rounds yet this year, but will move my rifle priming to that.

[onelight]

JimKirk that extended pin was a great idea , good job.
I like the CoAx but have not been able to talk myself into spending the money on one for what I do . But they sure look like a fine press with some unique features.

[Larry Gibson]

JimKirk

Excellent idea and execution......

[Three44s]

That is pretty trick!

It ought to be brought up to it’s own thread (and stickied) or made into a short article or something.

Three44s

[Roundball]

Personal Feelings and Experience: I got my Co-Ax back in the Bonanza days. That's probably in the late 1970's. To me, no press is going to overcome brass that is not consistent. For example, using neck turned brass consistently gives less run-out no matter what press.

In another forum, a guru claimed his Co-Ax was stronger than a RC press. Here, got both on a heavy homemade stand. That claim is out of cloud cuckoo land. Point being is that the Co-Ax is greatly oversold. The Co-Ax is a unique well made piece of high quality reloading gear. Sometimes,, I meditate on using a cheater handle on my RC press forming cases. How would that work with a Co-Ax? I am going down to see how well my Co-Ax would work with a Lee lead bullet sizer.

Is it implied accurate rounds cannot be loaded on conventional single stage presses? That's not the way it is. This fad for the Co-Ax will end when the role of concentric cases and dies becomes again an issue or focus. To me, much of the success loading cartridges comes before the press is used. Also, see how much wiggle there is in a conventional shell holder.

The Co-Ax is grossly oversold. Isn't there a Forster made accessory for conventional standard shell holders (Shell holder adapter plate) ? Rant over.

[Drew P]

Let’s not forget there’s a new ripoff er, offering in this field since last year.
I’m keen to try the quick jaw shell holder deal but I don’t like the snap in die concept, would rather have hornady bushings, but mostly don’t like idea of the long reach to handle. That is more strain on the back than an O press by 4x.

I also think the floating shell plate and die thing is total baloney. A regular shell holder will allow enough float to align and if it needs more than that then your press is severely screwed and not the norm of modern O presses.

So, I dunno, they cool, but smell like they lube them with snake oil to me

[mdi]

I'm reading minor issues with the Co-Ax that are easily remedied by using "getting used to it" thinking. Yes the swing is long, but nobody says you can only grab the handle all the way out on the end. I tried a short handle but the same reach is needed, so I just grabbed the yoke. As a matter of fact, a few days ago I was reloading some 380 ACP and when I was reaching down for a dropped case I bumped my head on the handle. I removed the handle and reloaded 50 more cartridges without the handle. Plenty of leverage. I had also choked up on the handle/grabbed the yoke for some 9mm reloads and F/L sizing some 30-06 I still needed to hold the handle near the end but other operations can easily be handled without a handle...

Regarding the shell holder jaws; for me and all the cartridges I reload so far (32 ACP through 30-06 and 7.62x54r) the moving jaws is much easier and faster than a standard, slide in shell holder. I just drop a case in the opening and raise the lever. The case is centered in place and no fiddiling with getting a rim lined up with the slot (a big plus as one ages), Especially when seating bullets. I will drop the charged case in the shell holder, raise the ram(s) enough for the jaws to hols the case, and it's much easier to top off the case with a bullet, especially on the smaller rounds (32 ACP, 380, 9mm, 38/357, etc.).

The only easier to use press I can remember is my old (!) Pacific "C" press, but I didn't mind screwing died in/out and readjusting each time.