Using Other Dies in Forster Co-Ax Press

[AlaskaMike]

Those of you who use Forster Co-Ax presses, can you use non-forster dies in it? I'm thinking about getting a new press, and looking hard at the Co-Ax. There's no way I can do it though if I need to replace all my RCBS, Redding, and Lee dies.

Thanks,
Mike

[Scrounger]

Those of you who use Forster Co-Ax presses, can you use non-forster dies in it? I'm thinking about getting a new press, and looking hard at the Co-Ax. There's no way I can do it though if I need to replace all my RCBS, Redding, and Lee dies.

Thanks,
Mike

The short answer is "Yes", any normal type Die. A problem that occurs with some brands of Dies is the lock ring is a little too thick to slide into the slot on the Co-ax. Easily overcome. I bought a bunch of the Lee lock rings (they're cheap) and switched them. I think most die makers made their rings thinner when they became aware of that problem. If you have an older set of dies that are too thick, call the die maker and they will send you some of the new, thinner ones. It's a neat press, go for it.

[utk]

I use everything BUT Forster dies in my Coax (Hornady, RCBS and LEE).
Besides Forster´s own, Lyman´s round lock rings and Hornady´s work fine. But a Lee ring won´t fit very well, the O-ring makes the combination a little too tight, IMHO.
Another thing is that the handle design of an "inverted Y" makes tall dies impossible. (A Hornady seater with the micrometer top is too tall).

Urban

[AlaskaMike]

Cool--sounds encouraging!

One other thing--the RCBS JR2 I'm using now is pretty worn, and the handle sags (maybe the wrong word), causing the ram to go up 3/4 up. It's kind of a pain but I've learned to live with it. The way the Co-Ax works, is it susceptible to the same problem, or does it stay relatively solidly in the up position?

Thanks,
Mike

[utk]

Mike, the handle definitely stays up!
I even have a small piece of wood under the shell holder thingie that rises it a bit so that the pointy jaw-opener doesn´t contact the jaws weakening the springs.
(You will understand what I mean when you study the design more closely).

Urban

[Scrounger]

I don't know but sounds like a non-problem to me. I've not used the Co-ax enough to know if that will happen with it or not but... What has happened with your RCBS (And MAY happen with the Co-ax) is that it has been used enough to wear off all the rough spots and reduce the friction to almost zero. And that is a good thing! It takes less effort on your part to cycle the press; it only becomes an annoyance when you are NOT using it. It should be a simple thing to rig a stiff wire hook or velcro strap to hold the handle in the closed position when you are not using it.

[utk]

Another thing, the weight of the shellholder carrrier (thingie) plus the weight of the two guiderods combined with the geometry of the linkage holds the handle up...

The handle has to be brought to near it´s horizontal position before it "wants to fall down".
One drawback with the automatic shellholder jaw opening is that you have to "fully cycle" the handle to release the case. Can be a bit of a nuisance if you are e.g. sizing a lot of short cases...

Urban

[monadnock#5]

Yes you can use other makes of dies in a co-ax. It can be a pricey conversion however.

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=870631

It's a price that I've paid to use a fine press.

One problem you might run into is with specialty dies. I can use RCBS competition dies, but only by lowering the handle, inserting the die, and raising the handle up again. I have to be very careful not to release the handle too soon, and smack my micrometer seating die with a blow it doesn't need or deserve. If you use standard dies you will have no difficulties.

Ken

[dromia]

You don't have to use Forster rings, like Scrounger said others will fit. When I got my Co-ax I went through all my 'O' rings and sorted out those that fitted. Lee one are the loosest of those that fit, as a feature of the press is the self centring of the dies with the case then I don't see this as a problem. The Lees will slip past the retaining grub screw, but I never use it so its not a problem.

[Buckshot]

...............You can also buy an adaptor to use std shell holders in place of the 2 sets of universals if you want, or maybe are reloading some really fat rimed case.

There ARE some dies that will not fit. I have the Co-Ax press BTW. The head that accepts the dies has a slot to take the lock ring. The distance ABOVE the lock ring slot is such that some dies having an upper body portion much over 7/8" OD can have problems depending upon how they have to be adjusted to work.

Basicly if the dies you have over 7/8" OD on the upper part, have to be adjusted down (screwed down through the lock ring) too much they will NOT fit in the recess.

...................Buckshot

[RoyRogers]

I like my Forester a lot but, like most anything else, it is not perfect for all applications. I use several brands of dies but did invest in enough Forester lock rings to fit all the ones I use in that press. Midway sells them by the dozen - IIRC. The Forester is a bit tight for my tastes with magnum cases. Some dies rings fit nicely in the co-ax, others don't but lock rings are cheap. Don't know who has the best prices these days but Midway & Cabala's used to be consistently lower than the other guys on the co-ax. I don't think you will like the priming system on the co-ax either should you be accustomed to priming on a press. I know I may sound negative but they are a quality machine in spite of these shortcomings.

[Buckshot]

I don't think you will like the priming system on the co-ax either should you be accustomed to priming on a press. I know I may sound negative but they are a quality machine in spite of these shortcomings.

...........I agree about the priming setup. Hell for strong, and accurate but kind of a pain.

...............Buckshot

[3sixbits]

It never happened to me (had a primer go off), but I never could get over the crawly feeling priming with the co-ax. The tender part of my forearm over the shell mouth while seating a primer. The universal shell holder has cost me a lot of extra time removing stuck cases from the die when the heads pulled off. All the things I thought I really liked about this press when I first saw it at Camp Perry in 1967, has turned out to be the things I like least today in the machine. I've had two of them, they are a seductive machine.

[KCSO]

Got a Co-ax in 1977 and have loaded many many rounds on it and have used all brands of dies. I did buy a bunch of Forester lock rings as in the early days i used a lot of Herter's dies and the dual ring set up on them wouldn't work. I didn't use the Co-ax a lot for priming as I prefered a hand tool. This is a super press and good for 2 lifetimes of reloading. I remember when I gave $45 for mine new and I thought that was a fortune.

[AlaskaMike]

I remember when I gave $45 for mine new and I thought that was a fortune.

I'll give ya $50 for it!

:mrgreen: