Spoiled myself today!

[wallenba]

Well, with all the Christmas shopping done, and a little of that budget left over I finally ordered a Forster Co-Ax press. I've wanted one for a good while now, but was never available when I had the scratch, until now. Had to brag a bit! Got the short handle ordered too.

Will I need anything else for it? [smilie=s:

[Bayou52]

And you thought there was no Santa? :bigsmyl2:

[Artful]

Congratulations, I think you will find that unique press a great addition to your stable



Will I need anything else for it? [smilie=s:

If you load little ones like 218 bee or big one's like 50-70's you'll need the additional jaws.
S and LS cover most everything out there

[pworley1]

A little spoiling never hurts. Merry Christmas!

[IllinoisCoyoteHunter]

Awesome! I have been eyeballing one for a long time...but I am more of an RCBS guy. Someday I will break down and get one. Hope you enjoy that press and have a Merry Christmas!

[Dan Cash]

Congratulations! It took me 50 years to get one and now I have 2. The only extra I can think of is extra jaws if you reload for the calibers requiring them. You may also want to fabricate a short handle for some applications. I had a RockChucker for several years but it now lies under a bench gathering dust. You will find the Co-Ax a wonderful press.

[jsizemore]

If you plan to use your present reloading dies you'll need the forester nuts.

http://www.forsterproducts.com/catalog.asp?prodid=740292

[Stonecrusher]

+1 on extra lock nuts. Kind of expensive, but necessary. I have replaced all on my dies, just not at once. It took me a long time to get mine but it was worth the wait. Smooth and sweet action. Excellent used primer control, they all go down the tube into the jar.
Just be sure if you mount it above a drawer on your bench, lower the press handle BEFORE opening the drawer!

[Rory McCanuck]

you'll need the forester nuts

Kind of expensive, but necessary
I must be missing something.
Mine works with Lee, Lyman, Hornady, RCBS and Redding rings.

Enjoy your new press. They're a bit different to use, ergonomics wise, but once you get going they are very smooth.

[Stonecrusher]

Yeah, there are a few other manufacturers whose rings will fit. I have not had good luck with the Lee though. The o-ring thing kills me. As long as they are the right thickness they should work fine. I had enough lock rings that were only 1/4" thick, or used the set screw in the side that I felt like those should be replaced with either Forster or Sinclair.
I prefer the split ring over the set screw type of rings. Some brands have very large wrench flats and in my mind, which usually is in overkill mode, to prevent any possibility of excessive or uneven wear on my rather pricy piece of equipment the large diameter split rings are a good thing. I use the Lyman and Redding rings, maybe others I can't remember. Because some of these are smaller and have less bearing surface I put them on the dies that see lesser pressure such as seating die versus FL Sizer.

[Artful]

I had forgotten about some of the rings not working - the older RCBS worked fine but some of the newer ones were too fat. The Hornady ring's just have lots of play in Forster's lock-ring-retention system. Lee's with that O-ring I just generally set in my turret and lock in place for that use only.

[wallenba]

Thanks for all the positive feedback on my choice. I never throw out anything reloading related, so I began digging and found 15 die lock rings I suspect are Forster's. I'll know for sure when I can compare them to the ones coming with the press. I have always swapped out the rings supplied with my new dies for Hornady's, so they stack up in storage. I don't like to use rings that push against the die threads, and I like the flats on the Hornady's, and the permanent setting.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to all.

[wallenba]

Congratulations, I think you will find that unique press a great addition to your stable



If you load little ones like 218 bee or big one's like 50-70's you'll need the additional jaws.
S and LS cover most everything out there

Yep. a 22 Hornet, so eventual will look into that.

[r1kk1]

125680

The micrometer dies are for a 270 Win. The brass is used for a neck down Cassull to 41 caliber called the 410 GNR. The LNL bushings are for the Summit and I use Forster lockrings for just about everything as they will find their way into the COAX at home. On the road the Summit goes with me.

Christmas presents from my wife.

take care
r1kk1

[BucolicBuffalo]

I bought the curved shape links that mount on each side for more hand and finger clearance. There is also a fellow on Youtube that sells a heavier version of the shell plate. I got one. But have to admit that I had never used the stock version and don't know if it's weaker. I like the Forster lock rings better than anyone elses.

I learn more about it each day. I like it more than the RCBS Rockchucker I had 35 years ago. Even though I have to handle primers by hand, I like the priming system. I learned that for some calibers the locks to hold the shells when priming just need to be snug. I had the pointed bolt that opens the shell plate work it's way down after several hundred press operations and my 45LC shells would not fit it. The bolt could use an O ring or something to keep it from working down.