Forester Co-Ax

[snowwolfe]

I love this press. It is very easy to use. The only thing I didn't like about it was the "ergonomics" made it difficult to insert or remove the brass from the sides due to the linkage pieces. Then someone told me about the new curved linkage plates and I added them to the press. Total game changer!!!!
If you have a Co-Ax, buy the new linkage.

[hc18flyer]

My Co-Ax is my favorite press. I really like sliding adjusted dies in and out, and maintaining their settings. I do use a Lee hand primer. Recently I did get and older Dillon SDB, pretty darn good for pistol ammo production! hc18flyer

[Gav-n-Tn]

I’ve looked at that press pretty hard. I’ve kind of pre planned its possibility in the future. I’ve exchanged all of my die lock rings for the Forster’s. That’s a step anyway.

[snowwolfe]

I’ve looked at that press pretty hard. I’ve kind of pre planned its possibility in the future. I’ve exchanged all of my die lock rings for the Forster’s. That’s a step anyway.

I would go as far as say its the perfect press for 30-06 rounds and smaller. I'll never get rid of mine. I been told the newer presses come with the new curved linkage pieces.

[kaiser]

The Co Ax is by far and away my favorite press; and I have owned, or owned, just about every brand on the planet. While it is not as portable as some, it is the fastest (single stage) and sturdiest press on the market (IMHO). What makes the new "curved linkage" pieces so much better than the "old?" (Give me some reasons for improving on "perfection".)

[dverna]

I bought mine decades ago. My first press. I was a poor student but decided to buy once cry once. Paid $68...that is etched in my mind because it was a lot of money for me back then.

Like others have said, it will be here when I die. I hate priming on it and used hand primers until I got an RCBS bench prime a few years ago.

Interestingly, it seems almost all the presses available back then (over 50 years ago) are gone except for the RCBS RC. I have an RC I got from a guy who was giving up reloading but do not reload on it. Use it to size military cases.

[Tatume]

I would go as far as say its the perfect press for 30-06 rounds and smaller. I'll never get rid of mine. I been told the newer presses come with the new curved linkage pieces.

The Forster, Midway, and Amazon web sites all show the Co-Ax press with straight linkages. Forster shows the curved linkages as accessory items.

[oley55]

I've been looking at these for years: https://inlinefabrication.com/products/precision-machined-increased-access-side-linkages-for-co-ax but didn't see how having those prongs sticking out made them much better than the standard straight ones. No doubt the Forster curved linkages look way more better and cheaper too.

[Three44s]

Some curved link arms do not have those horns:

https://www.forsterproducts.com/product/curved-linkage-for-co-ax-press/

Three44s

[snowwolfe]

These are the linkage pieces I purchased.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/155573181549
The curve allows a reloader to reach in easier from either side to insert or remove a case and bullet.

Total game changer for this press IMO. They also include 4 clips. It is an easy 3-4 minute install to change out both pieces. I could never go back to the straight linkage pieces again.

This video will make you click the "Buy it now" button:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4fWTPkUHt0

[2002ford]

I'm using my father's co-ax. It's been around for a long time but I prefer it over my hornady lock n load progressive press.

[Bill M]

I have a Co-Ax I bought about 20 years ago, and I really like it for rifle reloading.
I confess I never used the primer function, I made a plate to bolt to the primer bars, and use it to push a rod through a 357 sizer die, and full size my brass. I was shooting revolver with USPSA, and it helped speed up the reloads! I don't use it anymore, my friend has a rollsizer that works great!

[abunaitoo]

May sound strange, but I have one and have never used it.

[Three44s]

May sound strange, but I have one and have never used it.

As a new press on the used market you could get a handsome sum for it.

I wish they were not as popular as they presently are because I can not order one due to being out of stock just about every where right now.

Three44s

[Tatume]

I wish they were not as popular as they presently are because I can not order one due to being out of stock just about every where right now.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/102661583?pid=484993

Available at Midway. (Not)

[snowwolfe]

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/102661583?pid=484993

Available at Midway.

That is the new “jumbo version” of the Co-Ax. Not the press under discussion

[abunaitoo]

The one I have is not new.
Got it with a bunch of stuff from a house clean out.
But I've never used it.
Looks like a good sturdy press.
Maybe someday I'll get around to using it.
Have a few others that I've never tried.
Was a good haul.
I'm kind of a tool junky.

[AnthonyB]

Have any of you guys tried “angling” the press one way or the other so the handle isn’t coming straight at you? I don’t want to reinvent the wheel…
Tony

[Beast of Burden]

A little off topic, but I have one of the Frankford Arsenal knock-offs that works pretty well after a few modifications. Not a Forster Co-Ax, but a cheap alternative. Cheers.

[jsizemore]

When I got into competitive shooting I loaded on a Rock Chucker and used a RCBS 302 scale and did my load development testing in the backyard. The guys at the range that had shot for years and won about everything used a Bonanza Co-Ax press, lee or RCBS hand prime, Neal Jones powder measure which they used at the bench to do load development. The press would be attached to a board and clamped to the bench or a table behind the firing line. They'd check the powder weight limits of the powder measure with a balance beam scale before leaving home. Most used ball powder, or short cut extruded powder. Most times they exchanged load data for their powder in the number from the powder measure. Most of this was copied from the benchrest crowd who loaded as they shot matches to keep up with temperature and humidity changes as the day wore on. They'd find cases that worked great in their gun and keep reloading them over and over again with minimal resizing of the case. The Co-ax was developed and built by BR shooters for BR shooters. The alternative was to use Wilson hand dies and chase all the parts and pieces around the bench. When your trying to mind reloading while waiting on a condition to return downrange, it's easy for loose stuff to go missing, or roll off and hit the concrete. Anyway, Co-ax is a great press that produces consistent results and does the die change thing quickly.

[nuclearcricket]

A few years back I picked up a used Co-Ax press at what I thought was a good price. The original owner had it set up to use a shell holder to do the priming. I ended up having to purchase some new parts for the press. The primer catcher jar lid was damaged and that needed to be replaced. By the time things were all said and done, I had invested more than a new press would have cost me.
Once it was up and running and I was able to use it for some of the odd calibers I load for, I really like the press, don't much care for the priming system but it does work. The big up side I found was when I use a bushing die, the co ax allows things to be set up so that things run true. Not the case with my lyman press. I have made a set up for the co ax that does allow me to size bullets, and it does a very nice job of that. All in all I like the press very much. The Lyman just collects dust and I can't honestly say when the last time a die was in that press. If I were to name one aspect of the press that I really don't like, its the pointed rod that opens the case holder jaws. Sometimes I have to set things up to use a standard shell holder and I have to take that pointed pin out as it will not screw down far enough to go below flush. A new pin with more threads on it would make life so much easier in my opinion. Other than that I feel its a really nice press and I have no plans on getting rid of it.
Sam

[steveu]

I have had a Co-Ax since the early 90's. I like the primer system on the press for loading long range ammo, it beats the old Lee hand primer I had. I have modified the the rod that opens the jaws so I can easily load any 45-70 size rim. What I did was grind off the face of the rod to remove that part that the rim was hitting and cut a small notch in the rod at the base. I then used a little bit of thread locker to keep it in place. The jaws now open to the max opening and I have had no issues loading anything from 5.56 to my 40-90 SBN. I also recently purchased the shell holder attachment to load my 43 Spanish and 50-90.

Cheers,
Steve

[dverna]

These are the linkage pieces I purchased.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/155573181549
The curve allows a reloader to reach in easier from either side to insert or remove a case and bullet.

Total game changer for this press IMO. They also include 4 clips. It is an easy 3-4 minute install to change out both pieces. I could never go back to the straight linkage pieces again.

This video will make you click the "Buy it now" button:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4fWTPkUHt0

Thanks for posting that. I am ordering a set.

[mdatlanta]

Thanks for posting that. I am ordering a set.

Don, heads up--Forster has the 'factory' curved jaws on sale for $20, plus tax and shipping ($27 total shipped to ATL). They are cosmetic seconds. The set I received had some verysmall blueing blemishes which were easily covered with a small application of Oxpho Blue. I really didn't even have to use the Oxpho blue, the blemishes were so small.

[dverna]

Don, heads up--Forster has the 'factory' curved jaws on sale for $20, plus tax and shipping ($27 total shipped to ATL). They are cosmetic seconds. The set I received had some verysmall blueing blemishes which were easily covered with a small application of Oxpho Blue. I really didn't even have to use the Oxpho blue, the blemishes were so small.

Rats!!! Saw this too late but it will help others.

[oley55]

Don, heads up--Forster has the 'factory' curved jaws on sale for $20, plus tax and shipping ($27 total shipped to ATL). They are cosmetic seconds. The set I received had some verysmall blueing blemishes which were easily covered with a small application of Oxpho Blue. I really didn't even have to use the Oxpho blue, the blemishes were so small.

Thanks for that info, ordered a set today.

[Three44s]

I've been looking at these for years: https://inlinefabrication.com/products/precision-machined-increased-access-side-linkages-for-co-ax but didn't see how having those prongs sticking out made them much better than the standard straight ones. No doubt the Forster curved linkages look way more better and cheaper too.

Did a bit of research.

The horns on the link arms are there to maintain the factory original condition where the co ax press does not cam over.

The horn-less arms seem to allow the press to cam over at the top.

Three44s

[mdatlanta]

Thanks for that info, ordered a set today.

:drinks:

[jsizemore]

Did a bit of research.

The horns on the link arms are there to maintain the factory original condition where the co ax press does not cam over.

The horn-less arms seem to allow the press to cam over at the top.

Three44s

I knew there was something that didn't look right about those things.

[castmiester]

I really wanted the Forster coax but couldn’t justify the price. I don’t like the shell holder on the Frankford press and the die blocks but the rest of the press is fine. The first one l bought l used an open end wrench to turn to a different holder. The stud splines stripped and FA sent me a new press. They couldn’t get parts. I could grind off the corners to ease the cycling but no need due to only using the press to bullet seat for my bolt guns and use my Rock Chucker to FL size.

[snowwolfe]

The horns on the link arms are there to maintain the factory original condition where the co ax press does not cam over.

The horn-less arms seem to allow the press to cam over at the top.

Three44s

Interesting, the hornless version is what Forster is producing and selling.