co-ax hype died, I didn't

[oldscool]

I had read all the hype on how the co-ax press was the best thing since sliced bread. Had it 4 months now, and I have yet to drill dedicated holes in a bench for it. NOT IMPRESSED! I will keep my current ones working.


If you have one and like it, good for you. I do not like going through a 2foot plus arc for any chore. I am not a strongman, but even the little harrell will size what I have to do with much less wasted motion.

[dromia]

Each to his own, one mans meat is another mans poison.

Thats why choice and differences in the market place are good, there is more chance of finding something that suits the individuals needs.

There are few absolutes.

I trust that you will pass it on to someone who will appreciate it.

We have a Swap and Sell board here where no doubt some one will give you a fair price on it.

[oldscool]

When I quit grinding my teeth and blood pressure goes down, it will go back to the vendor with the accesories for what I paid. I just wanted to point out that they are not for everyone-me.

[357maximum]

If anyone ever tried to steal a co-ax from my bench they would have a fight on their hands. But that is me. That is also why they make fords, dodges, and CHEVY, blondes, BRUNETTES, and redheads.


They do make a shorter handle for the co-ax by the way.

[badbob454]

cant we have blondes brunettes and redheads !!??

[fryboy]

one of the best features about the co-ax is the ability to snap in and out dies in less time than it took me to type that even , even less time than it takes to unscrew your turret ( let alone change it and re-install the nut ) the no added expense for turrets even knocks humble lee back a bit lolz

[PacMan]

Tried using it without the handle? I very seldom ever use the handle unless sizimg large rifle cases and then i remove it for seating , priming and crimping.
Best single stage press on the market for my money but that is just me.

[Jack Stanley]

After thirty plus years of owning a CO-AX press I still don't have dedicated holes on the bench for it and didn't have them on the last bench either . Of course , I don't have holes drilled for the Pacific 007 press either but they both get used on a regular basis . Perhaps your dealer will be good to you and give you all you money back or maybe you will find a use the it is suited for along with the rest of those nice tools you have .

Jack

[Bret4207]

So there's nothing wrong with the press itself, you just don't like the way it works and you want to bad mouth it? To each their own.

[jmorris]

one of the best features about the co-ax is the ability to snap in and out dies in less time than it took me to type that even , even less time than it takes to unscrew your turret ( let alone change it and re-install the nut ) the no added expense for turrets even knocks humble lee back a bit lolz

His turret holds 6 dies and rotates to anyone of them in an instant. Also there are no screws to change out to another turret.

[ronbo]

I like my coax bought it used 35 years ago for $40. Don't need to buy any shell holders, have the two sets of double sided jaws that cover everything. Like the slide in and out die, don't seat primers with it, use a Lee priming tool, does have a long handle stroke but is done with very little resistance.

[flashhole]

I didn't care for the ergonomics of the Forster press either. Had one on the bench for about 3 years and never could warm up to it. I also got tired of pinching my fingers when seating long bullets in long cases. Replaced it with an Ultramag and am very happy with it. I do like Forster dies, expecially their seat dies, just don't care for that press.

[flashhole]

oldscool - I like that scale you have in the background. I have one very similar with an RCBS moniker on it but mine has a metal base with a small platform for the powder trickler.

[fryboy]

His turret holds 6 dies and rotates to anyone of them in an instant. Also there are no screws to change out to another turret.

umm yeah so the nut in the middle does nothing i guess nor do all the other turrets mean anything ..... like being set up and ready to change albeit with a nut that requires screwing/turning ( erm and tools )

[1hole]

"So there's nothing wrong with the press itself, you just don't like the way it works and you want to bad mouth it?

I didn't read any 'bad mouth', he said what he doesn't like but didn't say it's a bad press. It is a good press ... and I don't like it either; in several ways the ergonomics are not to my taste.

[Kraschenbirn]

Have never owned a Co-Ax but would like to give the customer service folks at Forster a pat on the back. A few months back, the ram of my old Bonanza 68 O-frame press...purchase new in 1970...developed a crack. Knowing that Bonanza (the original manufacturer of the Co-Ax) had been acquired by Forster sometime in the 1980s, I called their customer service. As I expected, all their old Bonanza spares were long gone but...and this is why they deserve an "attaboy"...they did make an honest attempt to help me out. The gal in customer service explained that Forster had never manufactured old "68" series and, after the inventory of Bonanza parts had been exhausted, had not made up any more spares. She then connected me with one of their shop guys who, after I explained what I needed, said he'd look through their "rework/junker" bin and call me back...which he did, around noon the following day. Still no luck finding a replacement ram for my old press...but, unlike most U.S. companies today...Forster was willing to give an extra effort.

Bill

[Ickisrulz]

"So there's nothing wrong with the press itself, you just don't like the way it works and you want to bad mouth it?

I didn't read any 'bad mouth', he said what he doesn't like but didn't say it's a bad press. It is a good press ... and I don't like it either; in several ways the ergonomics are not to my taste.

It's nice to know I'm not alone. I always see people rating this press highly, but it just doesn't appeal to me. It seems a little too complicated and the handle is in the way. Those that like them, really like them though.

[Lloyd Smale]

I had one too. It burned in the big fire I had and i never felt much of a calling to replace it. I actually like the hornady lock and load single stage better.

[Sonnypie]

Funny.
I just got mine on Thursday, it was mounted right away, made my own "brass monkey appendage" for it for a shorter throw to try out on Fryday, and have worked 200 rounds through it as of last night.
Oh, and I took apart the linkages and massaged some good Moly lube into it's joints and rods.
It has a place down the big bench from the venerable Herter's Model 3, which has it's assigned duties still. The "3" gets the tough jobs, because it is tough. That press has occupied it's place on that bench off and on since I was a child.

But I really like the new Forester. It's very smooth. And the feel as it seats boolits, (and bullets), and then in a couple of seconds the seater die is out and the collet crimping die is in, while the 100th round is still in the jaws and the ammo cycles through for excellent crimps on each round.
It is, for me, a vast improvement on how I was doing my 30-06 bench rest ammo.

Personally, I like going through single stages with my High Power ammunition. It assures me that each step, for each round, is performed the same. Precisely.
Yesterday I was marveling at a circular pattern I developed feeding and removing the rounds as I cycled them through from 2 - 50 round reloading blocks.
First seating boolits, I set a boolit on all the readied cases. Then picked up the case/boolit and set it on the press with my left hand, after my right had removed the finished round. As my right hand cycled the brass monkey's wang to the bottom my left hand captured the round from the right and put it back in the block, and brought forth the next case/boolit for seating. The right had cycled the press to rest and removed the finished round while the left set the next in.
A similar ballet was going on with the crimping operation.
I also found a dance for left block, press, to right block when cycling brass through neck sizing.

It is because of the center point feeding for the rounds that I find the press to have a natural ambidextrous operation. I actually caught myself going for the handle with my left hand.
And I am not "Anti-Progressives" (in presses). I have one for 45ACP ammo (and pistol ammo in general)

I'm not sure I can take seriously someone who hasn't even mounted the press yet.
Are you trying to use it like a Lee hand press?
Compared to some of the same-o-same-o stuff out there I find the Forester a Welcome addition to my operation.

Do you understand YMMV? That is: Your Mileage May Vary.
But for God's Sake's man, you have to at least start the engine.
Sounds like that redhead just isn't for you, Sir.

I have NO doubts you can sell the press to someone waiting in line.

[oldscool]

While I am sure this press would make all my guns shoot straighter, faster, and all around mobetter with the ammo produced on it, my heart does not flutter when stroking the handle.

Yes, I started the engine on it. I had one hole in the front of my bench that was in a good placement, and did drill another for a back mounting bolt in the opposite corner to make a solid, but temporary mount to test it out. I read the instructions and familiarized myself with it and looked it over close. I noticed the jaws closed about 1/8" off center when the rams brought the assembly off the tapered pin that spreads it open. Since it was shipped with the s jaws set up with the large end, I slid a 243 die in, and placed a case between the jaws and pulled the handle. Felt a jolt as it stopped. The case mouth hit the base of the die, and did not enter it. Went through the same motions many times, and at least 30% of the time the shell mouth would hit the bottom of the die.

I checked on the web and found this was not an uncommon problem. Seems Forster does not pay much attention to pairing the length and strength of the jaw pressure springs. When handle is lowered and jaws close, it often tilts the case. So I wanted to see how it did sizing 223 down to fireball. I had to switch the jaws around to the small end, and sure enough one of the springs is 3/16' longer. Put my forming die in, a lubed case and guided the case so it would not strike the die on the way in. Really did not notice it being any less effort to size on the co-ax vs the rcbsjr. I did notice a huge difference in how far the handle had to be moved to accomplish the same task. The ram on the jr does not have to go all the way back up to remove the sized case.

Yes I tried it without the handle, and it is still a lot of wasted arm throw. There is absolutely no contest in how far the handle has to move on the tmag for 9's or 45's. A couple of weeks ago I deprimed about 700 cases on it(tmag) from my easy chair. With a bag of cases to the left on the bench, my left foot on a saw can, and left elbow propped on leg was just the right height to feed the cases and remove. With my right elbow resting on my right leg, and grabbing the handle with finger tips 5 inches above the handle base nut, I could just bend my fingers and flick my wrist to move the handle far enough to deprime and back to where the deprimed case could be removed from the shell holder. I grab 4or5 cases, feed one flick the handle, remove the deprimed case with 2 fingers of my left hand, drop it in box sitting on lap and feed another.I did have probably a dozen spent primers jump on the floor, but I won't loose sleep over that. Deprime 700 cases in a row on a co-ax and tell me how much fun it was.

I did try a few other tasks on the wonderful red press, including bullet seating. Did not see any difference in concentrency, but I am sure they will shoot better.

Now for those that think all you have to do is slide the dies in and out to change calibers, how bout going from say 308 to 223 to 45acp to 9mm. You do know that the jaws have to be switched around? Then there are the optional LS jaws for cartridges not covered by the S jaws. Or try a 45 auto rim. Oh I forgot, they have no jaws to fit that round. I do have the optional standard shell holder adapter plate, but doesn't that kind of defeat the designed built in lateral "slop" of the moving jaws?

Ambidexterous. If you look at the three presses shown in the picture I posted, you can see that all of them can be stroked with your left hand.

I did not post this as a bash of the Forster .:kissarse:It is a well made press. Sorry if I hurt some feelings pointing out some of the things I don't like about it. Expensive does not mean best. I wish I had tried one before buying, but none around my area to check out. Maybe I will find a good use for it, maybe not.

If you love yours, that is fine with me. I don't. Just my opinion as is yours.. I wish I had read some reviews that were not written by cheerleaders before I purchased one. Perhaps if I had seen some more opinions on the ergonomics I would have passed.

I do want others thinking about one to know they do not "fit" everyones taste.