Three 44s How is it going with the new press? meeting expectations?
Three 44s How is it going with the new press? meeting expectations?
Yes all is well! Thank you for asking!
I need to experiment with different ways to mount it though. The issue is how high the handle is situated plus the fact that it cycles right in front of the press rather than offsetting like many compound leverage presses do.
The claimed leverage advantage must be when comparing the Coax to non-compound presses.
Quote Originally Posted by Bret4207
“There is more to this than dumping lead in a hole.”
DO you load standing or sitting? I have mine mounted on the bench in a slide in mount. And used a bar stool to set on. I had thought about a bench with a narrow L on it with the press mounted operating parallel to the long side of the L. I sit facing the bench and with the press in front of my right shoulder. This gives a straight pull (with my head out of the way.)
There is the option of the short handle if you dont need the leverage.
A D handle might help some also. Or possibly a handle with a slight curve to it.
The summit has the same issue with handle height.
I generally sit. I have a bar stool as well. My standing days are probably behind me though.
We have a farm shop and some ideas about different handle designs have been popping into my head. (I will store you thoughts in there as well, thanks for that.
I watched a video by a seasoned handloader who built an under bench platform for his Forester coax press with an approximately 60 degree angle that turned the press towards him. As it was situated, it was low enough to position the factory handle within easy reach when seated at normal height.
https://youtu.be/z6B_qA85HFw?si=20lFOPGidaMzq4ue
Best regards
Three44s
Last edited by Three44s; 05-10-2024 at 08:09 PM.
Quote Originally Posted by Bret4207
“There is more to this than dumping lead in a hole.”
How heavy are your bench legs? Could you possibly bolt a block on the leg and mount it down lower. A boxed in angle plate type set up on the leg possibly. Done right it could be adjustable to determine the height thats right for you. But your also going to be lowering the shell holder so finding a happy medium may be tricky.
I've been a COAX user for over 55 years. The older "Brown" painted press. I now have two of them. I could not count the number of rounds loaded over the decades using these presses. The loaded rounds are very accurate due to the floating dies self aligning to the case being reloaded. Run-out of the seated bullet shows very little misalignment.
My bench is actually an all steel framed table and it's built Iike a "tank". The legs are more than up to the task but the frame is massive.
I could mount about anything to it. Make it vertically adjustable as well as rotatable.
I have been thinking about it since I saw the vid in the link in my previous post.
Mark
Quote Originally Posted by Bret4207
“There is more to this than dumping lead in a hole.”
Here is how I have mine mounted and it works for me. I can pull up a full size chair or just a stool, having it this way I can sit to the left, center, or right of the press.
That's very trick! Thanks for sharing!
Three44s
Quote Originally Posted by Bret4207
“There is more to this than dumping lead in a hole.”
You're welcome. Obviously you could mount yours at whatever distance works for you. Not sure if you can tell, but I mount my bullet sizers the same way. The bullets drop through a hole I cut out in the table. Underneath I have a small SS pet bowl bolted to the table with one bolt which serves as a catch tray and when I need to collect my sized bullets...I simply pivot the full bowl out towards the outside of the table and scoop up my bullets, push it back in and I'm ready to go again.
Just a follow up.
Thanks again, I did not catch that earlier!
Good photography BTW.
Question: What is the bullet sizer (I guess I am dense here) as I don't recognize it?
Best regards
Three44s
The blue/silver one is a STAR LUBE SIZER, the red one I do not know exactly what it was used for but I modified it and turned it into a bullet sizer. I think the red one was some kind of rivet tool.
The blue/silver one is a STAR LUBE SIZER, the red one I do not know exactly what it was used for but I modified it and turned it into a bullet sizer. I think the red one was some kind of rivet tool.
Thanks
Three44s
Quote Originally Posted by Bret4207
“There is more to this than dumping lead in a hole.”
Got some bench time with the Coax yesterday.
My number one reason for buying this press was quick die changes. Does it ever work like advertised!
I am bad at having batches of brass at different stages of processing (especially) in 223 and last night I blundered into dabs of this and that, while doing a big clean up of my man cave. So this batch needs this die and that batch needs this die and so it went back and forth.
Full disclosure: I have a couple of turret presses, one is the iconic Lee Classic and I like them. However, in rifle brass processing, especially small bore (varmint cartridges) I do not like the tilting of the turret as pressure is applied during press operations.
I know folks see no runout issues with their turrets but I can not get warm and fuzzy on the issue.
Hence I bought a Coax!
Best regards
Three44s
Last edited by Three44s; 05-26-2024 at 10:31 AM.
Quote Originally Posted by Bret4207
“There is more to this than dumping lead in a hole.”
the high handle issue mentioned can be helped with the shorter ball handle. I rarely encounter times when the standard taller leverage is needed.
“Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world. But, the Marines don't have that problem.” Ronald Reagan
BP | Bronze Point | IMR | Improved Military Rifle | PTD | Pointed |
BR | Bench Rest | M | Magnum | RN | Round Nose |
BT | Boat Tail | PL | Power-Lokt | SP | Soft Point |
C | Compressed Charge | PR | Primer | SPCL | Soft Point "Core-Lokt" |
HP | Hollow Point | PSPCL | Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" | C.O.L. | Cartridge Overall Length |
PSP | Pointed Soft Point | Spz | Spitzer Point | SBT | Spitzer Boat Tail |
LRN | Lead Round Nose | LWC | Lead Wad Cutter | LSWC | Lead Semi Wad Cutter |
GC | Gas Check |