Reloading with a Forster Co Ax press??

[Trickymissfit]

Originally Posted by tx hunter

I have a question as I have never used this press. Is there any difference in the dies that are used for this press.(ex. can i use lee or rcbs dies in this press)

Thanx

most any .875-14 thread die will work. I do not use the Forster lock rings, and prefer the Lyman steel rings. They are about .005" thinner and once squared up allow the case to die alingment to float slightly more. I use just about every major die brand out there with my press, but almost always use the Lyman lock rings on all of them.
gary

[Trickymissfit]

Originally Posted by joe0121

Heres my question where can you get one cheap?

Midway is your friend
gary

[rscott5028]

Originally Posted by joe0121

Heres my question where can you get one cheap?

Wait about 20 yrs and start checking estate sales.

As to the OP, you may never have to re-adjust your dies. But, you should always measure the outcome just to be sure.

-- richard

[Trickymissfit]

Originally Posted by rscott5028

Wait about 20 yrs and start checking estate sales.

As to the OP, you may never have to re-adjust your dies. But, you should always measure the outcome just to be sure.

-- richard

X2
gary

[joe0121]

Originally Posted by Forester

Probably nowhere, I don't see many of them turn up in the classifieds, which tells you something...

I have been using one for several years now, replaced a very old rockchucker with it.

For swapping dies in and out what I do is this:

Take a spare piece of brass (I keep a spare "setup" piece in the die box for each caliber) and run it up into the die with the die set screw in the top of the press all the way loose. Now just barely finger tighten the set screw, don't even use the short end of the allen wrench for leverage, just he shaft. What this does is centers the die over the jaws and holds it there while still allowing it to float and produce low runout rounds. It also gives you a little bit more consistency when sizing because the die always gets the same "slack" in the vertical direction.

I sized some 7-300WSM cases last night, I usually push the shoulder back .001" on this brass and I did not have to make a single die adjustment. (Brass is annealed after each firing).

Why do you anneal after each firing?

[joe0121]

Originally Posted by rscott5028

Wait about 20 yrs and start checking estate sales.

As to the OP, you may never have to re-adjust your dies. But, you should always measure the outcome just to be sure.

-- richard

LOL, I am always going to estate sales and auctions, especially old farmer. I love old tools and especially old furniture. Back when people were proud of what they built the craftsmanship is so amazing.

[Forester]

Originally Posted by joe0121

Why do you anneal after each firing?

In a word...consistency, same neck tension throughout the life of the brass. Plus good brass is expensive and I want it to last as long as possible. I am annealing on a Bench Source annealing machine, so to setup and anneal a couple hundred cases is really only a few minutes work.

I am sure that parts of my reloading process are unnecessary for any given caliber, but it seems to be working for me so i would rather continue to do them rather than experiment with which ones I can leave out.