Why is the Forster CO-AX press so sought after?

[gruising]

Like the title says, I'm wondering what the deal is with these. What is so great about them? I have never used or seen one. Please let me know what I'm missing out on,
Thanks

I have been loading my own for almost fifty years. Tried at least 25 different presses. Still have a Big Max, a Ponsness Warren, a Hornady Ammo Plant, and a Forster Co-Ax. I also have an Ammo Master 50. Since the 'used to be made in America' folks have gone to China the quality has just gone to heck, They are plain sloppy in construction with a lot of play. The Co-Ax is not at all. It's tight, precise and a joy to use. If you haven't tried one you should. Like the Big Max the Forster will be with me till I die. Had a T-7 but I load a lot of different calibers and I don't leave my dies set up so it wasn't for me. It is a nice press though. Many presses leave primer dust all over the top of the press and ram, not the Co-Ax. Passes through the ram and out the bottom into a jar. Press stays clean always. Die changes take only a few, like five, seconds. Press has great leverage with a full 180 degree stroke. I use the short handle for an awful lot of my work but on larger cases I switch to the longer handle for sizing. If you have to swap the jaws for a larger or smaller caliber it does take longer than popping in a shell holder. About the same as swapping a shell plate on a progressive. I just don't think you can get a better single stage press, even the on press priming is great. I don't use it on most calibers unless it is for short runs of twenty or thirty rounds. It's a well designed hand assembled one at a time press made by folks who really care about what they turn out. It showes

 

[gruising]

I have been loading my own for almost fifty years. Tried at least 25 different presses. Still have a Big Max, a Ponsness Warren, a Hornady Ammo Plant, and a Forster Co-Ax. I also have an Ammo Master 50. Since the 'used to be made in America' folks have gone to China the quality has just gone to heck, They are plain sloppy in construction with a lot of play. The Co-Ax is not at all. It's tight, precise and a joy to use. If you haven't tried one you should. Like the Big Max the Forster will be with me till I die. Had a T-7 but I load a lot of different calibers and I don't leave my dies set up so it wasn't for me. It is a nice press though. Many presses leave primer dust all over the top of the press and ram, not the Co-Ax. Passes through the ram and out the bottom into a jar. Press stays clean always. Die changes take only a few, like five, seconds. Press has great leverage with a full 180 degree stroke. I use the short handle for an awful lot of my work but on larger cases I switch to the longer handle for sizing. If you have to swap the jaws for a larger or smaller caliber it does take longer than popping in a shell holder. About the same as swapping a shell plate on a progressive. I just don't think you can get a better single stage press, even the on press priming is great. I don't use it on most calibers unless it is for short runs of twenty or thirty rounds. It's a well designed hand assembled one at a time press made by folks who really care about what they turn out. It shows

 

[Argon Glen]

Alignment.. easy die changes.. universal shell holder..sturdy...

Plus isolation of spent primers. And made in USA (well, obviously not important to everybody but it is to me).

 

[The Crusty Deary Ol Coot]

Always needs to be one of us out there, guess this time it's me. Maybe it's due to the fact that I've used the typical "O" press for so many years, BUT ----------- I was not impressed with that Forster press!!!!!!!!!!! Give me the old tried and ever so true type with the standard/changeable shell holders and old fashion screw in dies.

Comes down to what rings your bell or floats your boat. But were I to be looking to buy a new press today, it would not be the Forster!

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

 

[tbird1964]

so far in the 50 odd years i have used RCBS equipment I have called them about 4 times with a problem. They took my name and address and about 3 days later the part was in my hands and never charged me anything. I like and have a Redding t7 but I find no major or accuracy difference in either one.

 

[Roughwater]

I like my Forester Coax and was glad I bought one. I started out with a Lee till it broke then bought a used Heavy duty RCBS single stage which I still have but is on the other end of the bench now and mostly use for pulling bullets. Like most I like not having to change shell holders. I don't know for a fact if it makes more accurate ammo but I think it has the potential to. It requires less force on the handle to size stubborn cases but I bought the longer handle for it which probably helps too. I've had it five years and the only problem I ever had was loosing one of the little springs that keep tenshion on the shell holder. Fortunately I had an extra one but bought a couple more just in case. It definitely has a better primer catcher than the RCBS does.

With the Forster Coax, one should be sure to change out the die lock rings to Forster rings if you use non-forester dies as most are thinner than the forster lock rings and it makes a difference. A set of Forster lock rings are pretty inexpensive. I've changed all my lock rings out.

 

[Powell]

I find it quick and convenient. You don't have to have a tray full of shell holders. The priming function is a little slower but I feel gives a lot of control. It is defiantly a different motion and process to get used to but I feel it works well. Seems to be a lot shorter throw movement, especially loading large lots.
I picked up a set of the Inline Fabrication Increased access linkage arms and found that to be very helpful. I don't have large hands but the added space is nice. I have some of the early style that do not have the tit so with both arms I found it to almost hyperextend or cam over to far. I am right handed so I put one on the left side and and the straight one stayed on the right. Looking at the new version they have a tit that I would think hits the stop and keeps that from happening. I also put one of their light kits on it. Then I have taken a file and knocked the sharp corner off the jaw plate on the bottom just to keep from cutting up my hand.

Buy lots of the rings so you don't have to keep setting up your dies every time.

 

[Terminalor]

I am extremely anal when it comes to reloading. I weigh everything including my primers to the hundredth of a grain. Turn necks...primer pockets and flash holes. IMHO not one thing makes a difference but a lot of small things add up. I have had a bunch of presses. Switched to the coax many years ago and never looked back. Very very low runout. All my guns are true one holers at 200yrds. The coax is just a pleasure to load with. I also reload .338 mag with ease due to the mechanical advantage of the coax.

 

[iShoot17]

I enjoy my Co-ax, but I believe every press has benefits and draw backs. As an example, depriming on a Co-ax is great because the primer always goes down the tube. Depriming (bulk) on a Co-ax is also tedious because a full stroke is required to open and close the jaws. In addition, the centered handle is very nice, but can also be a pain in the butt over bulk sessions because of the position and arm movement required.

As for concentricity - I can't say I have found much difference. I've done comparisons between presses (Dillon, RC Supreme, and Co-ax) and have found little, to no difference. I did find that changing dies often had unfortunate results on concentricity, but not so much presses.

I enjoy each of the presses I use, and like I said, they all have their place. If I were to speak to a new reloader (not saying you are, just presenting a case), I would say that the Co-ax is nice, but I don't think the holy grail mentality is needed. I'd say save some money on the press by getting another quality press, for less funds, and spend money on good dies. Don't hold out on reloading just to get the Co-ax!

 

[kai]

I started reloading with the Lee Classic dies over 45 years ago and have owned various presses and wanted a new premium press. After reading posts here and on other sites about the Co-Ax and other presses, I finally bought the new MEC Marksman press. It has floating case holders and solidly mounted dies that can use the Honardy Lock-n-Load bushings for quick die changes.

I studied both designs, the Co-Ax and the MEC Marksman, and I thought that a press that holds the die rigidly inline with the ram, and with a floating case holder that allows the case to align with the die would be better for alignment than having the whole die loosely mounted in the press with a floating case holder as used in the Co-Ax. I just started using the MEC press and really like the rigidity, sturdiness, features and overall quality.

 

[saluki68]

As far as single stage goes, I'm not sure how you do much better. I've used a couple of different RCBS presses (and still do), and my CO-Ax. The Forster easily has more consistent feel, and if I get run out more than a .002, it's my fault. I initially disliked the "sloppiness" of the press, but that is its strength as mentioned in previous posts if you do your pre-work, and use good dies. Additionally, I wasn't happy not being able to use precision graduated shell holders (Redding), but I got over it. I reload 6mmAR, 6 Creed, 6.5 SAUM, 7WSM and 300 Norma Mag. All with the same results. Outstanding. Note: I only use the primer seating function for the 300 NM, and I decap my spent cases on the RCBS Summit.

 

[68formalGT]

How does it compare to the Hornady iron head press?

 

[mountainman83]

Have had one about 2 months now.
The more I use it, the more I like it.
I really like how easy it is to change dies and not having multiple shellholders. Initially took some getting used to the floating dies, but as I continue to use the press I see how easy it is to make very consistent ammo over and over again!
Also I have just started using Whidden dies (I have and still use redding dies) and the combination of the two are working out fantastic.

I like it so much that my RCBS rock chucker may be going up for sale soon.

 

[Target Rush]

This is how I mounted mine to catch primers.