Reloading with a Forster Co Ax press??

KQguy

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Dec 7, 2007
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I bought a Forster Co Ax press a while back,and really like it.My question is,with the design of it,the way the dies are inserted(they just slide in from the side),is there any reason to make die adjustments once they are set?Once I set up my FL die to bump the shoulder back .002",and I settle on a seating depth,is there any reason to ever mess with the settings after that?Since these dies are only being used for one gun,I am under the impression that I will get consistant ammo each and every time using the Forster press,and never messing around with set up's.If I am wrong,please let me know.
 
That's what I was hoping to hear.I was just concerned that after the brass has been fired a few times,that maybe the hardness of the brass would start to change,and I would start to get a "spring back"affect when I bump the shoulder back.
 
That's what I was hoping to hear.I was just concerned that after the brass has been fired a few times,that maybe the hardness of the brass would start to change,and I would start to get a "spring back"affect when I bump the shoulder back.

You should be annealing your brass. I also have the same press. Works great.
 
I asked for this press for Christmas...curious to see if my loads become any more accurate because of it.


I doubt it. I can produce near zero runout, accurate ammo with my rockchucker just as well as the co-ax.

In fact, I use the rockchucker more often.
 
Derek,
Just curious,why do you use the Rockchucker more often than the co-ax?I also have both presses,but I use the co-ax about 90% of the time,because of how easy it is to change dies,and no need to use different shell holders.I mainly just use the rockchucker to pull bullets if needed,or if I want to load for my S&W 500.
 
Well, truthfully, b/c I'm incredibly lazy. My co-ax is mounted on the far right of my bench, up against the wall, and all of my boxes of sorted brass are stacked over there, so I'd have to rearrange a bunch of crap. There you have it....laziness.

However, this next year, I've told myself it's time for a spring cleaning and I plan on using it more.
 
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
 
You can use any dies you want but you'll need to use the rings that come with the press. However, the standard arm on the press is not quite tall enough to clear most of the Redding comp seaters, so Forster made a second arm that will clear it. I will be charged about 70.00 to send it back and have them install second arm (another reason I don't use this press as much).

If the new press is available with the deeper arch, get it that way.

There are a lot of bench loaders who do not use this press and still win competitions.

Personally, I know it is a great press, but it is not magic.
 
Heres my question where can you get one cheap?


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).
 
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