Recommendation for New to Forster

[DocDoc]

I am new to this press. Is it best to go with standard shell holders and the Redding competition shell holder kit to get the correct bump? or Just take the time to get it right with the Forster universal jaws and keep a die set for a rifle?

I have the shell holders for standard cartridges I load, but not the competition set and the adapter for the new press.

 

[Reloader222]

Sorry cannot help you, but congratulations with this Ferrari. It is top of the range in reloading. Hope somebody can help you.

 

[Dr. Vette]

I am new to this press. Is it best to go with standard shell holders and the Redding competition shell holder kit to get the correct bump? or Just take the time to get it right with the Forster universal jaws and keep a die set for a rifle?

I have the shell holders for standard cartridges I load, but not the competition set and the adapter for the new press.

I guess it depends how many rifles you have of the same caliber, and how many you reload for overall.

With my Forster I use the Redding body dies when possible, and they work great to bump the shoulder and leave the neck alone for specific resizing. Or, if you're only reloading for one rifle in a certain caliber just leave the resizing die set to bump the shoulders back and be done with it.

I have not yet used the competitions shell holder kit as I don't find it that troublesome even to readjust a body die to resize for different rifles of the same caliber. Otherwise, even separate body dies are not horribly expensive.

 

[Trickymissfit]

your dies are threaded, and thus adjustable. Why spend that extra money (really extra when being ripped off by Redding). Basic shell holders add a certain amount of error (nothing is machined 100% perfect), and a couple tenths here will triangulate several times over. Where as the case head seats on the Forster bolster plate. Which is as square as the press can get. The only thing those sliding jaws do is to extract the case from the die, and really that's all that's ever needed in the first place.
gary

 

[gohring3006]

I haven't seen a add on that improves any part of the forester. They seem to have done it right the firsttime ....

 

[DocDoc]

Thanks for the help. I will use it the way it came for now. At the present time, I am loading for only one rifle in any caliber, but with grandkids that could change.

 

[Trickymissfit]

Thanks for the help. I will use it the way it came for now. At the present time, I am loading for only one rifle in any caliber, but with grandkids that could change.

engineering wise the Forster press is nothing but a true toggle press, and that's why it's so powerful. Is it everybody's cup of tea? No, but many knock them without ever attempting to use one. The secret to the Forster is the way the processed it during manufacture. The ram follows two guide rods, and thus torques very little if any at all.

Adding to the design creates error. A third guide rod at the rear (in place of the priming device)would most certainly make the press even better, but the gain might be a couple tenths at the most.

Forster could have made a hardened seat under the sliding jaws, and from there made that adjustable to align it with the guide rods. Was it needed? Probably not, but you could take a couple tenths out of the error with it.

gary

 

[Dr. Vette]

I haven't seen a add on that improves any part of the forester. They seem to have done it right the firsttime ....

The one part I did upgrade is the jaw holder:



I wish there was a way to "lock" the jaws onto the base of a shell, as there are times with a difficult-to-extract case that the case will just pull out of the jaws. I've even bent a few case rims. As a result I have a RockChucker Supreme for those few times I need to use a shellholder for a better grip on the base of a case.

 

[gohring3006]

The one part I did upgrade is the jaw holder:

Forster Co Ax Jaw holder upgrade... get one! - YouTube

I wish there was a way to "lock" the jaws onto the base of a shell, as there are times with a difficult-to-extract case that the case will just pull out of the jaws. I've even bent a few case rims. As a result I have a RockChucker Supreme for those few times I need to use a shellholder for a better grip on the base of a case.

Thanks for posting that video I'm going to pick one of those up that's is a preventive measure that's sure to happen to me sooner or later...

 

[Trickymissfit]

The one part I did upgrade is the jaw holder:

Forster Co Ax Jaw holder upgrade... get one! - YouTube

I wish there was a way to "lock" the jaws onto the base of a shell, as there are times with a difficult-to-extract case that the case will just pull out of the jaws. I've even bent a few case rims. As a result I have a RockChucker Supreme for those few times I need to use a shellholder for a better grip on the base of a case.

I've only had a couple cases the jaws wouldn't hold onto, and that was because of a die issue. I've had cases come apart and the jaws held just fine. Even during heavy case forming, I've never had an issue. If your bending case rims, the jaws have to be holding firm. You may have a case lube issue, or the wall thickness in the neck is way too tight.
gary

 

[gohring3006]

I've only had a couple cases the jaws wouldn't hold onto, and that was because of a die issue. I've had cases come apart and the jaws held just fine. Even during heavy case forming, I've never had an issue. If your bending case rims, the jaws have to be holding firm. You may have a case lube issue, or the wall thickness in the neck is way too tight.
gary

I have noticed when I tried the hornady spray lube that I was real close to having a stuck case. The Lee stuff that's in a tube works really well sizing is pretty much effortless.

 

[Dr. Vette]

I've only had a couple cases the jaws wouldn't hold onto, and that was because of a die issue. I've had cases come apart and the jaws held just fine. Even during heavy case forming, I've never had an issue. If your bending case rims, the jaws have to be holding firm. You may have a case lube issue, or the wall thickness in the neck is way too tight.
gary

It was using the Willis collet die. That think is a b&tch to use, and when trying to extract a case there are days it just wants to hold on.

I did about 100 cases with it last week using the RockChucker, and had zero issues.

 

[Trickymissfit]

I have noticed when I tried the hornady spray lube that I was real close to having a stuck case. The Lee stuff that's in a tube works really well sizing is pretty much effortless.

buy a tin of Imperial Die Sizing Wax, and forget the Hornaday stuff
gary

 

[gohring3006]

buy a tin of Imperial Die Sizing Wax, and forget the Hornaday stuff
gary

My local gun store has some of that in stock I'll pick some up. The hornady spray "sucks" for lack of a better word. I've been using the spray as a rust preventive for long term storage of dies and and brass I don't want to tarnish I did notice its good for that purpose......