Anyone familiar with the Forster CO-AX. It will be my first reloader and was told this one is very accurate. Any thoughts or suggestions?
Forster CO-AX
- Thread starter hammargren
- Start date
You should consider ordering the shorter arm for the press when you buy it. The long one that comes with it is not necessary for most things. It's a great press that you should be happy with. I don't use the priming portion of it and don't know many that do if you were thinking in that direction. The priming portion works and does its job well but is cumbersome to use in my opinion. Personally I use a hand priming tool. You'll not regret the purchase.
I have had mine for over 40 years. It is the best single stage press ever made. I could not begin to count the rounds I have loaded using it.
After you get yours and have used it for a few months, go over to one of your shooting buddies house and try his press. The first stroke you take you will say ' WTF". you will be shocked to feel how much effort is needed to pull the handle down.
The CO-AX is so strong it takes very little effort to size any caliber casing or to size it to another caliber. The floating dies have given me the most accurate loaded ammo I have ever shot.
You did good.
After you get yours and have used it for a few months, go over to one of your shooting buddies house and try his press. The first stroke you take you will say ' WTF". you will be shocked to feel how much effort is needed to pull the handle down.
The CO-AX is so strong it takes very little effort to size any caliber casing or to size it to another caliber. The floating dies have given me the most accurate loaded ammo I have ever shot.
You did good.
Yep, I agree 100% with all the previous comments. Really great, really well made, great customer service. Nice way to get into reloading.
The folks at Forster recommended using Rem Oil to keep the key moving parts lubed and I have been very happy with it.
Good luck
The folks at Forster recommended using Rem Oil to keep the key moving parts lubed and I have been very happy with it.
Good luck
I bought mine @40 years ago also...the designer was still alive, and when I complemented him the great mechanical advantage, he said to remember that it is a piece of machinery, and keep it oiled. I use a moly content oil and it is as tight as new.
I have a pair of Dillons and Forster Coax. The Coax is the best single stage press on the market! the captured primer design has been copied every where, no shell holders needed for various calibers and you can load rifle rounds with almost zero run out..
The easy slide in and out die design is fantastic.
Once you set up your dies it's simply a matter of sliding the die in and out to use.
It's actually faster than a turret press. Also the primer catch system is great.
You will not be disappointed.
Once you set up your dies it's simply a matter of sliding the die in and out to use.
It's actually faster than a turret press. Also the primer catch system is great.
You will not be disappointed.
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Agree. No shell-holders, quick-change die system, smooth high-leverage action, great deprime system...all good reasons to love it. Your research is over my friend...don't spend anymore time on it.
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Although I must admit to using a cheap/old C press with a collet type bullet puller as an "eraser".
I researched presses quite a bit when I started reloading last year.
A lot of good ones out there but this one was my choice and could not be happier.
I use mostly Forster dies too, although Redding is probably just as good.
One thing, the Hornady collect puller is a bit awkward as it has to clear the pull handle of the Coax.
A lot of good ones out there but this one was my choice and could not be happier.
I use mostly Forster dies too, although Redding is probably just as good.
One thing, the Hornady collect puller is a bit awkward as it has to clear the pull handle of the Coax.
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I picked one up here a few months ago. I was utilizing an RCBS JR3 and upgraded to it. Was night and day improvement. They few times I've called / emailed their support folks I've had some of the best customer service ever.
I started reloading 5 or 6 years ago with a Forster CoAx. It is still the only press I own, and I love it. I've used other people's presses, my buddy has a Rock Chucker. Nothing in single stage compares to the Forster IMO. I still prime everything I load with the press too, and I can get it done really fast and easily.
I absolutely would recommend it.
I may get a Dillon at some point for handgun ammo, but it would only be for speed. The Forster leaves nothing to be desired in accuracy or ease of use. It's the fastest and easiest to use single stage out there.
I absolutely would recommend it.
I may get a Dillon at some point for handgun ammo, but it would only be for speed. The Forster leaves nothing to be desired in accuracy or ease of use. It's the fastest and easiest to use single stage out there.
I have had one for many years, love it. One thing, the primer seater is a joke, get a hand primer and throw the Forster primer parts in the trash.
I had one. It was a quality tool but I didn't care for the ergonomics and found it klutzy to use, especially with long cases like 300 Win Mag. Had to nest the bullet up inside the die and drop it onto the case. Really got tired of pinching my fingers and blood blisters. I like my Redding Ultramags and Lee Classic Cast much better.
I'll have some folk gagging and choking on the floor for saying it but of all the tools used to make precision ammo the press is the least important - all presses work fine. All the press does is push cases into the dies and pull them back out, they all do that and you can do that on a small arbor press -- as it's done on the line at BR matches. It's the loader and his skills plus his dies, components and load development ability that produce small groups, not the press. The people who understand that aren't fussy about presses; those who don't understand that tend to agonize over what's "best" but no press made will actually claim to be more "accurate" than their competitors because it would be a provable lie.
I won't say "what single stage press I use" because that's no proof of anything at all but it works fine and has for 25 years. Even so, if I had to replace it next week and I had unlimited money for anything I'd just get a Lee Classic Cast (without the bushing gizmos) because it has the best user features of any iron press in its class.
Spend what ever it takes to reassure yourself and be happy in knowing that no other press would make better ammo than yours.
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Fuzzball, funny you mention the Lee classic cast. I have been using a borrowed rock jr press for about 3 yrs. decided it was time to give it back. I agonized over which press was "best" and almost pulled the trigger on a co-ax due to all the rave reviews. The price tag kept me away for so long.
My current process is making really straight ammo so i finally got a grip and decided on a Lee classic cast.
Why? Well it has a beefy ram, a mechanical stop to prevent cam-over (i use the collet die, important feature for me), a third mounting hole in correct spot, has great mech adv that is adjustable, big O for my paws, a primer catch, and is made in the USA.
Got for $93 shipped too.
I spent the $200 i saved on powder
My current process is making really straight ammo so i finally got a grip and decided on a Lee classic cast.
Why? Well it has a beefy ram, a mechanical stop to prevent cam-over (i use the collet die, important feature for me), a third mounting hole in correct spot, has great mech adv that is adjustable, big O for my paws, a primer catch, and is made in the USA.
Got for $93 shipped too.
I spent the $200 i saved on powder
"Fuzzball, funny you mention the Lee classic cast."
It's a great press at an amazingly low cost and it's very precisely machined on modern CNC machinery..
The die threads, press threads and shell holders also come into play as each case enters a die, so a slightly "sloppy" ram is helpful because it will allow things to self align each case with the dies. Contrary to "common wisdom", an overly tight ram is a potential determint to high concentricity; no press can force bad cases to load straight while a very tight but slightly misaligned press can damn sure bend good cases!
The key to concentric ammo is good dies and good necks, no dies or press can improve poor case necks.
It's a great press at an amazingly low cost and it's very precisely machined on modern CNC machinery..
The die threads, press threads and shell holders also come into play as each case enters a die, so a slightly "sloppy" ram is helpful because it will allow things to self align each case with the dies. Contrary to "common wisdom", an overly tight ram is a potential determint to high concentricity; no press can force bad cases to load straight while a very tight but slightly misaligned press can damn sure bend good cases!
The key to concentric ammo is good dies and good necks, no dies or press can improve poor case necks.
