Giant Forster Co-Ax

[killer_penguin]

Why hasn't forster come to the table with a bigger press?

Loading 338LM on my co-ax gets a little tricky with the 300gr pills. I would love a bigger co-ax that would accommodate 338LM - 50bmg or at least 408CT. Is there a problem with the design that wouldn't allow it to work on bigger stuff?

 

[Hink]

Re: Giant Forster Co-Ax

I bet it's more an issue with supply and demand. Right now, Midway is listing the co-ax at $240 and the RCBS rockchucker at $130. The Forster is already on the premium end of reloading presses, especially when you consider that the RCBS ammomaster is listed at $270 and can handle all cases smaller than the 50. The coax and ammomaster are at the same price point now; how much would Forster have to charge just to break even on a bigger coax after a redesign and all the R&D that goes with it? Forster knows they're on the high end of press cost now, and I doubt they'd put a lot of energy into a new press when it would likely be priced far above what already exists on the market.

 

[Fuzzball]

Re: Giant Forster Co-Ax

"Why hasn't forster come to the table with a bigger press?"

I believe you're asking the wrong people. At least they haven't told me!

 

[flashhole]

Re: Giant Forster Co-Ax

I felt Penguin's pain. I sold my Co-Ax because I got tired of pinching my fingers loading the longer cartridges. I like the press and the design but it is a product outpaced by cartridge evolution. I think it's a perfectly legit question for Forster.

 

[fncannon]

Re: Giant Forster Co-Ax

One of my personal dreams is a Co-Ax that handles .50 BMG. I don't think it will ever happen outside of a custom one-off.

 

[hotiron]

Re: Giant Forster Co-Ax

Right now I am using my old RCBS press for a 338 LM with redding comp dies. Somewhat ok... I am thinking of upgrading to the Forster. I read here that there may be some issues with the 338 in the co-ax. What type of specific problems are you having?

 

[killer_penguin]

Re: Giant Forster Co-Ax

It's not that big of a problem, but you just have to be careful.

The 338LM case is just long enough to where the space between the case and the seating die is only about 3/4" or so. This means that when seating those big long 338LM bullets, you have to put the tip up into the die, shove it up in there a bit, then bring it down on top of the case mouth. The forster's floating jaws do not grab ahold of the case while this is going on, so it is a great opportunity to spill powder all over the place if you aren't careful. Then you have to shove the completed round up in the die a bit before angling it out. Tight quarters.

I haven't spilled any powder yet, and I would rather use the forster than my rcbs ammomaster.

I would pay handsomely for a co-ax that would do the bigger cartridges like 338LM, 375CT, or 50BMG.

 

[mattmcg]

Re: Giant Forster Co-Ax

I have always wondered the same thing. The Co-Ax is an excellent press but they definitely need a larger version for 338 Lapua and up.

In fact, I think I've emailed them this exact request for about the past 4 years running. When I saw this thread, I thought perhaps they were making one available!!!

 

[vman]

Re: Giant Forster Co-Ax

Didnt realise the co-ax was that small... will be ordering one in the new year.

 

[Clark]

Re: Giant Forster Co-Ax

Clarence E. Purdie, deceased; (late of Faribault, MN) of Gopher Shooter's Supply Company, Incorporated (Faribault, MN) went to Bonanza that went to Forster.

Purdie's other big patent ended two or three years ago, the sliding sleeve seater, and Redding, Hornady, and RCBS started cloning it for high end dies.

The Co-ax press is now off patent, and I would expect the Chinese can make one for $25.

I hope Forster can negotiate better with the Chinese than Google did.

 

[cav has been]

Re: Giant Forster Co-Ax

If you mod. the side linkage straps it helps. Doesn't help the die to shell plate distance, but gives those of us with fat fingers a bit more working room.
In practice I place the projectile in the case mouth, slightly enter die, then lower case into shell holder. Have yet to dump powder.